circular saw can both rip wood (cut with the grain to create a board's width), and crosscut wood (cut across the grain to establish length). Plus, with a small adjustment you can make plunge cuts that don't sever the wood into two pieces. The "circ saw" can cut wood of all sorts: dimensional construction lumber, solid hardwood stock, plywood, dense pressure-treated lumber for outdoor projects, engineered sheet goods like MDF and hardboard, and even small pieces of trim and millwork. With the right blade, it can also cut some metals, stone, brick, cement and masonry, and glass tile.This saw can cut thick wood, like a beefy 2 x 12 board, or thin panels, only 1/8" thick. The circular saw is a solid all-around power tool for making straight cuts in almost anything you can buy at the home center. Alongside a cordless drill, you've got a great entry-level tool kit for a variety of home improvement and creative woodworking projects.The circular saw is also a portable tool, meaning you take the tool to the work, rather than resting the wood on the saw to make a cut. This range is extended even further with a cordless saw and a charged battery. You can make cuts quite literally anywhere. Imagine building a tree house and needing to climb down the ladder every time you need to cut something to length. No fun. A cordless circular can go anywhere you go.
Note: Be safe when making cuts; always find a stable, level surface to work on. And always wear your safety goggles!The whole circular saw's blade assembly, guard, and motor housing sits on an adjustable shoe or base plate. This allows you to make angled (or beveled) cuts, opening up lots of creative potential. You can adjust the angle of the cut with the plate tilt lever (shown above), located in front of the motor along a protractor-like scale, which can help you dial in your bevel angle.
