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 circular saw blade depth Related Question:
How deep should a circular saw blade be set?
Don’t clamp both sides of a cut. For efficiency and safety, set the blade depth no more than 1/4-inch below the thickness of the board.
Can you set the height of a 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 height should a saw blade be set at?
The Safest Cut With that in mind, the safest height to set a table saw blade is so it’s just above the wood you are cutting. 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.
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.
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 deep can a 6 1 2 inch circular saw cut?
The 18V Brushless Lithium Ion 6-1/2 Inch Deep Cut Circular Saw (C18DBALQ4) is a revolutionary cordless circular saw utilizing a 6-1/2″ blade which allows a 2-19/32″ cutting depth, making it one of the deepest cutting cordless circular saws on the market. This circular saw has a similar cut capacity as a 7-1/4″ saw!
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.
What is the closest you should put your fingers to the blade while it is running?
Do not put your fingers closer than two inches from the blade. 3. Do not place your hands directly in line with the blade while cutting stock. 4.
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.
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).
What height should the blade be set at prior to making a rip cut?
Start with the blade height no more than 1″ high and pass the piece through the blade to start the cut. After the first pass raise the blade up in increments until you cut through the wood, or you reach the maximum height of your blade. For most 10″ saws this will be around 3″ maximum height.
What is the set on a saw blade?
A saw set is a tool or part of the tool kit for tuning saw blades. It adjusts the set, or distance the saw tooth is bent away from the saw blade.
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 4 1 2 circular saw cut?
The max cutting depth is 1-11/16″ at 90 degrees and 1-1/8″ at 45 degrees.
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.
