Circular saws come in varying sizes, and selecting the right size for your needs is crucial. Depending on the project you’ll need the saw for, considering all options is beneficial, or you may end up with an unsatisfying result.
So, our engineers provide this circular saw sizes guide and essential tips to guide you in choosing the right tool that’s best for your needs!
The Varying Sizes of Circular Saws and Their Uses
3 ½ Inches
Circular saws of 3 ½ inches in size are ideal for cutting straight through various lightweight materials like carpet, cardboard, medium-intensity fiberboard, and lumber. Also, due to its compact build, you might find this size of circular saw easy to store.
4 ½ Inches
If you’re going to use a circular saw to cut tiles, PVC tubes, soft metal, wood, plastic, or plasterboard, you can use a 4 ½-inch circular saw.
6 ½ Inches
These 6 ½ inches circular saws can cut up to 2 9/16 inches or 61mm deep. Using this type of circular saw, you can cut various board thicknesses and lumber sizes.
7 ½ Inches
The 7 ¼ inches saws are suitable for cutting various depths, which can go up to 2 3/4 inches or 70mm cuts. So, you can use this type of saw on more wood projects.
8 ¼ Inches
8 ¼ inches is a large-type circular saw. So it offers more power and cutting depth. Worm drive circular saws are usually of this size, which cut through thick materials and even concrete.
10 ¼ Inches
The 10 ¼ inches circular saws are best for professional use as it’s heavy-duty. It can cut thick materials like metal, timber frames, and more.
Read Next: What Size of Circular Saw Do You Need to Cut a 4×4 Lumber?
Most Common Sizes of Circular Saws
The most standard sizes of circular saws are 6 ½ inches and 7 ½ inches. Many reputable brands in the saw industry offer various circular saws with such sizes.
Here are some of the top circular saw brands in the market with this size and their corresponding specs and features:
Brand/Model | Size | Power Rating | Motor Type | Cutting Depth at 90 Degrees | Weight |
Makita HS6601 | 6 ½-inch | 1050W | Sidewinder | 2 5/32- inch or 54.5mm | 7.8 lbs (3.4kg) |
DeWalt DWE550 | 6 ½-inch | 1200W | Sidewinder | 2 11/64-inch or 55cm | 8 lbs (3.6kg) |
Ryobi P507 | 6 ½-inch | 18V | Sidewinder | 2 1/16-inch or 62mm | 5 lbs (2.27kg) |
Most Common Power Rating
The standard power supply for circular saws manufactured in the USA is 120 or 230 volts for corded models. As for cordless models, 18 volts is the standard power supply.
Regarding the power rating, 1800W is the most common for circular saws.
(For an in-depth information regarding power, you may want to check the watts used by circular saws.)
Most Common Circular Saw Blade Type and Size
Regarding the blade type, most circular saws use tungsten carbide-tipped – with 24 TPI (Teeth per Inch). This blade type is commonly used to make quick and accurate cuts through various materials such as wood and sheet.
Choosing Between Wormdrive and Inline Motors
Inline motors (also called sidewinder or direct drive) are the most common motor type of circular saws. It is directly installed on the blade spindle.
Per our engineers, this is the preferred type of circular saw motor because its practical, compact, and lightweight compared to wormdrive motors.
Wormdrive motors are also common in circular saws but are heavier in weight because of their extra geared fragments.
What’s good about these motor units is they’re heavy-duty performers, and it offers durability – suitable for professional use, which is why wormdrive units are more expensive.
So, if you’re considering your budget, opt for the inline motor units. Plus, they’re compact and practical, making them more suitable for home use. But if you have the cash, we suggest opting for the wormdrive units; they’re robust and ideal for all kinds of projects.
Safety Features to Look Out For
The Retracting Lower Guard is a circular saw’s most significant safety feature. You should never use a saw with a defective retracting lower guard. Before you start using the saw, make sure that it’s working properly [1].
Also, make sure to check if the saw you’re using is a wormdrive or inline motor. Wormdrive saws are usually designed for left-handed, and inline (or sidewinder) saws are for the right-handed. Having a good grip is vital to performing the job flawlessly and safely.
Conclusion
At this point, you already know the different circular saw sizes you can choose from. Depending on the materials and type of project you need to work on, you need to use the right circular saw.
You also need to consider its power supply and rating, blade type and size, motor type, and safety features.
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