Comparison Makita LS1040 vs Makita SP6000

The device describes first of all the general principle of operation of the saw. The variety of modern saw is quite large: chain saw, ( band saw ( for wood and metal), reciprocating saw (including alligators), circular saw (including gas cutters), miter saw, cutting saw, combined saw, radial-cantilever saw. Here are the main features of these varieties :

- Chain. Saws, the working element of which is a chain with teeth of a special shape. The chain is closed in a ring and during operation moves along an oval-shaped guide bar. In common parlance, the name “chainsaw” most often means this particular type of saw, but chain units can also be electric. In general, chain saw are widely used both for wood (felling trees, trimming branches, etc.) and for other materials - in particular, for concrete and ice. Almost all instruments of this design are portable (see “Type”)

— Tape on wood. All band saw use a looped metal band with teeth as a working element. At the same time, unlike chain models, there is no tire in the design, and the necessary rigidity of the belt...is achieved solely through the tension between two rollers. As for tape models specifically for wood, they are all made exclusively stationary (see “Type”) - this is one of the key differences from similar tools for metal (another difference is the design features of the blade itself).

— Tape for metal. Band saw designed for working on metal. In addition to the design features of the tape itself, they differ from wood models (see above) in that this type of saw can be made both stationary and portable. At the same time, hand-held band saw can be a good alternative to traditional hacksaws - although they are noticeably more expensive and heavier, and also require a power source, they have higher productivity and require virtually no effort.

- Saber. A type of saw, also called “electric hacksaw”. According to the key principle of operation, they are similar to conventional hacksaws: the blade of such a saw moves back and forth during operation. One of the key advantages of reciprocating saw is their compactness, which allows them to be used in cramped spaces where there is not enough space for a circular saw or chain saw. At the same time, replacement blades are quite universal; they are produced for different materials: wood, metal, concrete, stone. And some blades allow you to make neat cuts even in a combined material - for example, a roof that combines wood, roofing felt and metal.

— Circular (disc). The working element in such saw is a rotating rim with teeth (for wood) or a diamond abrasive coating (for stone, glass and other special materials). It allows you to make straight cuts quickly and easily, but the depth of cut is limited by the radius of the blade. Note that some types of saw described below also use a disc, but due to their specialization they are divided into separate categories. Specifically, circular saw can be either portable or stationary; the second type is usually made in the form of a table with the edge of the rim protruding above the surface - this makes it easier to work with long parts.

- Trimming. A variant of a circular saw designed for cross-sections of processed materials - boards, slabs, beams, etc. They have only a stationary structure (see “Type”), and the cutting rim can rise and fall relative to the base. On the base there is a platform with a mount for the workpiece; Many models are equipped with additional stops for long parts and/or devices for placing workpieces at an angle. When such a saw operates, the rotating rim is lowered onto the workpiece at the point of the cut, ensuring cutting; Most models allow the disc to be tilted relative to the base, for bevel cuts.

- Combined. Saws that allow two options for use - both as a miter saw and as a stationary circular saw. See above for more information about these varieties. Here we note that the combination saw resembles a miter tool, the upper moving part of which (with the motor and rim) is equipped with an additional table. Thanks to this, you can also use the saw as a stationary “circular saw” - by lowering the rim all the way and securing it in this position. The main disadvantage of such universal models is their rather high cost, which is why they are used mainly in the professional field.

- Cut-off. A specific type of miter saw, designed exclusively for working on metal - for cutting metal tubes, rods, profile elements and other parts where a large cutting length is not required. The design of such units is almost completely similar to cross-cut units, with the exception of the type of disks used and more powerful motors.

— Radial-cantilever. A specific type of miter saw. They use a cutting mechanism in the form of a rim, but it is installed not under the desktop, but above it, on a console - a special design that resembles a miniature crane. The “boom” of this crane can be rotated from side to side, and the cutting disc can be moved back and forth on it and rotated relative to the vertical. This makes the saw very maneuverable and expands its capabilities, but has a noticeable impact on its dimensions and cost.

- Petrol cutter. In fact, a gas cutter is a modification of a circular saw (see above), equipped, as the name suggests, with a gasoline engine. Such engines combine high power and autonomy; Their features are described in more detail in paragraph “Power source”. Here we note that gas cutters work well not only with wood, but also with concrete, stone and other similar materials, due to which they are widely used in construction and rescue work.

— Alligator. A peculiar modification of reciprocating saw (see the corresponding paragraph). Alligator instruments have two blades moving back and forth in antiphase: while one blade moves forward, the other moves backward. Due to this, the accuracy and safety of work significantly increases - the mutual movement of the blades reduces the risk that the saw may be pulled to the side. On the other hand, the cut is wider, and the tools themselves are more bulky, heavy and expensive than reciprocating saw.

— Portable. Hand tools designed to hold on weight during work. The main advantage of such saws, in accordance with the name, is mobility and ease of carrying from place to place. In addition, such a tool can "climb" into hard-to-reach places, as well as work with parts that cannot be brought to a stationary saw. On the other hand, portable units are more demanding on the skills of the operator, require increased caution, and are also less suitable for long-term work — holding the tool on weight for a long time can be very tiring. Portable, by definition, are all chain and reciprocating saws, as well as gas cutters and "alligators"(see "Device"); in addition, many disk units and some tape ones belong to this type.

— Stationary. Saws that have a stand and are placed on the floor, workbench or other similar surface during operation. Such tools are much larger and heavier than portable ones, they are designed to be permanently in one place and do not require frequent carrying. On the other hand, stationary saws are more convenient to use than portable saws, they are less tiring and more accurate. In addition, the design of such units may include stops, rulers and other devices for additional convenience of sawing (including cutting at an angle). Stationary are all miter, cutting, combined and radial-cantilever saws (see "Device"), as well...as many circular and most band saws.

The location of the motor in the electric portable saw (see "Type").

- Longitudinally. The longitudinal arrangement allows you to achieve a good balance, allowing you to work comfortably in different positions; this is especially true for cutting branches from trees and other similar work, where the cutting plane can be located at different angles. In addition, such a tool has a smaller width and a longer length, which can make it easier to work in hard-to-reach places. On the other hand, such saws are more expensive than cross-cut saws.

- Transversely. The transverse arrangement of the engine slightly worsens the balance compared to the longitudinal one and makes it difficult to saw along an inclined plane, at an angle to the vertical. In addition, the length of such saws is noticeably shorter. However, for the simplest work with sawing from top to bottom, they are no worse than longitudinal ones, but they are much cheaper. Yes, and a small length in some cases can also be a virtue.

Saw motor power in watts. For petrol tools (see "Power Source"), horsepower is additionally indicated, see below for details.

The higher the power, the better the tool is suitable for voluminous work and hard materials, the greater the depth of cut it can provide and the easier it can cope with significant loads. In addition, for different types of saws and different types of materials, the actual power values \u200b\u200bcan also be different. For example, a power of 2.5 – 3 kW is actually the limit for chain saws, but in chain saws this is an average figure, among such tools there are models of 3 – 4 kW and even more. Detailed selection recommendations for various cases can be found in special sources.

The maximum speed of the disk, provided by a saw of the appropriate design — disk, cut-off, etc. (see "Device").

Note that most of these saws use gearboxes, so that the blade revolutions are much lower than the engine revolutions (see above). This achieves an increase in torque, which in the case of saws is often more important than the high speed of the blade.

As for the specific number of revolutions, it is first of all worth noting that only saws with the same disc diameter can be compared according to this indicator. In these cases, higher speeds provide better performance, but the trade-off is reduced torque; such saws do better with relatively "light" materials. Conversely, low speeds reduce productivity, but allow the blade to effectively "bite" even into dense, stubborn workpieces. More specific recommendations regarding the choice of a saw according to the number of revolutions of the blade can be found in special sources.

The largest tyre size (in chain saws) or disc (in circular saws and some others, see "Device") that is allowed for this tool. Tyres are sized by working length, rims by diameter.

A larger bar/wheel allows for deeper cuts but requires more powerful motors. Therefore, this parameter cannot be exceeded — this can lead to an overload of the engine with all the corresponding troubles. However, in many models with a disc it is physically impossible to install a nozzle with a diameter larger than the maximum allowable.

Also note that saws with similar bar/blade sizes may differ in maximum depth of cut (mostly due to differences in design or power). As for the specific dimensions, they depend on the type of saw (see "Device"). For example, large discs of 450 – 500 mm are found exclusively in stationary chain saws, the maximum figure for cutting models is 400 – 450 mm, for trimming — 300 – 350 mm, and sizes of 500 – 550 mm or more clearly indicate that speech It's about a chainsaw chainsaw bar. Detailed recommendations regarding the choice of a tool for a given size can be found in special sources.

The diameter of the mounting hole for which the blade holder in the saw of the corresponding design is designed (see "Device"). In fact, this paragraph indicates the diameter of the axis on which the disk is installed — this size should correspond to the hole in the disk itself.

Note that some models of saws allow the installation of discs with larger holes than indicated in the specifications — when using an adapter sleeve. The main thing is that the own diameter of the disk does not exceed the values \u200b\u200ballowed for this model (see "Tyre / disk diameter"). Popular sizes include 20mm, 25mm and 30mm.

The greatest depth of cut provided by the saw.

In most types of saws (see “Device”), the depth of cut directly depends on both the engine power and the size of the tyre / disk. The specifications give a value for the maximum allowable size of the working nozzle; when using nozzles of a smaller size, the depth of cut, respectively, will be less. But in band saws, this depth is rather weakly related to the actual length of the tape — it is determined primarily by the length of the open section of the tape, which is directly involved in the work.

Anyway, the greater depth of cut makes the tool more versatile, but comes at the cost of weight, price, and electricity/fuel consumption. So when choosing, it is worth considering the real features of the planned work and the dimensions of the workpieces that are planned to be cut. As for specific values, the most modest tools provide a depth of up to 50 mm ; 50 – 75 mm is considered a low indicator, 75 – 100 mm is average, 100 – 125 mm is above average, 125 – 150 mm is already quite an impressive thickness, and the most powerful modern saws can have a cutting depth of more than 150 mm.

Maximum cutting depth achieved when sawing at a 45° bevel.

This feature is indicated only for those models that are originally designed for sawing at an angle — for example, due to the special design of the attachment for the blade / blade (in stationary models, see "Type") or due to the inclined support platform (in manual) . The maximum angle of inclination of the saw in such models can be different (see below for more details), however, 45 ° is considered the standard option, so it is for this inclination that data on the depth of cut is given.

The general meaning of this parameter is quite obvious. On the one hand, a greater depth of cut allows you to cope with thicker workpieces and generally gives you more options; on the other hand, an increase in depth requires an increase in the size of the disk / canvas and an increase in power, which, accordingly, affects the price, dimensions and consumption of electricity / fuel.