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Woodworking saws: which saw should you use for which job?
For woodworking, choose the saw based on the cut you want to make: long straight cuts with a circular saw, accurate cross-cuts with a mitre saw or a mitre box and saw, curves with a jigsaw or coping saw, and fine joints with a tenon saw or Japanese pull saw. The teeth on the blade then decide how fast and how cleanly you cut.
Knowing which woodworking saw does what saves you time, wasted timber and frustration. Below you will find an overview of hand saws and power saws, and how to pick the right blade.
What will you learn in this article?
- Which hand saws are there for woodworking?
- Which power saws are there?
- Ripping or cross-cutting: why the direction of the cut matters
- Saw teeth and blades explained
- How do you cut straight with a hand saw?
- Looking after your saws
- Working safely with a saw
- Frequently asked questions about woodworking saws
- In short: choosing a woodworking saw
Which hand saws are there for woodworking?
| Hand saw | Used for | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| General-purpose hand saw (panel saw) | Cutting boards and battens to length, rough work | Wide blade, medium teeth |
| Cross-cut saw | Cutting battens and beams to length | Finer teeth, often used with a mitre box |
| Tenon saw (back saw) | Fine joints, mortise and tenon, dovetails | Stiffened back keeps the blade straight |
| Japanese pull saw | Accurate, thin cuts | Cuts on the pull stroke, very fine kerf |
| Keyhole saw (pad saw) | Openings and cut-outs in sheet material | Narrow, pointed blade |
| Coping saw | Fine curves in thin wood | Thin blade held in a frame |
A standard hand saw with hardened teeth is fast and sharp, but you cannot resharpen it once it is blunt. A tenon saw or Japanese saw gives the most accurate result for furniture making and joints.
Which power saws are there?
| Power saw | Best use | Less suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Circular saw | Long straight cuts, sheet material, ripping | Curves |
| Mitre saw | Square and angled cuts in battens, skirting boards and beams | Wide sheets |
| Jigsaw | Curves, cut-outs, shapes | Long, perfectly straight cuts |
| Table saw | Accurate ripping and repeat cuts | Large sheets without help |
| Reciprocating saw | Demolition, pruning, rough trimming | Neat, accurate cutting |
| Multi-tool | Plunge cuts, trimming skirting boards and door frames in place | Long cuts |
Just getting started with woodworking? A jigsaw and a circular saw make a good basic set and will handle most jobs. Add a mitre saw if you often cut battens, skirting boards or beams to size. With a battery platform such as Maxxpack 18V, you can use the same battery in different saws.
Ripping or cross-cutting: why the direction of the cut matters
Wood has a direction: the grain. Cutting lengthways along the grain is called ripping. Cutting across the grain is called cross-cutting.
- For ripping, large teeth with plenty of space between them (the gullet) work best. They clear the long shavings well.
- For cross-cutting, smaller and more numerous teeth work better. They sever the fibres cleanly so the edges do not splinter.
For hand saws, there are separate rip saws and cross-cut saws. For circular saw blades, choose a blade with fewer teeth for ripping and one with more teeth for cross-cutting.
Saw teeth and blades explained
TPI and number of teeth
On hand saws, jigsaw blades and reciprocating saw blades, the teeth are often given in TPI (teeth per inch) or as the distance between the teeth. Low TPI cuts fast and rough, high TPI cuts slower and finer. Circular saw blades show the total number of teeth on the blade, together with the diameter.
Tooth shape
- Alternate top bevel (ATB): the standard for solid wood and most sheet materials.
- Triple chip grind (TCG): for hard or coated boards, such as laminate and plastic.
- Flat top (FT): for fast, rough ripping.
Material
Tungsten carbide tipped (TCT) teeth stay sharp much longer than chrome vanadium (CV) or plain steel blades. For sheet materials such as MDF and chipboard, which contain glue, TCT is the best choice.
How do you cut straight with a hand saw?
Mark the line all round
Mark the cutting line all the way round the workpiece with a try square.
Clamp the wood
Clamp the wood firmly to a workbench or sawhorse.
Cut on the waste side
Place the saw on the outside of the line so the kerf falls in the waste.
Start with short strokes
Start with a few short strokes towards you to make a small groove.
Use long, steady strokes
Then saw with long, steady strokes and let the saw do the work.
Check the line
While you saw, look along the blade to check you are staying on the line.
Support the offcut
Support the offcut at the end so it does not snap off and splinter.
For long straight cuts with a power saw, use a guide rail, a parallel fence or a batten clamped in place as a fence.
Looking after your saws
- Keep blades clean. Resin and glue make the blade drag and heat up. Use a resin remover.
- Replace blades or have them sharpened as soon as you need more force or see burn marks.
- Store hand saws somewhere dry with a guard over the teeth.
- On power saws, check that the blade guard springs back properly.
Working safely with a saw
- Wear safety glasses, and ear defenders with power saws.
- Use dust extraction or a dust mask, especially with MDF and hardwood.
- Always clamp the workpiece; do not hold it by hand.
- Remove the battery or unplug the saw when changing a blade.
- Keep your hands out of the line of cut and never reach over the blade.
Frequently asked questions about woodworking saws
What is the difference between a cross-cut saw and a tenon saw?
A cross-cut saw is designed for cutting battens and beams to length, often together with a mitre box. A tenon saw has a stiffened back so the blade does not flex. That lets you make finer, more accurate cuts, for example for wood joints.
Which saw should I buy first for woodworking?
For most beginners, a jigsaw is the most useful first power saw. It cuts straight sections and curves in wood and sheet material. Then add a circular saw for long straight cuts and a good hand saw for small jobs.
Can I cut everything with one saw blade?
General-purpose blades can do a lot, but rarely everything well. For a neat cut in sheet material or fine cross-cutting, you need a blade with more teeth. For fast ripping or demolition work, a coarser blade.
Why does my saw drift off the line?
Often the blade is blunt or damaged on one side, or you are pushing too hard. A workpiece that moves will also make the saw drift. Clamp the wood, use a sharp blade and let the saw work at its own pace.
In short: choosing a woodworking saw
For woodworking, choose the saw by the cut: a circular saw for straight cuts, a mitre saw or cross-cut saw for cutting to length, a jigsaw for curves and a tenon saw or Japanese saw for fine work. Use coarse teeth for ripping and fine teeth for cross-cutting, choose TCT blades for sheet material and always clamp your workpiece.
