Miter Saw vs. Circular Saw
 

As I build my tool collection, I'm wondering what I'd get more use out
of (and thus buy first) -- a circular saw or a miter saw? I'll be
doing occasional basic honey-do projects like birdhouses and shelves
and stuff.

Also, any suggestions on brand names?

-F

You can cut anything on a circular saw, but only narrow stuff on a miter
stuff.
And, a MS is probably 3 times the price of a comparable quality circular
saw.
no-brainer, if you can only buy one inexpensive saw.

"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
As I build my tool collection, I'm wondering what I'd get more use out
of (and thus buy first) -- a circular saw or a miter saw? I'll be
doing occasional basic honey-do projects like birdhouses and shelves
and stuff.

Also, any suggestions on brand names?

-F

Circulars are fine, I have 2 one battery powered one not. I use my table saw
more than anything else. Check Harbor Freight for some homeowner power
tools. I have several and am please with the performance. I do not use them
every day.

I would say Circular saw definitely.. Miter is more precise but got limited
of usage. miter is very good in cutting 2x4 in various angle but not sure
how you cut a big board with a miter.

The bad thing about circular is precision, but the good thing is it can cut
almost anything. I tried to use circular saw to build a subwoofer box
(which requires very precise cutting), but no matter how good you are, even
with those aided guide the result won't be satisfied. In that case, I had
to buy a table saw to solve the problem, or simply take the measurement give
to home depot guys and let them cut for you. That's just my experience, I am
not an expert in these stuff.

The rule is, you paid for what you get. Brand names like Dewalt is for
everyday use for professional. If u are just use it for projects, other
brandnames are fine. My circular saw is Sears, I had it for 12 years (not
sure how old it is when I got it), still does the job.



"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
As I build my tool collection, I'm wondering what I'd get more use out
of (and thus buy first) -- a circular saw or a miter saw? I'll be
doing occasional basic honey-do projects like birdhouses and shelves
and stuff.

Also, any suggestions on brand names?

-F

On the scale you seem to be considering, you'd do just as well
to stick to hand-saws and a miter-box, and spend the money on
a really good workbench.

Fleemo wrote:

As I build my tool collection, I'm wondering what I'd get more use out
of (and thus buy first) -- a circular saw or a miter saw? I'll be
doing occasional basic honey-do projects like birdhouses and shelves
and stuff.

Also, any suggestions on brand names?

-F

Thanks everybody for the input. Let me expand the topic just a tad.
I see several manufacturers offer kits with a circular saw, power
drill, and a reciprocating saw for a good price. What can a
reciprocating saw do that a circular saw can't?

-F

On 24 Nov 2004 10:27:55 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

Thanks everybody for the input. Let me expand the topic just a tad.
I see several manufacturers offer kits with a circular saw, power
drill, and a reciprocating saw for a good price. What can a
reciprocating saw do that a circular saw can't?

-F


A reciprocating saw can get into tight places. A reciprocating saw's
specialty is demolition (cuts through 2x4s, nails, drywall, etc.) A
circular saw is probably has more generic uses and with a guide it can
cut a clean straight line with reasonable accuracy.

For me, circular saw is for cutting wood, I use reciprocating saw to cut
metal. For precision, reciprocating is not very accurate but it's
extremely powerful in metal cutting.

Yes, you can use a metal cutting wheel in circular saw or even using a
grinder, but you gonna get smoke, spark everywhere.. where reciprocating
cuts like a hacksaw, cutting metal without any burning smell. In your
project, like building birdhouses and stuff.. it's not very heavy duty, on
top of circular saw I suggest you get a jigsaw, so you can cut wood in diff
shapes with curves. In my opinion, you don't need reciprocating saw.

C.P.


"Fleemo" wrote in message
m...
Thanks everybody for the input. Let me expand the topic just a tad.
I see several manufacturers offer kits with a circular saw, power
drill, and a reciprocating saw for a good price. What can a
reciprocating saw do that a circular saw can't?

-F

Consider another alternative -- for small to medium size projects, a good
quality saber saw can do most things a circular saw can, and can make curvy
cuts too, and is generally easier to handle and less dangerous. Must be good
quality, though, for example a Bosch.

That gets a vote from here, too. I reach for my Bosch jig saw far more often
than the circular saw. Probably different if I were framing houses. And I'd
take a cheap table saw any day over a hand circular saw for most home repair
stuff.
HTH

Joe

"ChInKPoInt [No MCSD]" wrote in message
...
I would say Circular saw definitely.. Miter is more precise but got
limited
of usage. miter is very good in cutting 2x4 in various angle but not sure
how you cut a big board with a miter.

The bad thing about circular is precision, but the good thing is it can
cut
almost anything. I tried to use circular saw to build a subwoofer box
(which requires very precise cutting), but no matter how good you are,
even
with those aided guide the result won't be satisfied. In that case, I had
to buy a table saw to solve the problem, or simply take the measurement
give
to home depot guys and let them cut for you. That's just my experience, I
am
not an expert in these stuff.

The rule is, you paid for what you get. Brand names like Dewalt is for
everyday use for professional. If u are just use it for projects, other
brandnames are fine. My circular saw is Sears, I had it for 12 years (not
sure how old it is when I got it), still does the job.



"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
As I build my tool collection, I'm wondering what I'd get more use out
of (and thus buy first) -- a circular saw or a miter saw? I'll be
doing occasional basic honey-do projects like birdhouses and shelves
and stuff.

Also, any suggestions on brand names?

-F

If your doing baseboards and crown moulding a miter saw is worth its weight
in gold.

"Fleemo" wrote in message
m...
Thanks everybody for the input. Let me expand the topic just a tad.
I see several manufacturers offer kits with a circular saw, power
drill, and a reciprocating saw for a good price. What can a
reciprocating saw do that a circular saw can't?

A reciprocating saw is probably used more for demolition, though its not
limited to that purpose.

"ck" wrote in message
...

"Fleemo" wrote in message
m...
Thanks everybody for the input. Let me expand the topic just a tad.
I see several manufacturers offer kits with a circular saw, power
drill, and a reciprocating saw for a good price. What can a
reciprocating saw do that a circular saw can't?

A reciprocating saw is probably used more for demolition, though its not
limited to that purpose.

Ah, my favorite. While I agree with the demolition statement, I think that the
reciprocating saw (above all the others mentioned) does more things that simply
could NOT be done with any other tool.

I once had to enlarge a closet opening and needed to rip the length of an
installed 2 by 4 in the opening (cutting through the "4" dimension). My
Milwaukee made short work of it and after I was finished I noticed that on the
way down I had cut *lengthwise* through two framing nails (never even felt
them).

To add another comment though... There's a reason Norm (genuflecting) has ALL of
these saws in his workshop and that is for a particular task there is always one
particular configuration that is the way to do it properly, from both a quality
of result and safety perspective. As much as one would like there to be a tool
that can do it all, it just doesn't work out that way.