Table Saw vs Circular Saw: Which one do you need more
Power tools are very important in woodworking projects, and the right power tools can make you do more with less. When your budget is limited, many Diyer or woodworkers don’t know which to choose between a table saw and a circular saw. Like every tool, table saws and circular saws have their specific uses.
This article introduces the respective functions, advantages and disadvantages of table saws and circular saws, and hopes to help you determine which kind of saw is more suitable for your project.
Table of Contents
Table saw
What is a table saw?
A table saw is a kind of machine tool, named for its table-like shape. The circular blade is fixed on the motor under the worktable and protrudes from the slit in the middle of the worktable. When cutting, the operator puts the wood on the worktable and pushes it towards the rotating saw blade.
The blade of the table saw can move up and down in the groove of the worktable, which is convenient for adjusting the cutting depth. Some table saws allow you to adjust the angle of the blade for cutting at various angles. Table saws have strong power and can make them easily make cross-cutting and ripping. In addition, with fences and miter gauges, table saws can achieve accurate miter and crosscuts.
The table saw can make almost any cut you can think of, including tenons, lap joints. It is for these reasons that you can find table saws in every workshop.
Advantages of table saw
The stability of the table, the design of the blade and the fence combine to make the table saw highly precise and accurate cutting, which makes the table saw very popular among woodworkers. At the same time, the table saw also has an efficient sawdust processing capacity, which minimizes the dust pollution in the workshop.
This is because the table saw can easily collect most of the wood chips through the dust collector, and you never have to deal with piles of wood chips after completing the project.
Although table saws are bulky, they are very easy to maintain. You can replace all their parts effortlessly, and the life of a table saw is often very long.
Disadvantages of table saw
The table saw will basically be fixed in the workshop and rarely move. This means you must dedicate your precious workspace to it permanently. But you can also consider choosing some lightweight and portable styles, they tend to be more expensive.
Table saws cost more than hand-held electric saws, so they tend to be more expensive. If your budget is small, then you may want to consider other tools. For those who use it frequently or for professional woodworkers, a table saw is an ideal choice.
Circular saw
What is a circular saw?
Circular saw is another kind of electric saw that professional and beginner woodworkers like. It also has a circular saw blade, but it is a handheld design. According to different transmission systems, it is divided into Worm Drive and Sidewinder.
The power of the worm drive circular saw is transmitted from the motor to the saw blade through the worm gear. Its structure is more complicated, but the worm drive can provide greater torque. The sidewinder’s motor is placed side by side with the saw blade. It has a simple structure and has advantages in size and weight.
With the right blade, the circular saw can easily cut a variety of materials, such as wood, metal, and plastic.
Advantages of circular saw
The mobility of circular saws makes them popular among carpenters. They are light in weight and easy to use on different construction sites, especially in overhead operations. It also has a cordless model, which can be used even where there is no power outlet.
The circular saw has a wide range of uses, as long as you use the correct blade, you can use it to cut various materials. In the hands of skilled woodworkers, it can cut long rip-cuts, crosscuts, miter and bevel cuts.
Circular saws are more economical. When you care more about costs, circular saws are an ideal choice. Circular saws are especially suitable for beginners and diy enthusiasts.
Disadvantages of circular saw
Since you must manually move the circular saw when cutting, the cutting accuracy of the circular saw is slightly worse than that of the table saw. Therefore, you need some time to master the skills to use it, or use appropriate guides to assist your cutting.
The circular saw also does not have the ability of a table saw to collect sawdust, so you need to take protective measures while cleaning the work site frequently.
In conclusion
If you are looking for a tool that is easy to carry, then please choose the versatile circular saw; if you are mainly processing wood in a fixed location, then a table saw will be a better choice.