The Reciprocating Saw Explained

reciprocating-saw

DEWALT DCS380B 20-Volt MAX Li-Ion Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only)
DEWALT DCS380B 20-Volt MAX Li-Ion Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only)
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The reciprocating saw is one of the most flexible saws and useful tools, used to create many different types of cuts on different substances, because of the style of the saw. It has multiple kinds of cutting blades available for the saw. You can select from steel and timber cutting blades. Each type will come in many different dimensions, the bigger the blade you use the more substantial the content you can cut.

A reciprocating saw can quickly cut through a large corner post with the right blade hooked up. These saws are used to cut through big parts of timber swiftly. They can also cut through little wooden pieces very easily. They can cut through most kinds of steel when utilizing a steel blade. They can be used to reduce overgrown branches, demolish rooms, cut floorboards joist, and many other kinds of work around the house.

Versatility is One of its most attractive attributes of a reciprocating saw. There are a variety of different blades that can be fitted onto reciprocating saws, depending on what you need to do. You can fit them to cut wood or metal, for instance, and you can choose blades for a variety of thicknesses.

  • Window Fitting

    Thanks mainly to this tools convenient portability, construction experts usually use one when fitting or cutting out a window. One of the nice reciprocating saw uses is that it can be used in places that other saws can’t reach. This means that if you’re planning to do window work, you need to make sure you have a good reciprocating saw, preferably one with a long blade, before you begin.

  • Cutting Branches

    The Reciprocating saw is powerful enough to cut through tree branches and even smaller tree trunks. With the right blade, you can cut through as much as 12 inches of wood. While pruning can also be done with a chainsaw or an axe, using a reciprocating saw is safer than all mentioned above. Hand pruning is a serious waste of time when you consider the various tools available that can do the job much better with significantly higher speed.

  • Cutting Pipes

    Cutting through pipes, such as PVC pipes is another one of the common reciprocating saw uses, this is one of the more awkward tasks that you may have to do with a saw, requiring you to get into strange or uncomfortable positions or cut at less than completely natural angles. The beauty of a reciprocating saw lies in the way it can be used to cut in a variety of angles, minimizing the discomfort.

  • Creating Indentations for Wiring

    Making an indentation in the walls so you can put in wiring is another task perfect for a reciprocating saw. No matter what the wall is made of or what sort of indentation you need, there is a blade out there than can be fit onto a saw for that purpose. It’s easily the best way to get the wiring done, and you can do it anywhere on the wall with a minimum of awkwardness and strain.

  • Cutting Through Nails

    Recipro saw uses include using metal-cutting blades that make it much easier to remove nails or pins that are otherwise going to prove difficult to get rid of. When doing demolition, this saw can be used to slice through nail-filled wood relatively easily.

  • Cutting in Patterns

    A reciprocal-saw doesn’t just cut in straight lines-it also has the ability to cut in zig-zags or curved shapes that no other kind of saw can match.

reciprocating saw

Reciprocating Saw Blades

Dimensions

Reciprocating saw blades can range in length from 2.5 to 12 inches. Know ahead of time how deep you want the cut to be, so you can choose the right length. A greater width reduces bending or wobbling. The thickness you want also depends on what you’re planning to do: most tasks require a thickness of about.035 inches, while.05 inches is better for the really hard jobs.

Teeth per Inch

Recipro Saw blades can have as few as 3 or as many as 24 teeth per inch (TPI). A blade’s TPI is one of its most important qualities and greatly affects how the saw will cut. A lower TPI means faster, rougher cuts; higher TPIs are suited for slow, smooth cuts. Which one you want depends largely on the material you’ll be using the blade on. When cutting metal, for example, you’ll definitely need a blade with a high TPI. There are also “variable-pitch” reciprocating saw blades, which have more teeth in one section of the blade than another.

Material

Most blades are made out of one of four types of material:

1. Carbon steel: flexible, cheap, but easily worn out.
2. High-speed steel: more durable but less flexible than carbon steel.
3. Bi-metal: combines the advantages of carbon and high-speed steel and can last significantly longer than either.
4. Carbide grit: best used for materials such as fiberglass, ceramic tile, and cement board.

Since some blades are cheaper than others because they are less durable, think about what you need before you buy. If you plan on reusing the same blade again and again, it will be worth the price in the long run to purchase one that lasts a long time; if not, it might be wiser to pick the less expensive option.

Common Reciprocating Saw Blades
Four of the most common types of reciprocating saw blades are:

1. Course-tooth: designed to cut green wood.
2. Fine-tooth: for smooth cuts in wood, plastic, and hardboard.
3. Hack saw: for cutting metal up to 1/8 inch in thickness.
4. Knife: versatile design good for cutting materials such as cloth, leather, linoleum, and rubber.

In addition, there are many specialty blades made to perform more specific tasks.

Other Considerations

Some reciprocating saw blades require a little maintenance. Those designed to cut heavy materials should be regularly lubricated with oil.

One final thing to note is that some tools make it much easier than others to change out the blades. A saw with a key-less blade clamp will let you fit new reciprocating saw blades with less time and effort than one without it, so that feature is something to look for if you anticipate frequent blade-changing.