Circular Saw Tips

Master safe, accurate use of this tool, and you’ll have the skill necessary to cut large project parts.

Photography by Brian Francis | Pencil: © IStockPhoto.com/JillFromer

Good to Know

When using power saws, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from wood chips and sawdust.

Using a Circular Saw

Measure and mark. On both sides of the plywood, use a tape measure and pencil to mark the desired dimensions needed for your project. Place blue painter’s tape over these lines, and mark the dimensions again. The tape will minimize tear-out (ragged edges) on the plywood along the cut.
Position the board. Examine the sheet of plywood to determine which side feels smoother and has fewer imperfections. Place the better side down, with the waste (the part to be cut off) extending beyond the end of the work surface.
Clamp the framing square. Temporarily place the circular saw so that the blade is on the waste side of the marked line. Arrange the framing square so that one edge lines up with the side of the board facing you and the other is placed against the shoe plate of the saw. Clamp the framing square to the plywood as shown.
Cut the board. Making sure that the blade is not touching the board, start the saw, and then guide it along the framing square. (Starting with the blade touching the wood will result in the saw “kicking back.”) Do not force the saw along the wood—let the tool do the work. At the end of the cut, immediately let go of the trigger on the saw.

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