Most table saws are built with slots on either side of the blade, called miter slots. These allow jigs to slide over the tabletop to help you make different types of cuts.

In the old days, there was just one basic type of blade that was used in power saws. Today there are five basic styles of power saw blades for various types of cuts, materials and budgets.

Two miter saws with identical 12-inch blades will often have different cutting specifications, so it’s important to check. There can also be some confusion with how these capacities are described.

Different materials and cutting requirements require different types of saw blades. For instance, when cutting wood, a fine-toothed saw blade should be chosen to achieve a smoother cutting surface.

For one thing, worm drive saws typically place the handle to the right of the blade, while sidewinders place it on the left. This could be more or less comfortable depending on whether you're left ...

Other types of saws, such as a dovetail saw, which has around 15-20 TPI. Other saws, such as the best circular saws, have circular blades that commonly have 24 TPI for rough cuts and 80 TPI for ...

The obvious difference between a worm drive saw and a sidewinder, at a glance, is that the handle on the worm drive is further back from the saw proper.