Circular saw annoyance

[Stuart Noble]

But to trim a door lengthways?

[dennis]

Done that, I have a saw board made from a piece of 8' x 1' ply just ripped from a sheet. Its actually for cutting ox sheets but it will do a door too.

I also have one of these

somewhat easier to carry about and you can use it with the wide part of the sole plate on the work without worrying about using low profile clamps on a batten to get around TMH supposed problem. You would think that a "professional" handyman would have worked out how to use a guide batten by now but apparently he hasn't.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have some ContiBoard shelving (9" wide) kept for this purpose

[Stuart Noble]

Reliably straight IME.

[The Medway Handyman]

Never done it cos I don't really hang doors, just trim them. Easy enough to make a door sized sawboard.

I have many times used a 4' sawboard to taper cut a 10' deck board. After the first cut, you reposition the sawboard & align its edge with the cut edge of the board, then carry on. You can't see where the old/new cut changed.

I'va also used a 4' sawboard to trim the edge of a 35' deck using the method above.

[Matty F]

My "piece of wood" is several feet wide. The clamps are out of the way.

I can't see why a measurement is so fiddly.

using a sawboard. I can't use one when I am cutting down the edges of a 60mm door, as I'm doing a lot of these days. I'm putting sheet steel on all exterior doors to stop people smashing them down, as they do sometimes.

Is there a conspiracy to explain the use of sawboards in the most difficult way possible? I have looked at half a dozen explanations. Why is there a left-handed saw in the reference above? I have never seen a left-handed Skilsaw.

[John Rumm]

Its not - just that the board allows you to position the exact edge of the kerf where you want it, enhancing the accuracy of your measurement. If you draw a line and follow it, you can be a small distance out. If you run along a conventional straight edge you need to account for the offset from the sole plate to the blade with each layout and cut.

How would you suggest simplifying the explanation?

This is an equal opportunity wiki, we don't discriminate against southpaws... ;-)

(well in fact, that was the first decent looking circular saw that came out of the sketchup object library)

[Matty F]

Perhaps you have not seen what Google gives me! This one seems incredibly complicated (look at the end photos):

site shows the saw in place on the sawboard but they have not cut the edge off the board yet. Another shows the saw being used around the wrong way so that it is not supported properly and would not cut square.

I hope you are going to change it. A real photo would do!

[John Rumm]

Ha, beat you to it (by 20 mins or so!)

Reload:

get a more traditional looking saw this time (if not, hit F5)

[Matty F]

Much better thanks. How long do battery powered saws cut for anyway? :)

[dennis]

How about a video on youtube?

I have two saws, one has the sole plate on the other side. It doesn't make any difference other than which hand I hold it on as one has to start at the left hand end and the other the right hand end.

[dennis]

Maybe you should make your sawboard double sided like mine? One side does 90 degree cuts, the other 45 degree cuts. Its a bit wider so its easier to clamp.

[John Rumm]

or circular saw one side, jigsaw the other etc.

[John Rumm]

My little dewalt one will do about 8 - 10 mins I suppose. ;-)

[The Medway Handyman]

How often do you need to make 45 degree cuts halfwit?

I make mine circ/circ both sides, no confusion, muchas roomo for clamps.

Shouldn't be using a jigsaw for straight cuts - naughty Mr Rumm!

[John Rumm]

Depends on what you are cutting! (you can get jigsaw blades for stuff that you would not much fancy cutting with a circular saw).

(anyway, that nice jigsaw of yours will make a nice straight cut ;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Perhaps on one side of the work. ;-)