What is a Chop Saw?

Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by William

What is a Chop Saw and do I Need One?

The Chop Saw: A Practical Power Tool

An Innovative Cutting Tool

The chop saw is best described as a portable piece of power tool equipment with a circular saw blade that is commonly thought to be the best way of getting a nice straight and precise cut. If you enjoy woodworking or metal working, then a chop saw should your tool of choice.

For those of you who are not familiar with this kind of power tool, the mechanized cutting marvel is a light-weight circular, mechanical saw. The saw pivots on an arm, which is placed, of course, on a chop saw table. If you want to make precision cuts, then, this power tool will certainly come through for you.

A Select Tool

The saw comes in two standard varieties, or a miter or abrasive saw. While the miter saw handles cutting wood, the abrasive saw is designed to make precise cuts in ceramics, metals and similar materials. This totally depends on the saw blade used.

The miter saw is a new and improved model among chop saws as it can handle other materials besides wood. It is also constructed to make cross cuts as well as bevel cuts; therefore, it is well-regarded by anyone who does a good amount of wood cutting for frames and moldings.

An Exceptional Benefit

A featured benefit of using a miter saw is its index, which can alter the blade angle with easy precision. Therefore, you are provided with a better, more precise cut. Once you establish the angle, you can activate the saw’s blade by depressing a trigger and guiding the blade along to make the cut.

Be very careful when working with the saw, especially when using the blade. Make sure nothing else touches the cutting apparatus when it’s in operation and that all the guards are in place before you use it. If they aren’t, do not do any type of wood or metal work until the appropriate safety adjustments have been made.

A Long-regarded Popular Tool

When attached and stabilized on a saw table, the miter saw, also known as a drop saw, offers the operator the type of resistance needed to make quick, effortless cuts. Chop saws have been used for approximately the last 30-some years. At the time of their introduction, they were received with a good deal of hoopla as they greatly eased the burden of using conventional, manual tools.

Ready, Set, Cut!

When using a standard 14” chop saw, you really only need to mark the wood you’re planning to cut with a pencil and start cutting. Just make sure you wear safety protection for the eyes and face and durable gloves when operating the machine.

How it Works

If you’ve never used one of these saws before, all you need to do is put the material to be cut along a metal portion called a fence. The fence keeps the piece at an angle of 90 degrees, although you can also hold the cutting piece at other angles as well. The blade simply falls upon the piece and is guided along the mark for an exact cut. If you’re not a woodworker, you may want to become one if you sample using this machine.

Accessory Items

Accessories are also offered that improve operation. Two of the accessory items are a compound (which permits flexible positioning of the angle of the blade) and a slide (which gives the blade added functionality much like a track saw). Technological upgrades have made it possible to use the saw with laser guides as well.

In addition, certain accessory pieces help rid the area of trimmings or dust made by the saw.

Making the “Cut”

Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker or simply interested in possibly pursing the activity as a hobby or a career, check out the chop saws on the Internet. You’ll find many brands that make the “cut” with respect to ease of operation and durability.