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. Start over if you see that you’ve veered off from the cut line instead of trying to curve your way back on track.
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.
Most of us have been there at some pointstaring at a blade in one hand and a saw in the other wondering what the correct circular saw blade direction is. Getting the circular saw blade teeth going the correct direction is what’s at the heart of the matter. The saw’s motor runs the blade rotation in a way that the circular saw teeth direction points up as it enters the wood you’re cutting.
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.
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.
do circular saws cut up or down Related Question:
Why do circular saws cut upwards?
The saw’s motor runs the blade rotation in a way that the circular saw teeth direction points up as it enters the wood you’re cutting. It’s intentional to create the most stable, accurate, and safe cutting. As the blade teeth hit the material, they rip from the bottom through the top.
Why do circular saws cut up instead of down?
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.
Can you use a circular saw upright?
It’s aggressive, makes straight vertical cuts and it’s fast. The circular saw outperforms the jigsaw and reciprocating saw for most straight cuts. It can be tricky to use in some situations, but the cuts tend to be straighter and more accurate than with almost any other portable saw.
Which way should blade face on circular saw?
When installing a new blade, make sure the teeth are pointing downward to enable a clean cut through the workpiece. Upward-facing teeth can cause a severe injury to the operator.
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.
Why does my circular saw kickback at the end of a cut?
Overheating a saw blade can cause it to warp and result in a kickback. Buildup of sap on the blades, insufficient set, dullness and unguided cuts, can all cause an overheated blade and kickback. Never set a blade deeper than is required to cut the work piece 1/8 in. to 1/4 in.
How do you stop a circular saw kickback?
Kickback happens when the saw blade binds or stalls suddenly in the wood and the saw gets driven back toward you. So the key to preventing this is to make sure your blade doesn’t bind in the wood.
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.
Why do cordless circular saws have the blade on the left side?
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.
Can you cut metal with a wood blade?
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.
How do you cut straight with a circular saw without a guide?
To ensure a straight cut, press the saw firmly against the straightedge as you push it along. Clamp a perfectly straight board or metal straightedge to a sheet of plywood to make cabinet-quality straight cuts.
Can a circular saw cut a 4×4?
Circular Saw. A circular saw is one of the best means of cutting a 4×4 post. Most people own a circular saw, its portability makes it easy to cut 4x4s from the ground, and they can make precision cuts by using a relatively simple trick.
How do you use a circular saw without a table?
Fit your circular saw with an edge guide. Set the depth of the blade accurately enough for it to go through the wood and not cut under the surface. Place the guide on base of the circular saw lines and markings you made earlier on the wood. Ensure that the saw is free to move, and the power cord is not entangled.
Is a table saw safer than a circular saw?
Circular saws are generally more affordable than table saws, and they are also much safer. While it is perfectly possible to cause a serious injury with a circular saw, they are still much safer than table saws.
What is the space between two protruding teeth on a saw blade called?
Gullet (handsaw) The space between a saw’s teeth, where the saw dust is carried out. It is an equilateral triangle, just like the file that shapes the teeth.
