Circular Saws

Got a Christmas gift certificate? Why not tool on down to a home center.

Did you get a gift certificate for Christmas? Two of every three of us bought one for someone. If yours was from a home center, consider buying a tool such as a circular saw. If you do so, perhaps you can get started on some of those resolutions you made. For use for household repairs and improvement projects, circular saws cost from $40 to $200, or more. Plug-in models are cheaper and have more endurance, whereas pricey battery-operated models are ideal for lighter work. With either -- if the blade is steel -- replace it with carbide, and match the teeth count to the material you're cutting; the more teeth, the finer the cut. Before you buy, check all the features -- such as cutting guides and adjustments, how it handles and how it's built, its motor and power rating and noise and dust controls.

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