I love my gadgets. As a young child, I was the first in my family to own a digital camera. Then I won a first generation iPod in sixth grade and mastered the art of .mp3 file management. Naturally, when I purchased my house, I was eager to collect the tools necessary to be a respectable homeowner, and there are plenty to choose from. From power yard tools to new cleaning devices, filling your tool belt sensibly can be a challenge. Chances are you’re already familiar with basic screwdrivers and hammers, so I want to share my favorite home-improvement tools: saws. Here are three power saws that every homeowner should have.
Sawzall
The most useful tool I’ve added to my kit is a Sawzall. Also called a reciprocating saw, my Sawzall came as part of a starter set of DeWalt cordless power tools. (While you do have to remember to charge the batteries, cordless is the way to go for ultimate mobility.) The beauty of this tool is that it really does saw it all. Its blades are labeled by the materials they can cut: wood, wood and nails, heavy metal, drywall, stucco, and more. I first bonded with my Sawzall when removing some overgrown shrubs in the front of my home. A friend had tipped me off to the existence of landscaping blades. These jagged edges work like metal shark's teeth, pumping back and forth at high speeds to slice thick branches and roots with ease. Nothing is more rewarding than wrestling with a thick root system and finishing the job with the simple press of a button. Keep in mind that reciprocating saws are not precision blades. They are meant for rugged work: difficult-to-reach cuts, demolition and initial indentations into walls are other great jobs for a Sawzall.
Hand-held Circular Saw
If the Sawzall is the bread knife of home-improvement jobs, think of the hand-held circular saw as the pizza cutter. Ideal for cutting plywood, sheetrock and other flat materials, hand-held circular saws have an adjustable circular blade, which is protected by a retractable guard. Mine is also cordless. While you can be more precise with these than a Sawzall, you may want to create a guide with a clamp and a 2-by-4 to keep your lines straight.
Chop Saw
Continuing with the kitchen metaphors will be harder with this one, but stick with me: You know those egg slicers where you place an egg in the concave divot and pull down the top of the clamp to create multiple slices? A chop saw is like that, but with one blade. Also called a miter saw, the chop saw allows you to align wood to a precise line, and pull down the circular spinning blade to make a precise cut. I borrowed my dad’s miter saw, similar to this one, to frame out my sunroom. Look at the nice angled points where your molding meets in the corners of your home — those angles can be easily achieved with the adjustable kerf plate, allowing you to select angles at intervals from 0 to 180 degrees.
My tool wish list could go on and on, but these three saws (one still borrowed occasionally when needed) get me far. While I stand by my ranking of these three useful tools to own, please consult the experts — and read your safety manuals — before operating.
