A circular saw is a type of electric power saw which uses a flat circular toothed blade to make cuts on different materials like wood, metal, plastic, etc. it is a very handy tool for woodworking. It is a small, portable and very efficient power tool. To use this saw for working, a woodworker very often needs a guide to make the cuts more precise. There are many types of guides available in the market made for the circular saw. But, do you know that you can make a circular saw guide on your own in your home by just some scrap pieces of wood! If don’t, no worries, we are here for you. In this article, we will tell you all about how to make one and how to use them.
A circular saw guide is very easy to make and also can be made within a few hours at most. And the best thing is, you do not have to invest on it separately. You can make it with some scrap woods left from a lot of other projects that you have worked on previously. It will save a lot of money and a lot of time at work.
Required materials: As I have mentioned earlier, you do not need anything special for making a circular saw guide. All you need is the same tools you work with every day in your shop. You will need-
- The circular saw you have (It has to be the one you have/ the one you work with always because you can make a guide only for the saw you have)
- Some scrap woods
- Some clamps
- Wood glue
- Security issues
Do not ever forget about the security risks when using power tools. You will be making cuts with the circular saw. So when you are not using it to make cuts, unplug the saw if it runs on electricity. And if it’s a battery-operated one then make sure the battery is out. I think you know what your next task for safety is. Yeah, wear the safety gears like a dust mask, safety goggles, ear muffs if it is too loud and be careful with your saw.
So, let’s go back to our main topic.
Quick Overview
Create your own guide
Step-1
At first, you have to take a long and wide piece of plywood or MDF sheet. The standard measurement of a circular saw guide’s length is 8 feet. So I would also suggest you to mark and cut the wood piece at least 8′ long. You can make the length longer or shorter depending on your will. At this part, you need two pieces of woods.
A thin one as the fence and a wide one as the base of the guide. Oh! I forgot to mention that whatever you choose for the guide, the wood piece has to be absolutely straight.
Step-2
You have to take a precise measurement of the circular saw you have. You have to measure from the plate to the saw blade.
There is no fixed length of the distance between the plate and saw blade. Different saws of different models and brands can have different. So you have to measure the distance for making the guide. You might have noticed that earlier, I have said that you can make guide only for the saw you have. You must have had a question since then that why have I said that? Well, there is your answer above. Different saws have different measurements. So you can use a guide only for the saw you have. The guide may not be useful with another type of circular saw.
Step-3
Now is the time to apply the measurements you took earlier. Mark the base piece according to the measurements you took. But remember to make the marks a little bit more than the actual measurement. Suppose, the distance you found is 4″. So, make the marks a little more than that like 4.5″.
Step-4
Now, put both pieces of wood together, on the mark: the fence to be on top of the base; stick them together and glue them with the wood glue. Let it dry for some time.
Step-5
When both pieces are together, place your circular saw against the fence and along the base and make cut on it. This cut will give you a perfect offset and straight line.
Step-6
Take the saw to the other side of the base and place it against the fence and then again make cut along with the piece. Now, you have two straight edges for two offsets. One for the bigger offset and another for the smaller offset.
Congratulations! You have created your own circular saw guide by yourself. This all about making a circular saw guide.
How to make cuts with the help of circular saw guide
Now that you have finished making the saw guide, it is high time for you to know how to use it.
Using a circular saw with its guide is very easy than using it without the guide. Without the guide, you have to be very cautious, slow and steady, mark the workpiece, set up, clamp and many more, etc. And after all this fuss, there is still the possibility of making uneven cuts and ruin everything. But after having a guide for your circular saw, all you have to do is-
Place the workpiece in a comfortable elevated place. It would be much better if you use saw horses. Then, take measurement of the place of cutting and mark it. Place the saw guide on the mark and clamp the workpiece and the saw guide properly.
After that, whatever you want to cut, all you have to do is to place the guide on the mark of the cutting material and place the saw perfectly on the guide and follow as your guide lets your circular saw cut through the wood in a very straight and accurate line. Your cut lines will be as straight as an arrow! There is almost no possibility of making any mistakes while using a guide while making cuts with circular saw unless you mess something up.
And this is everything about how to make cuts by using a guide along with the circular saw. No offset or any other measurements will be necessary if you use a guide. This will save a lot of time and annoying small works. The more time you will save here, the more time you can spend on doing other much more important works. Honestly, isn’t it very easy? Making a circular saw guide at home will save your money and enhance the productivity of your working hour.
