A crosscut saw has knifelike teeth that slice through wood fibers. It is designed
specifically to cut across the grain of the board.
Using a Crosscut Saw
Grip the saw comfortably, with your index finger resting alongside the handle and
pointing toward the tip. Start the cut by drawing the saw toward you in a series of
short strokes along the waste side of the cut line. Use the knuckle of your thumb
against the side of the blade as a guide. When the cut is about 2 inches long, move
your free hand away and begin sawing in earnest. Lift the handle of the saw so the
blade forms an angle of about 45 degrees to the board's surface, and sweep the saw
back and forth to nearly the full length of the blade. Apply force with your shoulder;
use your hand and forearm only to guide the saw. Adjust your stance to keep the
side of the blade perpendicular to the board. If the end of the saw bends, you are
probably applying too much force. If the saw chatters on the backstroke, you are
probably cutting at a bad angle. As you approach the end of the cut, shorten your
strokes and support the waste piece with your free hand.
Purchasing
Crosscut saws are available in a wide range of blade lengths (16 to 26 inches) and
numbers of teeth per inch (tpi) (7 to 12). Unless you need a saw with a short blade
to fit in a certain toolbox, choose a saw that is 2 to 3 inches longer than the
natural throw of your arm (the distance your fist moves when pushed away from your
body). If you plan to cut mostly dry wood, select a saw with 10 to 12 tpi. Purchase a
saw with 8 tpi for unseasoned lumber. In either case, check to be sure the handle fits
comfortably in your hand. More expensive saws have blades of higher quality steel, which
stay sharper longer and are tapered toward the top edge to help prevent the saw from
binding (getting "stuck" in the cut).
Substitutes
An alternative to the crosscut saw is a powered circular saw.
back to main
Brought to you by Book of Skills and Tools and New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual
|
|
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
Advertisement 
