We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), 9 Ways to Keep Your Dog Active Inside During the Winter, Get Precise Circular Saw Cuts With This Simple Hack, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. A fence is a straight member used to guide the plate of the circular saw. Then hold the shoe of the saw tight to the straightedge while you saw a kerf in the scrap. There's no hard-and-fast rule regarding which direction to make the … This protects the fragile edge until you bevel it slightly with fine sandpaper. Manage your saw cord so it doesn't snag and pull the saw off line. The most convenient way to do is is to procure a 1 1/2 inch thick installation About the same size … Cutting speed depends on many factors, including the type and sharpness of the blade and the type of plywood you're cutting. The deeper you set your saw blade, the more marks you get. The disadvantage of the 140-tooth plywood blade is that the teeth will dull much faster than the teeth on the three carbide blades. long marking the desired width of your piece. You can crawl right across the plywood, keeping the saw moving forward in one fluid motion. Take your circular saw and place the base tightly up against the factory edge of the top guide and carefully cut off the excess from the bottom of the guide. But the cord can do you in. In general, a sharp blade should flow through the wood with little force, as if it's melting the wood away. Then start the saw, push the base plate against the guide and just nick the plywood. Home Tools, Gear & Equipment Tools & Supplies Saws Circular, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine. Adjust your circular saw cutting depth to be just below the material. So, for how to cut plywood with a circular saw without splintering: use the right blade, support the fibers along the cut … My favorite is the 40-tooth carbide blade. The bottom edge usually remains … It's also a good time to check the blade for chipped or missing teeth. More importantly, cross-cutting a sheet into multiple pieces … We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. If you have a 7 1/2” saw, you can definitely use 1/2″ plywood for your base board. The rubber grips on … Plywood cut … That assumes that the blade is sharp. Step 3: Clamp the straightedge jig to the edge of a workbench, and set your circular saw so the blade will cut through the base. Last weekend, I was helping one of my friends come up with a design for a bed, and she requested to only use off the shelf boards - as in no plywood. You now have a circular saw guide that … Then, simply run the circular saw and sled down the Accu-Cut to make the cut. I keep one in reserve and use it only when I need a fine cut. Â.  Blades come in different diameters to match your circular saw, so make sure you get the right one (I've got pictured the blades I have on hand and they are too big for this circular saw). A higher tooth count will give you a smoother cut. Set the saw along the plywood edge, lift the guard and look closely as you set the depth. The large size and the weight of plywood also makes it difficult to cut a full sheet directly on the table saw. So always cut plywood with the good side down. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the blade that came … I used 1/4″ plywood for my guide too. Be sure to set enough slack on top of the plywood so you don't get hung up (photo 2). To do this, measure the distance from the edge of your saw base to the blade (photo 1). The 2x4s will be “sacrificed” just a bit when the blade passes over them, but that won't affect the quality of the cut. (We made a dark line for photo clarity.) Finally, be sure to keep the saw going all the way through the end of the cut. That’s where most tear out occurs. A Jigsaw is a cheaper and more portable than a Circular Saw. Clamp a straightedge to a scrap of lumber for a circular saw rip guide. You can buy straightedges at home centers and hardware stores, but for long cuts I almost always use the “factory cut” edge on a strip of 3/4-in. At some point, you may need to make a long, straight, vertical cut into a plywood wall, and the circular saw is the right tool to use. Set up the two stools or a supporting surface on the designated work area … The alternative is to cut it into small size using a circular saw. Just remember to start the saw at the top of the wall and cut down. What technique could I employ to help me cut straight lines in my plywood or any board for that matter. Next, make sure you properly orient the sheet as you’re cutting. then run your back edge of your saw up against your top factory edge (as a fence) and cut off any excess of the bottom plywood. This setting lets the teeth shear the wood fiber rather than chop it, and it helps stabilize the blade (less vibration). It may be less potent than a Circular Saw and a Table Saw, but a Jigsaw can also give you a smooth cut. Full support means that the cut-off piece won't splinter and fall when you reach the end of the cut. Then measure to the edge of the nick to double-check your measurements. However, if you have a project that calls for a lot of fine cuts in expensive plywood, don't hesitate to buy the special 56-tooth laminate-cutting blade. Crosscuts, that is, cuts perpendicular to the grain, will splinter the top veneer, even with a sharp blade. Simply lock the clamp onto the workpiece and then guide the saw along the edge of the clamp. In general, the more teeth, the smoother the cut. 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