Circular Saws Level 1 Diploma Aims and objectives  Explain  Label the uses of a circular saw the main components of a circular saw  Evaluate the benefits of using a circular saw What is a Circular Saw ? The circular saw is a metal disc or blade with saw teeth on the edge as well as the machine that causes the disk to spin. It is a tool for cutting wood or other materials and may be hand-held, table-mounted or mounted on a movable arm. Types of blade  As with hand saws, circular saws also have different types of blade designed to do different jobs. Cross Cut Blade CROSSCUT BLADES.— Crosscut blades have fine teeth that cut smoothly across the grain of both hardwood and softwood. These blades can be used for plywood, MDF, and hardboard. Rip Blade RIP BLADES.— Rip blades have bigger teeth than combination blades, and should be used only to cut with the grain. A rip fence or guide will help you make an accurate cut with this type of blade. Combination Cross Cut and Rip Blade COMBINATION CROSSCUT AND RIP BLADES.— Combination blades are all-purpose blades for cutting thick and thin hardwoods and softwoods, both with or across the grain. They can also be used to cut plywood and hardboard. The main body of the saw blade is made from steel. HSS is sometimes used for circular saw blades but TCT is more common. With a TCT saw blade, the small tips of TCT are brazed on to the body. A TCT tip might hold an edge 20 times longer than a HSS tip. There are many different types of circular saw that the carpenter or joiner will use during their career Compound Mitre Saw Industry Term : Chop Saw Portable Electric Circular Saw Industry Term : Skil Saw Radial Arm Saw Industry Term : Cross Cut Table Saw Industry Term : Rip Saw Panel Saw Industry Term : Dimension Saw Panel Saw Industry Term :Wall Saw KICKBACK This diagram shows what happens with kick back when using a portable saw. Kick back is also an issue when using table saws  Kickback happens when the blade catches the work piece and violently throws it back to the front of the saw, towards the operator. It can be thrown very hard and can injure the operator. It is not uncommon for the object to have high enough velocity to become embedded in a wall! A riving knife can help prevent kick back BUT IT WILL NOT STOP IT FROM HAPPENING!!! Ouch ..\..\..\videos\Circular-SawKickback-(3-of-4)-Graphic-Content[www[1].savevid.com].mp4 PPE and other safety devices What PPE should be used with circular saws?  Can you think of any other safety equipment?  Circular saws are the most common machine that carpenters and joiners have accidents when using. With the correct training and a respect for the machine circular saws should be perfectly safe to use. Make sure you know what you are doing! Aims and objectives  Explain  Label the uses of a circular saw the main components of a circular saw  Evaluate the benefits of using a circular saw