An Introduction to Power Saws

Most of us know what saws are: they are to woodworking what clubs are to golf. They define the craft. No feat of carpentry, however large or small, can be accomplished without a saw in hand. The experienced woodworker will have many saws in their workshop. For beginners, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Nothing is worse than buying or asking for a tool, only to find out it isn’t the right one for the job!

This article concerns three of the most common “power saws.” When many of us picture a saw, we often picture the more traditional “handsaw.” “Power saws” are electric, often circular, and feature rotating blades.

Like handsaws, different power saws are best suited to different tasks. Different kinds of power saws are both more-or-less portable and more-or-less capable of making different kinds of cuts. Portability is easy to understand, the different cuts are slightly more complicated.

Saw cuts are defined either by their relationship to the grain (direction) of the wood, or – if the cut is not directly perpendicular to the wood – the angle of the cut. “Cross cuts” work against the grain, rip cuts work with it. “Angle cuts” remain perpendicular to the edge” (smaller side) of the wood, while cutting the face at a diagonal. “Bevel cuts” cut the edge as well as the face diagonally, altering the shape of its ends.

Here are three of the most common types of power saws, as well as some projects you might want to use them for.

Table Saw

Table saws rest on a fixed surface. They are optimal for narrowing large boards of wood with rip cuts. This is an advantage over the traditional handsaw, which usually only perform cross cuts well. They are also very precise, and useful when precise measurement is very important. Think “building codes.” If your project is heavy duty – such as a deck or a shed – a table saw is your best friend. However – because, as the name suggests, they rest on a table – they are not portable. You’re going to need another saw if you want to alter an exterior trim or cut a loose branch off of a tree. Safe table saw use also requires caution. Since the operator uses the saw with their hands in the vicinity of the blade, extra care must be taken to avoid injury. Table saws usually come equipped with guards or protectors to minimize risk of injury to hands or fingers. For this very reason, beginners are sometimes recommended to start with a different saw.

Pros: Good for narrowing large pieces of wood and rip cuts, precise. Use for big home projects such as a desk or outdoor shed.
Cons: Not portable, risky for beginners, and less adept at angle and bevel cuts. Not recommended for exterior trim or outdoor maintenance.
Brands: Festool, Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch

Circular Saw

Circular saws are sometimes called “buzzsaws.” They are the portable counterpart to the table saw. While the table saw stays mounted on a fixed surface, you can move around with the circular saw! This makes them useful for all of the projects which a table saw cannot do: they are perfect for molding, trimming, doors, and other projects at home where you’ll have to move your saw around. Since the blade faces away from you, they also have the advantage of safety. They are also less expensive and easier to store than the table saw. However, they lack both the precision of the table saw as well as its ability to handle large quantities. This means that while they are a great beginner’s tool, they likely won’t meet your needs for that big outdoor project.

Pros: Good for both rip and cross cuts, portable and inexpensive. Use for outdoor maintenance and small home projects.
Cons: Not precise, and inefficient for large quantities of wood. Do not use it for large projects.
Brands: Makita, Milwaukee

Track Saws

Track saws combine many of the advantages of both the table saw and the circular saw. Like the circular saw, the track saw is a portable saw with a rotating circular blade. Unlike the table saw, the circular saw has a rack with an adjustable depth of cut. This rack regains the precision of the table saw in making long rip cuts, and also allows the track saw to make very precise angle and bevel cuts. It can also, unlike the table saw, cram into tight spaces. You can also daisy chain racks for cuts much longer than ones made by the circular saw, while maintaining its portability. Track saws would be ideal for making long, precise rip cuts inside of a tight interior space such as an attic. Because of their versatility in angle cuts, they are also ideal for homemade furniture. However, due to their lack of surface space, they still can’t handle the size and quantity of cuts of the table saw. Still, it helps to think of the track saw as a helpful middle ground between the other two.

Pros: As portable as the circular saw and almost as precise as the table saw. Can perform angle and bevel cuts as well as cross and rip cuts. Can make large cuts in tight spaces. Use for projects requiring cuts at angles (such as furniture) or sawing projects in tight corners such as attics.
Cons: Not able to handle large quantities of wood. Inefficient for big projects such as a shed or a deck.
Brands: Makita, Festool

Have more questions about power saws? Stop by one of our three Cardinal Home Center locations and ask one of our Cardinal Specialists.