types of power saws

7 Types of Power Saws – Descriptions and Uses (with Pictures)

One of the essential innovations in the era of woodworking is the invention of different power saws. Gone are the days when scary machines are the only ways to cut woods into desired lengths, shapes, and sizes. Today, power saws are handy, powerful, and easy to use. 

As technology eases the workload, this allows the new line of power saws to be available in the market. Today, there are different types of power saws. Due to the different types, it can get confusing sometimes. It is true mainly because some people call the power saw by its brand rather than its general name. 

What are Power Saws? 

It is essential to get a general idea of what power saws are to help you understand them well. Power saws are generally portable machines you can use for either your business or your DIY projects. They are power tools equipped with blades and wires. Thus, they need electricity to work. 

They invented power tools to cut through big chunks of materials quickly. These materials can either be wood, metal, plastic, or even concrete and tiles. Whether you want a curve or a straight-line cut, the power tools will make it easy for you. 

These power tools have three types of blades that have different purposes. They include rotating, reciprocating, and circulating blades. All three kinds are powerful. To get to know which types of power saws you need, get to know several of them. 

Types of Power Saw 

Check out these different power saw to broaden your knowledge on power saws or see and decide which one is your next buy. 

1. Jigsaw 

General purpose Jig saw machine | Download Scientific Diagram

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Jigsaw is one popular power saw. It has a reciprocating blade. But unlike the reciprocating saw, a jigsaw is more precise and detailed when cutting crooked and not straight lines. When you need to cut curved lines, the jigsaw is the perfect tool.

It has a different look from the reciprocating saw as well. The jigsaw blade gets turned downward. With this, it makes it easier for the jigsaw to drill inside the material and cut any kinds of cuts, whether they are straight, curve, or at an angle. 

Jigsaw is powerful enough to cut through wood, plastic, tiles, and even granite. 

2. Table Saw 

Table saw DeWalt DWE7485 - DWE7485-QS - Table saws - Woodworking machines

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The table saw is another popular power saw on the list. It has a circular blade that works fast. With the blade stationed on the table surface, the wood gets pushed into the table saw blades. The cut is efficient, making it simple yet effective. 

It can cut through multiple kinds of materials as well. Aside from this, the table saw can make several types of cuts too. Making cut angles and cutting through broad woods and board is easy. 

Be aware, a table saw is a dangerous tool. So, make sure to do safe work practices when using a table saw. Also, a table saw is an enormous tool, so you may need more space to store this power saw. 

3. Circular Saw 

Makita 5806B 7-1/4" Circular Saw (1,050W) – GIGATOOLS Industrial Center

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A circular saw is like a table saw without a table. It means it is handy and portable. You can bring it wherever you need to, and it won’t take significant storage. Cutting using a circular saw is smooth, and it can cut through wood and other materials. 

To utilize the circular saw, you must hold it tight on its arm as you force it into the material to cut through. It can help you create different kinds of cuts as well. However, this isn’t a precision power saw, so you may need to have a couple of guide rails to help you. 

4. Reciprocating saws 

6 in. 7.5A Reciprocating Saw – Powerbuilt Tools

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Reciprocating saw has the same mechanics as the regular hand saw. It works like an ordinary saw but with much power and strength. When using, you have to push and pull it fast to cut through the thick wood. The rapid motions allow the clean-cut on the wood. 

You can use the reciprocating saw to cut through thick woods, prune your trees, and even slice through your tiles or bricks. Whether you want to break and demolish solid materials, the reciprocating snow has your back. You can change the blades too to cater to any cuts you prefer. 

5. Band saws

The 7 Best Band Saws of 2021

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The band saw works like the jigsaw, but this has an upgraded cutting power. Any curved materials or cuts work well in cutting through the band saw. You can likewise get a portable band saw that is smaller compared to a stationary one. The blade of the band saw sits between two sets of rotating wheels. The saw has a series of teeth on one side only. 

There are two models of the band saw: vertical and horizontal.  The common one is the vertical saw band. It helps rip long wood lumber into pieces and create excellent crosscuts. 

The horizontal one works well when handling metal. It is powerful and fast when doing metalwork which is why most use this instead of the hacksaw. 

6. Chop saws

Metal chop saw D28730, 355mm, DeWalt - Metal Chop Saws

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If you are looking for a power saw that will work well with firm materials, the chop saw is your choice. Not only does it chop wood very well, but it also can cut through hard materials such as metal, concrete, and even bricks. You can mostly see chop saws in wood workshops rather than at home. 

The chops saws have the abrasive disk installed. It turns at a very high speed as it works through the materials. Though it looks like a miter saw, this abrasive disk is a notable difference. 

7. Chainsaw

STIHL MS 382 Chainsaws, Saw chains and Guide bar - DMI

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An extremely common power saw is a chainsaw. It has a sharp set of teeth linked together to cut through different materials. Though most of its cut is not accurate, it delivers fast. It is efficient when you want to cut big woods quickly without minding the precise size and shape. 

It is a dangerous power saw, like what the movies tell you, so be careful when handling this one. 

Conclusion 

There are a lot of types of power saws out there. Some may sound familiar to you, while others may look very complicated. True enough, if you don’t know how to operate these power saws, better stay away from them. They are extremely dangerous, and an inexperienced hand is not suitable for its work. 

Thus, now that you know more about these different power tools. Give yourself some time to decide which ones are worth investing in and purchasing. 


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2 responses to “7 Types of Power Saws – Descriptions and Uses (with Pictures)”

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