Table Saw
The table saw is exactly what it sounds like. It has a table built in that can hold the lumber that is being cut to ensure a straight line. The saw has a large and powerful blade that can make deep cuts into thick lumber. If you need to make a long straight notch into a post the table saw is the tool for the job. The blade can be lowered or raised up or down depending on how deep you want to make the cut.
The table saw is great for cutting sheet lumber as well if you need a super accurate cut. The table of the table saw can hold the sheet up while the lumber is being slid into the blade. The bumper will ensure the cut is a consistent measurement. The table portion of the saw will have a ruler allowing you to make quick measurements.
How did I use the table saw?
I have used the table saw for many projects. The first of which is when I built a pallet wood floor for my tiny house. The pallet wood pieces came in varying width and I needed to standardized their widths to build the floor properly. Most of the pieces were roughly 4” wide. I set the bumper on the table saw to 4” and was able to quickly run the pallet wood boards through the table saw to create an inventory of standardized boards ready for installation.
The table saw was also helpful during the installation of subfloor and sheathing when I built a house. Subfloor and sheathing sheets come in 4’x8’ dimensions. Most of the time full sheet can be laid on the framing of the house and nailed on. However cuts may be necessary when you get to the end of a row of sheets. When installing subfloor and roofing sheathing you need to stagger your seams so the row will be started with a sheet cut in half. The table saw makes cutting sheet wood easy.
Sawzall
The sawzall is unique in that way that it uses a reciprocating blade and not a circular spinning blade. A reciprocating blade is able to apply cutting power to hard to reach areas untouchable to a spinning blade. This makes the sawzall the perfect saw for demolition and also repairs. Being agile and delicate is needed to fix things in tight spaces without cutting other necessary components. The sawzall also comes with interchangeable blades for cutting wood, metal and masonry. This makes the sawzall one of the most versatile for cutting all surfaces.
If you need to cut out water damage from an area without damaging other undamaged pieces. If you need to dismantle an awkward object in a demolition project. For example cutting up an old shower and tub enclosure so it can be taken out of the bathroom. This will require delicate and accurate cutting to not damage pipes and other parts of the bathroom.
How did I used a sawzall?
I used a sawzall during the demolition phase of my rehab projects. I had a wall I needed to open up and tear part of it down. The sawzall blade was able penetrate into the wall cavity to cut the 2×4 framing. The sawzall was also useful during the demolition of the kitchen. The old cabinets were attached in an unorthodox manner so it helped to be able to get into weird angles to remove kitchen fixtures.
I had some water damage from an area of the house that flooded. I need to be able to cut out the drywall but not cut the studs of the wall. The sawzall allowed me to make a precise cut that took out the piece that was water damaged but not cut the framing of the house.
Jigsaw
A jigsaw is another saw that uses a reciprocating blade to make cuts. The jigsaw is smaller than the skilsaw and has a platform that can be placed against the object that is being cut for a smoother cutting motion. Jigsaws are good for finer craftsmanship and making cuts that need to be curved. Most saws can only cut in a straight line. The jigsaw can cut rounded shapes making it good for wood working or custom fabrication.
The lower power and smaller blade of the jigsaw make it a better choice for thinner and less hard lumber. The lower power of the jigsaw and built in platform make it a very safe saw and a good choice for a beginner. The low power reciprocating blade also makes less dust than a higher power spinning blade making it easier to work indoors.
How did I use the jigsaw
Recently I needed to build a kitchen countertop and needed holes cut for the sink and stove top. The sink was an under mount sink with a curved edge that needed to be ovular. The stove top hole was an over mount that was mostly square but had a few rounded spots. The jigsaw was the perfect choice for cutting an accurate rounded hole for the sink. I made a marking for the cut running a pencil around the perimeter of the under mount sink. Then I used a drill to make an initial hole to insert the jigsaw drill bit in for the cut. When making the cut I followed with marked line with the jigsaw.
Another project where the jigsaw proved to be useful was when I was cutting notches on a sheathing project. The top pieces of sheathing needed notches cut to fit around the ceiling joists. This notch needed to be cut delicately accurately. The jigsaw was easily able to cut through the sheets of sheathing.
Miter Saw
The miter saw is a one dimensional saw but that is the point of it. It offers a powerful fast spinning blade in a safe format that is attached to a clunky platform where the wood can be cut. The miter saw is a good choice if you need to make a lot of similar cuts and want to do it fast and effortlessly. The cutting platform of the saw includes a built in ruler for quick measuring.
The miter saw is very well adapted to the house framing process. During framing you will need to make fast and repeatable cuts through mostly 2×4 lumber. The saw blade is also big and powerful enough to cut larger dimensions of lumber as well. The miter saw allows the user to tilt the blade to make a cut at an angle. The platform and blade guard make the miter saw powerful but also safe. The downside is the miter saw is heavy and not as mobile.
How did I use the miter saw?
I used the miter saw mostly during the house framing process. The tiny house I built from the ground up required the need make hundreds of cuts of 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, 2×10 and 4×4 lumber. These are the building blocks of the skeleton of the house. Unfortunately the miter saw proves useless in cutting sheet lumber because the cutting platform won’t allow it. The miter saw also was useful during the building of my deck as I needed to make many cuts of 1×6 boards.
Another project I used the miter saw for was installation of engineered hardwood floors. This process requires the fitting of wood planks into each other with the interlocking edges. The pieces pop into place creating a smooth uniform surface with no sign of interruption. Each engineered board has its own color and wood pattern. The miter saw allows you to cut the pieces to size so the boards interlock in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing and staggers the seams.
Circular saw
The circular saw is the most versatile and useful saws out there but is also the most dangerous to operate. This is not a good saw for a beginner or a younger operator. The circular saw is designed to be operated freehand and has a small platform to add a little stability to the surface you are cutting. The platform can be adjusted up or down to change the depth of the cut.
The beauty of the circular saw is it offers a powerful spinning blade that cuts pretty much anything and can be used pretty much anywhere on a jobsite. The saw is light and mobile with a handle. The blade can be easily switched out for other blades that cut different surfaces like wood, metal, stone, tile and cement. The circular saw is a crucial part of any jobsite. Just make sure to be careful of kickback or any other way you can be exposed to the spinning blade.
How did I use the circular saw?
I have used a circular saw in pretty much every DIY project I have completed. The circular saw can make quick cuts of 2x4s during framing and can cut plywood and sheathing as well. The circular saw was crucial when I was installing corrugated metal sheeting as siding on the house. I switched out the wood cutting blade for a metal cutting blade and was easily able to cut sheets of metal to the right size.
When I was installing a bathroom counter top that was made of granite I was able to cut the granite with a masonry blade. I used the left over granite pieces as trim for a kitchen project later. The circular saw was able to make the cuts in stone and tile with its powerful blade. During tiling projects I usually use a manual scratch and snap tile cutter. However there are some times you will need to use a circular saw with a masonry blade to cut holes in tiles and make fine tune cuts.
More resources: https://weeklysafety.com/blog/handheld-power-saws