How To Choose A Hand-Held Circular Saw For Your Home

Circular discs

The highest quality discs are those that come in the same set with the saw, since manufacturers apply refractory alloy solders to the rim. The service life of conventional disks is significantly lower. For a clean cut, use fine teeth. However, the time spent in this case will increase. Coarse-toothed blades are suitable for general cutting. They speed up the process without compromising the quality of the cut.

  • Monolithic. Such discs quickly lose their shape and need to be sharpened from time to time.
  • Carbide. They are distinguished by their reliability and stability.

How To Choose A Hand-Held Circular Saw For Your Home

The best quality is the discs that come with the saw

Unfortunately, there are no universal drives. They are selected separately for each type of work. Sizes range from 120 mm to 350 mm. Housework does not require large diameters. The discs are designed for cutting wood and metal.

Please note that the handle on the circular saw must be made of rubber. This will prevent slipping and reduce vibration. The main thing in the tool is reliability. Therefore, it is worth choosing a protective box made of aluminum.

Analysis of technical characteristics

An electric circular saw is an excellent assistant for a household man. The main purpose is diametrical and longitudinal cutting of wood. The saw is quite compact and lightweight, which increases maneuverability in work and simplifies transportation to distant objects. The circular saw is based on a blade with sharp teeth. In terms of cutting materials, this is a truly versatile tool.

With a hand-held circular saw, you can cut wood and any of its derivatives, plastic, soft metals, slate.

The minimum package includes: motor, protective box, ruler guide, gearbox. The main indicators for a saw that you should rely on when choosing are:

  • Power. It affects the rotational force of the steel disc and, accordingly, the cutting depth. But, it should be borne in mind that the power of the tool is directly related to its weight.
  • Rotation frequency. Characteristic that affects the density of the test material.
  • Heat resistance of the case. To do this, use metal, heat-resistant plastic or a mixture of metal and plastic.
  • Cutting depth. For a home circular saw, 60 mm is enough.
  • The presence of a battery. This is inconvenient because the autonomous power supply can only last for an hour.
  • Tilt adjustment.

Hand-held circular saw

How to choose a saw for your home yourself?

The algorithm for selecting a circular saw is the same as the choice of any tool. The first thing you need to decide is for what purposes it is intended. If your homework is not specific, then you can safely buy a middle class circular saw.

Also, it is worth holding the instrument in your hands to check whether it is convenient or not. Depending on the assembly, the disc may be on the right or left. This must be taken into account. It is desirable that the saw be equipped with an electronic module.

  • Analysis of technical characteristics
  • How to choose a saw for your home yourself?
  • Circular discs
  • Safety engineering
  • Reviews
  • How to choose a circular saw:

Safety engineering

Points that require careful study:

  • Do not cut wood with nails, screws.
  • Do not clean the saw by hand, only with a brush.
  • Use safety glasses.
  • Do not lose vigilance.

Reviews

  • “There was a need to purchase a manual circular. I bought 50 different breeds for rough cutting of non-edged boards. I also wanted to trim shields up to 1 m. I was repelled by the power, work along the guide, cutting depth. I bought a disc for 200 mm. Taught by bitter experience, he made sure that the saw kept an angle of 90 degrees. ". Alexander
  • “I was slowly choosing my instrument. Acquired according to the requirements. light (up to 4 kg), medium power. from 1.8 kW and always with a suitcase. For a board, 50s made of larch fit perfectly. ". Victor

The circular saw is a serious tool. She loves responsibility, discretion and precision. Consider your goals carefully before buying a saw.

How to choose a saw

How to choose a handheld electric circular saw for your home? When choosing one or another electrical device, you should understand two things at once. for the sake of which tasks you buy a device and what basic characteristics it must have in order to successfully solve them.

In the case of an electric saw, for some reason, the power of the electric motor is considered to be the most important point. it will depend on it what size the disc will rotate and at what speed. The more circles you plan to use, the more power of the device should be, but do not forget that an increase in this indicator sometimes greatly increases the weight of the device.

In general, models with a power of less than 1200 W are considered to be for household use, and they are designed for the most part for simple tasks, but devices with a power of more than 2000 W are professional.

The cutting depth is another important factor, because with a small value of this indicator, the saw simply cannot take the material intended for cutting. This criterion will depend not only on the power of the engine, but also on the size of the socket for the disc.

Please note hthen really standing models often have functions for limiting the cutting depth, due to which you can cut thin sheets even with a large diameter.

The speed of rotation of the disk, if we talk about dense wood, should be as high as possible. then the cut will turn out to be accurate, and the productivity will increase significantly. For cutting plastic, such logic will definitely not work. during operation, the circle can get very hot, and the plastic workpiece in this case can melt.

Expensive universal electric circular saws, which are designed to work with different materials, allow the operator to adjust the speed. At the same time, the opinion remains very popular that there is a direct relationship between engine power and maximum speed, but this is not always the case.

Most modern models have an angle cut function. If you are interested in a circular saw for cutting plywood or boards at home, then this function is unlikely to be useful to you, but for professional and construction needs such a criterion can become critically important.

In addition to the main technical characteristics that affect the production ability of an electric tool, it is impossible not to pay attention to most other useful functions. Most models today have a start using two buttons that are remote from each other. due to this, the device will not start accidentally, which minimizes the risk of injury.

The good thing about the ability to start the tool smoothly is that the disc will pick up speed, albeit very quickly, but gradually, due to which the electric motor will not experience an instant load and will wear out more slowly. Most models have a special nozzle for a vacuum cleaner in the design, and other models are even equipped with a stationary device for removing shavings. this will make it possible not only to keep the workplace clean, but also to prevent dust from entering the lungs or eyes.

Note, that in some conditions a laser pointer, illumination of the working area, protection against reverse impacts of discs and other newfangled tricks can also be of great value.

Rating of the best models

If you do not know which circular hand saw to choose, then we suggest you consider the best models. The concept of "best" is rather vague in the case of circular saws, because each consumer will start from their own needs. over, the lineup of each leading manufacturer is regularly updated, and therefore the allocation of seats will not seem appropriate.

With this in mind, I just want to consider a few rather popular models from well-known and reliable brands:

    Makita HS7601 is one of the best solutions for home use, and at a modest cost of 4,000 rubles, such a device is equipped with a 1.2 kW motor. The disc has a diameter of 19 cm, rotates at a speed of more than 5000 revolutions per minute, and makes it possible to cut material with a thickness of up to 6.5 cm.The weight of the device with such good characteristics is 4 kg, which is good news.

Now a little about how to use the saw.

Design features

An electric saw from absolutely any manufacturer and class of device is almost always the same, and the only exception will be small parts that belong more to the category of convenience rather than performance. The main driving part is precisely the electric motor, which is connected directly to either the power supply unit, or to the battery installed in the structure.

With the help of a drive belt, the torque is transmitted to a cut-off type disc, which is usually mounted on the spindle and can be changed both due to wear and in order to cut a specific material. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the working area of ​​the cutting disc will be a reflective visor, which will prevent sawdust and small fragments of cutting material from scattering on all sides, which increases the risk of injury.

The spindle and the disc itself are attached to the cuvette, namely to the body of the unit, and hold the cutting wheel in the correct position. Precise control is carried out using a caliper, which is attached to the cuvette on a movable hinge.

This version of the design of a circular electric saw at the moment is considered even primitive, because it does not reflect the popular nowadays desire to make absolutely any device "smart".

How to choose a circular saw for your home saw rating

How to choose a circular saw for your home saw rating

An electric hand-held circular saw is a very common tool that will definitely come in handy on a sawmill, and for those craftsmen who renovate apartments / houses, and those who love carpentry, and even summer residents.

At the same time, the simplicity of the design (and it only seems that everything is very simple) should not mislead you. such a tool can be very different from each other, and only a reasonable choice of a specific device helps to extract all the expected benefits from it.

For this reason, we suggest you consider how to choose a circular saw for a summer cottage, home and other needs.

Features of the tool and its purpose

This device is required in order to primarily cut wood and its derivatives, although most specific models assume work with other sheet materials, and this can include tiles, as well as soft sheet metal.

As a part for cutting, a metal disc with special solders and sharp teeth is used, and the number of revolutions of the disc for cutting is several thousand times in one minute. Such a design solution does not allow using the tool for such an action as curly cutting, but in most cases it will provide a sufficiently accurate and accurate cut in a straight line.

To save battery power, and in general, to significantly increase the level of productivity during cutting, the design in the form of a cutting element will help, which simply will not assume a reverse movement. Consequently, all movements of the sharp edge will be very beneficial, and thanks to this, energy savings of about 50% can be achieved.

Note, that expensive modern professional models of this class can work completely autonomously for up to 8 hours, but the process of charging the device in this case will be only ½ hour.

Operating rules

An electric circular saw is a fairly simple tool in technical terms, but at the same time, its improper use can be fraught with injury, but also about damage or even accelerated wear of the main components of the mechanism.

So that you can prevent negative phenomena, before starting work, you should carefully study the instructions that are attached to each copy. Even if certain provisions from the instructions seem far-fetched or unreasonable, try not to neglect the recommendations of the creators.

Also, before buying, you should carefully study the instructions for the device for working conditions. This will especially apply to battery models, which can discharge much faster in severe frost conditions, or, as is the case with an old nickel-cadmium battery, have a "memory effect", and be sure to completely discharge the battery before charging.

It will also be important that charging the battery for such devices takes about ½ hour, but for each model you can use only a special charger, licensed, which provides the required current characteristics, otherwise you cannot avoid a quick breakdown. Remember that the battery can be replaced, but it usually costs more than all the other parts put together.

Self-repair of an electric hand-held circular saw is usually undesirable, because the warranty for the tool, as is the case with other equipment, will immediately expire after unauthorized intervention. When you trust your tool to a master, you should be confident in the competence of the master. the safety of future work with the device may depend on this.

By the type of work performed and the materials used

The next question to think about in advance is what and how it is supposed to be sawn with the help of the device.

Based on this, there are the following types of circulars:

  • Broaching or standard. in such models, the toothed disk is closed with a protective cover both from above and below, allowing you to smoothly and as safely cut sheet surfaces along the entire length, "pulling" the device along the surface of the material;
  • Submerged. the design feature of the model is a completely open lower edge of the cutting disc. This allows you to precisely adjust the depth of entry into the material and cut through openings and grooves in it from any point on the workpiece surface.

Circular saws are distinguished separately, the discs of which are made of more durable composite materials, which makes the edges of the teeth sharper. Due to this, such devices can be used to cut various materials, including pipes and other metal products and surfaces.

Overload protection system

An additional function that independently blocks the operation of the engine in case of overheating from prolonged non-stop operation or in the event of an unexpected power surge.

Slip clutch

An additional device between the gearbox (or shaft) and the motor, which protects the device from kickback when the engine is stopped, which can literally "knock" the device out of hand. When the start button is released, the clutch breaks the contact between the motor and the disc. Gradually stopping, the engine runs like a few revolutions "at idle".

Criterias of choice

Depending on the planned work, when choosing a suitable model, you should take into account its performance characteristics and individual design features.

Power

The required maximum power of the circular saw motor is determined based on the volume and type of planned work. the thickness and size of the workpieces being cut and the material of their manufacture.

On sale you can see hand-held devices of the following power:

  • 800 to 1000 watts;
  • 1000 to 2000 watts;
  • From 2000 W and above.

The power of the device ensures the speed of its operation and the depth to which the cutting is performed, but an increase in power is achieved due to the dimensions of the engine or power plant. powerful models will weigh more.

Spring loaded casing

In addition to the main upper (metal or composite) casing, which covers the disc from above, models can also be equipped with a lower casing. it is movably fixed on a spring and slightly opens the cutting surface as it deepens into the material surface. This ensures greater worker safety both during sawing and when the saw is switched off, eliminating the possibility of contact with the disc.

Important characteristics

When choosing a hand-held circular saw, it is useful to pay attention to a few more characteristics:

Rotation frequency. It is directly related to the power of the motor, the frequency depends on how accurately the cutting of different materials will be performed. For sawing pressed panels, it is recommended to choose a tool with the maximum disc rotation speed.

Disk size. A very important indicator that determines the cutting depth and speed of work. Discs are produced from 150 to 260 mm in diameter. The smallest ones are for low-power household appliances. Circles differ in the diameter of the bore, which can be from 16 to 32 mm, the most common saws are 30 and 32 mm.

Tilted cut. Most quality tools come with this option. The angle varies within 30. 55 degrees.

Ergonomics. This concept includes the shape of the handle, body weight and usability. There are models with a variable handle position. this is very convenient and simplifies work in extreme conditions. For example, when renovating the roof of a house. The weight of the device depends on the case materials only in part, it is mainly formed by the mechanism. The harder it is, the better quality and, at the same time, the more difficult it is to work. It is not recommended to choose models weighing more than 7 kg. Most often, the case is made of shock-resistant plastic with rubberized handles, metal cases are rare. High-quality plastic can withstand all loads and even tool drops. There are many examples where the mechanism has already been repaired several times, and the case is only slightly scratched. Therefore, there is no point in spending money on metal, and choosing a model is simpler.

Power cable. Choose a circular saw with a cable that is at least 3 meters long. Its outlet should be located so as not to fall under the teeth of the disc. at the back with a hard outlet.

Which circular hand saw to choose: class, power, characteristics, brand

Wood processing is a laborious and time-consuming process. The hand-held circular saw significantly reduces time costs and increases productivity. The many settings of modern models allow you to make accurate and accurate cuts. The range of circular saws and the price range are great. How to understand this abundance and choose the best option?

Purpose and device

With a hand-held circular saw, you can cut wood and any of its derivatives, plastic, soft metals, slate. The design must fulfill two basic requirements:

  • Accuracy of settings;
  • Work safety.

The minimum equipment consists of:

  • Housings;
  • Electric motor;
  • Reducer;
  • Protective box;
  • Platforms;
  • Guide.

The combination of user-friendly basic features and useful additional functions creates the ideal circular saw for home and professional use.

Class selection

The classification is based on the saw blade diameter and is determined by the maximum cutting depth of each model. This characteristic is necessarily indicated in the data sheet of the beveled or perpendicular cut tool and is:

  • Household for home: designed for cutting materials in sheets. from 40 to 50 millimeters;
  • Pro-professional: able to cope with almost any job. from 50 to 65 millimeters;
  • Professional: sawing to a depth of 140 millimeters.

Knowing what material to work with, you can make a choice only on the basis of this indicator. You can cut a thick block in two steps: from below and from above, so it does not always make sense to chase a deep cut.

The second indicator of the equipment class is the power of the electric motor. A good motor not only expands the capabilities of the tool, but also provides a long service life:

  • Household. power less than 800 W;
  • Semi-professional. 800. 1200 W;
  • Professional. over 1200 W.

A low-power tool will overheat faster, long-term intensive work is impossible. Household models are good for one-time work, if you plan to cut large amounts of material, it is better to choose a more powerful technique.

Additional characteristics

Electronic filling. Significantly increases the cost of the tool, but extends the useful life and makes the job easier. The most useful electronic devices smoothly start the electric motor, prevent overload, control the speed during load changes and the idle speed. Constant rotation speed improves cut quality and prevents blade jamming. The work is facilitated by laser pointers, which show the cutting line. Semi- and professional grade saws are equipped with electronic protection.

Disc changer mechanism. Sometimes the disc needs to be removed, for some models this is done using a pair of keys. Others are equipped with a device for securing the shaft in a desired or specific position, which makes it much easier to unscrew the nut that secures the disc.

Base plate. This is the base on which additional fixtures and adjustments are attached. It is believed that better quality slabs are solid. But there are branded professional saws with stamped bases.

Battery. The ability to work away from power grids is very convenient when building a country house. Unfortunately, battery models are significantly inferior in technical characteristics, with the exception of expensive branded products. Here it is better to choose the models with the highest battery capacity. It takes longer to charge, but it also lasts longer. There are circular models with a spare battery. one works, the second is charged at home. Autonomous circular saws from Makita are especially appreciated, in terms of power and cutting depth they are not inferior to chain saws.

Guidelines for choosing a circular saw: