Table saw (bench circular saw)

The table saw (or bench circular saw) is the reference cutting machine for straight and angled rip and cross cuts in boards, panels and sections. A circular toothed blade protrudes through the table surface and the workpiece is pushed against it guided by an adjustable rip fence (for rip cuts) or a mitre gauge (for cross-cuts). The blade tilts up to 45 degrees for bevel cuts. Precision and repeatability are far superior to hand-sawing, and productivity even more so: a single fence setting allows dozens of identical pieces to be cut in minutes. It is the central machine in any woodworking or panel-cutting workshop; in its compact contractor-saw form it is portable on site. The risk of kickback makes it one of the machines that demands the greatest attention to safety procedures.