If you don’t have a table saw handy, and the rip cut doesn’t have to be precise, then a circular saw works fine. Then align the saw with your mark and let gravity help pull the saw through the cut. Making long narrow rip cuts with a circular saw is easy if you use your index finger as a guide.
In this Circular Saw 101 video, This Old House contributor Mark Clement demonstrates how to adjust the depth of the blade on your circular saw to maximize its potential. Learn how to safely operate the tool, avoid excess friction, and create a cleaner cut by correctly setting the saw and adjusting the blade’s depth.
Adjusting the height of the blade changes the saw’s cutting depth, which is important for safety and efficiency while making cuts. You’ll often hear the advice to set the blade’s cutting depth just a hair beyond the thickness of whatever you’re cutting. Let’s take a look at how to adjust the height of a circular saw in step-by-step detail.
how to set a circular saw depth Related Question:
Can you set cut depth on circular saw?
A circular saw has a depth adjustment lever or knob that releases or loosens to allow for adjustment of the saw’s bottom plate, often called the “shoe.” First unplug your saw, then disengage this lever so that you can freely adjust the cutting depth by raising or lowering the bottom plate.
What is the minimum cutting depth of a circular saw?
Circular Saws Parts And Features. These have indicators on them, that tell you what depth your cut will be. These can range from 0″ and go as deep as 2.75″ but usually the maximum depth is around 2.5″ or so for most models.
What height or depth should the saw blade be adjusted to?
As mentioned previously, the right depth for most cutting tasks is an 1/8th to a 1/4 inch beyond the bottom of the workpiece. This will ensure you cut completely through the workpiece with maximum efficiency and minimal chances of kickback.
Why won’t my circular saw cut all the way through?
Here are some reasons your circular saw keeps stopping: Make sure your work piece is properly supported so it doesn’t pinch the blade which could also cause kickback in addition to stopping. Damaged, warped, loose or dull blade. Motor malfunctioning or overheating. Cable problems like frayed cord or weak connection.
How deep can a 5.5 circular saw cut?
It turns out that it’s a simple question but very essential when you are going to do a project using this kind of saw. To sum up, a standard circular saw can offer a cutting depth of 2.5 inches as the maximum, but you can adjust the depth to match your requirements.
How shallow can a circular saw cut?
Circular saws turn corners about as well as a freight train, and standard models will cut only about 2 1/2 inches deep. There are ways around the shallow cut—for example, you can flip over a 4×4 and cut from two sides—but the curve limitation has no work-arounds.
How deep can a 6 1 2 circular saw cut?
Depth. A 6 ½ circular saw can cut materials up to 2.5 inches. It’s perfect for cutting small materials for a small DIY project.
How high above the workpiece should the saw blade be?
The general rule of thumb is that the blade should be set so it is 1/8” above the workpiece. If you make contact with the blade with your hand at this height, you’re unlikely to lose a finger.
How much clearance between the blades guide and the work piece?
Do both the upper and lower guides making sure that they set as close to the same place on the blade as possible. Set the front of the blade guide about one-sixteenth of an inch from the deepest part of the blade gullets (the spaces between the teeth on the blade).
Whats the difference between a plunge saw and a circular saw?
A plunge saw is like a circular saw with a blade that spins and cuts, only with much more sophistication and accuracy. Rather than the guard retracting to expose the blade when cutting, such as with a circular saw, it has a fixed guard and the blade is exposed when plunging the handle to the pre-set depth.
Why does my circular saw jam?
Most of the time, a circular saw keeps stopping because the blade gets stuck in the wood or material. This is due to the blade not being powerful enough to get through the material. It could also be because the blade is damaged or the motor is malfunctioning.
Why does circular saw stop halfway through cut?
Too much blade will become exposed to wood, and the blade can get stuck. Proper use can also be a culprit causing your circular saw to stop mid-cut. Make sure you are moving the saw in a straight line or using a jig to keep the cut straight.
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 deep can a 6.5 inch circular saw cut?
The 6.5 will cut up to 2 1/16”, while the 7 ¼” cuts up to 2 ⅜”. Minor sure, but it’s when you tilt them into 45 degree angles, that the 7 ¼” can do something the 6.5 can’t. Cut through a 2×4.
How deep will a 10 circular saw cut?
Makita 5104 14 Amp 10-1/4-Inch Circular Saw This large cutting capacity sidewinder can reach depths of 3 ¾ inches at 90 degrees, which allows users to easily cut into some timbers.
