What Are the Different Types of Circular Saws?

Hand-Held Circular Saws

• The hand-held circular saw is the life-blood of on-site carpentry work. The saw provides unsurpassed speed and mobility for rough cuts, such as with framing. This all-around carpentry tool can be used for crosscutting and ripping. Furthermore, it can handle a wide range of wood types, including plywood, hardwood and softwood, with no limitations on the width of the pieces. The cutting depth and angle can also be adjusted quickly and easily. The major drawback of a hand-held circular saw is that it lacks accuracy. The operator must follow a cutting line or clamp a straightedge for a guide.

Miter Saws

• The miter saw, also called a chop or drop saw, is a circular saw designed to cut precision angles. While it can be used for a variety of jobs, its primary use is for molding, trim work and the cutting of rafters, where complex cuts are needed. There are two types of miter saws: the basic miter and the compound miter. Basic miter saws are limited to miter cuts, while compound miters can perform miter cuts, bevel cuts, or both. A miter saw is mounted to a table; however, it is generally light weight and very mobile. The major drawback to a miter saw is that it is limited to relatively narrow pieces of wood.

Radial Arm Saws

• The radial arm circular saw combines power and flexibility. Its circular blade is mounted on a radial arm, allowing the operator to pull the blade through the cut in a straight line. This type of circular saw can perform just about any type of cut a carpenter could imagine, including crosscuts, rip cuts, miters, dados and rabbets. Furthermore, the saw can accommodate extremely wide stock boards and can sometimes even be equipped with sanding attachments. The major drawback of the radial arm saw is that it is heavy and bulky, rendering it a non-mobile shop tool. However, a new type of circular saw has surfaced, called the radial miter saw. This saw combines the functionality of the radial motion with the portability of the miter saw.

Table Saws

• The table saw features a circular saw that is placed below the cutting surface. This saw is primarily used for crosscuts, rip cuts, and dados. It is typically utilized for general carpentry and trim work. The table saw can accommodate very wide pieces of lumber, while maintaining uniform and accurate long cuts. Table saws can often be adjusted to perform miter cuts by adjusting the tilt of the table. The portable models are slightly heavier and bulkier than a typical miter saw, but still easily transported to a work site.