Saws
Saws
SAWING EXPERTISE
Which handsaw to buy?
If you are interested in traditional woodworking by hand, the range of saws on offer is huge. You have the choice between western saws such as the foxtail, frame saw, tine saw, fine saw and back saw as well as traditional Japanese saws such as Ryoba, Dozuki and Kataba. Or are you looking for a garden saw or pruning saw? Unfortunately, there is no universal saw that can do everything. Our tips for buying a handsaw:
- Firstly, decide what you want to use the saw for (precise or rough cuts, material: metal, dry or fresh wood, plastic, required cutting depth, etc.). This will narrow down the choice of saws.
- Which saws do you know or have experience with? Positive or negative experiences can often rule out or narrow down which points a saw must fulfil for you. Make a note of these points and ask our specialist advisors.
- Your personal quality requirements. Do you need the saw to repair something from time to time and to carry out small hobby tasks? Then an inexpensive handsaw is usually sufficient. In this case, you should opt for a model with an interchangeable blade system and universal toothing or double toothing. This allows you to work in different cutting directions and replace blunt blades easily and conveniently. Or would you like to delve deeper into woodworking and build more complex workpieces yourself in the long term? Then it makes sense to buy saws for different cutting directions and to obtain information and advice on power tools.
How do I find the right saw blade or saw?
The following criteria apply to circular saws, jigsaws, band saws and handsaw blades:
Cutting direction. Circular saws, jigsaws and handsaws have different tooth shapes for longitudinal cuts and cuts across the grain. For cuts in the direction of the grain, the saw must cut the grain out of the composite, the tooth shape is similar to a plane iron. For cuts across the grain, the saw must cut through the grain; the teeth also have lateral cutting edges.
- Material. Different materials, such as solid wood or panel material, plastic or metal, require different tooth shapes and steel grades (e.g. WM, HSS) or differently hardened teeth.
- Material thickness. The tooth pitch or the distance between the saw teeth should be selected larger as the cutting depth increases. The so-called chip space is located between the teeth. This must be large enough to be able to transport the chips out during sawing. If it is too small, the saw blade will clog and the saw will lose power or stop.
- Cutting quality. A saw blade for rough cuts has a coarser pitch than a fine-cut saw blade for precise sizing or making wood joints.
Always choose a saw blade that is suitable for the workpiece, task and material. The right saw blade makes cutting easier, improves the cutting result and also ensures greater safety. We offer suitable saw blades or saw blades recommended by the manufacturer for all machines and hand saws.
Which saw belongs in the basic power tool kit?
Jigsaw. A pendulum action jigsaw is part of the machine equipment in many households. It is very versatile, you can use it to saw mouldings, cut laminate flooring to size and even build a birdhouse. The jigsaw blades, which should be matched to the material and radius of the saw cut, have a decisive influence on the quality of the cuts.
Hand-held circular saw, circular table saw and cross-cut saw. With a plunge-cut circular saw with guide rail, you can cut almost anything that would otherwise be cut on a circular table saw. One advantage of the plunge-cut saw is that it takes up less space. When working with a hand-held circular saw, you only need the space required for the cut. With a circular table saw, you also need space in front of and behind the saw table. A circular table saw is worthwhile when cutting more complex pieces of furniture with many parts in different dimensions. Precise adjustment and exact repetitions are much faster with a circular table saw. Small parts and narrow mouldings can also be cut faster, more accurately and, above all, more safely with a circular table saw. A cross-cut saw is ideal for cross-cuts with a limited cutting width. If you are cutting many mouldings, e.g. for interior fittings and flooring, the cross-cut saw will save you a considerable amount of time. Compared to plunge-cut saws and circular table saws, however, its range of functions is limited.
Band saws vs. jigsaws. Both saws fulfil different tasks. A well-equipped woodworking shop should therefore have both. A jigsaw is ideal for cut-outs and mobile work, e.g. kitchen assembly. However, it is strenuous to use in the long term (vibrations) and its cutting height is limited (maximum half saw blade length). A band saw, on the other hand, can also be used for finer cuts and greater material thicknesses. As band saws run much more smoothly, they deliver clean cutting edges and are less strenuous to work with. They are also suitable for ripping thicker solid wood, which is then levelled and planed. However, internal cut-outs are not possible with a band saw.
Cable or battery? Many hand-held saws and small stationary machines are available corded or with a battery. The great advantage of corded saws is that they can be used for longer periods of time or for larger projects without the battery running out. However, the cable restricts the range of movement. Saws with rechargeable batteries are much more mobile and can also be used in places without a power connection (construction site, garden, etc.).
All about the saw
When choosing the right saw, you should also consider the space requirements of saws and the appropriate workshop equipment.
A Japanese saw or handsaw is equally suitable for work in the workshop and for mobile use. In order to achieve reasonable results in the workshop, at least a small table with an attachment clamp, or ideally a planing bench, is useful. With top-mounted pliers, you usually only work from one side, so two square metres of surface can be sufficient for small parts that have been roughly cut to length beforehand.
If manual or plunge-cut circular saws are used in the workshop, a saw table or multifunction table is ideal. As you have to move around the table and also cut larger panels if necessary, the space required here is significantly larger (panel size + 50 cm all round). On the construction site, you can make do with work trestles and a "sacrificial panel". Semi-stationary saws such as underfloor pull saws often come with a fold-out base frame. Extraction for both types of power tools works by means of a mobile hoover, which does not take up much space.
If stationary saws such as band saws or circular table saws are used, not only the working area in front of and behind the machine must be considered, but also additional space for the extraction system and hose routing. Hazardous areas of the machines also play a role in space planning and therefore the space required.
