Starting from nothing, what is your priority list for saws?

[Ryler]

Have circular, jiggy, recip, table saw and chop saw.
All have their uses. And had the petrol chain saw today on site.

 

[JaimieH]

Good quality jigsaw, plunge saw, sliding mitre saw. And a good first fix and second fix hand saw.

 

[d000hg]

You can certainly adapt a circular into a makeshift table saw, comes in very useful
A descent compound mitre chop saw are pretty usefull to have, there are times when getting a precise angle on a cut can give a job a real professional type finish.

I guess my thought was that I can put a 3x2 on a bench and cut it with a circular saw... so that's doing the job of a chop saw. And I can rip a 8x2 down the middle or cut a MDF sheet with it, doing the job of a table saw. Neither is anywhere near as convenient but it seemed as someone doing projects here and there, it fills a lot of needs? I rarely need to cut anything more than 2" thick which I think is about the limit on a regular circ-saw(?) and I am typically doing a few cuts not dozens.
I suppose a plunge saw can often do the job of a circular saw but they seem very pricey.

I confess I do not know what a mitre saw is, I shall look it up!

 

[bobasd]

Munroist, it also "comes in very useful" to keep all your fingers.

Hand held or Table Circular saws are the most dangerous types of all woodworking machines.
No matter what they do on you tube, "adapting a circular saw into a makeshift table saw" is a stupid & very dangerous thing to do.
It also contravenes the Woodworking Regs & would break any Insurance claims.

 

[ETAF]

I confess I do not know what a mitre saw is, I shall look it up!

this is the one i decided to buy , based on reviews & cutting size
https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Dewalt-Dws778-5035048399620-240V-Compact-Sliding-Mitre-Saw-250M
Plenty of cheaper versions

 

[bobasd]

d000hg,

"what kind of loser is so desperate for self validation they troll strangers on a DIY forum"

Thats so apt and well said, just the thing for characterising a disturbed troll - well done.

Just saying but I'd suggest only using saws for their designed purpose after a little safety training on each tool & its purpose and limits.

 

[d000hg]

Just saying but I'd suggest only using saws for their designed purpose after a little safety training on each tool & its purpose and limits.

I agree with you in principle but most guys don't have the money to buy every type of tool, nor can they justify it for such rare use. There's got to be some kind of balance or you end up either owning a load of tools you never use, or hiring a tradesman for every little job you could do yourself? e.g. I have a little chainsaw for small stuff at ground level (wearing safety trousers and boots and gloves and eye protection), but I would not buy an arborist chainsaw because I do not want to be working a saw off the ground, I'll pay a pro

 

[Munroast]

Munroist, it also "comes in very useful" to keep all your fingers.

Hand held or Table Circular saws are the most dangerous types of all woodworking machines.
No matter what they do on you tube, "adapting a circular saw into a makeshift table saw" is a stupid & very dangerous thing to do.
It also contravenes the Woodworking Regs & would break any Insurance claims.

you're a bundle off laughs.

May I suggest if you are that overly health and safety concerned - get a professional in. you have clearly strayed into a diy forum.

 

[d000hg]

A DIY-er making their own power-tools doesn't sound a good idea. Would you use a table saw some random guy bodged together?

 

[ETAF]

but most guys don't have the money to buy every type of tool,

Panel Saw , Tenon Saw, Hack Saw = about £10 ish each from Screwfix/toolstation - Often on sale/special offer
Then
Corded Jigsaw £25
I carried out most DIY jobs, (plus a coping saw) making wardrobes, shelves , window seats, Pegular, rebuilt a shed, put up a large leantoo , and a lot more for about 30 years with just those tools
But , it i did borrow a
& Corded Circular Saw - , £40 occasionally
so a little under £100 the lot
BUT now I have gone cordless and invested in more tools, which have made a huge difference to the time and quality of the finish

and just recently a petrol Chainsaw, for general garden work & firewood

 

[Munroast]

A DIY-er making their own power-tools doesn't sound a good idea. Would you use a table saw some random guy bodged together?

use the one I bodged together, have been doing so for 20 years, no accidents to report

been using a chain saw for 40 years, once commercially as a logger, never had an accident with that either.

Far far better and more important than rely on safty gizmos is having a respect for what ever machine you're using. Its when you start to feel too safe you get bittern

 

[bobasd]

d000hg,
I understand that but my point is not about, a tool for every task, kind of thing.
I'm suggesting that knowing the limits, & safety aspects to a tool is necessary before any experimentation.
Well trained users can confidently get a tremendous & various range of use from a tool.

For instance, small cordless circular saws can be brilliant in their multiple uses for fitting & fixing work - even occasional use DIY'ers can do a bit of two handed vertical work whereas if they tried to go vertical with a heavy duty DeWalt 71/4" worm drive then there might be an unpleasant surprise.

A circ saw, a straight edge (a level?) and two clamps can give an instant, & accurate, ripping jig thats also good for lots of other tasks - & perfecly safe.

 

[d000hg]

Panel Saw , Tenon Saw, Hack Saw = about £10 ish each from Screwfix/toolstation - Often on sale/special offer
Then
Corded Jigsaw £25
I carried out most DIY jobs, (plus a coping saw) making wardrobes, shelves , window seats, Pegular, rebuilt a shed, put up a large leantoo , and a lot more for about 30 years with just those tools
But , it i did borrow a
& Corded Circular Saw - , £40 occasionally
so a little under £100 the lot
BUT now I have gone cordless and invested in more tools, which have made a huge difference to the time and quality of the finish

and just recently a petrol Chainsaw, for general garden work & firewood

I hadn't realised you could get these things that cheaply, thanks. Though I am trying to stay cordless and only buy good stuff - so the issue is being sure which things I actually need.

You're right though that cutting wood doesn't NEED expensive tools. A hand saw for timber is fine though I need a tenon saw as well, maybe I should be less lazy

When you say panel saw is that like a table saw, or a hand saw? Google threw up £7 and £1300 things when I searched

 

[ETAF]

Panel Saw
https://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-jack-880-universal-saw-22-550mm/4114f

Cordless, is excellent, BUT once you buy into a system, you are to some extent tied to that brand , otherwise lots of different make of batteries
I bought into the Dewalt 18V system

 

[d000hg]

Thanks @eta - this is the first result from Google: https://www.axminster.co.uk/machinery/saws/panel-saws !!

I already bought into Dewalt when I got my cordless drill and then a dedicated driver (my favourite tool by far). My jigsaw - corded Bosch, the first tool I ever bought as a newly wed - died recently and I upgraded to an XR, it's so much nicer to have no cord. Also have their multi-tool which is ace. Since I have the batteries and charger it's not so pricey but still more than corded. I want to focus on buying once not just picking up something in the Lidl Midl aisle, but that does mean you miss out sometimes.