In the fourth Circular Saw 101 video, This Old House contributor Mark Clement demonstrates how to properly operate the shoe of the circular saw. Some saws contain notches on the shoe that can help you align the saw with the correct cutline for cutting at 90 degrees or at unique angles.
Whether you want to make straight cuts with a circular saw by guiding it against a rafter square or straightedge or just follow a line freehand, even the best circular saw needs adjustment for accurate cutting. To fix a saw with an out of alignment shoe, check the manual or the brand’s technical service department for advice. If bolts connect the body of the saw to the shoe, you may have to loosen all of them and re-tighten them with the saw twisted in the desired direction.
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.
Learn how to use your circular saw to make laser-accurate straight cuts! Here are four sure-fire ways to cut precise straight lines on boards and plywood! Breaking down sheets of plywood or MDF. Tips for Cutting Straight with a Circular Saw Position the speed square, DIY circular saw cutting guide, or Kreg Accu-Cut so it covers the side of the workpiece you want to keep. There are four ways to make straight cuts with a circular saw.
circular saw guide marks Related Question:
What are the markings on a circular saw?
Circular saws have two cutline marking notches, one for square cuts and another for 45° bevel cuts. To check their accuracy, start with the square-cut marker. Just about every saw we’ve ever tested has an adjustable set screw for this calibration.
What are the notches on a circular saw?
Every saw has notches or marks on the front of the shoe to indicate where the blade is going to cut, but they’re not very easy to follow. They get covered with sawdust or the whole shoe gets bent out of whack, which throws off the guide. You’ll get better results if you watch the actual blade and line as you cut.
How do you use a circular saw guide?
Using a saw guide will ensure the tool cuts in a straight path. Place a speed square across the board you’re cutting, with its lip hanging over the edge. Get your blade aligned with the cut line and slide the straight edge of the speed square against the saw shoe.
Why is my circular saw not cutting straight?
What Causes a Circular Saw to Not Cut Straight. A faulty circular saw is likely to have issues such as an unstable blade or a warped blade edge. The problem could also be the way you operate the saw. If you do not operate the circular saw properly, it will not cut straight.
Why do circular saws cut upwards?
Safety Considerations. 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.
What is the bevel adjustment on a circular saw?
Circular saws commonly include an adjustment that allows you to set the blade angle anywhere from zero to 45 degrees. Using this feature, you can cut a bevel along the length of a board and a miter across the end.
Which side of the line do you cut?
In most cases, we recommend cutting to the outside of the line. You can always take more wood off, but you can’t get it back once you’ve started your cut. The saw blade should move just along the side of the line. If you cut to the pencil line, the thickness of your blade might take off more material than you expected.
Are guide rails universal?
The YouTool Guide Rail is universally suitable for almost all brands of saw, and is available up to 5 meters long.
Which way should the teeth face on a circular saw?
The teeth should be cutting UPWARDS, in a clock-wise direction. You’ll also notice that when your blade is installed correctly, the teeth will be pointing upward. Remember: circular saws (as most saws) cut on the upward stroke.
What is used to guide the piece through the saw?
A “Push Stick” is: A plastic handle or scrap wood shaped so that you can guide the work piece without getting your fingers near an active blade. All students setups must be checked out on the table saw: Every time you use it.
How do you make a perfect straight cut with a circular saw?
Make the Cut Line your circular saw up with the line you drew. When you turn your circular saw on, make sure that the blade is not touching the board. You don’t want the blade touching anything when you start it. Follow the line with the guide on your circular saw to make your cut.
How do you cut straight lines?
To cut a straight line without a ruler, start by folding your piece of paper so the fold is where you want the cut to be. Then, crease the fold, open the paper, and fold in the opposite direction along the same crease. Finally, unfold your paper and cut along the straight, creased line with scissors.
What saw is best for cutting straight lines?
Despite its name, the portable circular saw (or any circular saw, for that matter) cuts only straight lines. The name actually refers to the shape of its blade.
What happens if you put a circular saw blade on backwards?
You can run a saw blade backwards and it cuts pretty well. However it is not at all a good idea. The two big reasons not to do this is that saw tips are much more likely to come off if the saw blade is run backwards and that the whole saw blade is much more likely to come apart if it is run backwards.
Do all circular saws rotate the same direction?
On the blade, there’s usually a directional arrow as well. 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.
