Bench Saw
Just What is a Bench Saw?
Some people refer to a circular saw as a bench saw but the majority of people consider a bench saw one that has a fixed motor attached to a base. With a bench saw you can cut boards of just about any length as long as the board can be properly supported and fed properly through the blade.
A small or portable table saw is a bench saw. The ability to move the saw from work site to work site is a big benefit of a bench saw. A contractor saw is referred to as a bench saw but most prefer the designation to a small table saw that can be moved by one person ( a contractor saw will take 2 people to get it out of the truck bed).
Every bench saw I have seen made today incorporates a moveable blade attached to a fixed frame. The blade height can be adjusted to accommodate lumber of different thicknesses. The rip fences that come with bench saws these days are a huge improvement to the ones make just a few years ago. They can remain parallel to the saw blade with a minimum of deflection. The fence on most saws today is sturdy and can hold it’s alignment even when cutting long heavy pieces.
Although most people use the blade set at 90 degrees just about all the bench saws made today will have a blade that is adjustable from 90 degrees to about 45 degrees. Making nice miter joints is now possible using a small bench saw.
The saws today generally come with a miter gauge too. So making repeatable and accurate cross cuts is not a problem.
One thing you should be aware of is that in order to safely cut long or heavy pieces, the bench saw should be securely attached to another non moveable surface. If not, you will find the saw moving during the cut and not only will the cut accuracy suffer but you will be putting yourself (and possibly others) in a very dangerous situation.
Bench Saw Safety
And speaking of safety, always read the users guide and follow all manufacturers directions for safe operation. Using a push stick is recommended to keep your fingers away from the blade and even though it’s a bit of a pain you should always lower the blade below the surface of the table when not in use. Not only does that protect the people working around the saw, it also protects your expensive saw blade in case someone decides to use your bench saw as a storage surface.
The above is describing a table saw as a bench saw. There are also other types of bench saws too. Like a miter saw or even a radial arm saw. No matter type of bench saw you use, always follow proper operation safety recommendations.