When you first start dabbling in woodwork, you soon realise that it may be handy to have an electric saw to speed up the odd job here and there. With so many types available, it’s hard to know which type to get.
This article will cover the most common types of electric saws, including their features and uses, to help you make that choice.
CIRCULAR SAW
Electric circular saws are versatile tools used for making straight cuts in various materials, such as wood, metal, or plastic.
Features
- Blade size: Circular saws come in different blade sizes. The size of the blade determines how deep the saw cuts.
- Adjustable depth and bevel (angle) settings: Most circular saws allow you to adjust the depth of the cut, which is handy as this means you can use a saw with a massive blade for less deep cuts. Bevel adjustments mean you can adjust the blade positioning to make angled cuts.
- Laser guide or LED light: Some models feature a laser guide or built-in LED light to help guide you to cut straight.
- Dust extraction system: Many circular saws have a dust port or a built-in system to extract dust. This is great for those who like to do woodwork in a workshop or a garage instead.
- Safety features: Circular saws have good safety features, such as a blade guard that covers the blade when not in use and a safety switch to prevent accidental starts.
- Corded vs. cordless: Circular saws are available in both corded and cordless (battery-powered) versions. Cordless models offer more mobility (and are a bit safer as you won’t trip up over the cable) but may have less power than corded ones.
- Rip track: Some circular saws come with a track, a guide that helps maintain a straight cut when working on longer pieces of material.
- Materials compatibility: Circular saw blades come suitable for all sorts of materials, from wood to metal. You can even get multi-purpose blades.
Benefits
- Cut through wood really quickly.
- Only requires a little space to operate.
- Some models are compatible with a track for straighter cuts.
Drawbacks
- Can’t cut detail – more suitable for straight cuts.
- If you combine track lengths to make very long cuts, they may not be perfectly straight.
Uses
If your projects involve a lot of straight or bevelled cuts at mid-lengths, a circular saw is a great choice. However, if you do a lot of detailed work or regularly work with longer lengths of wood that need to be cut length-wise, you may have better choices.
Personally, I use a circular saw to cut long, straight lines for furniture projects, such as when building this floor-to-ceiling alcove wardrobe and desk combo. For smaller pieces of wood, as long as there aren’t too many cuts, I prefer a good old-fashioned hand saw.
JIGSAW
Jigsaws are designed for making intricate and curved cuts in various materials.
Features
- Blade type: Jigsaws use a narrow, reciprocating blade that moves up and down to make cuts. Blades come in various types, suitable for cutting wood, metal, plastic, and more.
- Variable speed control: Many jigsaws have variable speed settings, allowing you to adjust the cutting speed based on the material and the cut type.
- Orbital action: Some jigsaws have orbital action settings that control the movement of the blade in addition to its up-and-down motion. This feature can enhance cutting efficiency in certain materials.
- Adjustable base plate: The base plate or shoe of the jigsaw can be tilted to make bevel (angled) cuts.
- Dust extraction system: Some models will have a dust extraction system, which is great for indoor use.
- Tool-free blade changes: Many modern jigsaws come with tool-free blade change systems. This means it’s easy to switch blades.
- LED work light: Some models will have an integrated light, making it easier to see in bad lighting.
- Corded vs. cordless: As with circular saws, jigsaws are available in both corded and cordless (battery-powered) versions. Cordless models offer more mobility (and are a bit safer as you won’t trip up over the cable) but may have less power than corded ones.
- Materials compatibility: Jigsaw saw blades come suitable for all sorts of materials, from wood to metal.
- Rip track: Most jigsaws are unsuitable for using a track like circular saws, but you can buy adapters that sit around your jigsaw to make it fit into a track. Availability of these does depend on the jigsaw model and make. There are also many YouTube guides to making your own jigsaw track adaptor, so cutting long, straight cuts with a jigsaw is still possible.
Benefits
- Make detailed cuts in larger pieces of material.
Drawbacks
- Not easily usable with a track system.
Uses
If your projects involve a lot of large, unconventional shapes such as circles or curves, a jigsaw is the perfect piece of equipment. It can be a little tricky to cut along your marked line perfectly, but with practice, your hands will get steadier.
At the time of writing, I don’t own a jigsaw as I haven’t had many projects that require curve cutting. However, I do own and use a coping saw for small curved bits and bobs here and there. In my opinion, a jigsaw is only worth an investment if you’re cutting unusual shapes out of large pieces of wood and are doing it regularly.
MITRE SAW
A mitre saw is a specialised tool for precise angled cuts, especially in woodworking projects.
Features
- Mitre angle adjustment: Mitre saws are designed to make angled cuts, and they have a mitre scale that allows you to easily adjust the angle of the cut. This of your door frame corners – these types of cuts are mitre cuts.
- Bevel angle adjustment: In addition to mitre adjustments, mitre saws often have a bevel adjustment that allows you to tilt the blade for making bevel cuts, commonly used for joining pieces at angles other than 90 degrees. For example, skirting board corners require a bevel cut.
- Blade size: Mitre saws are available in different blade sizes. The larger the blade, the wider and deeper the cuts it can make.
- Dust extraction system: As with most electric woodworking tools, some models will have a dust extraction system, which is great for indoor use.
- Sliding vs. non-sliding: Mitre saws can be either sliding or non-sliding. A sliding mitre saw has rails that allow the saw head to move forward and backward, increasing the width of materials you can cut.
- Laser guide or LED: Some mitre saws have a laser guide or built-in LED to help you align the saw to your required position.
- Corded vs. cordless: Most mitre saws are corded because they are designed to be moved infrequently. However, you may find some smaller models which work cordless. These are likely to be less powerful though.
Benefits
- Helps to cut precise mitre and bevel cuts.
- Easy to operate as you hold the material, not the saw.
Drawbacks
- Use is limited to thinner pieces of wood.
- Difficult to use with longer lengths of wood – the base of mitre saws are relatively small, so you need something to balance the other end of the wood on if it’s rather long.
Uses
Mitre saws can be really handy if you work with mitre and bevel cuts a lot. They can save you a lot of time.
My husband owns a mitre saw, but I’ve always preferred to cut my mitres and bevels by hand. This is purely because I’m rubbish at measuring angles, so I know what I measure will be wrong. I do have a freaky good eye for guessing my cuts though, so it is much easier to look at what I need to cut, do it by hand and adjust as needed if it isn’t perfect the first time.
TABLE SAW
A table saw is a powerful tool for making straight and precise cuts in various materials, especially large sheets of wood.
Features
- Blade size: Table saws have different blade sizes. The larger the blade, the deeper and wider the cuts it can make.
- Rip capacity: Table saws have varied rip capacity. A table saw’s rip capacity is the maximum distance between the blade and the fence. A larger rip capacity allows for cutting wider materials.
- Fence system: The fence helps guide the material for straight and accurate cuts. You push the piece of wood along the fence and into the blade.
- Mitre gauge: Some table saws will have a mitre gauge, which allows you to make angled cuts. It can be adjusted to various angles to create bevels or angled cuts across the width of the material.
- Blade height and tilt adjustment: Table saws allow you to adjust the height of the blade for different cutting depths. Some also can tilt the blade for bevelled cuts.
- Dust collection system: Most table saws have a dust collection system. This is because they aren’t designed to be moved frequently, so taking the saw outdoors may not be possible.
- Table size: the table of table saws comes in varied sizes. The larger the size, the easier it is to cut large pieces of wood on there. Some tables come with extensions to help you do just that.
Benefits
- Rips large sheets of wood down in perfectly straight lines but can also be used with small pieces.
- Easy to operate as you hold the material, not the saw.
Drawbacks
- Impossible to make curved cuts.
- Requires a lot of space to store, so only really suitable if you have a dedicated workshop space.
Uses
A table saw can be an excellent investment if your projects require making straight, mitre and bevel cuts using one tool. However, the quality of those cuts will depend on the saw quality, and the high-end ones tend to be quite expensive. You also need space to store this tool.
I own a table saw and used it to cut a trillion same-sized wooden planks when building this herringbone table top. However, the rail on this saw is rubbish and kept moving because it is a cheap model. For this reason, I only use this saw when I have to make a lot of small cuts – which is rare. Due to its low quality, it is unsuitable for cutting length-wise. I strongly suggest buying an expensive model if you do decide to invest in a table saw.
BAND SAW
A band saw is a versatile and powerful tool used for making curved and irregular cuts in various materials. Effectively, it is a non-hand held version of the jigsaw!
Features
- Blade type: Band saws use a continuous loop of toothed metal. These blades come in various widths and tooth configurations, making them suitable for different materials.
- Throat capacity: Throat capacity is the distance between the blade and the vertical frame of the saw. It determines the width of the material that can be accommodated. Band saws have varying throat capacity, so remember to check that out when buying one.
- Table tilt: Many band saws have a tilting table that allows you to make bevel cuts. This feature enhances the versatility of the saw for various cutting angles.
- Guide system: Band saws typically have blade guide systems that consist of upper and lower guides to keep the blade stable and ensure accurate cuts.
- Adjustable blade speed: Band saws often come with adjustable blade speed settings. Different materials may require different blade speeds for optimal cutting performance.
- Table size: similar to table saws, the table of band saws comes in varied sizes. The larger the size, the easier it is to cut large pieces of wood on there. Some tables come with extensions to help you do just that.
- Dust collection system: Band saws tend to have a dust collection system. This is because they aren’t designed to be moved frequently, so taking the saw outdoors is not possible.
Benefits
- Band saws are a cross between jigsaws and table saws.
- You can make unusual cuts and straight cuts using the adjustable saw rail.
- Easier to operate than a jigsaw as you control the material, not the saw.
Drawbacks
- Need a lot of storage space.
- Usually, it doesn’t make mitre cuts as a table saw can unless you buy a mitring band saw.
- As with the table saw, there is a limit to the width of material you can pass through the saw.
Uses
A band saw can be useful if you make straight and detailed cuts and aren’t comfortable cutting using a jigsaw. The width of the material you can cut straight is a limitation so if you regularly need to cut wide panels, this may not be a suitable choice. In addition, making curved cuts on larger pieces of wood would be difficult as you would have to manoeuvre the piece of wood on the table base.
I don’t own a band saw and have never used one, so I can’t give a personal anecdote on its use. I think for a beginner DIYer and woodworker, you likely won’t need a tool like this, but it depends on what projects you plan on making.
SCROLL SAW
A scroll saw is a specialised tool for making intricate and detailed cuts, particularly in thin materials like wood, plastic, or metal. A scroll saw is the electric version of a coping saw.
Features
- Blade type: Scroll saws use a thin, fine blade that moves up and down rapidly in a reciprocating motion. Blades come in various types, allowing for different cutting applications.
- Throat capacity: Throat capacity, the same as with the band saw, is the distance between the blade and the vertical frame of the saw. It determines the maximum width of the material that can be cut. This is important to check when choosing a scroll saw.
- Table tilt: Many scroll saws have a tilting table that allows you to make bevel (angled) cuts.
- Blade changing mechanism: Scroll saws typically feature a quick, tool-free blade changing mechanism. This is a really important feature in a scroll saw because you may often be cutting a shape out inside of the wood. This means you must remove the blade to position the piece before re-attaching the blade to begin cutting.
- Variable speed control: Most scroll saws have variable speed settings for you to adjust the cutting speed based on the material and the intricacy of the cut.
- Dust blower: Usually, scroll saws have a built-in dust blower which blows the dust in a direction you choose, away from your work area.
- Table size: similar to table and band saws, the table of scroll saws comes in varied sizes. The larger the size, the easier it is to cut large pieces of wood on there.
- Foot switch: Some scroll saws come with a foot switch, allowing you to control the on/off function without taking your hands off the workpiece. This is great and reminds me of using a sewing machine!
- Materials compatibility: Scroll saws are excellent for cutting intricate shapes and patterns in thin materials like wood, plastic, and metal. You must ensure you are using the correct blade for the material.
Benefits
- Great for cutting small intricate shapes out of this wood and significantly easier than using a coping saw.
- Perfect for craft projects.
Drawbacks
- Really only suitable for thinner materials.
- Best suited to smaller-sized creations.
Uses
My husband owns a scroll saw and has used it many times over the years to make Christmas decorations. They are great fun for crafty projects. I prefer to use a coping saw to cut my detailed shapes by hand. It is significantly longer, but I enjoy the work and find that because it’s such slow work, you have a lot of control and time to fix things if you cut slightly off your line. I think a scroll saw is only required if your projects require cutting small intricate details regularly. For occasional use only, it isn’t worth the cost as you can do an excellent job by hand using a coping saw.
I hope this guide helps you decide which type of electric saw to invest in. Always remember, don’t ever buy anything just because. Only buy tools as and when you need them.
Happy woodworking!
