The Chop Saw: A Practical Power Tool

An Innovative Cutting Tool

If you enjoy woodworking or metal working, then a chop saw is, no doubt, your tool of choice. For those of you who are not familiar with this kind of power tool, the mechanized cutting marvel is a light-weight circular, mechanical saw. The saw pivots on an arm, which is placed, of course, on a chop saw table. If you want to make precision cuts, then, this power tool will certainly come through for you.

A Select Tool

The saw comes in two standard varieties, or a miter or abrasive saw. While the miter saw handles cutting wood, the abrasive saw is designed to make precise cuts in ceramics, metals and similar materials. The miter saw is a new and improved model among chop saws as it can handle other materials besides wood. It is also constructed to make cross cuts as well as bevel cuts; therefore, it is well-regarded by anyone who does a good amount of wood cutting for frames and moldings.

An Exceptional Benefit

A featured benefit of using a miter saw is its index, which can alter the blade angle with easy precision. Therefore, you are provided with a better, more precise cut. Once you establish the angle, you can activate the saw’s blade by depressing a trigger and guiding the blade along to make the cut. Be very careful when working with the saw, especially when using the blade. Make sure nothing else touches the cutting apparatus when it’s in operation and that all the guards are in place before you use it. If they aren’t, do not do any type of wood or metal work until the appropriate safety adjustments have been made.

A Long-regarded Popular Tool

When attached and stabilized on a saw table, the miter saw, also known as a drop saw, offers the operator the type of resistance needed to make quick, effortless cuts. Chop saws have been used for approximately the last 30-some years. At the time of their introduction, they were received with a good deal of hoopla as they greatly eased the burden of using conventional, manual tools.

Ready, Set, Cut!

When using a standard 14” chop saw, you really only need to mark the wood you’re planning to cut with a pencil and start cutting. Just make sure you wear safety protection for the eyes and face and durable gloves when operating the machine.

How it Works

If you’ve never used one of these saws before, all you need to do is put the material to be cut along a metal portion called a fence. The fence keeps the piece at an angle of 90 degrees, although you can also hold the cutting piece at other angles as well. The blade simply falls upon the piece and is guided along the mark for an exact cut. If you’re not a woodworker, you may want to become one if you sample using this machine.

Accessory Items

Accessories are also offered that improve operation. Two of the accessory items are a compound (which permits flexible positioning of the angle of the blade) and a slide (which gives the blade added functionality). Technological upgrades have made it possible to use the saw with laser guides as well. In addition, certain accessory pieces help rid the area of trimmings or dust made by the saw.

Making the “Cut”

Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker or simply interested in possibly pursing the activity as a hobby or a career, check out the chop saws on the Internet. You’ll find many brands that make the “cut” with respect to ease of operation and durability.

The Metal Chop Saw: The Best Choice for “Heavy Metal” Work

A Premium Saw

If you only cut metal occasionally, then you can often survive by only using a hacksaw. However, if you want a light-weight portable saw to use for extensive metal cutting, then an abrasive saw, also known as a metal chop saw, is a preferred choice.

Features

The cutoff metal saw uses a slender abrasive disc for the task of cutting through steel. Although cutting can be done on the ground, it’s best to affix the metal saw to a workbench for ease of use. The blades used for the saw tend to wear out quite readily, so they need to be replaced on a fairly regular basis. While commercial types of abrasive saws are sized at around 16 inches in diameter, the consumer metal cutting chop saw has a 14-inch size disc.  Therefore, you can make a number of jobs go quicker using the circular saw. In addition, the metal saw is less expensive and more portable than a band saw.

Ease of Use

Metal chop saws, as you might guess, are used a great deal in the construction trade and are great for cutting metal rebar as well as metal studs used for interior framing and drywall purposes. The convenient cutting action of the saw makes it possible for the operator to make 90 degree and angle cuts with the slightest of effort.

Safety Considerations

If you already have experience cutting wood with a miter saw or drop saw, then you’ll find using a metal cutting saw a simple transition. However, if you’ve never used a wood saw or are using the metal version for the first time, it can be somewhat nerve-wracking as the machine is loud and produces sparks. Therefore, it’s important to wear the appropriate safety gear, such as sturdy gloves and face protection, such as goggles. Also, you should wear pants and long-sleeved shirts for added protection as well. Ear protection is essential as too.

Be Prepared

When using a steel chop saw, you need to make sure that you clamp, for instance, the piece of metal you’re cutting so it’s secure. You don’t have to hurry through the process. Cut slowly. Be sure you read the safety instructions that are included in the manufacturer’s manual before you start using the saw. Because the saw will naturally throw out fireworks when you’re cutting metal, make sure that the area in which you use the saw is free of any combustibles or solvents that could cause a small explosion or fire.

The Ideal Tool

If you work in the construction trade, you know that every minute counts. Therefore, having a strong, reliable tool to cut metal accurately is vital in completing jobs quickly and expediently. Whether you need a saw in your work or at home to cut metal, an abrasive circular saw is an ideal power tool. It’s designed to make the job go faster whenever you need to undertake any home or carpentry project. Check out the various brands of metal saws on the Internet. You can choose from premium brands, such as Bosch, Makita and Ryobi and Hitachi.

Make Life Easier

Fortunately, the days have past when you had to rely on manual saws, such as a hack saw, back saw, compass saw or a rip saw in order to cut wood or metal. Make your life easier and your work more enjoyable by choosing one of the superior brands of metal saws offered on the Internet.

Chop Saw Brands: The Makita Chop Saw and other Superior Brands

The “Power” Advantage

Gone are the days when carpenters had to depend solely on the use of manual saws in order to accomplish a task. Although you can still use hand tools, such as crosscut saws, miter saws, hack saws and compass saws, it’s best to rely on power for heavy-duty tasks.

Versatile Uses

Brands, such as the Makita chop saw line, offer carpenters and individuals in the construction trade an efficient and quick way to cut rebar, molding, trim, 2x4s and metal studs for framing. For example, you can use a chop saw to make cuts for crown molding, moldings for interior door and window trims, lattice molding, cove molding as well as baseboards. Therefore, with a precision wood saw, you are able to make the appropriate cuts so pieces fit snugly and precisely to cover rough edges as well as joints and irregular contacts of wood or plaster.

Quick and Precise

The Bosch chop saw line, for example, offers a number of superior saws. Used in a number of cutting applications, such saws are well-suited to jobs where a large number of pieces of wood or metal are needed in a short amount of time. For example, the saws are ideal for framing jobs, where time is a crucial element. They not only cut frames at lightning speed, but are also designed to make precise cuts as well.

Wood vs. Metal

Needless to say, any wood or metal chop saw is an essential tool, especially in the construction industry and carpentry trade. The chop saw is typically manufactured to cut wood or metal. A wood saw and metal saw work in different ways. While a wood chop saw is designed to cut through wood with a toothed, metal blade, a metal chop saw uses an abrasive blade and grinds through the metal piece. Therefore, it’s important to distinguish between wood and metal chop saws as they are each used for different and distinct purposes.

The Abrasive Saw

Because it has an abrasive blade, a metal chop saw is also known as an abrasive saw. The disc blades for the saw wear our quite quickly; therefore, they must be replaced on a pretty routine basis. However, they do make any metal cutting work easier and can also be used to cut ceramic tile and related materials. They are light-weight and portable too.

Uses for Chop Saws

You can switch between using a wood chop saw and metal chop saw, depending on the job. While you can use a wood chop saw for such home projects as building decks or installing fences or trim, you can use the metal kinds of chop saws for cutting pipe for home or commercial plumbing and metal studs for interior framing. The Hitachi chop saw line, like the previously-mentioned manufacturers, is a superior brand to choose for sawing through metal or wood. Choose a saw for your workroom. It can easily be attached to a workbench or removed and transported if necessary.

The Internet is teeming with wood and metal chop saws. Select from such brands, as Makita, Bosch, Hitachi, Ryobi , DEWALT and Ridged to make sure that you buy the best saw for the money.