What kind of saws are used for sawing wood

Sawn logs. Which one is better to choose? Types of wood saws What is a radial board

Hardwood and softwood building materials have a wide range of applications, and are used for building and tiling of houses, paving paths, interior design of buildings. The sawn timber on the market is subdivided according to the method of sawing, it can be tangential, radial, longitudinal, circular or mixed. Depending on the presence of edges, boards are classified into edged, semi edged and unedged.

Mechanical processing of logs can be carried out with special machines or electric devices by cutting or splitting. A distinction is made between the following methods of wood sawing: planing, turning, drilling, grinding, all of which involve the removal of chips. There are three types of sawing. longitudinal, transversal and straight. The first involves the passage of the cut along the fibers, the second and third. perpendicular. Sawing is the basic stage in the construction of all sawn timber and the quality of the sawn timber determines the service and aesthetic qualities of the finished product.

Tangential sawing

This is considered one of the most popular ways to process logs. Tangential sawing cuts the plane of the blade at a certain distance from the core of the tree, tangentially to the annual rings. The result is practical and durable boards resistant to shrinkage and swelling. Such lumber has an attractive texture. an elegant wavy pattern of annual rings is clearly visible on it. Boards sawn using a tangential saw can also be used for exterior construction and to create a cosy interior.

Quality parquet is also produced in this way. At a perpendicular sawcut on the boards you can see a natural pattern. rings, arches, waves, curls. If the parquet is made of Siberian larch, it can be used for laying floors in rooms with high humidity, since the products of this species in contact with water and steam, not only do not destroy, but also become stronger. A wood flooring created by tangential sawing will last for years without needing repair or renovation.

Hacksaw blade

Basically, this is the tool itself. The most important parameter of a blade is its length. This determines the range of applications. But the longer the blade, the more flexing it is, which makes working with hardwoods like oak, ash or maple especially difficult. For cutting small objects like a skirting board, a bar or a narrow slat, a manual wood saw with a blade length of 25-30 cm is enough. For more serious work, you need a tool with a blade that is 45-50 cm long.

A simple rule of thumb for length: the blade should be twice the diameter of the log to be sawn with it. The teeth of a shorter hacksaw will jam in the wood, requiring much more effort to work, which quickly leads to fatigue. The blade width usually varies between 10-20 cm. A narrower blade is not acceptable because it breaks at the slightest bend, but an overly wide blade is inconvenient for your hands.

Material

Hacksaw blades are made of high m carbon and silicon tool steel, grades:

Harden the metal by exposing it to an alternating magnetic field, when an electric current of high frequency appears. As it spreads over the surface, it heats the metal layer, which hardens after cooling. Standard hardness is 45 HR C, though it is recommended to take the products with hardness 55-60 HR C when the flexibility is sufficient and the teeth have high resistance. When visually inspecting such a tool, you can see a darkish tint to the sharpened teeth.

Comparison with a hacksaw

This tool is used to realize longitudinal sawing. The hacksaw has a special beam in which the saw blade is stretched. The bow itself includes 2 struts and handles, as well as a spacer, a tension bowstring, and a fixing twist. Sometimes, as a substitute for a twistlock, you may find a screw with a nut that connects to a metal bowstring. There are cupped circular beam saws for curved cuts.

Speaking about the comparison of an ordinary saw (two-handed or hacksaw) with a bow saw, it is worth noting a number of advantages over an ordinary saw:

  • The archer saw helps you make a cleaner, straighter cut
  • the amount of effort required to operate the onion saw is significantly lower than with a hacksaw, for example. in certain cases two people can work with the beam, which is impossible with a hacksaw
  • easy handling. The archer saw blades do not need to be faced, set or adjusted. A worn saw blade simply needs to be replaced with a new one
  • the beam saw blade clamped in the kerf almost never jams. Yes, the saw’s movements can be awkward at times, but it does not “jam” the saw permanently, as is often the case with conventional saws.

Although they look similar, the beam saws from different manufacturers are radically different from each other. For example, there are differences in almost all constructional components of the tool, such as different shape of the beam or handle, different method of fixation and tensioning of blades and their tensioning.

Operating instructions

To make your work with the bow saw comfortable and safe you should follow the following recommendations

  • insert the blade into the slots of the handles and fix it by means of the side holes with dowels
  • bring the saw to your chest so that the bowstring touches your body and, with one eye, carefully examine the position of the blade. Its location must be strictly perpendicular to the line of sight
  • By slowly and carefully turning the handle you can achieve an even position of the toothed blade in the fixing holes
  • after adjusting the bow slowly turn the hand to tighten the bowstring and stretch the struts to keep the blade firmly in place
  • Do not sharpen or straighten the working blades for archer saws yourself. The best option is to buy factory-made, characterized by sharpness and accurately set “notched” blades
  • do not get distracted during the work, because you can saw off some fingers together with the board do not need to throw the saw sticking out of the workpiece during the break, because you can break the blade, and to start the work from this position is very difficult.

Wood buzz saw

Before starting work, it is necessary to inspect the tool and make sure that there are no cracks and defects on the wooden parts of the struts, also that the bowstring is intact.

To make the cross sawing as convenient as possible the wooden workpieces should protrude (“hang off”) from the immovable support. Experienced craftsmen begin sawing from the thumbnail of the hand that holds the beam or block. After the blade has “gnawed” into the workpiece, it can be leaned lightly not on the fingernail, but on the thumb joint. But for maximum cutting precision and for making curved cuts it is worthwhile to use templates or a pliers.

The archer saw is excellent for longitudinal sawing. To do this, the webbing must be fixed at an angle of 0˚ to 90˚ in relation to the horizontal strut. The pressure applied will be less than that of crosscut sawing, so the procedure will take a little longer. This cutting is done with both hands. Masters advise to place the board or bar on a horizontal plane and move the saw toward you, holding it by the handle and the side post.

If you want to make a curved cut it is worth to buy a narrow blade, width of which does not exceed 8 mm. Blades for curved cuts are available with rectangular teeth and a considerable degree of separation. nearly 2 cm.5 nominal of the nominal thickness of the entire blade. If you need to saw a thick board with many knots or oblique layers of wood, you need to choose the widest blade, up to 5 cm wide. It should have a small dilution, but a substantial thickness. It is not recommended to make curved and square cuts in such material.

Choosing for a particular application

As already found out, there is a large variety of saws, but the choice of a hacksaw should also be made according to certain types of work:

  • For longitudinal sawing, a circular saw must be used.
  • A cross-cutting saw is good for wood, where there is a transverse arrangement of fibers.
  • With a tenon blade you can cut various grooves and tenons, as well as technological recesses in the wood.
  • The circular saw cuts out holes of different shapes.
  • A folding hacksaw is used on trees.

The choice should always be made according to the main purpose for which a particular tool is purchased. Saw with interchangeable blades is suitable for households, and it is desirable to have several kinds of cutting tools at home.

Selection tips

It is not easy to master all the information and choose exactly the right saw for the specific situation. That is why it is advisable to study a few more tips that will help you choose a suitable hacksaw.

  • First determine the material to be sawn. Carpenters who work with small products, usually choose and small saw with a short blade. Joiners usually use big teeth and blades, because they do not need high precision, but speed is important. Folding hacksaw is ideal for gardeners who will handle shrubs and trees.
  • Frequency of use. It is necessary to determine how often the tool will be used. If it is rare, it is better to buy a saw with hardened teeth, but in the case of very frequent work, a saw made of ordinary steel is ideal.
  • The quality of steel has to be the best in any case. The higher the grade of the metal, the higher the quality of the product. Before buying, you need to take the tool in your hands and carefully bend it. A good metal will be elastic and will restore its shape when released. If you notice some form deviation, you should not buy such a tool. If the seller does not allow bending metal, then do not buy the saw in this store. Most likely, the seller knows that the material is not of the best quality, and therefore will not let the buyer be convinced of this.
  • When buying a saw you need to look at the price. Not all tools have a price that corresponds to the quality, because very often the price markup is due to the well-known name of the manufacturer. But here the situation is different. the higher the price, the better the saw. Of course, this is in the case if the owner will be honest and will not offer a fake. A good product will not be cheap. It is best to choose a middle range. And if finances allow, then buy an expensive saw. And also it is desirable to choose a saw according to the rating of products and give preference to those variants, which are advised by people on the Internet.
  • Always take a hacksaw in your hand before buying. It must be very comfortable for you.

What’s the best wood hacksaw?? There’s no need to ask this question, because each tool can be useful for a certain situation. And so you need to know how to choose a wood hacksaw depending on the purpose. If you stick to these simple rules, you can easily find the right tool for you.

Electric cutting tools

Modern manufacturers offer an electrified version of devices for cutting surfaces of different materials to perform large amounts of work with minimal physical cost.

electric sabre saw. The ability to use blades of different lengths or widths as cutting devices, as well as a variety of tooth sizes predetermines the versatility of using this tool. This allows you to work successfully not only with wooden products, but also to effectively cut metal and plastic.

The main parameter of the sabre saw (piranha) is considered its power, which is in the range from 400 to 1600 watts. It is from the power of the unit completely depends on the value of the depth of cut. Household sabre saws, it is up to 90 mm, but the professional tool is able to cut parts up to 200 mm.

Circular saws

Appearance of electric motor forced the inventors of the tool to think about the idea of replacing the reciprocating motion of the blade by a circular rotation of the cutting device. This principle of action is used in circular saws, the advantage of which was the high power and mobility in comparison with hand saws.

Structurally, electric circular saws are divided into units without a gearbox and geared models. The first version mounts the blade directly to the rotor shaft of the electric motor, which reduces the weight of the entire unit and makes it more affordable.

In geared devices, the rotation to the saw blade from the electric motor is transmitted through a gear system, on the shaft of which the blade itself is mounted. Angle of cutting teeth is considered to be the special feature of circular saw blades. The teeth of passive sawblades are counterclockwise (negative cutting angle), whereas active sawblades have a bent backward curve.

Active blades are used for wood, passive blades are more commonly used for metal. The cutting performance of circular saws depends on the power of the electric motor used (0.65-2.5 kW).

Chainsaws

When cutting firewood and felling timber, it is the depth of cut that counts, not the accuracy and cleanliness of the cut. This is exactly the task of a chainsaw with a powerful gasoline or electric motor.

Depending on the bar length of the chainsaw, the cutting depth is the following. A guide bar is two plates connected to each other, one end of which has a drive sprocket and the other end has a tensioning mechanism. Chainsaws with an electric motor have a capacity of 1.5 to 4 kW. For households, it is enough to choose a tool with power up to 2 kW and a bar length of 30-40 cm.

Electric jigsaw

The electric jigsaw uses a narrow cutting blade that moves up and down with high frequency. Thanks to this movement, the device is able to accurately and correctly saw a variety of curved parts made of plastic, plywood and ceramic.

Manufacturers of this jigsaw offer a whole set of special blades, which differ in frequency and slope of the cutting teeth. Rapid blade installation and change is the main operational advantage of this type of cutting tool.

The technical characteristics of domestic models are:

  • The depth of cutting steel sheet from 4 to 20 mm, and wood. 45-80 mm;
  • Engine power 400 to 900 W
  • up to 3 thousand rpm.

Some models include a very useful option, the laser pointer, which helps to clearly see the trimmer line for marking.

Band type tool

The cutting unit operates with a closed steel bar with teeth, driven by an electric motor.

The process of cutting with a band saw is much easier than with a jigsaw, which tends to get out of hand and is very vibrating. The ability to hold the workpiece with two hands greatly improves accuracy and quality of cutting any curved elements.

The main working indicator of band-type equipment is considered to be a fairly large depth of cut, which is in the range of 8 to 50 cm. The other characteristics depend entirely on the cutting blades used.

The design of a metal band saw makes little difference compared to a wood-cutting tool. But it can only make cross-cutting sawing steel angle angle angle of a corner, pipe or rebar.

Types of wood sawing

Sawing is the process of dividing a workable piece of wood into two or more pieces by repetitive movement of the cutters in a given section.

For this purpose, tools with several cutters are used, which are called saws.

Wood sawing is much more complex than cutting with an elementary cutter. Each tooth of a saw has several cutting edges (essentially several cutters) producing cuts in different directions with respect to the fibers of the wood. In addition, when cutting, the teeth of the saw work in a closed space called the kerf, which creates specific conditions compared to the work of an elementary cutter.

Depending on how the cutting plane is positioned relative to the fibers, the following basic types of sawing are distinguished:

Cross-cutting sawing with chainsaws and circular saws is most common in the wood harvesting industry. It is used for felling trees, crosscutting of full-length logs and long logs into short bars. Longitudinal sawing is used for sawing of sawn wood: boards, planks, cants, sleepers, trimming edges of boards etc. д., Mixed lumber is used for felling trees to be felled, and for delimbing fallen trees.

Saws used in timber yards are of the following types

An important parameter in the sawing process is pure cutting performance S

The clean cutting performance depends mainly on the motor power and the type of cutting tool and averages 0.006-0.025 m2/s for chainsaws and 0.03-0.05 m2/s for circular saws.

Modernized modern versions

Nowadays modernized type of hacksaws can be found on the market. they can be readily distinguished by the intervals cut in the blade. As a result, the teeth are placed in groups of 6 or 7.

These tools are designed for cutting wet wood. Gaps between the teeth are necessary so that wet chips can be easily removed when working and so that the cut is not blocked.

In addition to the typical handheld hacksaws, today’s users are offered electrified versions of such tools. A powerful electric hacksaw can easily handle an impressive amount of work for cutting wood and other soft materials without overly tiring the craftsman.

Versatility of use in such electric saws is achieved by completing the saws with different sizes of teeth, as well as different widths and lengths of the blade. It helps to work successfully not only with wood, but also with metal and plastic. The second name of this device is a sabre saw.

Electric sabre saw

The central parameter that defines the capabilities of electric sabre saws is their power. It can range from 400 to 1600 watts. The power has a direct impact on the cutting depth, which is 90 mm for domestic models, and up to 200 mm for professional models.

The handheld version of the tool for working metal is not as varied. There is only 1 type of handheld hacksaw capable of cutting this material. Its working body is a narrow or wide blade with hardened fine teeth. It is inserted in the beam holder and tensioned with the screw.

Disk Saws Varieties

The idea to rename the reciprocating motion of the cutting blade as circular motion can be rightly considered revolutionary. It appeared after the advent of the electric motor and has greatly increased productivity and speed.

The electric circular saws are divided into gearless and geared circular saws. In the second case, an electric motor drives a gear reducer, on the shaft of which the saw blade is located. The first variant is characterized by the attachment of the disc directly to the rotor shaft of the electric motor. Each of these designs is equipped with a mechanism for adjusting the angle and depth of cut.

The advantageous feature of the geared mechanisms is the ability to make a deeper cut. Gearless electric circular saws have two advantages: their price is affordable and their weight is less.

Another category of differences is in the features of the saw blade. This element can be either passive or active. In this case it depends on the shape of the teeth. The teeth of passive disc will be bent against the direction of rotation (negative angle of sharpening). In the active tool, the teeth are inclined along the travel direction.

When sawing metal, the passive blade is simply indispensable. Active elements are always more relevant in wood processing. Both types of circular saw blades can have tungsten carbide inserts on their teeth. They allow you to cut tougher materials, but have an adverse effect on the cleanliness of the cut.

Working power of the tool depends on the electric motor power, which varies from 0,65 to 2,5 KW. Manufacturers also often specify the maximum depth of cut that a circular saw can make. As a rule, they can cut through material by 25 to 85 mm.

A circular saw, which is mounted on a stationary stand, can be called as one of the variants of such an electric tool. This solution makes it possible to cut wide and long material with a very high precision.

Certain manufacturers make a great offer. circular hand saws, which have the possibility to turn over and fix them on the table, thus turning into a stationary “circular saw”.

Trimmer saws

When discussing what types of saws there are in general, it is impossible not to mention crosscut saws. If they are used, the circular saw is secured to the pendulum lever. In the role of the bed use a rotary plate with an angular (transporter) marking.

The positives of the crosscut saw over its circular counterpart are obvious: the operator is able to make a perfectly accurate crosscut, and at any angle. Such an operation is particularly important when joining a variety of wooden parts:

Chained tool varieties

Often when working with wood, the main role is not the accuracy and purity of the cut, but its depth. Actually, this very task is solved by the chain saw, which is a powerful device with a gasoline or electric motor, designed for cutting firewood and felling wood.

The crosscutting variety has two basic and interrelated technical parameters:

A guide bar is two flat plates connected together with a small gap for mounting the saw chain. It has a driven sprocket at one end and notches for fastening the tensioning mechanism at the other.

The power of electric chain saws can be 1.5-4 kW. Choosing a device for household chores in the household plot, it will be preferable to stop at the power of 1.5-2 kW and the length of the saw bar is 30-40 cm. This will be quite sufficient not only for regular garden trimming, but also for seasonal firewood.

If necessary, you can effortlessly dissolve a board, a log or a timber with this tool, although you won’t get a precise cut and too high quality of work in general.

As you can see, there are quite a few different types of saws. The choice of wood hacksaw should be carried out on request for a particular type of work:

  • Dimensional hacksaw is excellent for longitudinal sawing;
  • The cross-cutting variety is excellent when wood is cut across the grain;
  • Spiked. ideal for cutting studs, grooves and technological dents in products;
  • Cunning saw. for making holes of different shapes and depths

Cross-cutting wood sawing

Cross lumber is the most common method of cross lumbering in joinery. But it can also be called the easiest way of sawing. Slit-cutting in wood requires a great deal more effort and a certain amount of skill.

The cross-cutting tools are selected according to the precision needed, the amount of work and the conditions in each individual workshop. Can be used:

Types of teeth

The most common tooth shapes found in hand saws are these:

  • dagger tooth. It is used in classic wide and narrow hacksaws as well as in beam saws. Tooth is in the shape of an isosceles triangle, so such hacksaws can work in both directions. Tooth pitch is often 1/3 of the blade thickness per side. Teeth are equally spaced one right through the other. Designed for cross-cutting, as it tears through the wood fiber. A longitudinal cut is almost impossible because the tooth does not break but splits the fibers, and therefore gets stuck between them
  • chisel tooth. Designed as an asymmetrical right triangle. These teeth are most commonly used in circular saws and reciprocating saws. Saws with these teeth work in only one direction. The tip of the tooth is sharpened across the blade, which is why it works like a chisel. Used exclusively for cross cuts, because it clings to fibers in cross cuts
  • oblique all-purpose tooth. Something in between the two above-mentioned types. Shape. An asymmetrical triangle that tilts in the sawing direction, but at a smaller sawing angle. Front edge is ground at 60° to blade. Such sharpening makes it possible to use the saw both for longitudinal and crosscutting sawing. Caving saws are equipped with such teeth
  • Tooth with chamfered tip. Produced by additional work on the dagger tooth or beveled universal tooth through partial grinding of the triangular top. Three additional cutting edges are obtained as a consequence, which make the saw more versatile for various types of cuts
  • Japanese tooth. Reverse wedge shape, i.e. thicker part of the blade is closer to the material to be cut, therefore, these saws do not require reaming. Tooth has a sharp sharpening angle and is high enough for maximum sawing efficiency
  • Jet-cut. The dagger saw teeth are grouped in groups of eight, with six of them bifurcated and the last two not
  • wolf tooth. A very interesting shape, which is used to work with raw wood, whose fibers are difficult to break.

Hand saw by hand

If you intelligently replace a regular gasoline-powered saw motor with strong hands, you can get a compact and versatile tool for cutting firewood or pruning trees. In the following, we will tell you how to make a hand saw from a chain from a chainsaw.

In order to make such a device you will need:

  • torn or old chainsaw chain
  • small nylon straps
  • waxed linen thread
  • nylon cord
  • thick needle
  • chain cutter.

First of all you need to cut the chain. Begin by cutting one chain link to break the loop. The chain saw is made of hardened tool steel, so it will not be easy to cut. There is no connecting link on this chain, so you can’t just disconnect the chain. You can use a band saw. In the absence of such a machine, you need to arm yourself with a file or an abrasive disk. Of course, such work will take a decent amount of time.

After the chain is sawed, its ends should be inserted in small straps made of nylon tubing. You need to cut a piece of braid 18 inches long and melt the ends with a match or lighter to keep them from fraying. After that, you just need to insert the end of the chain about 6 inches into the braid.

Next, you need to sew the handles of homemade hand saw with waxed linen thread. Stitch around the chain as tightly as possible so it doesn’t slip out of the strap. It’s worth wrapping the other edge of the strap around your hand to form a fairly large loop for your hand.

The next step is to wrap the handles with nylon cord. Unfortunately, the linen thread is not strong enough to hold the chain for extended use, so the edges of the straps should also be securely fixed with nylon cord. You can use the scotch knot method in order to maintain a tight winding of the cord along the entire length of the wrap.

After that your homemade saw will be completely ready for use. It can be used alone or with a helper, it all depends on the size of the wood being cut. To work, you need to wrap the chain around the desired branch and pull it from side to side by the handles.

Today you have learned about what a handheld wood saw. its price depends on its functionality and the manufacturing company.