A circular saw is an essential DIY tool that uses a moving blade to make straight, accurate cuts. While circular saws are traditionally used to cut 2x4s, plywood, and other lumber, they can be outfitted with different blades to cut masonry, metal, and other materials.
Initially, mills used small to medium scale circular saws to cut through the large timber blocks. Even a few days earlier, rural Americans used a particular type of circular saw, namely cordwood saws to cut logs and slabs. Another particular type of circular saws, commonly known as cold saws, are used to cut down metals such as bronze, brass, and steel into a smaller and convenient size.
With the right blade, a circular saw can be used to cut framing lumber, sheet goods, roofing, metal, masonry, and more. Since a circular- saw blade spins upward, the side that the blade enters will have a smoother cut edge than the side it exits. Types of Cuts Crosscuts: Nearly perfect crosscuts can be achieved by using a square to guide the foot of the saw.
As with most of the power tools, the corded circular saws connect to your power outlet, and the cordless circular saws are powered by batteries. Be sure to search for a circular saw with a lever and angle scale combination to make custom adjustments to your saw cuts. All wood workshops require a straight cutting power tool, and the versatility, compact design, and easy storage make the circular saw a power tool you can not afford to be without.
what is a circular saw good for Related Question:
What is a circular saw used for?
The circular saw is perhaps the most commonly used saw today, used extensively in both professional construction projects and DIY home improvement. This power tool uses a round metal blade edged with sharp teeth to cut an array of material such as woods, metals, cement block, brick, fiberglass, plastics and slate.
What material can you cut with a circular saw?
Circular saw blades are more durable than regular stainless steel wheels, and there are different types of circular saws that can cut through different materials including metal, tile, and plexiglass. The same model (with the right blade) can go through both hardscape and soft scape materials without much effort.
Can I use a jigsaw instead of a circular saw?
Although a jigsaw can be used for most of the tasks that a circular saw can perform, including straight cuts and cuts on a tilt, the jigsaw uses that really take advantage of the tool’s qualities are jobs such as kitchen fitting and joinery, with their frequent need for complex cuts.
How much does a circular saw cost?
A circular saw can cost between $50-$200. Depending on your budget for the tool, you may want to go either cheaper or pricier. There are factors that can affect the price, such as brand or size. You will want to consider them when buying your own circular saw.
Can you cut logs with a circular saw?
Circular saws are great for cutting plywood and 2x’s, but you can also cut everything from logs to concrete to steel beams with the right blade or the right type of saw.
What is the difference between a table saw and a circular saw?
Circular saws are lightweight, hand-held, and can be moved from jobsite-to-jobsite with ease. A table saw is heavier and more complex in its set up. Because of its weight and footprint, this tool is more difficult to move these saws around as easily as you are able to do with a circular saw.
Does a homeowner need a circular saw?
Most new homeowners will want a power saw of some kind, and a circular saw is a good starting point— can handle far more cuts than you’d think.
How shallow can a circular saw cut?
Circular saws turn corners about as well as a freight train, and standard models will cut only about 2 1/2 inches deep. There are ways around the shallow cut—for example, you can flip over a 4×4 and cut from two sides—but the curve limitation has no work-arounds.
Can a circular saw replace a table saw?
When wielded with enough skill and experience, a circular saw can replace a table saw. However, the time needed to accumulate the skills and knowledge makes a table saws’ price seen negligible in comparison.
Can you cut steel with a circular saw?
Cut Metal with Your Circular Saw It may not be an obvious choice, but fitted with the right blade, a circular saw is a great metal-cutting tool. In our test, it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. You can cut mild steel up to about 3/8 in. thick using a ferrous-metal-cutting blade.
Can I use a metal circular saw to cut wood?
You can use a metal blade to cut wood. A circular saw blade cut metal in a sluggish rotational speed of 25m/s. They are driven by a motor having high power and an A/C vector drive. They are long lasting and non-reusable.
Can a circular saw cut a 4×4?
Circular Saw. A circular saw is one of the best means of cutting a 4×4 post. Most people own a circular saw, its portability makes it easy to cut 4x4s from the ground, and they can make precision cuts by using a relatively simple trick.
Why is my circular saw burning the wood?
Pushing the stock through the saw too slowly is a common cause of saw blade burn. Sometimes a blade that feels dull might only be dirty. If wood pitch resins build up behind the teeth of the blade, the cutting speed will slow down, increasing the chances for burns. Commercial blade cleaners are sold for this purpose.
How do you use a circular saw without a table?
Fit your circular saw with an edge guide. Set the depth of the blade accurately enough for it to go through the wood and not cut under the surface. Place the guide on base of the circular saw lines and markings you made earlier on the wood. Ensure that the saw is free to move, and the power cord is not entangled.
What saw should I buy first?
A jigsaw is great for cutting curves and shapes, and it can also be used with a guide to make straight cuts, which is why this is the first power saw you should own. Unless you plan to rip long sheets of plywood, a jigsaw is preferable over a circular saw.
