PS I like the idea of using a level as a straight edge, but I typically bang my "straight edge" around, which I don't really like to do with levels. Also, there isn't a self locking system that many of the purpose-built circular saw guides have now (which are quite nice!) [/B][/QUOTE]
Hi,
Take a look at FESTOOL, they do a circular saw which rotates anti-clockwise (instead of clockwise), most people I work with swear by them, they don't even chip mica-board. Pretty cool, no? They are a bit pricey though.
Thanks
Gareth
P.S. The guide system they offer is pretty excellent too, I have had a go with these in work to see what they are like and I was impressed. The guide just sits on top and away to go, awesome.
Oh, by the way Teflon coating on your blades works wonders, smooth as...
Hi,
Take a look at FESTOOL, they do a circular saw which rotates anti-clockwise (instead of clockwise), most people I work with swear by them, they don't even chip mica-board. Pretty cool, no? They are a bit pricey though.
Thanks
Gareth
P.S. The guide system they offer is pretty excellent too, I have had a go with these in work to see what they are like and I was impressed. The guide just sits on top and away to go, awesome.
Oh, by the way Teflon coating on your blades works wonders, smooth as...
I do not like the idea of an "anti-clockwise" saw (or counterclockwise if you are on this side of the pond 
, though the direction of rotation depends on the observation perspective) They would be much more dangerous than a typical circular saw. By having the blade make initial downward contact with the work piece, the blade is pushing the saw away from the workpiece, making the body of the saw prone to bounce at best (resulting in uneven cuts), and kicking back into you at worst.
Furthermore, that saw would force a "climb cut" in which the rotation of the blade would draw the saw forward. This would make things incredibly hard to control and would present a situation in which the saw could grab the workpiece and be shot forward.
I would definitely stay away!! I have never seen a saw that cuts like you are describing, and if I did, I would write the company to try and get the series discontinued. That is NOT safe.
To get the same effect in which the initial blade contact is working into your piece, always remember to cut with your saw on the back side of your workpiece (workpiece face down, saw on top). That way, the blade is cutting "down" into the face of the piece, minimizing tear out, while still "pulling" the workpiece into the saw.
, though the direction of rotation depends on the observation perspective) They would be much more dangerous than a typical circular saw. By having the blade make initial downward contact with the work piece, the blade is pushing the saw away from the workpiece, making the body of the saw prone to bounce at best (resulting in uneven cuts), and kicking back into you at worst. Furthermore, that saw would force a "climb cut" in which the rotation of the blade would draw the saw forward. This would make things incredibly hard to control and would present a situation in which the saw could grab the workpiece and be shot forward.
I would definitely stay away!! I have never seen a saw that cuts like you are describing, and if I did, I would write the company to try and get the series discontinued. That is NOT safe.
To get the same effect in which the initial blade contact is working into your piece, always remember to cut with your saw on the back side of your workpiece (workpiece face down, saw on top). That way, the blade is cutting "down" into the face of the piece, minimizing tear out, while still "pulling" the workpiece into the saw.
They too can give excellent results with the right guide system.
Yes indeed, and for my money the best guide is a DIY version.
http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm
7/10
Yes indeed, and for my money the best guide is a DIY version.
http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm
7/10
Thanks everyone for chipping in.
Yes it is a hand held circular saw and I should have made that clear at the beginning.
However I now realise that it is better to have it cut ( accurately !) at the material supplier's place as they have a table saw next door. I guess it would be easier and better as it would be done by a pro (?).
I can't have a regular table saw at home but could buiild a saw board . Will do that when I get time. Thanks for the link.
Thanks again. If anyone would like to add comments it would be very helpful for all of us who do not have table saw's.
Yes it is a hand held circular saw and I should have made that clear at the beginning.
However I now realise that it is better to have it cut ( accurately !) at the material supplier's place as they have a table saw next door. I guess it would be easier and better as it would be done by a pro (?).
I can't have a regular table saw at home but could buiild a saw board . Will do that when I get time. Thanks for the link.
Thanks again. If anyone would like to add comments it would be very helpful for all of us who do not have table saw's.
The lumber yard will NOT make a precision cut! Not even close!ashok said:
I don't think they even want to try and get within 1" in most cases
You will be much better off going with your circular saw (with a 40 teeth or more), a good guide, and a bunch of sand paper.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do!
I respectfully disagree.fizzard said:
Though good for crosscutting applications, high tooth count blades have the additional benefit of not causing much tear out (which is why they are good for cross cutting in the first place). If you are cutting chipboard, melanine, or plywood cross grain, you would want to minimize tear out and chipping as much as possible, making higher tooth count blades excellent choices. As I recommended before, I have found 40 tooth blades appropriate for this use with circular saws, though I wouldn't find a 60 tooth blade unreasonable if one could be found reasonably.
Finally, if your blade is "cutting slow," then you should have it sharpened. Dull blades coupled with insufficient feed rates definitely result in heating of blades and burning of cuts, but with a good sharp blade, feed rate should not be an issue. If you find the resistance bogging down your motor, I would highly recommend a thin kerf blade before getting a lower tooth count blade! Though some people complain of blade wobble with thin kerf blades (I have seen this complaint more with 12" and 15" table saw blades), I have never found this to be an issue with any blades on a 7.25" saw.
David
I have a 40 tooth Bosch carbide tipped blade ( 2.2mm kerf ) and a 60 tooth carbide blade made by Camel ( Japan ) ( 2 mm kerf ). There is another low tooth count ( 20 ? ) made in the US and is not carbide tipped and looks like it has heated up quite a bit ( discoloured!). I can't remember what I did with it as it must have been over 5 years ago.
I'm a bit surprised to hear that the lumber yard guys will not do an accurate job . Looks like I will have to ship the board across to my house and then do it myself !
I'm a bit surprised to hear that the lumber yard guys will not do an accurate job . Looks like I will have to ship the board across to my house and then do it myself !
Sounds like a standard 24 tooth steel blade that might have come "free" with your saw. Trash it and don't think about that blade ever again. New blades are so cheap that there is no reason to hang onto it. If it is discolored, it is probably dull and "gumming" the wood to death rather than cutting--thus the large heat generated.ashok said:
And sorry to be the bearer of bad news RE lumber yard cuts. The quite suck.
Hope you get things squared away!
Ashok, if you can get yourself a steady table that you can safely cut your wood on you should be off to a good start, somewhere safe where you can cut easily and safely.
Then try to get some sort of a straight edge, obviously the straighter the better. Maybe a pre-planed and finished piece of wood or a spirit-level long enough to reach the length of the longest cut, whatever you can get your hands on. Whatever you get to do this then it has to fit underneath the motor of the circular saw so that it glides past easily.
Decides on what joints you will use, measure, check your measurements and cut. Remeber to set you r cutting guide parallel to your markings and take into account what side of your markings you want to cut to get your cuts right and you should be ok. Just take your time and think and of what you are doing you should be fine.
Remember to keep the electric cable, your fingers (and anyone else I suppose), and other valuable/non-valuable items out of the way of that blade.
Happy days
Gareth
Have a look at these www.festoolusa.com and see what you think, I think they' re pretty cool
Then try to get some sort of a straight edge, obviously the straighter the better. Maybe a pre-planed and finished piece of wood or a spirit-level long enough to reach the length of the longest cut, whatever you can get your hands on. Whatever you get to do this then it has to fit underneath the motor of the circular saw so that it glides past easily.
Decides on what joints you will use, measure, check your measurements and cut. Remeber to set you r cutting guide parallel to your markings and take into account what side of your markings you want to cut to get your cuts right and you should be ok. Just take your time and think and of what you are doing you should be fine.
Remember to keep the electric cable, your fingers (and anyone else I suppose), and other valuable/non-valuable items out of the way of that blade.
Happy days
Gareth
Have a look at these www.festoolusa.com and see what you think, I think they' re pretty cool
I have not had much luck with getting the home center guys to make an accurate cut.A while back,I bought two sheets of MDF.I asked him to cut them into 4 pieces,24" each.He carefully measured and cut each piece,and the result was no piece was closer than 1 1/2" to 24".Since I was going to cut them into thin strips anyway,it really didn't matter,but would have been if I needed them to be 24".
Even though I have a 3 HP Delta Unisaw with a 50" Biesemeyer fence,I don't have room to push full sheets across it,so I use a sawboard to cut them into more manageable pieces.
Two folding sawhorses and a sacrificial sheet of MDF provides a base to cut the sheets on.Set the cutting depth on your circular saw to about 1/16" more than what you are cutting.Clamp the sawboard with C-clamps,and cut the piece.Since the sheet is fully supported,you don't have to worry about pieces falling and splitting the end.
The 1/16" kerf into the sacrificial sheet is no big deal,you would have to build truckloads of speakers before it would be hacked up enough to be a problem,then just flip it over and use the other side.
For repetitive cuts,make a sliding T gauge(like a marking gauge,but with a longer slide).Once you have the sawboard clamped for the first piece,set the gauge against the sawboard and the edge of the work.Using the gauge on each end will insure the piece is parallel.For each additional piece you cut,use the gauge to set the sawboard,and each piece will be the same size.
Even though I have a 3 HP Delta Unisaw with a 50" Biesemeyer fence,I don't have room to push full sheets across it,so I use a sawboard to cut them into more manageable pieces.
Two folding sawhorses and a sacrificial sheet of MDF provides a base to cut the sheets on.Set the cutting depth on your circular saw to about 1/16" more than what you are cutting.Clamp the sawboard with C-clamps,and cut the piece.Since the sheet is fully supported,you don't have to worry about pieces falling and splitting the end.
The 1/16" kerf into the sacrificial sheet is no big deal,you would have to build truckloads of speakers before it would be hacked up enough to be a problem,then just flip it over and use the other side.
For repetitive cuts,make a sliding T gauge(like a marking gauge,but with a longer slide).Once you have the sawboard clamped for the first piece,set the gauge against the sawboard and the edge of the work.Using the gauge on each end will insure the piece is parallel.For each additional piece you cut,use the gauge to set the sawboard,and each piece will be the same size.
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