Project:Circular Saw Guide
| ProjectInfoBox Circular Saw Guide - No Measuring! | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status: | finished |
| Release Date: | 2018 |
| Initiator: | Lukas |
| Materials Used: | wood glue, scrap wood (thin plywood or similar + thicker board) |
| Tools Used: | circular saw |
| Approx. Cost: | 0 € |
Tired of calculating how far from your desired cut line you'll have to place a board to use as a parallel fence when using a handheld circular saw?
Lukas made a saw guide that solved this problem for an old saw we used to have. We now have a nice Festool TS 75 plunge saw at the Space that comes with a 1400 mm aluminum rail, but this DIY approach should work for pretty much anything you might have at home!
How It's Made
For any other saw than the "Herkules BHK 1600LE" you'll most likely need a different guide. However, it's pretty easy to make without any measurements!
You'll need:
- a board with a straight edge (wider than the saw's motor so you have room for clamps)
- a flat sheet, e.g. plywood about twice the size of your board
- glue the board onto the sheet, leaving enough bare sheet so the circular saw fits on it
- after the glue-up, clamp the contraption down where you can saw and cut away as much of the thin part as the thick board lets you (keeping the wider side of the saw towards the board)
- steps of the build - hover for explanations, click for larger images!
select your pieces and spread some wood glue
apply gluing pressure with clamps and/or heavy stuff
cut off the excess plywood with the exact saw you'll use with the jig
(optional) mark areas of the guide, e.g. where the saw travels and where clamps can be placed
You can also find similar instructions all over the internet, e.g. by Popular Mechanics or WOOD magazine.
How It's Used
- measure your workpiece and mark where you want to cut (at least two points)
- lay the guide on your cut line, connecting the measured points with its thin side and keeping the guide on the part of the workpiece that you'll keep
- clamp the guide to the workpiece, avoiding the area labeled "KEEP CLEAR" (that's where the saw's motor will travel)
- secure your workpiece so the cut path is free of obstacles and the wood won't move unexpectedly
- place the circular saw on the thin part of the guide, just before your workpiece (you may have to open the blade guard by hand)
- let the saw ride on the guide and cut!
