A circular saw is simply a must-have tool for any woodworking project. It is used extensively for cutting plywood or long board.
In most instances, circular saws are used in conjunction with tables for various woodworking projects.
However, not everyone has a table to use with their circular saw.
If you have been searching for information on howto use circular saw without table you are definitely in the right place.
Here you will find two approaches to using a circular saw without a table.
How to Use Circular Saw Without Table
If you are wondering about howto use circular saw without table, here are two approaches that you can use:
Method One
The method is probably the most popular one when it comes to using a circular saw without a table. It is also probably the easiest one too.
Procedure
Step 1:
You require a pressure treated plywood or some kind of wood that’s high in moisture for this. For that, you may be required to use a circular saw blade made specifically for pressure treated plywood.
It comes with a unique non-stick covering that reduces friction as the circular saw blade cuts through the damp wood.
Step 2:
You now need to fit the saw with a type of edge guide. The edge guide moves along the side of the plywood or lumber thus ensuring an even cut from one point to another.
Step 3:
You should then make sure that the blade’s depth is accurately and precisely set such that it just goes through the wood.
Generally, a blade depth of the blade about 0.25 inch should be enough for most woodworking projects.
Step 4:
The next step is to place the unused pieces of wood on the sawhorses so that you are to make the cut in exactly way you want.
This way you can be ready to make a cut from one end of the plywood all the way to the other end.
Step 5:
Using the right type of circular saw and circular saw blade is the key to making precise and accurate cuts using this method.
Method Two
The second popular approach to using a circular saw without a table is by using a track under it. For this method, you can choose to either buy a track or make your own.
Here, the focus will be how to make your own track at home.
To make the track, you first require several things such as tape measure, combination square, pencil, chalk line either blue or black, a regular drill, a drill with a countersink bit, wood screws, and a circular saw.
Procedure
Step 1:
First, you need to grab your tap measure and measure out two boards, one of which should be about 2½ inch wide. It is advisable to use the straightest board possible to ensure straight cuts.
Step 2:
You now need to grab another board, which is about 11 – 12 inches wide and has a thickness of about ¾ inches. You can use plywood for this.
Use your chalk line or pencil to draw a straight line to about the 4½-inch mark according to the base of your circular saw and then make the cut across the width of the board.
You need to ensure that you get the line perfect.
Step 3:
Grab the smaller piece of wood and set it right along the line covering the outside line area and clamp the vertical edges of the wood to ensure that they remain stable.
The smaller board may move slightly after clamping, which is why you should drill some holes using the countersink drill all the way through and use screws to fasten it to the larger board thus making the hold of both boards stronger.
Step 4:
Clamp down the larger board as hard as possible to the table as hard as you can and make a plunge cut to trim this to an exact size.
Next, place the base of the circular saw such that it is adjacent to the smaller piece of wood and cut the rest of the larger piece of wood.
By now you will have zero clearance and the blade will actually touch the horizontal piece of wood, which will serve as a reference point for your cuts.
Step 5:
To cut a piece of wood or plywood, you will now have to place it beneath the track that you have just made and clamp it tightly.
You then have to place thee base of the saw in the same way, touching the smaller piece of wood and the blade being adjacent to the larger piece of wood.
After that, simply run the saw all the way through the larger piece of wood and you will have a precise cut.
Circular Saw Safety Tips
When working with a circular saw, even a bit of distraction may lead to serious injury. To avoid that, you need to follow a few basic safety procedures, which include:
- Never work alone
- Always hold the saw with 2 hands when cutting
- Short material should be cut from long material first
- Always unplug the saw before changing the blade
- Blade guard should move freely to both the open and closed position
- Always prepare a stable surface for cutting material on
- Always set the depth of the saw to 1/8 inch thicker than the material
- Keep loose clothing, hair, jewelry, and anything that might get caught in the saw tied back
- Once you have made the cut, don’t let go of the saw while the blade is still spinning
- Stand to the side when cutting material to position yourself away from potential kickback
- Always wear safety glasses and hearing protection when using the saw
Final Thoughts
A circular saw is a must-have tool for any woodworking project. Using a circular saw without a table might seem like an impossible task to many, but as this howto use circular saw without table guide has shown, it is definitely possible.
The two methods described here might seem a bit complex at first, but they are not all that hard. Once you have done it several times, you will be able to cut just about anything with a circular saw without a table.