A circular saw is an ideal tool for straight cuts of wood-based materials. With or without wire, immersion or not, with aligner, inclinable sole and with different cutting depths and blades (HSS, tungsten carbide, diamond), the miter saw is indispensable in the workshop and on-site.
Important features
Power
Depth of cut
Wire or battery
By immersion
Type of blade
Why use a circular saw
The circular saw is the tool to be considered for regular straight cutting work. It is held with two hands, one on the rear handle where the ON-OFF button is located, the other on the front handle to orient. The circular saw is positioned on the piece to be cut and makes cuts essentially straight and on different lengths. It is used to cut boards of different length and width but with a thickness that does not exceed the depth of the blade – adjustable and variable depth depending on its diameter. Its cutting depth is predetermined before purchase, use and is indicated by the useful radius of the blade.
The circular saws have a swinging cover that protects the lower part of the blade and that re-enters as the cut advances, they have a motor that drives a blade that rotates from 3 000 to 6 000 rpm approximately.
Circular saw with immersion
The circular immersion saw has a peculiarity: when you press on the front handle, you make the blade penetrate into the wood (the latter is protected by a cover whose upward movement is subject to release springs). Concretely, this translates into the fact that you can start cutting a piece of wood in the center. know more best miter saw
Circular saw benches under the counter
Circular saws can be mounted beneath benches, multi-function workbenches also called machine support benches. These supports allow fixing the circular saw under the table of the workbench allowing it to transform it into a real table saw. Modules such as guides allow you to make grooves
Circular saw: which power to choose
Power directly affects the ability of the circular saw to cut matter. Of course, we can talk about the idle speed but it is not representative. Depending on your needs, the materials and the type of wood you need to cut, you can orient yourself on a more or less powerful model, knowing that you will immediately end up among the big pieces with circular saws of 1800 or 2000 Watts (W). The purpose of models with powers lower than 1200 Watts is not to cut pieces of oak 80 mm over 1.50 meters in length!
Power is also associated with the depth of cut that is inherent in the blade diameter. A carpenter’s circular saw, with a cutting depth of 132 mm needs a motor of at least 2300 W and a weight approaching 18 kg.
As you can imagine, the weight depends on the power which in turn depends on the depth of cut inherent to the blade diameter. To get an idea, the average weight of a circular saw with a cutting depth of 60 mm is 5 kg.
Wireless circular saw
The wireless circular saws only have the energy of their battery, they are limited in the duration of use and in the cutting capacity. Preferring a circular saw with two batteries is a must to ensure rotation in case of continuous use. Circular saws without up have cutting depths less than 55 mm.
The batteries of the circular saws are mainly in lithium ions (Li-ion) and are offered from 12 Volts (V) up to 24 V with a clear representation in 18 V. The lithium-ion is recognized by the low weight, the rapidity of recharging, the high number of cycles and the non-memory effect in case of incomplete recharges. The amp-hour (Ah) proposed is between 3 and 5 Ah and determines the autonomy of the battery; the determining tension, the one we mistakenly call power.
Certain lithium-ion batteries offer recharge indicators, a practical option if not indispensable because these batteries have the particularity of returning all their energy without losing effectiveness – in contrast to nickel-cadmium batteries (Ni-cd) which at the end of the charge present a loss of power.
Options and accessories for circular saws
Guide, laser aligner or guide rail
The circular saw guide has a direct impact on the precision of the cut. Most of the saws are equipped with an adjustable guide fixed to the sole and parallel to the latter. It is not always suitable especially when the cut is very far from the edge of the edge is not straight. Some circular saws are equipped with a laser pointer but the precision of the cut depends on the dexterity of the user. The best guide is obtained through the use of an aluminum track, called a guide, fitted with a non-slip insert or clamp placed on the piece to be cut. The sole of the saw will run on the track ensuring perfect straightness of the cut.
The option of safety and comfort of use
The circular saw blade can rotate up to 6000 rpm, options that reinforce safety or comfort are not to be underestimated. Depending on the saw models, you can find:
a dividing knife that prevents the cut part from blocking the blade;
a blade brake that reduces the stopping time to 3 seconds;
a speed Variator to adapt the cutting speed to the materials;
a movable blade protection guard ;
a back evacuation for the release of the splinters;
l ‘ connection to an aspirator for less dusty work;
a tilting sole for oblique cuts (45 °);
adjustable sole depth for different thicknesses.
It would be good to use an aspirator because it reduces the spread of wood dust. Carrying a protective mask is a must because exposure to wood dust, in the short and long term, can cause respiratory diseases and tumors.
Which circular saw blade to choose
The circular saw blade is chosen based on the diameter, material, number of teeth and bore.
Blade diameter
Each model of the circular saw is designed for a blade with a specific diameter, and the cutting depth depends on the blade diameter.
Number of teeth and material
The number of teeth affects cutting speed and finishing. Generally, it is between 10 and 48. The more the blade has teeth, the sharper and slower the cut. The diamond blade or tip of tungsten carbide is preferable to simple blades in high-speed steel (HSS) that have a tendency to dull and in need of regular sharpening.
Multi-material blade
The multi-material blades cut all the materials, from softwood to hardwood to non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass) through plastics and other layered laminates.
Bore
The bore is the hole that allows the blade to be fixed to the saw and varies from one saw to another. Before each replacement, remember to check the diameter (indicated on the blade). If you can’t find peace, there are reducer rings to adapt different reaming blades.
Which type of circular saw for which type of use
Characteristics of the circular saw
Occasional use
Circular saw from around 1050 W with an HSS blade, or multi-material one according to need, from 12 to 24 teeth.
Starting from € 50
Regular use
Recommended 1200 W circular saw, tilting sole, guide rail, tungsten carbide blade, and speed Variator.
Starting from € 150
Intensive or professional use
1600 W circular saw, tilting sole, guide rail, immersion, diamond or tungsten carbide blade, and speed Variator.
Starting from 300 €
3 tips to choose the circular saw that’s right for you
If you need to make basic and occasional use, a 1200 W circular saw with a 12 to 24 tooth tungsten carbide blade will fully satisfy you.
Are you one of those who create their own furniture and take drugs from wood dust? Rather, it aims at a circular saw with a higher power – such as 1600-1800 Watts – so as to enjoy efficiency and good cutting quality on hardwoods; you will choose the blade based on what you want to cut.
If cutting wood is your job, think about getting hold of different circular saws! No need to cut the parquet with a carpenter’s circular! As for the blades, they certainly replace themselves, but they also become sharpened!
