What is a reciprocating saw?
A reciprocating saw is a hand held power saw with a blade that moves back and forth and is clamped in the machine at one end only, so the blade projects freely forwards. In the UK it is also called a sabre saw. In the United States the brand name Sawzall is widely used as a generic term for the same tool.
What it is for
The free blade is exactly what separates it from a jigsaw or a circular saw: you can cut where there is no room to get a guard or a shoe around the work.
- Demolition and strip out work: frames, joists, plasterboard walls, cutting through nails.
- Cutting into existing construction where no other blade can be placed.
- Plunge cuts started in the middle of a surface.
- Cutting pipes and sections to length in awkward positions.
- Pruning in the garden and orchard, and trimming insulation.
- With a carbide blade, brick and aerated concrete as well.
Choosing blades
The machine supplies the power, the blade decides the result.
| Blade type | Suits | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| HCS (high carbon steel) | Softwood, green wood, plastic, insulation | Coarse teeth, fast progress |
| BiM (bimetal) | Universal for wood and metal, including nail embedded timber | Hard tooth tips on a tough back, resists snapping |
| Carbide tipped or carbide grit | Stone, aerated concrete, cast iron, plasterboard and fibreboard | Stands up to abrasive materials |
Tooth pitch is given in TPI, teeth per inch. Coarse is roughly 3 to 6 TPI for timber and fast cuts, medium roughly 8 to 10 TPI as a universal wood and metal pitch, fine roughly 14 to 24 TPI for thin walled metal and pipe. Rule of thumb: at least three teeth must be engaged in the material at any moment. Blade lengths run broadly from 100 to 300 mm, and the usable cutting depth depends on blade length and stroke length together.
Stroke length and stroke rate
Compact 12 V machines have a stroke length of roughly 14 to 20 mm and reach up to about 3,000 strokes per minute. Full size 18 V and mains machines run at roughly 28 to 32 mm stroke length, with a variable stroke rate of broadly 0 to 3,000 strokes per minute. For demolition work, at least 28 mm of stroke and around 3,000 strokes per minute is the recommended minimum.
Working safely
- Hold the machine with both hands at all times.
- Press the shoe firmly against the workpiece, before and during the cut. This is the single most important measure against kickback and juddering.
- Clamp or otherwise secure the workpiece. Never cut a loose piece held in your hand.
- Use a sharp blade matched to the material, with even, unhurried pressure.
- Wear safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves, plus a dust mask for timber and plasterboard.
- Let the blade cool before changing it, it is hot after use. Remove the battery or unplug the tool first.
- Allow for the free blade length behind the material. The blade inevitably breaks through and can strike pipes, cables or structural members. Check your machine’s instruction manual for the specifics.
Related terms
- Jigsaw
- Circular saw
- Mitre saw
- Saw blade
- Demolition
- Cordless tools
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