The Power Builder’s Guide to Power Saws
Your Guide to 5 Power Saws and How to Use Them
Choosing the wrong power saw for your project can more than double the time spent on it. Make it easy on yourself by choosing the right saw.
I mainly use three power saws on all my projects. The table saw, the saws-all, and the jigsaw. Let’s take a look at these three power saws and their strengths and weaknesses so you can save time by using the right power saw for your project.
Table Saw
The table saw is my all-around favorite power saw because I mainly tackle big construction projects.
It’s great for long-cuts that need to be precise. It’s accurate. You can measure the cut, place the board firmly against the fence, and it guides the lumber through the saw perfectly. It’s great for building things with corners, such as boxes and tables. It’s also the saw I use to cut lumber when framing.
It really only has two weaknesses. It’s a stationary power saw, and it can’t make curved cuts. Its ability to handle 90% of the cuts I make is what makes it my favorite out of the power saws.
Reciprocating Saws aka the Saws-All
The saws all is your go-to power saw for demolition. It’s handheld and powerful. You can cut through sheetrock, studs, and difficult areas like corners. Generally, it’s used to cut in hard to reach places where another power saw can’t reach. It’s great for pruning tree branches, and cutting PVC (sprinkler) pipe in trenches. You can also swap out the blades to cut metal as well as wood.
Jigsaw
The jigsaw is the hand-held power saw for curved cuts. The short blade is designed for precision cuts, such as scroll work, and cutting out wood crafts. It cuts a through a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, metal, plywood. This is often the first power saw purchased by woodworkers, and is a power saw that even a novice can use with ease. But making a long, straight cut with a jigsaw is nearly impossible.
Do you have questions about the power saws we listed here? Ask them in the comments below. Also, let us know which one is your favorite power saw.
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