To get the best out of your power saw it's essential to use the right type and size of saw blade for the job you're tackling. Make sure you buy blades compatible with your saw brand and avoid using blunt blades as they'll cut slowly, may overheat and can damage your work.

Jigsaw Blades

The biggest choice in jigsaw blades is in saws for cutting wood. Types include blades for coarse, medium and fine cutting - the closer the teeth; the finer the cut - and the same blades will also cut plastic sheet and pipe. Blades for metal have much finer teeth and can also be used for cutting wood that may contain nails or screws. There are also blades for cutting ceramics, glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) and special slim blades for use with scrolling jigsaws. The toothed section of the blade typically ranges from 50-105mm in length.

Circular Saw Blades

When selecting a blade for a Circular saw you need to take three things into account:

The first is to pick the correct blade diameter for your saw.

The second is to select the right bore size; the diameter of the hole in the centre, this may be 12.7, 16, 20 or 30mm.

The third is to choose the tooth size and number to suit the job you're doing. A blade with a few large flat teeth will give a fast, coarse cut, while a blade with a larger number of alternately-offset teeth gives a medium or fine cut. Lots of small, flat trapezoid-shaped teeth will give you the cleanest cut. All these blades have tungsten-carbide-tipped (TCT) teeth for long life.

Sabre Saw Blades

Like Jigsaw blades, Sabre saw blades are classified by the material they will cut - wood, plastics, metal or materials such as ceramics and glass-reinforced plastics. The toothed section of the blade ranges in length from 100mm-305mm, and the size and spacing of the saw teeth governs the cutting performance - the smaller and closer the teeth, the finer the cut.

Bandsaw Blades

It is vital to select the correct replacement saw blade for the brand of Bandsaw you're using. So be sure to have details of the make and model number with you when you go shopping for spares - it's also handy to take an old blade if you have one, just to double check.

Other Accessories

Other Power saw accessories available for your jigsaw include parallel and circle guides, a sawing attachment for corrugated materials and a saw table to allow the saw to be used as a stationary tool. You can also buy parallel guides and a saw table for use with most circular saws.