Kitchen Garden Forum

Right chaps, (possibly chapesses as well) what sort of saw should I be saving my christmas money for?

I have a deluxe Peter-built workshop shed with mains electricity and a workbench about 4'6" x 3' that has a metalwork vice, a woodwork vice and a pillar drill on it and I am pondering what type of powered saw I should get for precision woodworking.

I know what the two basic types are and because the floorspace is eaten by the bench and a Howard rotovator, plus cupboards, I'll be looking for something I can lift onto the table, use, then put away either on the shelf under the tabletop, or on a "breakfast bar" I have in one corner.

This means I know I'm looking at the cheaper end of the market, he says hopefully.

Can I get one with additional folding supports to cut plywood sheets/
Are there any interchangable blades like Norm Abrams beloved "dado-head cutters" available in the size / price bracket I looking at?

Finally anything anyone would recommend?

Morning Peter, i have voted band saw, but you do have to be more careful that there are no nails in what you are cutting, or it will be a new blade.

You can also buy light weight trestles now that are fairly cheap, these are very handy when cutting larger pieces of material as you can move them to suit.

I can't reccomend any make in particular, but as always you get what you pay for.

You haven't said what you plan to make ? If it is mostly straight cuts, and you need to cut rebates and grooves, a circular saw might be best. If you need to go round curves a lot, (e.g, you plan on doing some wood turning), the band saw is the tool.

I'd love to turn or carve, I have a large set of carving chisels inherited from my grandfather, but at the moment I'll say I'm going general purpose and best £ & size in relation to my wallet & shed respectively.

personally id get several

circular table saw for ripping along the grain... cutting long bits to width
a sliding mitre saw for cross cutting.... ive got a non sliding one, but occasionally want to cut skirting or planks that are too wide, and you can groove with a sliding one.

i use a hand held circular for cutting panels... clamp a guide batten onto the sheet to run it along.

a sabre saw is a handy tool... with a range of blades it will chop seasoned or green wood or angle iron

usually find you need more space than there is in the shed so often end up cutting outside.. the wind blows the dust away then.... a couple of workmates and 40 gallon barrels come in handy as workbenches

mine have come off ebay or car boot sales...