Characteristics of a compass saw
– Narrow, tapered blade with a sharp point
– Tooth pitch ranges from 2.5 to 3 mm for most materials
– Tooth pitch can be as low as 1.3 mm for harder materials
– Tooth pitch can be as high as 5 mm for softer materials
– Curved, light pistol grip handle for confined spaces and overhead work
Comparison with other types of saws
– Larger blade and longer pitch compared to coping or fretsaws
– Allows for faster cutting and cutting through thicker materials
– Leaves a rougher finish compared to coping or fretsaws
– Longer blade and shorter pitch compared to drywall saws
– Keyhole saws have shorter, finer blades and straight handles for cutting tight curves
Uses of a compass saw
– Suitable for cutting softer woods, plastic, drywall, and non-ferrous metals
– Pointed tip can penetrate softer materials without a pilot hole
– Blade can be fixed or retractable
– Interchangeable blades are common
– Partially retracting the blade prevents flexing and breaking when cutting harder materials
References
– ‘What is a Compass Saw?’ – WiseGeek
– ‘What is a compass saw?’ – Wonkee Donkee
– ‘Keyhole saw’ – The Worlds of David Darling: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy
– Wikipedia article on Compass saw
Additional Information
– Archived from the original on 7 September 2015 (WiseGeek)
– Archived from the original on 17 June 2015 (Wonkee Donkee)
– Archived from the original on 6 August 2016 (The Worlds of David Darling)
– Wikipedia article is a stub
– Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Compass_saw&oldid=1178662704 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_saw
