Carpentry Tools & Machines

Circular Saw

• The ubiquitous, portable circular saw is an essential component of both the professional and amateur carpenter's tool kit. The standard circular saw spins a sharp-toothed blade, usually between 6 inches and 8 inches in diameter. The circular saw's blade protrudes from a flat plate attached to the bottom of the tool's stout body. Carpenter's grip the circular with two hands; one on a handle atop the saw's body and a second hand within the tool's pistol-grip. Most circular saws can create crosscuts, rip cuts, miter cuts and bevel cuts.

Table Saw

• Whereas the carpenter must run the portable circular saw's blade through the work material, the carpenter also must run the work material through the table saw. As its name suggests, the table saw's blade attaches to the table. The table saw's sharp-toothed blade protrudes from the center of a perfectly flat, metallic tabletop. A set of rails, or "fences," allow a carpenter to guide material through the rotating saw blade and create perfectly straight cuts through long pieces of lumber.

Bench Saw

• The term bench saw refers to several bench- or table-mounted circular saws, including miter saws and radial-arm saws. The common feature of all bench saws is a large-diameter, circular blade attached to a retractable arm. A bench saw's range of motion and reach distinguishes it from other types of bench saws. For example, the standard miter saw's arm cuts wood with a downward, chopping motion; the radial arm saw's arm extends through material in a sliding motion. Whereas all types of bench saws create cuts across a board's width, called crosscuts, miter saws and radial arm saws are typically the only saws that create angled cuts, such as miter cuts and bevel cuts.

Nail Gun

• In lieu of hammer and nail, many modern carpenters use pneumatic nail guns to drive fasteners through boards and sheet goods. Cordless versions are available, but the standard nail gun attaches to an air compressor via hose. Complete with triggers and pistol grips, nail guns accept plastic-bound strips of nails. The operation of nail guns is simple and straightforward. The carpenter presses the gun's tip against a surface and pulls the trigger to drive a nail.