What each kind of saw is for is mapped in woodworking saws. This guide is the step before buying: deciding which kind of compact saw to look at, then handing over to the guide that compares saws of that kind.
Start from the cut
| The work | Kind of compact saw | Compared on |
|---|---|---|
| Ripping boards and strips to width; repeated straight cuts | Benchtop table saw | Choosing a benchtop table saw |
| Crosscuts and angled cuts to length; trim and frames | Compact miter saw | Choosing a compact miter saw |
| Curves, small parts and resawing thin stock | Benchtop band saw | Choosing a benchtop band saw |
| Small parts, models, pegs and plugs; no power, noise or dust | Small hand saw | Choosing a small hand saw |
| Joinery: dovetails, tenons and shoulders | Backsaw | Choosing a handsaw |
Kinds matched to work, not ranked. Tight interior cut-outs suit a jigsaw or scroll saw, which these pages do not compare; see choosing a jigsaw and choosing a scroll saw.
What each kind can take
| Kind | Example | What the figure limits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchtop table saw | DeWALT DWE7485: 8-1/4 in blade, 2-9/16 in depth at 90° | The thickest board it rips in one pass |
| Compact miter saw | DeWALT DWS713: 10 in blade; 2 × 6 at 90°, 2 × 4 at 45° | The widest board it crosscuts, square and mitered |
| Benchtop band saw | RIKON 10-305: 9-5/8 in throat, 4-5/8 in cutting height | The widest piece beside the blade, and the thickest it resaws |
| Small hand saw | Zona woodcraft saw: 6-1/2 in blade, 7/8 in cutting depth, 24 tpi | The deepest cut the saw's back allows |
Each figure as its maker publishes it, for one saw of that kind; other saws differ. Not a ranking.
The figures differ in kind, which is why the saws cannot be ranked: a table saw's depth of cut, a miter saw's crosscut capacity, a band saw's throat and a razor saw's cutting depth each limit a different thing. The CPSC describes bench saws — benchtop table saws — as small, light and transportable, from 34 to 133 lb; a compact miter saw and a benchtop band saw are bench-mounted machines too, and a small hand saw fits in a drawer.
Equipment notePaid link
8-1/4-in compact jobsite table saw
DEWALT DWE7485
The compact table saw this section uses as its example: DEWALT's DWE7485, an 8-1/4 in saw cutting 2-9/16 in at 90°, whose manual allows no dado set.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
Four more questions
| Question | Points toward |
|---|---|
| Many identical cuts? | A machine with a fence or stops: table saw or miter saw |
| Curves or irregular shapes? | A band saw, or a coping saw by hand |
| Very small or delicate parts? | A small hand saw, with the work held in a bench hook or vise |
| No dust collection, or a shared space? | A hand saw; every machine here needs dust collection and hearing protection |
Common matches, not rules. Not a ranking.
Safety— Each machine has its own rules
A benchtop machine is as hazardous as a full-size one at the blade; its rules are on its own pages, such as table saw safety. Hand saws need care too — OSHA says the greatest hazards of hand tools come from misuse and poor maintenance. The general rules are in woodworking safety rules.
Before choosing a compact saw
- The cut you make most: rip, crosscut, curve or joint
- The thickest and widest stock it must take
- How many identical cuts, and how exact
- Bench space, dust collection and noise
- Then the specialist guide for that kind of saw
Sources
Specification-based: each example is its maker's own figure for one saw, chosen to show what each kind of compact saw does, and the same figures the specialist buying guides use. The kinds are not ranked against each other, and no saw is recommended; the comparison within each kind is on its own guide. Nothing was tested and no prices are given.
- 1.
Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking), 88 FR 74909. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Register, 2023.
Used for: Bench saws as small, light and transportable table saws with universal motors and gear drives, 34 to 133 lb, about 79% of table saws sold.
- 2.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: A benchtop table saw example: the DWE7485's 8-1/4 in blade and 2-9/16 in depth of cut at 90°; no dado sets.
- 3.
DWS713 10" 15 Amp Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw. DEWALT.
Used for: A compact miter saw example: the DWS713's 10 in blade, cutting 2 × 6 at 90° and 2 × 4 at 45°.
- 4.
10-305 10" Woodworking Bandsaw Operator's Manual (10-305M5), as hosted by a public library. Rikon Power Tools.
Used for: A benchtop band saw example: the 10-305's 9-5/8 in throat and 4-5/8 in cutting height, with blades 1/8 to 1/2 in wide.
- 5.
Woodcraft Saw 24TPI. Zona Tool Co..
Used for: A small hand saw example: Zona's 24 tpi woodcraft saw, 6-1/2 in blade, 7/8 in cutting depth, cutting on the pull stroke.
- 6.
Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080). Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002 (revised).
Used for: Hand tools' greatest hazards from misuse and improper maintenance; cracked saw blades removed from service.
About this buying guide
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