Tools for cutting wood - the Circular Saw.

Cutting up wood for your project is possibly one of the first actions you will take.

It could be anything from getting a long slab or sheet of plywood to more manageable sizes to then further cut into the pieces for your project.

Depending on what you have in your tool kit this may be a difficult task or a simple one.

A circular saw is probably a great place to start. Like many other tools these days there is so much to choose from. There are corded or battery versions and either are good options and it is really a personal preference. Will a few basic jigs, some even come with the tool, along with others you can easily make yourself. These jigs will allow you to make repeatable cuts that are accurate and easy to achieve. Circular Saws are excellent for either cross cutting or rip cutting. You can also set the angle of the cut from 90deg to 45deg which makes it a very flexible tool. The only limitation you may find is its depth of cut. With a bit of planning this can be worked around. There is one drawback and that is cutting small pieces and this is more from a safety view point. Setting up some saw horses or even an old door or sacrificial piece of MDF, you can cut sheet goods down to their final sizes accurately and easily. Many contractors and carpenters use these on building sites to cut boards to length and some are very skilled with the tool.

The cordless versions are very handy to take anywhere and use on a variety of projects. Some will not be as powerful but the battery packs these days have improved a lot and they are a great option. The other advantage of cordless is you don't have to be mindful all the time of where the lead is and not to get hooked up in it or heaven forbid cut through it.

There are also a variety of blades available for cutting various products so it can be quite a flexible tool. Blades have many characteristics such as number of teeth, type of teeth (carbide tips etc), thickness of the blade (kerf), as well as diameter of the blade. Be sure to check what size blade your saw can take before purchasing. Blades can be purchased for cutting metals, plastics, masonry as well as wood/timber of course. The cost of blades will vary. The more expensive they are the better quality, usually. For the beginner or home handy person you may not need to purchase an expensive blade if you are not using it a lot. Also having different blades for different applications will allow you to get the most out of each blade. An example is that if you are cutting a slab down to more manageable sizes or treated wood for outdoor projects you wouldn't use an expensive 80 tooth blade as you could damage the teeth as well as dull the cutting edge of the teeth a lot faster. Have a less expensive blade to do this type of work and then switch to the better blade for making your final cuts giving less tear out and more accurate cuts.

It can also be used to set up a small table saw unit by setting it upside down under a table/platform. Many wood workers have this set up and are able to do some amazing work. There are many You Tube videos that can walk you through this process as well as wood working magazines, so check them out and see what the possibilities are.

I use my circular saw for many task from breaking down sheet products to then cut on my table saw and more so for saving the blade of my table saw for more accurate cuts. Also for cutting up treated timber products for use in the garden and outdoor projects.

The circular saw is a great all rounder tool to have available in your tool kit. It is a hard working tool, easy to use and from a budget aspect, quite affordable. Make sure you read and understand the functions of your saw and use it safely. There have been some tragic accidents from using this type of saw in an incorrect manner so be mindful and be careful.

#TheDARWoodworm #safety #woodworking #plywood #tools