Circular Table Saws For Professionals And Do-it-yourselfers
Craftsmen of all kinds are convinced of the best 7 inch tile saw blade reviews. Therefore, the circular table saw is becoming more and more popular both commercially and privately. On our portal you can inform yourself extensively and receive many practical tips for use. If you have any questions, then we are at your disposal.
What Advantages Does The Circular Table Saw Offer Us?
There are many variants of saws. But the table circular saw has some important advantages compared to the usual circular or band saws. If a clean and correct work is important, then you should choose a quality circular table saw. Because the saw blade has a large diameter, this allows very straight and also clean cuts. A band saw or scroll saw cannot compete with this.
It is also helpful to have the right fences, which makes it possible to achieve exact miter cuts and edges. A remarkable advantage is also the speed with which the saw works and therefore cuts pieces quickly. The type of material does not play a significant role, because a good circular table saw cuts both solid wood and soft or hard wood without any problems.
Changing the saw blades is also convenient and practical, because with a circular table saw the blades do not have to be clamped and tightened. The universal application possibilities are another important advantage. It can be used to process many different wood workpieces. Even with regard to widths and depths, almost anything is possible if you choose the right size saw blade.
Even long boards are therefore no problem. Practical is the quite large saw table, which offers a large supporting surface and also reduces vibrations, which makes working easier.
If you want to work as a do-it-yourselfer with good results, you need a circular table saw that meets a number of requirements. It is important to be able to adjust the fences accurately and operate the machine safely. It does require a certain amount of concentration on the part of the do-it-yourselfer when it comes to using a table saw, but the good work results are enjoyable and bring fun and enjoyment to the work.
However, for the results to be satisfactory for everyone, the right and suitable accessories are crucial. It should be a high-quality saw with a good and sufficiently large saw blade and a fixed rip fence. If you want to buy a good circular table saw, you should get detailed information so that you can decide on a suitable model. Test results are often helpful here to assess how well the particular saw has performed in practice.
Versatile Application Possibilities
Numerous tasks can be reliably carried out with a circular table saw. These include carpentry work, as well as cutting to size for renovations or model making.
If you now want to buy a circular table saw, you will soon find that the choice is very large. Also the price can vary a lot. To get an overview, you should therefore consider a few points before buying. If you follow these criteria, you will find the circular table saw that suits you best.
Which Performance Is Offered?
To compare electrical appliances, you should definitely pay attention to the performance that the appliance offers. Always pay attention to both the specified wattage and idle speed when assessing the performance of a circular saw bench.
If you want to work mainly hard wood with the table saw, you should pay particular attention to high performance. If the speed drops, it will not be possible to make clean cuts and the saw blade may even tilt, which would damage the workpiece.
A power output of at least 1,000 watts is therefore recommended. If the circular table saw is to meet professional requirements, it should even have over 2,000 watts.
What Is The Cutting Depth Of The Table Saw?
An important indication of the quality of a table saw is also the maximum cutting depth, which indicates the maximum thickness of a piece of wood.
A cutting depth of at least 75 mm is usually recommended here.
If the saw has a lower cutting depth, you will too often reach the performance limit, which has negative consequences for the durability of the saw.
Versatile Application Possibilities
Numerous tasks can be reliably carried out with a circular table saw. These include carpentry work, as well as cutting to size for renovations or model making.
If you now want to buy a circular table saw as well, you will soon find that the choice is very large. Also the price can vary a lot. To get an overview, you should therefore consider a few points before buying. If you follow these criteria, you will find the circular table saw that suits you best.
Which Performance Is Offered?
To compare electrical appliances, you should definitely pay attention to the performance that the appliance offers. Always pay attention to both the specified wattage and idle speed when assessing the performance of a circular saw bench.
If you want to work mainly hard wood with the table saw, you should pay particular attention to high performance. If the speed drops, it will not be possible to make clean cuts and the saw blade may even tilt, which would damage the workpiece.
A power output of at least 1,000 watts is therefore recommended. If the circular table saw is to meet professional requirements, it should even have over 2,000 watts.
What Is The Cutting Depth Of The Table Saw?
An important indication of the quality of a table saw is also the maximum cutting depth, which indicates the maximum thickness of a piece of wood.
A cutting depth of at least 75 mm is usually recommended here.
If the saw has a lower cutting depth, you will too often reach the performance limit, which has negative consequences for the durability of the saw.
What Are The Possible Settings For The Cutting Depth And Cutting Angle?
If the table saw is a good circular saw, then there should also be various adjustment possibilities. It is important that the depth and angle of cut can be adjusted continuously.
If this is the case, then the saw blade can also be adjusted to the thickness of the workpiece. For miter cuts, it is important that the saw blade can be adjusted flexibly at angles of 0 and 45 degrees.
An undercut function is usually also present on high-quality circular table saws and is particularly practical and useful in furniture making.
Are There Cross And Parallel Fences?
In the meantime, a rip fence and an angle fence are already part of the regular scope of delivery of good circular table saws.
The rip fence simplifies work if you want to saw many smaller pieces and do not want to measure them again before each cut. The crosscut fence serves as an aid for angle cuts.
But not only the presence of these fences is important, but also their quality and use. If it is a cheaper model, it is often not possible to adjust the fences of this table saw correctly, which has a negative effect on the correct work result.
How Is The Work Table Designed?
In order to work properly and carefully, the sawing table of the circular saw bench must be sufficiently large and stable. Only then can it stand securely on the respective surface.
Practical are possible extensions that allow the sawing table to be adapted. This makes it easy to work on larger or bulkier pieces. Another pleasant feature is that the height of the work table can be adjusted. This allows you to work with less strain on your back and also reduces fatigue.
The stability of the worktable is also important for a good result, as it reduces vibrations that could otherwise cause cuts to become inaccurate.
Is There A Connection Possibility For Dust Extraction?
Cleaning everything again after work is hardly fun for anyone. A practical way of vacuuming up the dust that is created during work is therefore already available.
Therefore, make sure that the device has a special connection that allows the use of a dust extraction system. This could be an industrial vacuum cleaner, for example. Most appliances now have such a possibility, but you should still be careful not to overlook this.
Apart from cleanliness, such a dust extraction system is also good for your health, because it prevents you from breathing dust. It also makes the work easier, because by vacuuming, the working area is always easy to overlook.
Is The Operation Really Safe?
There is always a certain amount of risk involved in handling electrical tools. This is also the case when working with a table saw. You should therefore pay close attention to the precautions that are taken on the machine to ensure greater safety.
In the meantime, both a riving knife and a protective cover over the saw blade are actually a matter of course. After all, this prevents the user from being hit by parts flying through the air. It is also recommended that the circular table saw is equipped with a push stick to push the piece of wood.
Overheating protection, which should also be standard on good models, is also useful.
What Other Equipment And Functions Are Offered To Professionals?
If it is a circular table saw that is intended to be especially for professionals, then you can expect some additional functions and equipment features.
If the circular table saw is not only intended for the hobby craftsman, but is also to be used in the professional sector, then a sliding table, for example, is sensible and highly recommended. With this, pieces of wood that are to be processed can be guided much more precisely over the work table. This is particularly advantageous for angle cuts.
An undercut function is also practical, as it allows the miter angle to be adjusted flexibly. You will hardly want to do without it for exact cuts.
If you do not want to push a piece of wood, you can choose a model that also has a pull function. This involves pulling the saw blade, which then slides very precisely through the workpiece and works precisely.
A soft start is very gentle on the motor, because it does not bring it to full load immediately after starting. The Constant Electronic ensures a constant speed of the table saw, which keeps this speed constant even under heavy load.
How does a table circular saw work?
A table circular saw is a special type of circular saw. Other designations are table saws or construction circular saws.
The table circular saw is characterized above all by the fact that it is a stationary saw, since the saw blade is fixed in one position. The saw blade is driven by a motor. This usually has a power in the range of 1,200 and 3,000 watts.
For processing a piece of wood is pushed through the saw by hand. This gives very clean cuts and allows you to work quickly.
Below we have listed the individual components of a circular table saw:
The Motor
A circular table saw is driven by the motor. This is usually operated with 230 or 480 V. It is important to have the highest possible speed, which should be between 3,000 and 5,000.
Usually the saw blade is mounted on the shaft, so that no V-belt is necessary.
If it is a high-quality device, then a soft start should be provided. This will protect the motor, as it starts slowly. Also helpful is a quick-stop, with which you can brake the saw blade immediately after switching off. This allows you to continue working quickly, but also reduces the risk of injury.
A Constant Electronic is also recommended, which ensures that the speed remains constant. This allows even hard pieces of wood to be cut correctly and cleanly.
The Saw Blade
The saw blade for a circular table saw is a steel disc, the edge of which is provided with cutting teeth. The number of teeth tells you how precisely you can work with the circular table saw, because the more teeth the less tearing will occur.
If the saw blade has many teeth, it can of course clog up more quickly. If overheating then occurs, the saw blade is usually damaged and unusable.
Depending on the work to be done, the saw blade should therefore also be chosen. If you want to make rip cuts, you should use a saw blade that has fewer teeth and correspondingly larger chip spaces in order to absorb the many chips that are produced when cutting along the wood fiber.
If you want to cut against the grain, you can choose a saw blade with many teeth.
The Parallel And Cross Fenced
If you decide on a good model, you will also find a parallel and cross stop in the scope of delivery.
The cross fence is a great help for angle cuts that do not correspond to the right angle. This makes it easy to guide the piece of wood along the fence at the desired angle.
Depending on the model, there is either a permanently installed profile or a saw carriage.
The Splitting Wedge
In the meantime, the riving knife has also become an integral part of circular table saws, as it can be used to keep the kerf free.
When a workpiece is pushed over the table, it is easy for the rear teeth of the saw blade to touch it and then to throw up parts or the whole piece. This can quickly hit and injure the user.
A splitting wedge is therefore important to prevent injury, but also to protect the cutting edge if the guide over the table does not work properly.
What A Circular Table Saw Should Be Able To Do
There are many different models , but a good circular table saw should have some features that you should look out for when buying. These include the following criteria:
The Saw Blade Should Be Continuously Adjustable
When using the saw blade, make sure that it is infinitely adjustable up to 45°. This function makes accurate cutting of bevel cuts much easier.
Rip Fence For Precise Working
If you attach great importance to precision, then two fence heights are useful and important, because they allow you to work accurately even at complicated angles and prevent the wood from slipping.
The Saw Blade Guard Should Have A Suction
Although the saw blade protection is actually always present, a device for extracting the wood chips is often missing, especially with the inexpensive models. Not only does vacuuming keep the workplace clean, it also makes work easier and safer, as the wood chips cannot block the view. Anyone who wants to work a lot with the saw will not want to do without this function.
The Saw Blade Should Be Easy To Reach
If the saw is used frequently, the saw blade will have to be changed accordingly. This process should not take much time, because you want to be able to continue working quickly. It is therefore recommended that your circular table saw makes it easy to change the saw blade.
Easily Accessible Emergency Stop Switch
An emergency stop switch is obligatory, but it is not always simply installed in a sensible way. For this switch to make sense, it must be easy to reach. Therefore make sure that the emergency stop switch is not difficult to operate due to a covered or hidden position.
Pleasant Volume
There are also big differences in the volume. It is advisable to choose a model that you can use without hearing protection. This provides more safety, as it allows you to be more aware of who is approaching the device during work.
Quality Saw Blade
To be able to work satisfactorily with a circular table saw, you should always make sure you have a high-quality saw blade. If it is a rather inexpensive model, it is often also equipped with a not very high quality saw blade. In this case you will usually have to buy a good saw blade to be able to work properly.
Operation Should Be Intuitive
To make working with a tool fun, it should be intuitively operable. Nobody wants to read the operating instructions every time to get along with a tool. What sounds so obvious is by no means the case with all models. So always take a close look at how to operate a circular saw before you start working.
What Exactly Is A Table Saw?
Basically, a table saw is a stationary circular saw. It allows you to work very cleanly and cut solid wood, plywood and plastic sheets. The cut is made by a rotating saw blade mounted on a frame, which means that the working height is usually over 80 cm. Of course there are also models that can be obtained without a frame. This is the case for example with the Bosch PTS 10 T. These models are then put into operation on a fixed table or on a workbench.
There are many different manufacturers and brands, but the basic construction of the saws is the same for all of them. In this respect it does not matter whether you choose a table saw from Bosch, Metabo, Makita or Einhell, Akita or Güde. However, there are differences in the materials used and their quality. Often a table saw also has a stable metal table with the saw blade in a slot in the middle. The usual diameter is 250 mm, but there are also saws with 230 or 350 mm diameter. The workpiece is guided by a rip fence which is laterally adjustable. This enables careful and accurate cuts. If you want to buy a precision circular table saw or a fine-cutting circular table saw, you will have to contact one of the high-quality manufacturers. These include Metabo, Makita and Bosch. Of course, quality also has its price, so that one has to calculate with 700 € upwards. If you decide on a rather cheap model, then you should not be surprised if the cuts are not all perfect.
What Should You Look For When Buying A Circular Table Saw?
There is a wide range of different models on offer and it can be difficult to choose. It is helpful to look at the machines that have been test winners or at least have achieved good results. After all, these models had to do a lot to be judged so well. It’s also important not to be blinded unconditionally by big and well-known brands, because you should also take a closer look there. The device does not always have to be able to fulfil all wishes just because it comes from Bosch, Metabo, Güde, Scheppach or Einhell. Often a brand name is also very noticeable in the price. Anyone who frequently shops in DIY stores will certainly know the manufacturer Atika, who often produces private labels from Bauhaus or Hornbach.
The Performance
In order to judge an electrical device, one should take a closer look at the rated power input. This information shows how high the power consumption is and how powerful the motor is. If it is a good table saw, then approx. 1,500 watts are appropriate here. The Bosch PTS 10 model, for example, has 1,400 watts. These are regular values for circular saws with a 230-volt connection. If it is a machine with a 400-volt connection, then you can expect a power of over 2 kW.
The Idling Speed
An indication of the speed at which the saw blade rotates is given by the idle speed. Here you should expect more than 5,000 rpm with good circular table saws. If you want to cut boards or beams, such a value is highly recommended.
The Size Of The Saw Blade
The size of the saw blade affects the size of the workpiece. The larger it is, the larger the cross-section to be sawn may be. Usual diameters of saw blades are 254 or 250 mm. The Bosch PTS saw blade corresponds to this, but of course there are other manufacturers who offer models with smaller saw blades. These include devices from Einhell or Güde. If it is a high quality circular saw, then these models usually have a saw blade with 350 mm or 315 mm diameter. However, only a few of these devices still have a 230-volt connection, as they require a 400-volt high-voltage connection. When buying these models you should compare the data carefully. Such saws are particularly useful for old buildings, as the 310 or 350 mm diameter saw blades can easily cut beams with a cutting height of 14 cm.
When choosing a suitable saw blade, however, one should not only pay attention to the size, but also to the material. Recommended are saw blades made of chrome-vanadium-steel, called Widia blades, which is an abbreviation for Like Diamond. This designation was created by the company Krupp. Rather rare are blades made of hard metal. Another important aspect is the number of teeth. If you want particularly fine cuts, you should choose a blade with many teeth.
The Cutting Height Or Cutting Depth
Another important criterion is the cutting depth or cutting height, because it provides information about the thickness that can be cut. A common cutting height is 75 mm, which is offered by most Bosch, Einhell or Güde models that are suitable for do-it-yourselfers. There are also professional machines from Metabo or Scheppach that can cut over 90 mm. Before you decide on a circular table saw, you should always pay close attention to the cutting height indicated and compare it.
The Base Frame
You should also take a closer look at the base frame before you buy a circular table saw. This construction should usually have a height of 70 – 80 cm, which is a good working height. However, there are also models that are delivered without an underframe. These can then be placed on a work table or workbench. The important thing is that they stand firm and stable. Sometimes you also have a choice, as with the Bosch PTS 10, which you can buy with or without an underframe.
The Parallel And Angular Fence
Without a good rip fence it is hardly possible to work properly and cleanly. Other designations for the rip fence are crosscut fence or longitudinal fence. This practical guide runs parallel to the saw blade and is often made of aluminium or steel. It is usually attached using a clamping lever. If it is a high-quality model, the circular table saw has a colon fixing at the beginning as well as at the end of the fence to ensure that it holds securely. It is always advisable to check the fence from time to time while working, because depending on the pressure it can be adjusted when pulling the workpieces over.
An angle fence is also helpful, which ensures that angle cuts are successful. It is also practical and useful for mitres, but also for other angles from -60° to 60°. However, not every angle stop keeps its promises. Therefore, it is often not sufficiently stable for cheap models and therefore not a great help.
General Information
Should One Buy A Cheap Circular Table Saw?
The decisive factor here is what you want to use the circular table saw for. If you decide on a very cheap model, you may not expect much, but you may have bought a slightly better circular saw for firewood. You can get such a saw for only 100 to 150 Euros. But if you want to make finer cuts with the saw, a higher priced device is recommended. Depending on the model, the costs are about 200 to 400 Euros, while saws for professionals from Metabo or Scheppach cost at least 700 Euros and more.
Which Saw Can Also Be Used To Saw Firewood?
If you are looking for a circular table saw for firewood, you should look at a simple table saw or construction circular saw from Einhell, Mannesmann or Güde. These models cost 100 to 150 euros. Of course you cannot expect exact cuts from these saws, but they are not necessary when cutting firewood. Perhaps a cheaper model with a blade of 315 or 350 mm, which can cut stronger wood, is also suitable. In DIY stores such as Hornbach or Bauhaus the Atika HT 315 is often offered. But always pay attention to the cutting height, which is possible.
How Is A Circular Table Saw Operated?
As with all electrical devices, you should also pay attention to safety when using a circular table saw. If you want to inform yourself about this, you can find many videos and instructions. You should not forget to wear hearing protection, safety glasses and suitable safety shoes. You can also find out where the emergency stop button is located on your circular saw table, which can be used to stop the saw blade immediately.
How Is The Riving Knife Adjusted?
The splitting wedge prevents the saw blade from jamming in the kerf.
The splitting wedge is an important protective measure. This curved piece of metal is located behind the saw blade. It is best if the inner arc of the riving knife is 3 to 8 mm from the blade’s flight circle.
What Can A Circular Table Saw Do?
With a circular table saw you can cut all kinds of wood. This includes boards, planks and beams as well as shuttering wood, laminate, parquet and panels. However, it takes practice and skill to work accurately and precisely with a circular table saw.