table saw

A table saw (also known as a sawbench or bench saw in England) is a woodworking tool, consisting of a circular saw blade, mounted on an arbor, that is driven by an electric motor (either directly, by belt, by cable, or by gears). The drive mechanism is mounted below a table that provides support for the material, usually wood, being cut, with the blade protruding up through the table into the material. In most modern table saws, the table is fixed and the blade position can be adjusted. Moving the blade up or down affects the depth of the cut by controlling how much of the blade is protruding above the table surface. Many saws also have an adjustable angle, where the blade can be tilted relative to the table. Some earlier saws instead had a fixed blade and the table could be adjusted for height (exposure of blade) and angle relative to the blade.