Choosing a Rotary Saw

While both terms are often used interchangeably, rotary tools are not always saws. A rotary tool usually describes a compact, lightweight power tool for drilling, engraving, carving, grinding, polishing, and deburring. This versatile tool is commonly used for crafting and small DIY projects. While not ideal for large tasks, it can serve for home improvement projects involving grout removal and cutting drywall.

A portable rotary saw is slightly larger and heavier. It’s powerful enough for professional tasks and usually come with fewer accessories than a rotary tool. While a rotary tool is compact and adaptable, a spiral cut saw is a heavy-duty rotary tool used for specific applications. These include making cutouts and shapes in different materials.

Not all portable rotary saws are the same. Knowing the variations between different models and the convenient features on offer in select models guides you in making a smart buying decision.

Power: While shoppers can find battery-powered rotary tools for their cordless power tool sets, spiral cut saws are usually corded. Manufacturers quote their power ratings in ampere (A). Generally, models with higher ampere ratings are more powerful, cut faster, and produce cleaner cuts.

Speed: Speed is another performance metric to use when comparing rotary hand saws. Measured in rotations per minute (RPM), it describes how fast the motor spins the cutting bit or wheel. A high RPM translates to faster, cleaner, and more precise cuts.

Soft Start: Saws with this feature start slowly before ramping up. This prevents motor burnout when tackling very hard materials and keeps bits from skating when they first encounter materials they’re cutting.

Multiple Speed Setting: This feature allows you to control the saw’s rotational speed as needed for different materials.

Universal Collet System: Makes it possible to fit a wide range of attachments and accessories on a rotary saw.

Dust Collector: Prevents dust and dirt from flying everywhere while cutting. Some saws have exhaust vents to direct debris away from the tool’s cutting path and keep users’ sightlines clear.

It’s a good idea to think about the accessories required when you’re ready to do more than cut holes with your spiral saw. The most popular power tool accessories for portable rotary saws are those used for cutting. These attachments fall into two broad categories: spiral drills and cutting wheels.

Spiral drills make spiral cuts, rather than punch holes, in different materials. There are different sizes and types of bits. For example, tile cutting bits are stronger than wood bits and used for cutting ceramic and porcelain tiles. Cutting wheels come in different sizes and materials. These disc-shaped accessories are also sometimes referred to as blades.

Just like bits, rotary saw blade types are classified by the materials used to make them. High-speed steel wheels are excellent options for blades that can cut wood, drywall, plastic, and metal. These stay sharper for longer than carbide bits and wheels. Diamond blades are even stronger and can cut through concrete, marble, granite, and stone. Some wheels are strong enough to sharpen the blades of other saws.

Other accessories and attachments to help make rotary hand saws more versatile include adapters to convert these power tools to crosscut saws, handles to hold them like jigsaws, and circle cutter attachments to make cutting perfect circles easier.