Types of Shop Saws

There are many types of saws, and anyone who works with wood will want to have more than one. Portable saws and hand saws have their uses, but a fully equipped wood shop needs to have several large saws with the power to do the work required. The three types of saws a wood shop owner should consider purchasing are a table saw, a band saw and a radial arm saw.

Band Saws

A band saw has a blade shaped like a band, unlike the round blades of a table and radial arm saw. This gives the band saw the ability to cut curves in addition to joints, cross cuts and ripping wood. It is one of the safest types of saws because most of the blade is hidden. It can be used to cut metal as well as wood. A wood shop should contain a band saw of at least 14 inches.

Table Saws

Table saws are useful for most projects, including making repetitive grooves or cuts, building jigs and ripping boards. A bench top table saw is a smaller type of table saw. A contractor saw is a larger, heavy duty table saw with a more powerful motor and able to cut thicker wood. A table saw is more dangerous than a band saw because more blade is exposed. Place your table saw in an area of the shop where there will be room in front of and behind the saw for the lengths of wood you will be working with.

Radial Arm Saws

Radial arm saws have an overhead arm the saw is attached to and rides along. This allows the saw to cut at an angle as well as a straight 90-degree cut. The operator pulls the saw toward him, so the length of the cut is limited. A radial arm saw is best for cross cutting, though each cut can only be as long as the arm. A radial arm saw can also be used for routing, drum sanding and planing wood surfaces, unlike other saws that can only be used to cut. Other cuts a radial arm saw can perform include rabbet cuts, miter and dado. A 10-inch radial arm saw is adequate for a home wood shop, but contractors and those working in industrial settings will want a larger model.

Portable and Hand Saws

There is always the need for working outside the shop, cutting down a tree or cutting up that big branch that fell down in a wind storm. Portable saws and chain saws are useful for these situations.