If you want to proceed from the level of seeing your prefered wood , to the level of having your exact prefered wood in your hands , wood cutting is the situation you should proceed .
If you don’t proceed to cut your wood , you can only stand still and admire(!) your wood from far away , not beeing able to have it in the size you want .
Wood cutting is the three steps fundamental and critical process , of seperating the wood’s mass of any shape( logs-boards , et.c) , to the exact shape and size we want , in order to create the woodworking projects we like .
Remember why the hand saw is a column wood tool in HERE .
These 3 Fundamental Cutting Steps are :
1) Laying out the Cutting Line .
Before all your cuttings , you should be lay out the exact and precise line , your wood cutting equipment should follow and cut the wood .
2) Choose the Best Possible Set-up , for Cutting .
In here you should choose the 100% correct and 100% suitable carpentry tool and saw blade , for the specific cutting you want to do .
3) Execute the Cutting .
After you made the previous preparation steps , you’re ready to proceed to the cutting , as better and precise you can .
** See some Best panel saws , back saws and more choices to be fully covered in HERE .
There are 2 Ways to Cut a Wooden piece :
1) The 1st way to cut your wood is to move the portable tool towards to the wood piece .
If you choose this way , to apply the tool to the wood piece , you’ll need a straightedge , some cutitng guides and clamps to stabilize wood and bee as accurate as you can be .
2) The 2nd way is to move the wood , placing it to the wood tool .
In here you move the wood piece to place it to the power tool , table saws , et.c , which are more stable and not much portable and cut it . These cutting tools have on their own , the appropriate cutting guides to assist you , during the cutting .
What is the most Accurate way to Cut wood ?
The best and accurate way to cut wood is to mark wood very precise using the best marking tool possible , NEVER cut inside the marking line and use a power tool(table saw , miter saws , et.c ) to make the cutting .
Remember a helpful post , concerning the marking tools in HERE .
Power cutting equipment , “wins” unfortunately even the most stable human hand and a top quality hand saw , straightedges , clamps , et.c .
Is it better to Cut Wood , when it’s Wet or Dry ?
It’s 100% better to cut wood when it’s totally dry , because its fibers and mass will remain the same before and after the cutting , something that isn’t present in wet wood .
It isn’t better in any way , to cut wood when it’s wet , because the wood’s fibers will change their form when they’ll dry and the cutting will be awry after the entire’s wood mass drying .
Yes , cutting wet wood is easier , but NOT correct .
Do you Cut wood better , Fast or Slow ?
The best way to cut your wood hand or power tools , is to cut it slow because you control the whole cutting process easily , you won’t cut awry , you “surgical” follow the marking lines with accuracy and you avoid the wood’s fibers splitting , caused from bigger speed .
The total cutting control is the major advantage here , because it allows you to make “microscopic” corrections , during the cutting without “escaping” the cutting lines .
What is the Easiest Wood to Cut ?
For many people the easiest wood type to cut is the poplar tree , but i thik that all the wood types that have medium and low fiber density , are easier to cut than the high density hardwood types .
Remember the advantages and more for the wood types for several projects in my primary post , HERE .
How Long should Logs sit , before splitting ?
This situation depends from so many factors , even if the majority of the woodworkers say at least 6 months , but i have a different belief in here .
The ammount of time you should wait before splitting depends of the wood type you have , the use you want for this wood piece , the drying difficulties the specific place the logs-wood has , the general weather – moisture conditions , luck and other factors .
The correct woodworking mentality in here is to wait , till the drying will complete as you will be 100% satisfied .
See some drying no cracking “secrets” in HERE .
Does Splitting wood , help it dry Faster ?
Yes , it certainly helps because one solid wooden mass/surface “broken” in many smaller pieces , gives more cm3 acreage of surface for air circulation , more surface for moisture “escape” and easiness of the deep core log moisture , to come out .
What is the Best tool , to cut a Straightline ?
The best tool to cut a straightline is for sure in the area of the power woodworking tools , as the table saw , the miter saws , bandsaws , et.c . No matter how good and stable is your hand , how good is your straightedge , guides, et.c and how good is your hand saw , the machines can cut with microscopic accuracy .
Humans cannot , such tiny scales and fully controlled the same time .
** See some Best table saw choices and some Tips , in HERE .
How do you Cut Wood , without a Kickback ?
If you use a crosscut sled and a metal detector you can avoid the very annoying and dangerous saw kickback , while cutting .
See my early post HERE for the metal detectors help .
Should you Sand wood , Before cutting ?
No , i don’t think this is correct even if many do that to gain time , because during the cutting phase a problem( fiber/spike splitting ) may unveil that will need sanding to fix it , so you’ll need to sand again and lose time .
Sanding isn’t placed in the last carpentry projects process , by luck . You fix whatever you’ve done in the previous phases and be 100% prepared for finishing and the general completeness stage .
How do you Precisely cut Wood , Without a saw ?
This is tough , but it can be done . Of course without the 100% “surgical” perfection of the power saw tools , or the perfection of the portable saw tools .
A very well sharpened chisel , a hatchet or an axe , even a very good knife – marking knife can do the job .
Is it Cheaper to Cut your own Lumber ?
Yes , for sure it is cheaper and if you have a couple of basic power tools ( small table saw , a miter saw ) and some very good hand saws and acessories( straightedge , clamps , guides ) you can have a very good level of cutting accuracy .
For more special and difficult cuts , you need more adanced equipment , close to the pro carpenters and carpentry shops have .
** If you want a cutting helper , some of the best circular saws choices are in HERE .
Is it better to cut Wood in the Winter ?
From the “old ages” people were cutting wood the period of almost the end of winter ( March – april ) and Spring .
Keep woodworking and gain the biggest smile outhere .
