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A worm drive saw is a powerful type of circular saw which consists of a motor located at behind the blade. The motor transfers the power to the blade by the means of gears set at certain angle. This arrangement of gears results in less speed — around 4500 RPM and more torque.
A worm drive saw is named so, because it consists of a ‘worm drive’ which is an arrangement of gear. In this arrangement, a worm (which is a gear in the form of a screw) meshes with a worm gear (similar to a spur gear). This results in transmitting more torque and also leads to less spinning speed.
Worm drive circular saws become heavy and longer due to the positioning of the motor.
- Working of a worm drive circular saw
In a worm drive saw, the motor transfers the power to the blade through a threaded worm drive down the shaft which turns the pair of gears oriented at 90-degree angle from each other. This causes the saw to spin in reduced rotational speed but with better torque. This torque provides the saw with enough cutting power.
- What a worm drive saw is used for?
Worm drive saws are heavy in weight and produce enough torque to cut stacks of lumber and knotty woods easily and also cut through concrete. It is ideal for major renovation tasks or framing projects.
Advantages Of Using A Worm Drive Saw:
The main advantage of a worm drive saw is that it provides more torque which makes it a great choice for cutting hard and dense materials. However, let’s see some more advantages.
- Can easily make plunge cuts
Due to it’s more length, it becomes simpler to make plunge cuts. This means that you can easily cut shapes or do carvings inside a piece of wood. The added length because of the long distance between the handle and blade increases your reach while making a cut. Moreover, this longer length also helps in resisting the kickbacks while operating the saw.
- Good choice for right-handed operators
Another important advantage of worm drive saw is the left-side placement of the blade. This provides a clear view of the cutting line and helps you in getting accurate results.
- Ideal for tough applications
Difficult-to-cut materials such as knotted hardwood can’t stand against the power of the worm drive circular saw. It can also cut concrete comfortably.
Also, it comprises of lowered trigger handle which is more behind the motor as compared to any other model. This means that a saw should be held more out in front of the user than from above. Due to this position of the trigger, it becomes easier to cut sheet goods with a freehand. Just use it with it’s natural motion and without applying any extra pushing force.
- Larger gear teeth
A worm drive saw has larger gear teeth as compared to any other types of circular saws. The larger gear teeth have more load-carrying capacity which helps in adding durability to the worm drive saw but this also adds more weight to the saw.
Disadvantages Of A Worm Drive Saw:
With the upsides, there are also some downsides. So here are some disadvantages of a worm drive saw.
- Heavy in weight
Worm drive circular saws weigh more than any other type of circular saw. So it’s a possibility that this saw can put more strain to your hands while operating it. The average weight of a worm drive saw is 13 to 16 lbs.
- Larger in size
Along with the weight, it also comes with added length in comparison to other circular saws which may cause discomfort in using it.
- Can be expensive
Worm drive circular saws are more expensive than any other circular saw. For this reason, they are more likely to be purchased by professionals or experienced woodworkers.
To sum it up
A worm drive saw is a reliable type of a circular saw which can enhance your cutting experiences. The main advantages of using a worm drive circular saws are that it has a long-lasting nature, provides more torque for cutting which increases the efficiency, offers great sightlines for most of the operators, have more torque, power and accuracy.
We hope you have got the essential knowledge about a worm drive saw from this brief and basic explanation and can know make a right decision before purchasing any model of this type of circular saw.
