A walk-along circular saw plywood ripper.

[BoyntonStu]

Place the tip of the shovel face on the ground.

Is it easier to tip the load upwards with a short handle or with a long handle?

[Greg Neill]

Without a fulcrum obviously the short handle is preferred, as I intimated above.

[BoyntonStu]

The fulcrum is offset from the lever handle by the length of the plywood plate.

[Greg Neill]

What fulcrum would that be, and how does it result in a downward directed force on the saw and plate? The saw is fixed to the plate, right? Torquing the handle about the fulcrum would lift the rear end of the plate, and wouldn't do much to prevent the whole saw + plate assembly from lifting out of the cut.

[BoyntonStu]

If you push the angled handle to make a cut, the effort will resolve into 2 components: (1) forward and (2) downwards.

I never feel any lifting feedback.

Have you ever experienced a kickback or a lift using a circular saw?

I have worn out several in my lifetime and I have yet to see any difficulty in this arena.

Hence, my 'gadget'.

[Greg Neill]

True.

I've had cases where binding caused some pretty radical=20 saw motions that required firm hand control.

Well, good luck with that.

[Greg O]

Kickback or "lift" from a circular saw? More times than I could possibly count! A couple times just the other day! Greg

[BoyntonStu]

Greg,

What were you cutting and please explain your setup.

[Greg O]

Cutting up old flooring I was ripping out. Last summer I ripped some treated pine boards for a deck. Both times I had trouble with binding, the saw wanted to kick back and lift out of the cut.

You know, it is funny. You built a saw extension handle that you think is the best thing since sliced bread, and pretty much everyone here says no way they would use it! Seems to be an indicator of sorts. Have fun with your new gizmo, and I hope you don't cut your leg off with the thing! There is no way I would ever use it! Greg

[BoyntonStu]

Whenever I design something I ask myself, "what's he worst thing that could happen?"

I am walking along 2 feet behind the saw and 1 foot alongside it.

Suddenly the saw kicks back and it jumps a foot into the air.

The blade guard would close off the danger before the saw could cut anything.

(That is what it was designed to do)

If the blade guard failed, I still would have the handle in my hand and I believe that I could prevent the saw from coming near me. Besides, what is the trajectory? It is not a free object.

Add a safety lift-off switch and the power would be cut off as well.

Have I left anything out?

[Swingman]

"BoyntonStu" wrote

Absolutely ... the ubiquitous empty space between most ears.

[else24]

I hope neither of us have to find out but I suspect that as soon as the insurance company found out about your gadget they'd immediately say you had modified the say beyond its intended use and cancel payment.

I would even go so far as to say that every saw manufacturer would also say that, and refuse any warranty work on a saw modified in this manner.

Both would happen regardless of whether the modification itself is safe or not. Doesn't matter whether you or I are right about whether it's safe. Insurance and manufacturer would both use it as an excuse to renege.

[BoyntonStu]

Perhaps, but I do not live my life worrying about what insurance companies might do if something may possibly happen.

[The Davenport's]

You would lose that bet...the closer you are TO a "thing"(saw, drill, whatever) the more control you have WITH said thing.

[BoyntonStu]

Safer, not necessarily more control.

(We can argue control next.)

If the saw is in your hand and for some reason it jumps off the board, it would be then closer to your body than if held by a handle 4 feet away and unable to reach you (before the blade guard is in place).

If the blade can't reach you, it cannot cut you.

[Upscale]

"Safer" does not necessarily mean because you're not cut. The saw might fly off the board and decapitate the dog. The spinning blade might hit the floor and bounce the saw, turning that family heirloom you were in the process of fixing into so much kindling.

Or, since personal injury seems to be the "safe" that's on your mind, the flying saw might crash to the ground, chip a carbide tooth and send it flying into your leg, cutting your femoral artery at which point you fall to the ground and bleed to death in a few very fast minutes.

[The Davenport's]

Control _IS_ safer.

If I'm using a circular saw and it kick out of the cut and I'm holding the saw itself, I will have the control to put the thing out of harms way...that is away from me and my legs.

The other thing is that if I'm holding the saw handles that the maker put on it, I can FEEL what's happening and if the saw starts to kick, I can release the power switch, the blade stops, no harm, no foul.

And THAT is exactly my point!!!!