A cross cut, in woodworking, is a cut made perpendicular to the grain of the wood. The referenced video explains that cross-cut saw teeth are designed like knives, with alternating teeth angled in opposite directions. This creates two tracks of marking knives working side by side, effectively slicing through the wood fibers.
Key Characteristics of Cross Cuts:
- Direction: Perpendicular to the wood grain.
- Tooling: Often uses cross-cut saws or blades specifically designed for cutting across the grain.
- Mechanism: Teeth are designed to sever wood fibers cleanly.
Why are cross-cut teeth shaped like that?
The alternating angle of the teeth allows for the wood fibers to be severed cleanly, resulting in a smoother cut across the grain compared to using a ripping blade. Ripping blades are designed to cut with the grain.
