Choosing the best circular saw for table setting Choosing the best circular saw for table setting Good afternoon, friends! Summer is coming, which means that soon many of you will resume work in your summer home workshops. Good
Choosing the best circular saw to fit your table
Summer is coming, which means that soon many of you will resume work in your summer home workshops. A circular saw can be a good purchase for the summer. She is able to help both in household work, construction and for work in the workshop. Today we will analyze what characteristics of hand-held circular saws you should pay attention to when choosing, in particular with an eye to installing the saw in the table, to create a homemade sawing table. Such a table, even a homemade one, is an excellent assistant in the workshop.
There are a lot of circular saws on sale with different characteristics. The following recommendations will help you quickly narrow your search and find the one that’s right for you. First, pay attention to saw blade diameter and saw power.
The diameter of the blade should be selected based on your needs for the thickness of the material you will be sawing. In my opinion, for most works in the workshop, it is quite enough to have a cutting depth of 50-70mm. In principle, even a 100mm beam can be cut with such a depth, if you make saws from both sides. To achieve this cutting depth, a saw with a blade diameter of 185-210mm is suitable. I don’t see much sense in taking a saw with a large disc (235mm). At the same time, if you know that you only have to cut sheet materials, such as plywood or chipboard, then even a cutting depth of 50mm will be unnecessary. In this case, even a 160mm disc is sufficient. Keep in mind that with the simplest setting of the saw into the table, the effective cutting depth will be hidden by the thickness of your table top. Consider this when choosing the disc diameter.
In terms of power, in my opinion, you should not take a saw less than 1500W for installation in a table. I also think that maintaining the RPM under load is an important function. This will help you have a cleaner cut. At the same time, when the saw is stationary, its weight does not really matter.
In addition, when choosing, it is important to pay attention to lack of backlash in the design. Remember that when installed in a table, the saw will be attached mainly to the sole, accordingly it will be better if there are no backlashes when fixing the cutting depth. For an illustration of the negative effects of backlash see this:
A nice addition to your chosen saw model can be the presence of special holes in the sole for attaching the tool to the table. However, in my opinion, this is just an addition, not a prerequisite. After all, you can always either drill a hole in the right place of the sole, or mount it in another way.
An interesting option, when the hand saw already provides for the option of using it as a sawing table, and the kit already includes clamps and a parallel stop.
If you are also interested in how to make your own sawing table from a hand saw here you can read about my experience in creating such a table (using the Interskol saw).
Additions to the made construction
Some craftsmen, assembling a table for a handheld circular saw according to unique drawings, completely remove the factory protective cover, and replace the factory platform with a homemade one. If you do not plan to cut at an angle, you can remove all the devices for adjusting the inclination of the blade. The saw is fixed directly to the new base, which makes it possible to gain a couple of millimeters of cutting depth.
Without inner casing it is easier to remove the blade, the saw will not become clogged with chips when working with wet boards. Dismantling will require extra time, but the resource of the motor is preserved, congestion is prevented.
Construction requirements
Experienced craftsmen are ready to create a table for a circular with their own hands without any techniques or drawings. However, certain conditions still need to be considered.
The inherent requirements include:
- Rigidity (stability) of the system;
- Flat, smooth plane of the table;
- Secure fastening of the saw;
- The presence of a fence from the cutting disc;
- Free access to start and pause buttons.
The availability of different functions depends on the working conditions and the wishes of the specialist. These include the ability to carry out high-quality rip and cross cuts.
The standard products, of which there are hundreds in shopping malls, are made of stainless steel. This is great stuff, but further we consider the production of a table for a saw from wood.
Safety requirements
- One of the most common causes of injury when using a circular saw is a litter of work. In addition, it is important to monitor the stability, strength of absolutely all components of the system, and in case of imbalance, use measures to eliminate difficulties.
- Before connecting the saw, make sure that it is well secured. Tighten screws / bolts if necessary.
- It is strictly forbidden to hold the material close to the cut! It is dangerous for knots, chips to bounce into the eyes or on open parts of the body. You should definitely wear glasses before work and clothes with sleeves.
Making a saw table on your own is not as difficult as it might seem. If there is a good material at hand, its characteristics are chosen correctly, and the power of the device ranges from 500 to 1000 W, the above instruction will be the basis of work.
Do not lose sight of the fact that at any stage of the table production, you should control the accuracy of your own operations. In other words, if there are deviations in the size or deformation of the legs when the ribs are tightened, it will be very difficult to restore stability. Nevertheless, making a circular table with your own hands is an absolutely real task for several hours.
A few words about electronics
Circular saw electrical special equipment operating from a 220 V power source.In case the user has sufficient knowledge and skills in the field of electronics, he is able to bypass the start and stop keys of the saw, and then move them to a convenient place (as a rule, this is the outer side 1 th of the ribs).
If the model seems complicated, you need to tighten the start button with a wire, and turn on the special equipment using a power cord. However, this method is bad in that it excludes a quick shutdown of the device in the event of an emergency.
Desktop device
Table structure for a hand-held circular, it is so elementary that most of the specialists produce it without preparatory drawings and techniques. This is a solid workbench that is crafted from wood and plywood.
The most durable table bases are made of alloy. They are also the most difficult and require the presence of welder skills. Therefore, the coasters are often made from the remnants of lumber. A circular saw is attached under the table top, the drive protrudes above it through a specially made slot. The lumber is pushed over the table top and sawn with a disc. For convenience and correct operation, the table is equipped with additional devices: angular and longitudinal stops.
The table top absorbs part of the working plane of the disc, the cutting depth will decrease by the thickness of the table top. For this reason, it is preferable to choose a circular with the largest disc diameter, and the table top is thin but rigid.
If the saw has not been purchased yet, choose the high power versions (from 1200 W). They will cope with cutting large-sized timber. Holes will be drilled to secure the base. Solid base may burst. For this reason, it is advisable to select a different type of mechanism.
Additions to the made construction
Some craftsmen, assembling a table for a handheld circular saw according to unique drawings, completely remove the factory protective cover, and replace the factory platform with a homemade one. If you do not plan to cut at an angle, you can remove all the devices for adjusting the inclination of the blade. The saw is fixed directly to the new base, which makes it possible to gain a couple of millimeters of cutting depth.
Without inner casing it is easier to remove the blade, the saw will not become clogged with chips when working with wet boards. Dismantling will require extra time, but the resource of the motor is preserved, congestion is prevented.