A rip cut is a cut made parallel to the grain of wood, while a cross cut is perpendicular. Different saws work better for each type of cut due to the shape and placement of teeth on the blade. Rip cuts are easier and result in smoother edges, while cross cuts require every fiber to be cut. Teeth for rip cuts are shaped like chisels, while those for cross cuts are shaped like boxcutters. Ripsaws have larger teeth, while crosscut saws have smaller teeth with alternating outward bends to prevent sawdust from obstructing the cut.
A rip cut is when a cut is made parallel to the grain of a piece of wood. It is the opposite of a cross cut, which is when the cut is perpendicular to the grain. While most saws can make both cuts, there are specialized saws that work better when making one or the other. In most cases, a table saw, circular saw, or band saw works best when making a longitudinal cut, and a circular or miter saw works best for crosscutting. The biggest difference in saw specialties is in the shape and placement of the teeth on the blade.
The grain of wood is made up of long, continuous fibers compressed together very tightly. This grain gives the wood structural stability and strength. As a tree grows, the grain prevents it from cracking or bending and extends from the bottom of the tree to the top. If something goes in the same direction as the fibers of the wood then it goes with the grain. If something doesn’t follow the path of the fiber, then it’s against the grain.
When wood is cut, a rip cut is easier to make and will result in a smoother edge than a cross cut. This is because the grain will naturally separate when forced. This means that the saws require less energy when cutting and there are fewer broken and exposed plant fibers. Cross cuts require every single fiber in the area to be cut and will expose each end of the fiber along the cut edge.
A saw’s teeth and their arrangement determine the type of cut it is suitable for. A rip cut is made using teeth shaped like small chisels. These teeth cut when they have to, but are better suited to forcing the fibers to separate naturally. A cross cut is made with teeth in the shape of boxcutters. These will cut the fibers as they pass over it.
The size and placement of the teeth also differ. A ripsaw has much larger and thicker teeth than a crosscut. Generally, this is because a greater proportion of the cutting force on a rip cut comes from the saw operator. Crosscut saws have small teeth, and many more, as most of the cutting force comes from the teeth. A ripsaw will have all of its teeth in a row while the teeth of a crosscut saw will have a slight alternating outward bend. These alternating teeth create a wider opening so that sawdust won’t obstruct the cut.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
