How to Cut Fine Wood Without Splintering
- 1). Match the saw to the cut. Select a table, radial or circular saw for cutting strait lines; scroll, jig or band saws are best suited for making curved or scrolled cuts.
- 2). Match the blade to the cut. Select a crosscut blade when cutting across wood grain or a rip blade when sawing with the grain. Combination blades are available, but don’t produce a truly quality cut in either direction.
- 3). Select a tooth count. As the tooth count on a blade increases, the size of the teeth decrease, causing the wood less damage. For example, a 60-tooth blade will cut more much aggressively than an 80-tooth blade, but the 60-tooth blade will cause more splintering. However, there is a tradeoff. Smaller teeth cause the blade to cut more slowly, increasing the amount of effort needed to execute the cut.
- 4). Tape the wood. Run a piece of making tape over the wood before drawing the cut-line and then cut through the masking tape. Taping holds the surfaces of the wood together, helping to prevent splintering.
- 5). Cut slowly. Excessive course corrections will increase splintering. Move the saw through the wood in a controlled and steady motion, so as not to veer off the cut line.
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