How to Choose the Right Saw for the Job
(Page 2 of 3)
April 3, 2008
By Troy Griepentrog
Key-hole saws are used for sawing small holes or curves in wood. They were originally used to cut small holes in doors so that a metal lock could be incorporated into the door. Today, people more frequently use them to cut holes for electrical boxes in drywall.
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Power Saws
Circular saws have a round blade powered by an electric motor. They can be fitted with several types of blades, including a multipurpose blade for making crosscuts and ripping wood.
If you’re looking for an electric version of a coping saw for making cuts that are not straight, choose a jig saw (also called a saber saw). These saws rest on a flat metal foot and have a small, narrow blade that moves up and down quickly to cut through wood. You can also find specialty blades for other materials. Pressing the foot of a jigsaw against the material you’re cutting keeps the blade perpendicular. Because jig saws don’t have a frame like a coping saw, cuts can be made far from the edge of the wood.
The cutting action of a reciprocating saw is similar to a jig saw, but reciprocating saws have smaller feet and are generally more powerful. These saws make cuts in some fairly tight spaces and are quite versatile for rough building projects, such as framing a house.
For cutting small and precise curves, scroll saws combine a table with a small blade. Scroll saws are used for cutting wooden toys, elaborate decorations for shelves or cabinets and other “scroll work.”
Table saws are used for cutting straight lines and angled cuts for woodworking projects. Although multipurpose blades are available, you can buy blades specifically designed to rip or crosscut wood. When cutting along the length of a board, a rip fence is a guide used to keep wood a specific distance from the blade of a table saw. A miter gauge or guide is used to hold the wood at an angle or perpendicular to the blade. The saw blade can also be turned to cut at an angle as wood slides across the table. In addition, you can add dado blades (a thick series of blades) to cut wide grooves.
