Circular saws are one of the most versatile tools in a woodworker’s arsenal and can be used for everything from rough-cutting boards to making delicate fretwork. But before you can start using your circular saw, you need to know how to use it safely and effectively. In this blog post, we’ll give you a brief overview of how to use a circular saw for beginners.
What is a circular saw?
A circular saw is a type of power tool used for cutting boards and other big pieces of wood or plastic by pulling its blade down onto the material being cut. The blade spins at a high rate, allowing it to make clean cuts in any material. Circular saws can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing, so please take the time to read through this blog post thoroughly before trying to use one.
Features Of Circular Saw
Highly versatile: Circular saws are incredibly versatile tools that can be used on a wide range of materials, ranging from thin plywood to extremely thick boards. This versatility allows you to complete more tasks using one tool instead of buying multiple specialized tools at once.
Powerful: Circular saws are very powerful and can cut through most materials with ease as long as you have a good blade installed. In fact, if you don’t pay attention to what you are doing, a circular saw can cut through your skin just as easily as it cuts through wood.
Safe: With the proper blade and safety equipment in place, a circular saw is one of the safest tools for novices to use when cutting boards. It’s much safer than saws that require you to hold the blade with your hands in order to initiate a cut, and it still gives you plenty of control over what you want to cut.
Long-lasting: Buying a good-quality circular saw is an investment that will last you for decades, provided you take good care of it. Most of the circular saws on the market today will last a long time if they are cleaned properly after extremely dusty jobs and extremely wet jobs, respectively.
Organized: When you buy a circular saw, all of its pieces come organized in one tool, making it more convenient for beginners who don’t know how to put it together yet.
Affordable: When compared to other tools, circular saws are actually very affordable as long as you compare them with the number of jobs you will be doing. In fact, even if you have a specific type of job in mind, such as cutting rough-cut wood lumber from trees on your property, you can save money by buying a circular saw and spending less than $50 on the needed blades.
Proper grounding: Circular saws come with a grounding wire that connects to an outlet that is properly grounded as well as a large metal sheet underneath the tool itself to allow it to ground correctly without damaging any surfaces. This allows you to prevent unexpected electrical fires from happening while you are using it.
Step 1: Basic Safety Tips
A circular saw is an extremely dangerous power tool. It has a blade that is constantly spinning at high speeds, which can cause serious injury if not handled properly. The basic safety precautions for using your circular saw are as follows: Always wear eye protection when using your circular saw.
Even something as small as a piece of wood dust can fly off the board and damage one of your eyes. Better yet, wear face protection too! Wear gloves or some sort of hand protection whenever possible when using your circular saw. Your hands will be close to the blade during operation and you don’t want to get a nasty cut.
Good cuts are bad for you! Always make sure your circular saw is properly ventilated when in use. Circular saws emit exhaust when in operation, and it is extremely dangerous if inhaled over an extended period of time. Keep your work area clear when cutting with a circular saw so that nobody will get hit by the blade if it suddenly kicks back due to misalignment or other reasons.
Step 2: Adjusting Saw Depth
Your circular saw has two adjusters on its base plate, one for adjusting how far down the blade can go (depth), and another for adjusting the left or right tilt of the blade itself. The depth adjuster allows you to set the maximum depth to which the saw will cut, and is adjusted by turning a small knob (usually at the back of the machine).
The tilt adjuster allows you to angle the blade left or right; this is usually done with a small locking knob that can be turned after loosening/tightening using a screwdriver.
Step 3: Using your Circular Saw
Before you use your circular saw, make sure it’s plugged in and fully charged as well as make sure that any adjustment knobs are secure. Safety first! Now we’ll discuss how to guide your circular saw down onto various materials. If you’re just cutting through 1 piece of material:
If your board is wider than the base plate of your circular saw, you can use a piece of wood as a fence to keep the board in place. However, if your circular saw has a laser guide built into it, it is much easier to line up the cut using the laser as a guide. If you’re cutting multiple pieces from 1 board:
If all you are doing with your circular saw is cutting boards down to size, make sure that about an inch is left uncut at the end of the board so that there will be room for error when guiding your circular saw down onto a new piece. This safety measure is especially important for beginners.
Optional: what do I do if my blade cuts crooked?
Sometimes, blades can become misaligned and not cut straight down on one side. If this happens, simply turn off your circular saw and lift it from the material being cut. Twist the blade itself around so that it goes back to its original position, then re-attach it to the machine and try again.
Step 4: Maintenance Tips
Your circular saw needs a little bit of love in order to keep working properly for years on end. After every use, make sure you wipe down all surfaces of your circular saw with a damp towel to remove any dust or debris buildup so your tool doesn’t become damaged over time due to a lack of lubrication. Make sure you oil both sides of your blade.
Next, check for any loose bolts or screws that may cause problems when cutting; tighten them if necessary. Finally, do not leave your circular saw out in the rain or snow. If your machine starts acting up, bring it to an authorized service center for repair.
Tips For Beginners Who Are Using Circular Saw:
Make sure you use 1 hand to hold the blade itself stable and another to guide the tool downwards so that you don’t accidentally put too much weight on one side of the blade and possibly break it. Keep your hands as far away from the blade as possible at all times; if you can manage to cut without touching any part of the saw (not including materials), then that is best.
Always keep a firm grip on both sides of the base plate when cutting downwards. Also, make sure that you securely tighten down all adjustment knobs before making cuts; there is no point in adjusting anything after you’ve already cut your material.
There are some other detailed steps that can be taken to use circular saws correctly, but these 3 will give beginner woodworkers the general idea of how to safely and efficiently function with this machine. Now you know all there is to using a circular saw for beginners!
Conclusion:
Using a circular saw is an easy way to make quick and accurate cuts. Be sure you are aware of the safety features on your saw and always use caution when cutting. With these tips in mind, you should be able to start making beautiful projects with your circular saw!
