What Is The Best Reciprocating Saw? - Smart Woodworking Tools

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Reciprocating saws are the most widely used saws in all industries. Reciprocating saws can cut almost anything except rocks. It is used by woodworkers, construction workers, electricians, farmers, plumbers, carpenters, and many more. Even at your home, you may ask yourself what is the best reciprocating saw? To answer that query you need to have that information. Everyone needs a reciprocating saw because it is such a useful tool. It can cut through lumber even when it is embedded with nails all over it. But what is the best reciprocating saw? Here I will answer that.

Reciprocating Saw

The name reciprocating is given because this saw does work by pushing and pulling. The main work of a reciprocating saw is to cut and rip the material out. For example, if you want to replace a window from one place to another, the best reciprocating saw can help you to finish the work in just a few minutes, by ripping out all the old fittings. This used to be one of the most time-consuming work, but recip saws have made this work very simple.

All the Parts To Know Before You Decide What Is The Best Reciprocating Saws

The best reciprocating saw has a very elegant look, and the structural integrity is great. It is designed to work with one hand. Has a very comfortable handle and has a special balance between size and weight. The centre of gravity is closer to the handle which makes it even easier to control. It has an adjustable shoe at the front, which allows you to make precise cuts. Has a motor, a handle, and all other parts that a basic cutting saw has. But not all the reciprocating saws are the same.

Types Of Reciprocating Saws

There are two main types of reciprocating saw, corded and uncorded. But in them there is an apparent difference, some of them have brushless motors, some have a LED laser light, a dust blower. There are size and weight differences too. You have to choose which one is best for you.

Special Features To Know In Order To Choose What Is The Best Reciprocating Saw :

1. Corded or Non-corded

This is the first thing you need to look for. Which one is better? Both of the types have pros and cons, you have to decide which one is best for you. Corded ones are for those who will be working with it for a prolonged period of time. And if you mostly have to work using ladders then a non-corded one is for you.

2. Its power

Yes, the power is measured in wattage. The higher the power the faster the reciprocating saw will work and better the results. That’s why you want to do more heavy-loaded work, like trimming a tree or cutting heavy materials then you need a power reciprocating saw.

3. The Orbital Action

This can make a huge difference in woodworking. And not all the reciprocating saws have that special feature. This allows the saw to have multiple cutting styles. Not only the back and forth motion, but also the orbital, and hence they can cut the wood faster.

4. Variable Speed

Nearly all the cordless circular saws have this feature so your one has to have this one too. This feature allows you to have control over the speed of the blade and also you can do it very easily just by pressing a button.

5. Vibration Control

It can be a huge differentiating factor for many people including me too. So if the saw vibrates a lot it can get even more difficult for you to control and to make a nice looking cut. Many saws nowadays have a vibration controller which absorbs the vibration. You need to check that out.

6. Stroke Length

The length of the stroke determines the type of material the reciprocating saw can cut. The longer the stroke length the better the reciprocating saw.

Which Is The Best Reciprocating Saw?

There are many brands of reciprocating saws available in the market with unique features. You might be questioning what is the best reciprocating saw in the market? I would totally depend on your preference. You might like a cordless one or even a corded one. There are many different brands, for example, the Makita, the Dewalt, the Milwaukee Sawzall Reciprocating Saw, and I can continue for hours. Here is a table of the top 10 reciprocating saws, in the top 10 brands.

Name of the brand	Weight/pounds	Power Source	Price/$
Dewalt	1.00	NOT INCLUDED	129.00
Portable Cable	4.00	NOT INCLUDED	54.83
Worx Axis 2 in 1	4.20	INCLUDED	61.46
Milwaukee	7.55	NOT INCLUDED	139.00
Makita	5.70	INCLUDED	199.00
Dewalt with Saw kit	7.00	Battery INCLUDED	164.42
Ryobi	4.00	Battery INCLUDED
Makita	8.00	NOT INCLUDED	75.00
Bosch	6.35	NOT INCLUDED	119.00
HYCHIKA	7.80	INCLUDED

Each of them has its own pros and cons. They have a different maximum speed, which is measured in strokes per minute. Has different stroke length, power, and orbital action. It totally depends on you, which one you want to choose, depending on your workload.

How To Use The Reciprocating Saw?

As you are thinking of buying a reciprocating saw, you might as well be questioning yourself, will I be able to use the reciprocating saw? Lemme give you good news, the cordless reciprocating saw is very easy to use and almost anybody can handle it. But here are a few tips to help you use the reciprocating saw much more effectively.

1. Changing The Blade

This is the most important thing to know, now it can be different for different reciprocating saws. Usually, some of them will have a quick-change mechanism, all you need to do is to slide the blade in place and lock it in. Tug on it to make sure the blade is locked properly. But what I’m gonna be talking about is the Dewalt reciprocating saw which has a slightly different blade changing mechanism.

Make sure your finger is not in the switch, and the switch is in the off position.
You can install the blade up or down or flat depending on the way you need it.
Use an Allen wrench that comes with the tool to loosen the screw near the blade position.
With a couple of turns on the left, the screw should come out.
Now just pull off the blade and take your new blade and place it nicely inside the hole, make sure the screw lines up with the hole in the blade.
Then tighten up the screw using the Allen wrench, this time rotates towards the right.
Tug on it to make sure the new blade is positioned correctly.

2. Choosing The Blade

Choose the blade you want to work with. You will always have to use the right blade for the right material, otherwise, your blade may become damaged.
The fewer the teeth is the blade, the faster and rougher the cut will be. So for cutting an example if you are cutting a metal then you will need a blade with more teeth.
If you are making deeper cuts then you need a blade that is longer than the thickness of whatever you are cutting.

3. Making The Cut

Making the cut is very simple, clamp the workpiece to hold it in place.
You can keep your one hand holding it tightly. As you will need to use some pressure to keep it in control.
Then press the switch the blade will start moving back and forth.
Release the switch when you finish cutting.

What Is The Best Reciprocating Saw For Me?

If you are remodeling a cordless reciprocating saw is your tool, you can use it in all sorts of situations, it slices through nails so you can cut out railings, doors, and window jambs. It can tear through tough materials quickly. And if you have a cordless one then you can cut materials above your head or even using a ladder. From plastic to stones, the reciprocating saw can cut almost everything except rocks. So without a shadow of a doubt, a reciprocating saw is what you need, and every penny will be worth it.

This is such an important tool and everyone has it nowadays. And cordless reciprocating saws have endless advantages over corded ones. Hope this article gave you the right information about what is the best reciprocating saw. Thanks for reading.

See Also:

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