If you do anything from painting to building a deck or repairing your car to repairing a leaky pipe, the right tools for the job can save you a lot of time and headaches during the project. When it comes to woodworking, you need some saws to get most projects done, but the list of saws on your wish list can get very long.
It is important to start with the basics and understand which saw is the right one for each situation.
Saw blades
To begin with, you need to know the different types of blades. You can generally break saw blades into straight and round blades. Round blades, such as those found on a circular saw, table circular saw or miter saw, generally lead to clean straight cuts. When it comes to straight blades, their cutting action usually moves back and forth. Unfortunately, this means that the saw cuts better in one direction than the other, and you get a rougher cut. The exception is the band saw, which thanks to its ability to cut in one direction, offers a good clean cut. These blades beat the rounded blades in their ability to make both curved cuts and thick cuts in industrial applications. Understanding the differences between the saw blades makes it easier to choose the right saw.
cross-section
If you encounter a cross-sectional situation, you will likely grab a miter saw or a circular saw. The circular saw is perfect when portability is important and you don't need perfection. In these situations, use a square to guide the saw to better control the cut. In theory, however, you have an infinite cutting length. However, in most situations you should use a miter saw. While the cutting window is different for each saw, you can usually make a maximum of 2 × 12 cuts. With the bracket to which this blade is attached and the fence that holds the wood, you can get clean, straight 90-degree cuts with ease. Keep in mind that you usually need a circular saw or a miter saw for a cross-section. The circular saw impresses with its portability, cutting length and versatility. The miter saw wins the inaccuracy and the number of repetitive cuts.
Tear
If you need to tear off a board to narrow it or cut a plywood board, you should use a table saw or circular saw. The table saw fits perfectly with the grain. While this is typical because trees grow tall with the grain and therefore the grain of the boards runs lengthways, the table saw is set to make long, accurate cuts. It has a guide for the wood and a lot to hold the saw blade like a miter saw, but the geometry allows you to move the board over the saw blade a long distance. Table saws have a reputation for being dangerous, but with modern technology, a good understanding of the instruction manual and a sharp saw blade, they are your best friend on many projects. If a table saw is not in your budget, you don't have the space for it or you need something more portable, go for the circular saw. You can swap the blade from cross cutting for a more suitable blade, and it becomes a great tool for crack cutting. You don't get the accuracy you can get with a table saw, but similar to the miter saw, the circular gain in portability, and an infinitely cut window. They are typically only limited by depth. You can even equip and get your circular saw with a fence T, a rail, or a good chalk line to help with long cuts. With practice, you will be able to make really clean long tear cuts.
Bevels
If you chamfer or cut an angle on board, you can use a selection of saws. All the saws mentioned so far usually offer the possibility of tilting the saw blade and making beveled cuts. When choosing a saw, the same advantages and disadvantages apply to everyone. One of the most common uses of beveling is crown molding. If you are installing crown strips in a room, measure them several times and think about the angles several times. In this situation, a miter saw is almost a necessity.
Curved cuts
Not all cuts are straight. If you want to add a contour to a project or cut around an obstacle, you have to detach yourself from the straight cutters. Now you can choose between a jigsaw or a band saw. There are more options like a scroll saw, but these are the two most popular. The band saw cuts better than the jigsaw, but is usually assembled in a store and the board needs to be so handy that you can hold it while cutting. The jigsaw is portable and can do a good job with the right blade. An advantage of the jigsaw design is that you can make internal cuts, e.g. B. a donut hole from a donut without cutting through the outside. Just drill a hole big enough for the blade and drive into town.
If you feel more comfortable with any saw, you will find more and more creative ways to use each and understand the right job that would make each saw shine. Just because the saw can cut doesn't mean you should use it in this situation. If you use the wrong saw a lot, you are unhappy with the results and start over. When starting a project, think about the saw you need to do it well. Include this tool purchase in the project budget if you don't have it, or borrow it from a friend. You'll be glad you chose the right chain saw for the right job.
Author bio
This article was provided by Brandon Smith, the editor at TheSawGuy.com – a woodworking and home improvement resource that ranges from comparing the best table and miter saws to home and garden projects.
