what's the best way to keep a circular saw cutting straight? I'm tired of veering left or right on a long piece of thin wood where I lose sight of the line.
- posted
16 years ago
tricks to keep a circular saw cutting straight
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- posted
16 years ago
Clamp work securely to saw horses or bench, then tack a wooden strip to the work, so that the side of the saw baseplate will track against it. Roger
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- posted
16 years ago
Buy a table saw...
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- posted
16 years ago
Clamp a guide on the side and run along it. Practice helps too. I know a guy that can cut 8 foot long 45 degree miters by hand and have a perfect fit, but some of us can't get through a 2 x 4 straight. Just because the brain knows what you need, the hand does not always cooperate.
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- posted
16 years ago
I was gonna say that, but woulda said C-clamps to hold the guide wood.
Depending how pretty your work, tacks or drywall screws.
Also whether you are ataching to the "good" piece, or to the scrap that's being sawed off.
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- posted
16 years ago
Yep. I have two pieces 1/4"x8' 4" and 1/4"x4'4" flat iron bar. Those plus two C clamps have never failed me. For short cuts, my framing square or for even shorter ones the small squares with the lip on them are wonderful.
Harry K
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- posted
16 years ago
Look up 'saw board' on the net. Essentially, it's a board the width of your saw base up to the blade on which your saw rides. On the edge opposite the blade you have a fence to guide the saw. You clamp it in place. It's just a fancy version of what others have posted. I use the simple version myself. Just offering options.
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- posted
16 years ago
- what's the best way to keep a circular saw cutting straight? I'm tired
- of veering left or right on a long piece of thin wood where I lose
- sight of the line.
They weren't made to cut straight lines...why do you think they call them "circular saws"? ;-)
OT - Anybody ever cut a circular disk on a table saw. I've done it a few times for various projects...it's pretty neat.
I used the method shown here, although I'm not quite as comfortable with my table saw as The Woodguy appears to be.
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Another method, which I have not tried is shown here:
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Enjoy,,,but be careful!
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- posted
16 years ago
The rule, "don't look back" is useful when operating a saw.
What's cut is cut. Just keep your eye several inches before the saw. If there isn't a mark on the baseplate where the blade will cut (if you go straight), make one.
When I had to trim a 8' board, the "scrap" looked like lath.
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- posted
16 years ago
It's called SOBRIETY !!!!!
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- posted
16 years ago
You can build a 4' jig (or any length for that matter) that was shown on a public tv show a while back. Use a thin but strong base like 3/8 plywood. About 8" wide and 4' long. Screw a guide on it made out of a 1x1 (or so). Mount the guide a couple inches from one side of the base and 4-5 inches from the other side. Run the circle saw against the guide and cut off any excess base that you can. What you will have is a guide is custom taylored to your circle saw. Just clamp it on the work along the cut line and run the saw along the 1x1 guide for a perfect cut.
Dan