Circular saws do not move in a straight line. The saw drifts off our pattern or marks, or the saw blade seizes up when we try to set it back in the right direction. It’s frustrating and a waste of money, time, and materials. But fret not, our woodwork experts have gathered the ways how to cut straight with a circular saw.
What is a Circular Saw?
A circular saw is a hand-held tool with a rotating toothed or abrasive disc used for cutting wood. It is a common tool in construction and repair projects, both big and small. This powerful tool saves time when cutting through various materials such as wood, fiberglass, and metal, among others.
What Cuts Can You Make With a Circular Saw?
The cuts you can make with this tool are rip cuts, crosscuts, and miter cuts.
A rip cut is done by cutting with the grain of the wood or along the length of a board.
A crosscut is done by cutting across the grain of the wood or across the width of a board. This type of cut can also be done using two-person saws.
Lastly, a miter cut is done by cutting diagonally across the grain of the wood or across the width of a board.
5 Ways to Cut Straight Lines With a Circular Saw
Method #1: Making Straight Cuts Without a Guide
Step #1: Prop the Board Up
If you really want to use a circular saw without a guide, make sure to fasten your board securely. If it’s a big end grain board, prop up both ends at an even height. Do not fasten both sides of the board, as this may ‘pinch’ your blade as you cut; usually, you don’t fasten the good side you’re cutting away.
Step #2: Make Necessary Markings
Make the markings with clear pencil marks. Use any linear, rigid material or tools to draw your straight line. A long beam level is perfect for this. Adjust your board along with the table.
Step #3: Start Cutting
Rest the saw flat on your board. Pull the trigger and let the blade spin up to full speed. Push the blade smoothly across the pencil line you made, using the notch in front of your saw to guide it.
Read Next: Cutting Circles in Wood
When Should You Do This
For non-critical woodwork or DIY projects where the material is less than 7 inches.
Method #2: Using a Speed Square to Make Straight Cuts
What You Need
Speed square of about 7 or 12 inches, and clamps. Alternatively, you can use a combination square, framing square, or try square.
Procedure
Step #1
Measure and make a straight cut mark on the workpiece.
Step #2
Place the blade on the mark and place the speed square against the base plate of the saw. Clamp the speed square down if you want to secure it to maintain the position or free your other hand.
Step #3
Upon the blade’s full speed, drag the base plate of the saw against the square and make the cut.
When to Use It
- General crosscuts and rip cuts within the speed squares’ length 45-degree miter cuts.
Method #3: Using a DIY Circular Saw Cutting Guide
To make the DIY Circular Saw Cutting Guide
You can also make your it cutting guide, AKA, the crosscut jig for crosscut and miter cut. It will act as a cutting guide for our circular saw. This is similar to the speed square above, but you can make it as long as you want.
You will need two scrap pieces of 1/4″ plywood or MDF (medium-density fibreboard). The broader plywood will act as the base for your jig, and its edge is where your blade should rest against.
After positioning the blade, a narrow piece of plywood should be placed against the base plate of your saw, acting as a ‘fence’ for the saw to follow through, so make sure both jig and fence are linear. Glue them together after the alignments. The cutting depth may be shallower, so adjust accordingly.
Procedure
Step #1
Measure and mark the start and end positions of the cut with a straight line
Step #2
Align the edge of the jig (remember, this is where your blade should rest) with the cut line, then secure it with clamp.
Step #3
Drag the saw’s shoe against the fence and make the cut
When to Use It
- For crosscuts and miter cuts
Method #4: Using a Kreg Rip-Cut
The Kreg Rip-Cut
The Kreg Rip-Cut tool is like your DIY fence above, but with an adjustable fence to make line cuts. This fence tracks the straight edge of our workpiece so we can get an accurate cut all the time. It attaches to the most popular saws and can make linear cuts up to 24″ wide.
Procedure
Step #1
Measure and mark the start and end positions of the cut with a line
Step #2
Adjust the fence so the blade aligns with the cut line
Step #3
Using the Rip-Cut’s handle, slowly move the fence along the distance of the workpiece to make linear and even cuts
When to Use It
- Any length of rip cuts up to 24” wide
- Repetitive cuts
- Splitting boards of plywood or MDF
Method #5: Using a Kreg Accu-Cut
The Kreg Accu-Cut
Like the previous tool, the Kreg Accu-Cut tool lets us cut straight lines with our circular saw. It also attaches to most popular saws, turning them into a track saw or table saw.
This allows our saw to slide along the guide rail [1] or track of the Accu-Cut. With this attachment, we can make longer cuts with a circular saw, longer than the 24” limit of the Rip-Cut. It also allows us to cut on a variety of angles.
Procedure
Step #1
Measure and mark the start and end positions of the cut with a line
Step #2
Step #2: Align the edge of the Accu-Cut on the line mark
Step #3
Position the saw on the track and slowly slide for the straight cut
When to Use It
- Long crosscuts and rip cuts, up to 100” distance
- Any angle of the miter cut
- Cuts up to 100” long
- To cut plywood or MDF
Tips for Making Straight Cuts with a Circular Saw
Keep Your Saw Blades Sharp
A dull blade will damage your motor, drift off the line, or get stuck in the workpiece. Filing can sharpen a circular saw blade. Store the blade properly as well.
Know Which Type of Wood to Work With
Knowing which type of wood you are working with enables you to choose the right blade to make straight cuts with a circular saw. Green and pulpy woods tend to bind up, creating the dangerous ‘kickback,’ where the saw jumps backward.
Check the Circular Saw’s Power
Finally, on how to cut with a circular saw, some saws are gasoline or battery-operated so the power source can be tricky. Thus, their power level should be checked so you won’t run out of juice while cutting.
FAQ
Why is my circular saw not cutting straight?
One of the reasons your circular saw may not be cutting straight is because you fail to use and follow a guide. Consider a speed square, a DIY guide, or Kreg tools. Another reason could be that the blade might be dull, or your saw might have power issues.
How do you cut wood with a circular saw without splintering?
When cutting wood with a circular saw without splintering, you must choose a sharp and good-quality blade. Blades with a high tooth count, carbide tip, and thin kerf make finer cuts. Pass a sharp knife along your markings to shape the fibers of the wood towards the split.
Read Next: Cutting Wood Slices With Your Chainsaw
Conclusion
Circular saws are one of the most popular power tools. A guide will enable you to create straight cuts for any DIY project. This concludes our guide on how to cut straight with a circular saw. Always wear safety gloves, safety goggles, particulate respirators, and earmuffs.
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