Circular Saw Cutting Tips When appearance matters, make cuts with the good side facing down, as circular saws can splinter the wood on the top side. Making your cut line on masking tape can reduce splintering.
Replace the 24-tooth blade that came with the saw with a 50- to 60-tooth blade for cleaner crosscuts in solid wood, veneered plywood, and other sheet goods. Because a circular-saw blade cuts on an upward rotation, the bottom face, in which the teeth enter the cut, will almost always have a clean, tear-out-free surface. “A custom edge guide for your saw not only beats tear-out, but also makes it easy to align cuts. Start by building a jig based on the drawing below; adjust the width as needed for your saw. We made ours long enough for crosscuts in 4′-wide sheet goods. Make the base’s cutting side about 1⁄2” wider than the distance between your saw’s blade and the footplate edge below the motor.
Bring the saw up to full speed, lift the guard, and slowly push the body of the saw down to start the cut. TIP: Make sure to start back far enough so that you only push the saw forward; never drag a spinning saw back. If a board is too wide for the saw shoe to hang over the edge during a rip cut, hold a narrow scrap of wood between thumb and forefinger, bracing your finger along the edge of the board, and butt the saw shoe against the edge of the wood scrap as you push both along the board.
Cut the angle first with the saw at 90 degrees, and then use the off-cut to support the saw while you cut. If you grab your jigsaw whenever there’s a curve to cut, next time try your circular saw instead. It’ll do a sterling job for long, gradual curves in a fraction of the time a jigsaw will. If you’re cutting plywood, set the saw to cut just deep enough to cut through the wood.
The side in which the saw blade’s teeth exit the wood at the front of the cut should be the bad side. With a table saw, the blade exits the bottom side of the wood, so good side up. Blade teeth should always go into the good side and come out the bad side.
circular saw good side up or down Related Question:
Should you cut wood side up or down?
Your plywood should be oriented so that the blade exits the wood on the good face. So for a circular saw and miter saw, make your cuts with the good face down; on the table saw, with the good face up.
What direction should the blade on a circular saw be?
When you’re installing your circular saw blade, it’s just a matter of making sure those two arrows match each other. For blade-right models, the correct circular saw blade direction is usually with the label side out. For saws that have the blade on the left, it typically installs with the “ugly” side out.
Why do circular saws cut upwards?
The teeth of circular saw blades are intended to cut upwards into the material from below and this is for safety purposes. It is important that you should not spin them in a different direction just like you spin a table saw blade.
Which side goes down when cutting plywood?
A blade with bad teeth or wood pitch buildup won’t cut cleanly. Also note that a circular saw cuts on the upstroke, which often splinters the top edge (veneer) slightly. The bottom edge usually remains splinter-free. So always cut plywood with the good side down.
Does a table saw cut up or down?
A table saw blade spins towards you, from the top downward, so the sharp blades must face the front of the table saw and not the back.
Can you put a circular saw blade on backwards?
When cutting vinyl siding with a circular saw, install a fine-toothed blade backwards on the saw for a smoother, cleaner cut, especially in cold weather (when the material is brittle).
Why are some circular saw with blade on left?
Traditionally, all worm drive saws operated in a blade-left orientation. Furthermore, this orientation likely places the weight of the saw over the portion of the material the user wants to keep, making it easier to stabilize the saw during the cut.
Why does my circular saw burn the wood?
A dull blade will make it hard to cut quickly, and the slower the feed rate of the saw, the more friction against the wood and the greater the likelihood of scorch marks. Pushing the stock through the saw too slowly is a common cause of saw blade burn. Sometimes a blade that feels dull might only be dirty.
Which way does the chain go on a chainsaw?
The correct direction for a blade to face is with the pointy edge of the blade teeth facing toward the way the blade rotates. Essentially, you want the pointy edges of the blades rotating on top of the chain bar, moving toward the tip of the bar, and away from the body of the machine.
Can I use a circular saw to cut plywood?
Circular saws can be used to make square, miter, bevel and compound-angle cuts. When fitted with the appropriate blade, it can even cut metal and concrete. However, there’s one job for which the circular saw is particularly well-suited: cutting large sheets of plywood down to size.
What side should the fence be on a table saw?
It’s always better to place your rip fence at the side of your dominant hand if you’re just new to table saws. Doing so makes it easier and safer to do. It also gives you better stability and control during cutting.
What is rip fence on circular saw?
The basic idea of the rip fence is a guide that attaches to the base of your saw and allows you to cut at a fixed distance from the edge of your board.
Can you turn a wood blade around to cut metal?
While a metal-cutting saw has a collection bin to prevent metal chips from getting into the machine, a woodcutting saw isn’t designed this way. If you do decide to use a wood saw on metal, only use a 7 1/4-inch blade and preferably a worm drive blade, which provides extra torque.
Are circular saw right or left-handed?
From what I’ve seen these past few years, corded circular saws are mainly right-handed saws. There are some brands, such as Milwaukee, that offer both right- and left-handed saws. Worm drive saws are typically left-handed. Cordless circular saws are typically left-handed as well.
Why are Dewalt circular saws left-handed?
The placement of the cordless saw blade, on the left side, gives you a clearer line of sight when you cut. The reason for this is because the main bulk of your circular saw is not blocking your view. Cordless circular left-handed saws provide you better movability.
