I consider myself pretty handy and capable. I've remodeled every room in my house and done pretty much all the work myself (save for finishing drywall as I hate it).

Anyway, during the current project I have come to grips with the fact that I cannot cut a straight line with a circular saw. Just can't do it. Impossible. I built shelving using 16" wide boards so I made a crosscut jig to cut 90's with and it works well enough, but I still will end up with a 1/16" or so difference on the long edge of the boards. Not a big deal on the shelves, but annoys me as I have a jig that I know is square (at least according to a framing square).

I also had to cut 3/16" off of a new slab door. I free handed it, following a very straight and narrow line. I went slowly and was very proud of myself...until I looked down the cut side of the door. It was all kinds of wavy. Luckily its a closet door, and it will not be noticed with the door shut, but it drives me crazy.

What are your tips/tricks to make better cuts?

A table saw

Our local Lowes will cut boards to your specs for free if you buy from them. I've had them do that a couple of times.

Jim

circular saw track.

Google search it as there are a lot out there, but they work great. I even have seen some homemade ones out there, but at less than $100 I think a nice alumnium one is worth it.

I borrowed my Dad's to use when making a bar top out of two pieces of black walnut and it cut straight enough to join the two edges together into one big slab.

Here is the Kreg version. Kreg Accu-Cut

C-clamp an angle iron to the board and use that as a fence.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
C-clamp an angle iron to the board and use that as a fence.

This.

I usually use a straight piece of 1x or my 4-foot level with squeeze clamps as it's what I have convenient.

Track saw, and hard foam insulation on the ground.

So much better and easier than saw horses and straight edge guide.

Kreg even has a system that your saw attaches to, or for $400 ish, makita makes an excellent track saw with good dust collection to boot.

I prefer it to my large table saw, much easier to handle large plywood on ground.

Use a speed square as a saw guide. Works every time - if you have a good blade on your saw.

https://www.amazon.com/Swanson...=8-7&tag=googhydr-20

Table saw is not an option. No room for one and all the infeed and outfeed tables needed to safely handle sheet goods.

The Kreg accu-cut looks prefect, but I want to be able to rip a full 96".

As far as the speed square method goes, I do use that just fine, but the shorter cuts are not the issue. Besides I typically will just throw anything I could rip with a speed square onto the miter saw anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Our local Lowes will cut boards to your specs for free if you buy from them. I've had them do that a couple of times.

Jim

If only I could plan that well.

quote:

Originally posted by KDR: ... save for finishing drywall as I hate it ...

When you embrace the Zen of drywall finishing you will find yourself far better than you imagine.

A high quality blade with plenty of spring along its edge. A clean pan, fresh compound every time. Add a drop of water or so to the compound. Boogers in the pan? discard it all. And for me, sanding between coats, for all its mess, makes for a perfect job. 120 - 220 with respirator. The dust drops straight down, so if there is no breeze, cleanup is not SIGnificant.

Cutting straight, I use an attachable fence. Even with that, I wonk it all out. A long block with sandpaper attached satisfies my eye for "straightening" a cut.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:

quote:

Originally posted by KDR: ... save for finishing drywall as I hate it ...

When you embrace the Zen of drywall finishing you will find yourself far better than you imagine.

A high quality blade with plenty of spring along its edge. A clean pan, fresh compound every time. Add a drop of water or so to the compound. Boogers in the pan? discard it all. And for me, sanding between coats, for all its mess, makes for a perfect job. 120 - 220 with respirator. The dust drops straight down, so if there is no breeze, cleanup is not SIGnificant.

I have found my drywall finishing zen....I call Wayne, my drywall guy, and he sends a guy over. I write a check and feel amazing that the job is done and I didn't do it.

Blue painters tape. Serves two purposes. First gives you a straight line to cut along, second it keeps thin laminate on top from splintering when you cut. Second tip use finer toothed blade and go slow.

You have two options for highly accurate rips with a circular saw. Best option (assuming you have the budget) is a trac saw. Lots of options up and down the price spectrum.

Second option is what I use. Build yourself a cheap cutting jig. Do it right and it rivals the accuracy of a dedicated trac saw. Here's a good video on building one.



I actually have two of these jigs, one for 8' stock and another for 4' stock. Just remember though, these jigs are only accurate with the same circular saw running the same blade as the jig was made with.

Oh, and make sure to always cut your stock upside down (if possible) with this jig to minimize tear out.

I was born with a Skill-Saw in my hand, or so they tell me, Dad was a carpenter / contractor so I may not fully understand the problem...

It's the luck of the draw at Lowes, depends on the operator despite having the right equipment. The only time I ever had the kid at Lowes cut a 4x8 down for me was just so I could haul it in the vehicle I happened to be in. Good thing I had room re-rip it. I can also tell you that big box plywood ain't always true to size or square either, they buy from the lowest bidder by region so that may be part of the problem. The higher the grade the better it seems to run though.

Proper blade, sharp, don't rush the cut. You should use a guide to run against, the pros usually do. A full length scrap strip of plywood to clamp in place is handy to keep around. To be honest a 1/16 variation in 8 foot isn't bad for an occasional hobby user.

Also check that the table of the saw is square / true to the blade... I've seen some that weren't. For safety a lot of advise says to just barely allow the blade tip to penetrate the wood but I like to allow the full depth of the tooth gullets to extend through, IMO, it ejects sawdust better, lets the blade run cooler and the extra little bit of blade width in the workpiece seems to help, especially on thinner stock. YMMV.

quote:

Also check that the table of the saw is square / true to the blade... I've seen some that weren't.

^^^^^^

This. I had a saw that must have been dropped, cut crooked no mater what, finally realized the base on the saw was crooked to the blade.

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:

To be honest a 1/16 variation in 8 foot isn't bad for an occasional hobby user.

Also check that the table of the saw is square / true to the blade... I've seen some that weren't. For safety a lot of advise says to just barely allow the blade tip to penetrate the wood but I like to allow the full depth of the tooth gullets to extend through, IMO, it ejects sawdust better, lets the blade run cooler and the extra little bit of blade width in the workpiece seems to help, especially on thinner stock. YMMV.

1/16" over 16" while using a crosscut jig. If I could do that over 8', I'd be bragging.

I didn't think about the blade being square to the base. What's the best way to check that? I've got a dewalt and just assumed that that wouldn't be an issue.

quote:

Originally posted by KDR:
What's the best way to check that? I've got a dewalt and just assumed that that wouldn't be an issue.

Make a cut and test the edge with a good quality square.

Another vote for a speed square/roofers square.

Cut a 6” strip off the long edge of a 3/4” piece of plywood. Use the finished edge of the plywood strip as your guiding template that the skilsaw’s base can butt up against. Cheap and should do better than you can do freehand.