Whether you are a professional carpenter or a keen do-it-yourself woodwork enthusiast, you will need to have tools that you can use to cut the wood you are working with. While you might use an axe to cut trees and logs, the most common woodcutting tools are saws. These come in various guises and sizes, some of which are powered by electricity or batteries, and those that are much simpler hand tools.
Hand tools for cutting wood
Even though most carpenters use electric or battery powered cordless saws, they always have a selection of good quality hand saws in their toolkit. A bow saw, which has a curved handle and an interchangeable blade that is fitted across one side, is large, even though the blade itself is narrow. It is an invaluable tool for rough cutting branches and logs. You can also use it to cut poles. A hack saw also has a narrow blade will give you a much finer cut than a bow saw. If you fit it with a metal cutting blade you can also use it to cut bolts and other parts. A tenon saw has a solid, rectangular blade that is not removable. This is one of the most useful saw types because it cuts accurately and can be used to cut housings and accurate joints. A panel saw also has a fitted blade, but it has a tapered appearance. It is very useful for cutting wood and for trimming posts and planks.
Metal Saw
Hand-held power tools for cutting wood
There are a large number of different brands of tools that you will find on the market, some cheaper than others. The decision of which brand to buy will depend on two factors. The first is of course budget, and the second function, depending on whether you are looking for a professional tool or just something that you will use from time to time in and around the house for various DIY projects. Just bear in mind that cheap tools don't last as long as better quality, more expensive one, and they don't always do a particularly good job cutting.
The two most popular power-saw types are the circular saw and the jigsaw. The former is indispensable, particularly if you are doing quite a lot of heavy woodwork. Look for a tool that has a good beveling capacity and is able to cut a variety of angles. Check the guard design to make sure it won't get in the way if you want to bevel edges or make thin, tapering shims. Some circular saws have a safety brake that will stop the blade from turning when you stop working.
Some of them do not cut perfect angles, which will only be a problem if you are doing accurate joinery, making furniture for example. A jigsaw is also useful for joinery, as well as for cutting quite intricate patterns and circles which other saw types are not able to do.
Another type of saw that can be useful is a chainsaw, which may be electric or petrol (or diesel) driven. It is most useful for cutting branches, logs and poles.
Workshop tools for cutting wood
Anyone who does a lot of woodwork or serious carpentry will usually invest in workshop tools which they mount onto a workbench. The most common are bench saws and radial saws. Professional models are generally larger than those used by the home handyman.