Perfect cuts with circular saw - How?

[ls2poweredgoat 5,000+ posts]

I read a trick on here a few months back on how to make perfectly straight cuts with a circular saw, but I can't find/remember it...

Any tips?

Click to read more...

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

i usually use a piece of MDF and some clamps as a guide...never fails me

 

[Pop da Hatch 10+ year member]

Factor edge //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[ls2poweredgoat 5,000+ posts]

Factor edge //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

?????

 

[jdc753 10+ year member]

combination of all the above, and a good sharp blade. Use some sort of guide or fence system, and utilize the factory edges as best as you possible can. A good steady hand and a good eye really help too if your gonna just follow a line.

?????

Factory Edge. The edges of the board when you buy it.

 

[ls2poweredgoat 5,000+ posts]

I've made quite a few boxes, and I just bought a really nice blade, but I know my cuts can be better.

 

[97gp 5,000+ posts]

And thats not me.

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

And thats not me.

thats how i do it......of course it helped me tremendously going from a $35 walmart skil circular to my $150 Home Depot Porter Cable circular saw. You really do get what you pay for

 

[ls2poweredgoat 5,000+ posts]

I have a $50 Black and Decker circular saw I got from Walmart, it really isn't bad.

 

[97gp 5,000+ posts]

I have a nice corded dewalt saw, also a matching battery powered circular saw.

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

Yup, just get two clamps, I use c-clamps, and a nice straight edge. Mark your line according to the distance of the fence on the saw, clamp and cut!

Perfect cuts everytime as long as you measure and line it up right //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[stuckinok 5,000+ posts]

I have Home Depot do it for 25 cents a cut becuase iam lazy.

They havnt let me down yet *knocks on wood*

 

[Pop da Hatch 10+ year member]

Factor edge //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

And thats not me.

Factory edge used as the straight edge for inside guide on saw. Hence your cuts will be straight and square.

/

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

Once you use a straight edge to keep the cuts square (or as square as possible), you also need to really be critical of your measurements. Make sure to account for the saw blade and measure from the blade edge to the straight edge.

When making multiple cuts with the same dimension, I usually take the first piece I cut (after I have made sure it is the exact dimension I need) and I draw a line on the wood I'm going to cut by putting the first cut piece on top. I then check that measurement and make sure it's correct and then set up my straight edge to make sure that the blade sits correctly on the outside of the line. Once you're set up, you just rip as steady as possible and make sure all sides are supported well so you don't pinch the blade.

Without a table saw, I have found that method to work the best for me but it is very time consuming. What takes 20 minutes on a table saw, takes me about 2 hours with a circular saw.

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

I use abot a 4 1/2 foot level, factory edges aernt always perfect