A handy tool to have, a circular saw is essentially a motor. A circular saw blade is how you thoroughly equip that motor to do the work you want.
There are a lot of types of circular saw blades. You have those with lots of teeth, fewer teeth, no teeth, differently-sized kerfs, different rake angles, and so much more. Here are the terms you should know when selecting a circular saw blade as well as what to look for in the actual blade.
Blades Are Separated By How Much Teeth
The more teeth you have, the smoother and finer the cut. The fewer teeth, the rougher the cut. Why fewer teeth can be preferable, despite the roughness, is that it allows you to work quicker and costs less.
For around-the-house circular saw projects, a 24-teeth general use blade is more than sufficient. 24 teeth are aggressive enough to cut through crosscut lumber and sheets with excellent accuracy.
Next on the line, you want to calculate the blade diameter and how spaced apart those teeth are. Well, calculate might be the wrong word. A larger blade with 24 teeth for example will experience rougher cuts than a smaller blade with the same amount of teeth.
6 1/2” to 7 1/2” sized circular saw blades are more or less the average size you will want.
Kerfs, Rake Angles, And More
‘Kerf’ refers to the width of the tooth at its widest point. This is the width of the cut. Thin kerfs produce less resistance and are ideal, however, can run into problems with wobbling and hardwood cutting.
‘Rake’ refers to the position of the teeth as they make contact with the cutting surface. A positive rake angle means the teeth are pointing downward toward the surface which helps to remove waste material as you cut. This way, you cut fast but also unfortunately rougher.
Comparatively, a negative rake angle cuts less aggressively and delivers a smoother finish, however, it won’t do it as quickly.
If you’re working with softwood, hardwood, chipboard, or plywood, find a woodworking 24T circular saw blade. You don’t necessarily need anything beyond the average. From PrimeCables.ca, this type of blade is fine for all types of wood, will keep noise and vibrations controlled, and has an alternating tooth design which can help speed up a cut.
Circular saw blades have to be replaced now and again when they lose their sharpness. As someone works through a wood project, you will be glad to have some extra blades or multiples ready to be pulled.
Find high-quality circular saw blades, circular saws, cordless power tools, and other pro-level accessories at PrimeCables.ca.
