9 Portable Band Saw Uses | What Can It Be Used For?

Written By: David S. Miles

Portable band saws, despite their utility, receive less attention from people and professionals. Likewise, most people think that a portable band saw is mainly used for beautiful decorative cuts. Yes, it’s right to some extent. However, does it have any other uses?

Today, we are going to discuss the most popular and innovative portable band saw uses. The succinct and narrative guidelines will be helpful for woodworkers, plumbers, steelworkers, and homeowners to understand the limitless potentiality of a portable bandsaw.

9 Portable Band Saw Uses

Makita XBP02Z : Portable Band Saw Uses

A portable band saw is a handy cutting and sawing tool. You can use it to accomplish a wide variety of works. Knowing the appropriate purposes of what a portable bandsaw is used for will help you in two ways. It will quicken your job as well as allow you to complete some of the most unthinkable tasks.

Cutting Structural Steels

Portable band saws are most commonly used in metal fabrication shops for cutting and shaping the steels. Manufactures use a high performing bandsaw and blade to form the steels in their shop. However, it has only limited use due to the immense strength of the steels.

The size and power of a portable bandsaw are limited; thus, it can cut through only the thin sheets of steel.

Billet Shaping

Popularly known as bar stocks, billets are the raw form of a purified metal. It is widely used in producing different metal parts. Most machine manufacturer companies use a band saw to cut these billets to their basic shapes.

Using a bandsaw you can cut the bar stocks into rectangular or square shapes at ease. Most billets are extremely hard and require more powerful instruments to cut. The use of a portable band saw is limited.

Creating A Tenon Joint

Most woodworking jobs require a mortice and tenon joint. It helps two different parts of wood to join together firmly. A portable saw can be used to craft the tenon tongue. The smooth tenon tongue is then placed in the mortise hole to form a powerful bond.

Resawing More Massive Timbers into Small Ones

You can use a portable bandsaw to cut large woods like 12”X12” into smaller sizes like 6”X6” or even to the smallest size. It is an excellent benefit of these saws. However, don’t try to cut more significant timbers like 2-3 feet height or the portable band saw blade would be damaged.

Making Notches

Notches with purlins are essential in the woodworking industry. It is an integral part of standard rooftops. Most woodworkers use portable saws with a dual blade guide to making the usual notches.  In such cases, you should use the blade at a 30-degree angle for better performance.

Creating Truss Circles

If you are not afraid of hard work and ready to invest some time, you can make truss circles using a portable saw. Nonetheless, it is a painstaking job. So, be prepared to sacrifice your sweat. However, it is worth investing some time because the truss circles will make the roof look stunning.

In Meat and Butchering Industry

Butchers use a specially built portable band saw to cut large pieces of flesh and bones into smaller ones. It saves time and energy. Earlier, butchers preferred traditional meat sizing machines, but nowadays portable saws are getting popularity.

To Create Veneers

While performing a woodworking job, you may need thin veneers in place of thick ones. So how do you get them? You can use a portable saw to slice the thick veneer boards according to your desired measurement. Isn’t it an excellent innovative idea?

Decorative Cuts

Finally, we are glad to introduce you to the most popular use of a portable saw. You can use it for different decorative cuts. However, the most preferred application is creating a Pergola with the saw. You can make the pergola ends and corbels with the portable saw.


A portable bandsaw can be applied to accomplish a wide range of wood and metal cutting jobs. It is a unique tool with its lightweight, versatility, and user-friendliness. Yet, it is one of the least talked about woodworking equipment.

Therefore, this piece of writing will prove handy for beginners to initiate any band saw project ideas. We believe that the use described here of a portable band saw will help people in their daily life to complete some easy woodcutting tasks with ease.

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