106 JULY 2018 Australian Handyman
PICTURE (LEFT)GETTY IMAGESTraditionally the domain of more
ambitious DIYers, these power tools
are much easier to use than you might
think, and can greatly expand your
horizons when making anything from
furniture to decorative items and
toys for children.While mitre saws and table saws
are designed around a circular blade,
band saws and scroll saws feature
a linear blade. hey’re extremely
useful for advanced DIY and precision
joinery, and less diicult for the
beginner to master than many believe. BAND SAWS
Although jigsaws are more popular
for cutting curved shapes in timber,
and itting a circular saw with a
guide fence is a familiar way of
ripping timber, band saws can
perform both these tasks, as well as
unique DIY projects that rely on
non-standard timber section sizes.
In addition to a fence parallel to
the blade, they are normally sold
with a sliding mitre gauge for angled
cuts, and many models feature a
table that can be tilted up to 45°.SCROLL SAWS
hese tools are required for those
extremely precise sawing jobs to
give timber an almost laser-cut look.
Scroll saws are mainly designed
for decorative applications, ranging
from fretwork to jigsaw puzzles.
hey’re also invaluable when
extremely tight turns or ine details
need to be negotiated when cutting
structural elements.
Scroll saws often feature tool-free
blade change, making it easy to cut
out shapes that are fully enclosed
by surrounding timber. Simply drill
a small starter hole and feed the
blade through it.
Most feature an air blower to
keep the cut line visible, and if a
workshop vac is also connected, the
tool can be nearly dust-free to use.
TIP Do not touch the blade straight
after sawing, as it will be hot enough
to cause nasty burns.SCROLL SAWS AND BAND SAWS
It’s important to
always protect your
ears when using
loud equipment.
These DeWalt
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have a noise
reduction rating
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all-day comfort.Editor’s
pick