Glossary and Terms

Original Saw Glossary and Terms Part 1

There are many terms tossed around the office and plant at Original Saw.  As a woman in manufacturing, I had the distinct “advantage” of knowing nothing about machinery in general.  Lots of times I will say to my fellow male co-workers, “Yeah.  I don’t know what that means.” or “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”  At this point they kindly (or not so kindly ;)) educate me on the basics.  No question is a dumb question, right?

Below is a glossary of words commonly used at our company and in the industry. Today I will do my best to decode and decipher all these phrases and explain them to you.

Radial Arm Saw – A cutting machine that consists of a carriage moving along an arm.  As the blade spins, it moves through the wood or metal that you are cutting.  People joke that the radial arm saw is dead, but that’s not so.  It’s used in many industries to crosscut, rip, bevel or miter cut.  The versatile Radial Arm Saw is used in wood shops, packaging companies, commercial storefront manufacturers, sign manufacturing, industrial arts programs in schools and colleges, aircraft manufacturers, home improvement centers and many other businesses.

Beam Saw – This is the biggest saw we make and can be used to cut through wood or metal.  The carriage slides on tracks above the cutting area and the blade moves through the material you are cutting.  Beam saws have more than a 5 1/2′ crosscut. They are commonly used in garage door manufacturing, commercial decking, crating companies and construction companies.

Cut Off Saw – Used for mainly wood and plastics, this saw makes straight cuts.  It has a covered cutting area to provide  extra safety.  Cut Off Saws work best when paired with Roller or Flat Extension Tables to help support the material as it’s fed into and out of the saw.  This saw is commonly seen in home improvement centers, lumber yards, packaging companies and cabinet shops.

Miter Cut – An angle cut.  Think picture frame.  This cut is achieved by swiveling the arm of a Radial Arm Saw to the desired degree.

Bevel Cut –  An angle cut.  Think mop boards.  This cut is achieved by swiveling the motor of a Radial Arm Saw down to a bevel.

Voltage –  Voltage is what makes electric charges move. It is the ‘push’ that causes charges to move in a wire or other electrical conductors.  In the US common commercial voltages are 208, 230 and 460.

E-Stop – An emergency stop.  It is a simple, highly visible button designed to shut down operations quickly.  E-Stops are standard features on all Radial Arm Saws, Beam Saws and Cut Off Saws.