Bending Wood Molding in Your Wood Shop
Make Wooden Trim Conform Using Steam or Back-Cutting
© 2008 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved
Choose the correct saw for the job, whether Youre framing a basement, miter cutting baseboard, or
hand cutting tight dovetail joints. There's a tool for any carpentry task, from simple hand saws to
track saws.
When you consider a saw for a particular DIY project, chances are you think of your circular saw
(generically referred to as a Skil saw), or a crosscut hand saw. But the fact of the matter is that
there exists a wide range of saws, each developed for a specific task.
If you would like to have a local craftsman do the work in question, I recommend
Angies List, where thousands of consumers share their ratings on the local contractors and service
companies they hire.
Learn more.
When You Use any Saw, Follow Wood Shop Safety Rules
Recall the basic safety rules you learned in your high school wood shop or metal shop class:
- Keep jewelry to a minimum.
- Always wear goggles or safety glasses. Side guards are available for prescription
glasses.
- Tie back your hair if its long.
- Dont wear a tie or loose clothing.
Lets Begin with the Basics: Hand Saws
Long before power saws became so widespread, the most common ones were hand saws. Not that
their time is past; in many situations they are the wisest choice. Heres a few that all woodworkers
should have in the shop:
- The Hand Saw: Also called a panel saw, this was the work horse in the early days of
carpentry and residential construction. The two basic models are the rip saw (which is used
to cut with the grain), and the crosscut saw (used for cutting against the
grain). Interestingly, sawyers of yesteryear also used this hand saw as a music instrument;
they called it a musical or singing saw.
- The Hack Saw: This one is used for cutting both metal and plastic PVC pipe, although
it actually comes in handy for a lot of other purposes. Most electricians use their hack saws
to cut rigid metallic conduit.
- The Back Saw: Used in conjunction with a miter box to cut miters in window casings and
door trim. It may also be used for cutting baseboard.
- The Coping Saw: This one looks a bit like a short hack saw having a very small blade,
just about 1/8 from the tip of the teeth to the ridge. Its very useful for cutting in
tight places and cutting curves. Its also used when cutting and installing baseboard.
- The Dovetail Saw: Used for hand-cutting dovetail joints. Its has a metal cap spine on the
back to keep it rigid.
Table Saws are for Tough Tasks
Table saws are just large circular saws (usually 10 blades) mounted to a metal table with some
embellishments. They allow you to make very precise cuts on both thin and thick lumber as well as plywood.
These are big-ticket items. When you make that purchase, its important to do business with a merchant
that has a track record of building a client list of loyal woodworkers.
Free Freight on Jet and Powermatic tools at Rockler!
To control your cutting precision, these saws employ both a rip fence and a miter gauge (or crosscut
fence). There are three common types of table saws:
- The Benchtop Table Saw:
This saw is the smallest of all three. Its been engineered
that way to allow portability. This lets building contractors to easily deliver precision
cutting to the job site. Its also ideal for small home shops. When working with large
stock, you can use a combination of rollers, table extensions, and outriggers. Very handy.
- The Contractor Table Saw: The contractor table saw has a bigger table surface and is
heavier than the benchtop model so its not practical to move around much. However, the
weight lends it stability. Its mounted to a sturdy base.
- The Cabinet Table Saw: This one is a bit more sophisticated and stable than your
contractor table saw. Additionally, its more powerful, so it requires a 220V dedicated
electrical circuit. Most feature an anti-kickback device.
Portable Power Saws
Portable power saws are used for their convenience and special purposes. Here are a few to keep handy:
- The Compound Miter Saw: The miter saw, also called a chop saw, comes in handy for job
site production work becfause of the precise miter cuts they make. These tasks are likely
likely to be
installing baseboard,
crown molding, and window and door trim.
- The Circular Saw: The circular saw (Skil saw) has largely replaced your hand saw
for
residential wood framingresidential wood framing. Think of it as a quick n dirty table saw with a handle.
- The Track Saw: This one is in a class of its own.
DeWalt track saw out and
its rumored that Makita is about to launch one. But its not a new concept;
Festool has
had one out for many years. The basic drawback is the price. Expensive. But for building
contractors, journeyman carpenters, and small remodeling companies, it will pay for
itself. What is it? Its basically a high end circular saw with a rail. This allows
you to make accurate cuts on the job site that would otherwise necessitate taking
the material back to the shop.
- The Jigsaw: The jigsaw has a blade that goes up and down rather than in a circular motion.
Its the best choice for cutting arcs or other shapes, which makes it popular with arts and
crafts folks.
- The RotoZip: Not technically a saw, it offers sawing performance in special circumstances.
Its referred to a a rotary tool, and its basically a Dremel tool on steroids. As
time goes on, more and more bits and accessories are introduced. This is definitely one
to keep on your workbench.
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