Circular saw cut guide

Circular saw cut guide may seem to be a bit difficult but it becomes easy after using for some time.

Circular saw is a power saw used to cut different materials such as wood, plastic, masonry or metal using spinning around the arbor. It cuts by the teeth on the edge of its metal blade. The cut of the circular blade is straight and relatively accurate.

Materials needed for a circular saw cut guide are:

1. The most important instrument needed for cutting is a circular saw.
2. Plywood
3. Wood glue.
4. Some nails or screws.
5. Sawhorse

Instruction before cutting with a circular saw

1. Examine the saw
2. Before using the circular saw each time check the saw for safety.
3. Check the blade for broken or damaged teeth, if any damage is found replace it.
4. Check the power chord for cracks in the corded circular saw.
5. Make sure the battery is charged in a cordless circular saw.
6. Check the blade of the circular saw
7. Check the blade for dullness, rustiness or damage
8. Find the proper position for the saw

Circular saw cut guide is revealed below

 Step 1: Fence piece cutting

1. Check the perfectly straight factory edge of the plywood. Because this edge will be the fence against the circular saw to run
2. Plywood should be straight enough to use. Make sure of that.
3. To work off with the plywood use sawhorses for the boards on the ground
4. First thing you can do with plywood on the sawhorses is that cut a small piece off of the long direction of plywood. It can be 3” wide piece but you need to cut as straight as you can
5. Beware to keep the track of the factory edge of the plywood

 Step 2: The Base cutting

1. As factory edge is straight, so it is this track build’s most important part. But still, a base for the circular saw to ride on is needed, because the factory is only half of the circular saw guide.
2. To the rest of the plywood use, factory edge as a guide clamped and cut off another strip. Cut about 9” or wider this time. Now clamped it on both of the sides.
3. Now the first strip is clamped or fasten is ready for the circular saw to be used as a reference fence. But there is a little bit of flex or bend is seen while pushing on it in the center of the panel. Clamp a scrap piece of wood in the center of the plywood resting against the opposite side of the first strip to get rid of the flex.
4. Then cut 9” wide base strip with the saw tracking against the factory edge of the strip.

 Step 3: Measurement

. Adjust the dimension as needed.

. Use a tape measure to determine the distance from the furthest edge of the circular saw base plate to the blade with the saw blade resting against an edge of the plywood.

. Glue and nail the first strip with the factory edge to the wider base strip. From one edge of the base strip, the factory edge needs to be a little further than the distance from the blade of the circular saw to the furthest edge of the saw base plate.

. Add glue to the smaller strip, and then nail it to the base strip.  The nails or screw are for holding the pieces together while the glue dries.

 Step 4: Zero Clearance Making

1. Make sure that the smaller strip is secured and the glue is dried. Then with the circular saw referencing against the factory edge of the smaller strip a cut is to be made. Thus this made a zero clearance line for where the circular saw every time when the track is being used.

  Step 5: Making Perfectly Straight Cuts

1. So, the circular saw will cut the outside edge of the base strip when it slides across the track.
2. With the reference marks on the material line up the edge of the track, clamp it, and then a perfect line will be cut every time while using it.
3. Place the track on top of the material while cutting to length, not offcut of material to get rid of the blade of the circular saw from removing a little bit of material by itself.

Some other circular saw cutting guideline is given below:

How to make easy and accurate crosscuts?

It’s easy to make a perfectly square crosscut with a circular saw. Just guide the saw with a layout square. Hold the saw on the cut line with its blade. Against the base plate of the saw slide the square and against the edge of the board press it tightly. Make sure to check that the board is not contacting the board, the trigger is to be squeezed and the saw is allowed to reach with full speed. Now to produce a clean square cut guide the saw along the square.

How to do Rip cut?

A rip cut is a simple cut. It is to run parallel with the grain of the wood, opposite to a crosscut which goes across the grain wood. The circular saw comes with a metal rip guide attaches to the blade of the saw. This type of guide is limited to 6 inches wide. It is better to clamp 8 feet long board in place to use a straightedge guide.  First before ripping the cut line is to be marked, the distance from the blade of the saw to the edge of the blade of the saw is to be measured. While cutting keep the base plate of the pressed against the straightedge guide.

How to do Bevel cutting?

Angled bevel cuts up to at least 45 degrees can be made by all circular saws. But lower blade guard has a tendency to catch on the edge of the board when the base plate is tilted all the way over. The saw is not to be forced when this happens. When this happens trigger is to be released and the blade guard is to be raised by hand and then the cut is to be made.

How to do Gravity fed sawing?

To make a straight vertical cut on the wall a circular saw can be used. Start the saw at the topmost side of the wall and then gradually cut down. The gravity will work in favor of you in that way.

Precautions

• A circular saw can be dangerous when used for the first time.
  • Follow the instruction came with the saw properly
  • Setup the saw accurately before using
  • Check the saw and blade before cutting for any damage
  • Be careful while cutting.
  • Use gloves to protect the hand.
  • Use goggles to protect eyes from harming or to prevent from entering anything unwanted and harmful.

Circular saw cut guide can be a bit tough. Follow the precautions and instruction before starting to cut otherwise problems may arise while cutting.