#1 Circular Saw
If you want a really heavy duty saw, the circular saw is the way to go. They are really strong and durable; however, that does mean that you have to be very careful when you operate a circular saw. If you have never used one before, you may want to see if you can get someone to train you on how to use one effectively.
Circular saws are best used for making long, straight cuts in your wood. You can’t cut curves with a circular saw very easily; you’ll need a different type of saw for those types of cuts. …show more content…
A jigsaw allows you to make curve cuts as well as cuts that are more oddly shaped and harder to define. The one thing that jigsaw are not great at are straight cuts; circular saws are better suited for that …show more content…
The blades are also really easy to change in and out, are pretty small and are very affordable to replace. That makes it easy to swap in and out different blades when you are working with a wide range of materials that requires multiple blades.
#3 Handsaws
Finally, the most basic saw you can purchase for doing custom woodworking is a hand saw. Hand saws are more labor intensive to use since they are non-powered. Handsaws are great when you need to make a quick cut, but do not need the cut to be perfectly straight.
If you plan on cutting through both wood and sheet metal, you’ll need to purchase different handsaws for both purposes. Rip style handsaws make really aggressive cuts and leave edges that are slightly rough and are designed for cutting with the wood grain. Cross-cut handsaws are made for cutting against the woodgrain and leave slightly smoother edges. For more detailed cuts, back handsaws work well.
Make sure that you read the owner’s manual for each saw that you purchase. Always wear safety equipment, such as thick leather gloves, protective eyewear and earplugs when operating any of the saws above. If you need assistance with your woodworking, see if you can take a class with a local woodworker or at your local home improvement