The Best Saw for the Job

When selecting your next woodworking saw, it can be intimidating to see 20+ options on a website or in a catalog. Where do you begin? How do you whittle down your options?

I had a similar experience recently when my wife and I replaced her old 2001 Suburban SUV. She wanted a vehicle with better fuel economy, but lots of storage space as well. So I consulted family, checked out manufacturer/dealer websites, and read 3rd party reviews until we finally decided on a hybrid Highlander. Then I built a large spreadsheet with graphs & trendlines and updated it every other night for several weeks with new & used vehicles that popped up in our area - comparing mileage and price to find the best value. I spent much more time than I originally anticipated, and wished in retrospect that there was a faster way to narrow my search!

When it comes to narrowing down a Saw Search, Ben Weiss in Vermont once offered TIMBER FRAMING Magazine some sage advice: "What you really need is the smallest saw that will get the job done."

Tom Gensmer in Minnesota has echoed this to us as well: "Generally, you will be happiest with the smallest saw that meets your cutting depth needs."

Smaller saws are usually easier to maneuver, more portable, have low power requirements, and are often less expensive. So with that in mind, we compiled the chart below demonstrating the maximum cutting capacity of each Saw that we offer at Timberwolf Tools so you can quickly find the smallest saw for your project:

Maximum Cutting Depth (Inches) at 0° and 45°

(All Timberwolf Saws)

Here are just a few takeaways:

-Mafell's KSS 300 Cross-Cutting System and KSS 40 18M bl Cordless Cross-Cutting System are our smallest circular saws able to cut 1.5" deep (such as Two-by lumber)

-Mafell's MT55cc Plunge/Track Saw and MT55 18M bl Cordless Plunge/Track Saw are our smallest circular saws able to cut 2" deep

Maximum Cutting Depth (Inches) at 0° and 45°

(Zoom-In of Smaller Saws)

-Mafell's KSS 50cc Cross-Cutting System and KSS 50 18M bl Cordless Cross-Cutting System are our smallest circular saws able to cut Two-by lumber at a 45° angle

-Mafell's P1cc Jigsaw is our smallest saw able to cut 4" thickness

-Mafell's Z5Ec Portable Band Saw and ZSX Ec/400 Chain Beam are in a league of their own for sawing big timbers, and amazing value when you calculate their price per inch of cutting capacity!

Hopefully this chart helps narrow your search down to 2-3 options. Then I recommend giving us a quick call at 1-800-869-4169 so we can discuss the advantages of each saw for your applications.

Later this year we plan to release more guides like this one, such as battery vs. corded tools. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, enjoy the Winter Olympics! During a 2-minute commercial break you can check out this video of our favorite small saw weighing in at only 6.6 pounds:

YouTube Video