Understanding Free Cutting Power Saws

There will come a time in every DIYer or Homeowner’s adventure that they will have to use a non-stationary saw.  I like to call them free cutting saws or power saws.  These types of saws are hand controlled and stabilized.  Power saws are a good investment to have in your tool arsenal because they allow portability and are able to be used in tighter spaces.  There are 4 main types of power saws that I will cover here.  They are the Circular saw, the Reciprocating saw, the Jigsaw, and the Oscillating Multi-tool. 

Circular Saw:

The Circular saw is basically a mix between the Miter Saw and the Table saw in a portable form.  A Circular saw is basically a saw wheel with a handle and adjustable angle guide.  They are a great all purpose saw that has a cutting depth of around 4 to 6 inches depending on blade diameter.  If you have a project where a Table Saw or Miter Saw aren't practical, like on the roof of a housing project, then the Circular Saw is the perfect substitution.  These types of saws typically run off of a rechargeable 12 volt battery but do come with cord options, however the cordless is the best route in my opinion.  Now, like with any saw, it is important to be safe around this saw since it can jump on you so keep your hands and fingers a safe distance away from the blade.

Reciprocating Saw:

The Reciprocating Saw is the power saw equivalent to the Hack and Drywall saws.  This saw essentially has a handle and saw blade between 8 and 12 inches depending on the type of material you're trying to cut.  The Reciprocating Saw has interchangeable blades that allow you to cut wood one second and then metal 20 seconds later.  It ideally would be used for those cutting smaller materials like 2x4s or pipes vs plywood because the blade width is only about an inch, inch and a half deep meaning that more control of the saw is required when trying to cut in a straight line because there's less of a natural guide than there is with the circular saw.  This type of saw I'd recommend for those who either plan on working with a lot of pipe or planks of wood or have the extra money and want to add to their collection of tools.  

Jigsaw:

The Jigsaw is a versatile power tool that I think everyone should have in their arsenal of tools.  The Jigsaw uses a blade that's located on the bottom of the saw and is only about a quarter inch in width and runs around 3 or so inches deep.  Because of its smaller width, the Jigsaw can make tight maneuvers with ease and can cut curvature designs in any way you'd like unlike the saws mentioned above.  You can start your cut from anywhere on your material instead of needing an entry cut.  All you need to do is use a drill bit to cut a starting hole.  This allows you to cut out a window on a door, for example, without needing to cut 2 separate pieces and gluing them together.  I have used a jigsaw on most of my wood cutting projects like constructing wolf dens for my local Wildlife Science Center and believe its the most versatile saw you can have.

Oscillating Multi-Tool:

An Oscillating Multi-Tool is perfect for cutting in tight spaces or making smaller, more precise cuts with a power saw.  The Oscillating Multi-Tool looks like a spatula with a toothed saw blade on the end.  The thing that makes the Oscillating multi-tools unique is that they have interchangeable heads that allow you to switch from a cutting blade to a sanding head to a brush head and more.  Since we are discussing saws, I will focus on just the saw attachment.  For the easiest understanding of what the Oscillating Saw is like, think of the saw attachment as a more powerful form of a hair clipper for buzz cuts, but meant for cutting wood and softer materials instead of hair.  It allows you to cut directly into a material instead of needing an approach angle or cut and to fit into tighter spots like corners.  It's a phenomenal all around tool to have on hand especially if you work with any sort of framing material like drywall and need to cut a hole for an electrical outlet.

If you made it this far in the post, thank you for taking the time to read everything.  I hope I was able to provide helpful information for you.  For more helpful information, don't forget to subscribe.