bandsaw cutting technique - inside or outside?

[jonathan sneed]

Simple question -- when making your bandsaw cuts (either veneer thickness or regular cuts), do you put your desired usable piece on the inside or outside of the cut? It seems I cannot find general "rule of thumb" or consensus, everyone has different opinions on what works better. I am not new to the bandsaw, but when I did buy my first BS I decieded to take a few classes from different places (woodcraft, rockler, private woodshop group) to learn the tricks, tuning and maintenance of my investment. Over the years of watching people in person, articles and youtube videos, ive noticed that there isn't any one constant hard and fast rule. Soooo with that being said which technique are you guys using and why? Which is better for a more accurate and easy to control cut? thanks, jonathan

[Pat Barry]

Assuming you mean left of the blade or right of the blade when you refer to inside / outside, I find for my eyesight that keeping the line to the left of the blade is easier to ensure I cut where I want to. I may have to comprimise if I have a wide part and it won't fit between the blade and the equipment to the left of the blade.

[Peter Quinn]

For me it's fence---keeper----blade----waste----from left to right. I like the idea of a drift master fence with the auto advance mechanism so the cut isn't captive between blade and fence, but not willing to pay for that. I get my best results with a fixed fence, wood against fence. As far as fence left or right of the blade, I see little difference but prefer fence to the left, closer to the saw frame.

[Yonak Hawkins]

The fact that you haven't found a consensus opinion kind of gives you the answer. There is no tried and true way. Everyone has their own methods.

I use the band saw many hours a day, regularly, for my job. I find myself doing it both ways. Often I just start cutting and only later realize which side of the line the blade is, but more often than not, the line will be to the left of the blade because that's where the main light is.

Often the nature of the cut, such as, which way the line is curved and whether it's easier to move the piece to follow the curve with your left or right hand will be the determinant. Basically, pay attention when you find a certain cut comfortable or difficult and remember for the next time you have a similar cut.

[Dave Cullen]

For me it's fence to the right of the blade, so I cut to the left of the line (I think you're calling that inside). This is because my fence rails extend more to the right side. When freehanding I also tend to cut to the left of the line, probably out of habit.

[Mike Cutler]

My fence is to the left of the blade.I reference the fence to the teeth of the blade for measuring thickness almost all the time.
For veneering pieces I have gone the opposite just so I could watch the face of the material during the cut, and then just walked the fence toward the blade in increments. In that case the typical "waste" side was the "keeper" side.

[Myk Rian]

Inside. But I feel more comfortable that way being right handed.