Saws are almost always the best tool for cutting materials to size for your project. While angle grinders can easily be used for rough cuts on thinner materials, if you want precise and straight cuts then a dedicated saw is the way to go.
Saws can be expensive but it’s worth the extra expense to get one that you can rely on to cut material easily and last longer. It’s a good idea to pick out a saw from professional quality brands like Bosch and Milwaukee so you know you can rely on them time after time.
Circular saws are generally used to make straight cuts in timber. The large teeth on circular saws can make cutting extremely fast and easy as blades with relatively few teeth can give a faster but rougher cut. For thick planking or posts you will need to go for a larger model that can take a larger sized disc blade.
Jigsaws
Jigsaws are extremely versatile, used for cutting wood, metal, plastic, and more. They are so versatile because they can take a huge range of different blades designed for different purposes, and because they are incredibly easy to use.
As they have extremely narrow blades that can be used to cut curved profiles and even circles. These tools are usually used for cutting wood up to 4cm thick, although longer blades can be purchased to increase this.
Mitre Saws
Mitre saws are stationary bench saws used to make quick and precise chop cuts in wood. One of the best features of mitre saws is that they can be used to make very accurate angle cuts which is ideal for crown moulding, picture frames, door frames, and window casings.
Reciprocating Saws
Reciprocating saws are often used for demolition work. They work with the back and forth motion of a hand saw but without the hard work. They are much easier to control than circular saws when working above your head and can be used to cut through metal pipes and nails, wood, plaster, and more.
Reciprocating saws tend to be intuitive and can be very powerful, especially when working on your home.