The Top Ten Ways to Cut Wood without a Table Saw

A table saw isn’t always available, so alternative methods must be used for cutting wood. These include a circular saw, hand saw, wire, jigsaw, axe, drill, knife, and many more! Our guide aims at giving you a quick rundown of how to cut wood without a table saw.

Of course, if you’d like to narrow it down even further, this video covers the top three of all methods available and showcase cutting wood without a table saw using these specific methods:

Method #1: Circular Saw

Circular saws are an easy alternative to table saws, making your job a whole lot easier. Install a pressure-sprayed sheet over the floor as it protects the surface, further reducing friction. Lay the cutting wood onto the sheet. Paste masking tape on the wood before tracing the cutting line. Trace the cut line using the carpenter pencil curved lines.

The blade should penetrate deep enough to cut the wood while grazing the board beneath it. Saws are very powerful. Place your fingers away from the blade and wear a pair of safety goggles as well.

However, you can also turn this saw into a table saw if you want to cut the wood you need for your project with a table saw, and we’ve created a guide on turning circular saws into homemade table saws to help you with that.

Method #2: Hand Saw

Moreover, hand saws are a good method of cutting wood. It can, however, be difficult to achieve smooth cuts using hand saws.

Place the starboard at the bottom of the working surface.
Put your cutting material on top. Fix tape onto the wood to avoid splintering.
Use a rotary square and pen to mark your cut lines on the length of the paper.
Fix wood on both ends.
Place blades on the cut lines marked.
Keep the saw blade close to your scrap line to avoid any damage.
To make the angle of the blade, use a mite box.

Alternatively, you can also return to working with a table saw, but since a hand saw is far more versatile in terms of positioning, we suggest you keep note of the height of the table saw as well. More importantly, we’ve got a ready guide for you on that topic!

Method #3: Wire

A wire saw, also known as a cable or survival saw, cuts wood and reclaimed materials in a single piece. A long cable with handles at each end can be pulled quickly along the piece of wood. It is designed to be portable. Unlike a blade saw, the wire saw does have a curved blade.

Method #4: Jigsaw

A jigsaw blade can be used to cut wood without a table saw. Clamp the jigsaw blade to the table surface. Place the wood on your work surface. Fix masking tape before placing the cutline. Masking tape helps prevent splinters from getting into places where you don’t want them. Trace a line of cuts using a speed square and pencil.

Measure the offset between the base and the jigsaw blade. The offset distance will help you locate a Jigsaw guide. Transfer offsets by measuring the cut lines onto the wood.

Method #5: Axe

Part your feet at about a foot apart distance and stand at arm’s length from the log so that the axe head will strike the log when your arms are fully extended. Sliding your top hand almost to the axe head, lift the axe overhead. Hold the axe head so that it will strike the log at a 45-degree angle. Strike with the heel first (bottom corner of the blade) for deeper penetration. Free the axe head by lifting the end of the handle. Continue cutting into the log by making a V-shaped notch.

Change the angle of the axe head to about 90 degrees on alternate swings or on every two swings. Try to cut out only a thin piece or slice with each swing.

After you’re done cutting the wood, you can use it in a variety of things, but if you whip out the table saw again, you can also use it to cut tapered legs! It’s important to note because the wood itself can be cut with multiple tools, as seen in this list, but furniture making and woodworking needs at least a little bit of table saw usage.

Method #6: Drill

Mark a straight line where you want to cut. Next, make a second line the width of the drill bit; the bit should fit neatly between the parallel lines which you have drawn. A smaller bit tends to be better as it leads to less loss of wood.

Drill holes along the line repeatedly. The closer the holes are, the better. Check how well you did after the first line of ‘holes’. Less material between holes is best as the pieces can be separated easily. Snap the wood along the line when it is ready. You can clean the edges of the wood with a rasp or sandpaper.

Method #7: Knife

Use a sharp knife. An ideal knife has a broad and strong edge. Stiletto-style blades or light folding knives won’t be able to work, and the steel may be damaged during the cutting process. A stout blade is mostly ideal for cutting wood.

Unlike most tools, there are a few different ways to cut with a knife. Both your wood piece and the knife determine the method you can use to cut the piece.

Method #8: Machete

A machete and a knife are used in the same way, provided that you can control the blade. A machete can have 18″-20″ blades and still be a functional tool. Having a sharp machete is the most important thing. Machetes tend to be blade-heavy; hence, they give more chopping ability.

Cutting wood with a machete requires skill. However, control is the key, and if you’re doing professional and dangerous cutting, you should consider using a wrist lanyard.

Method #9: Chisel and Hammer

Chisels make a perfect and convenient tool for cutting down lumber without a saw. It’s easier to begin with a ½” or even ¾” chisel. A dull chisel is hazardous and hard to use; hence, make sure the chisel is sharp. Retrieve a hammer to use it.

Make sure to mark what you are to cut. Mark on both sides of the chisel. This way, you will know how much wood is being removed from the workpiece.

A sharp knife should be used to score the marks before you begin cutting. The scoring will help confine the removed material to the marked area. Take note of the grain as well. Chiseling across the grain is hard, but chiseling along the grain can remove a lot of material if you’re not careful.

Method #10: Lathe

Place the wood on the lathe and thin it where you need to cut it with the help of a turning tool. Continue doing this until the piece is thin enough to break. With good working and orientation, you will be able to break the piece easily.

Lathes are wonderful tools but not the best thing for making standard cuts in wood. Hence, they should be used as a last resort.

The Bottom Line

Woodcutting is unequivocally one of the most difficult skills for an amateur woodworker. It demands patience, precision, and, most importantly, experience. With time and research, you can learn about several shortcuts, helping you understand the world of woodcutting a lot better.

The above is especially true when you graduate from just cutting wood to more complex processes, such as making grooves in wood or working with tapered legs!

Finally, we hope this guide helped in teaching you how to cut wood without a table saw. Happy woodworking!