Ripping thin strips from narrow boards can be daunting. Regular guides don’t always efficiently work, as G-clamps impede the saw’s sole or motor. Besides the clamps, narrow boards make it a challenge to clamp the edge guide to the board. To help you with this particularly challenging task, here is our experts’ advice on how to rip narrow boards with a circular saw.
How to Rip Narrow Boards With a Circular Saw
Preparations
Ripping narrow boards is easier with a circular saw or a worm drive circular saw instead of a table saw. However, there are a few things to consider to do the job right and efficiently. Here is the step by step guide to consider:
Wear Protective Gear and Equipment
When working with a circular saw such as the Rotorazer and the Versacut, safety is of the utmost importance. There are gears that you could put on for safety and protection when using a saw:
Eye protector
It prevents dust and debris from the cuts on your work table from getting into your eyes.
Mask
A mask will help prevent dust from getting into your body passing through your nostrils.
Hearing protector
More manufacturers are optimizing their power tools for silence. But, if you’re working in a large shop with lots of machines, you might want a hearing protector, as well.
Measure Size of Your Board and Supporting Platform
In measuring your board and supporting platform, you need pencils, squares, and the best measuring tape. First, use the measuring tape to get the board or the narrow piece of wood dimensions particularly the width.
It will give you an idea of how long the wood can be cut. Then, mark out every inch you want to cut using a pencil. This will get an accurate dimension for the cutting work.
For easy and precise measurements, you can also use the best circular saw guide listed here.
Steps to Rip Narrow Boards with a Circular Saw
Place and Clamp the Narrow Board Above a Platform
To do this step, place the narrow board or piece of wood above the long and straight platform you measured earlier. Then, clamp it properly on the sole to make sure the blade can easily pass through the piece. This ensures that the board, despite being narrow, is well-secured against a surface while cutting. You do not have to worry about it falling off the table, no matter the height.
Adjust and Measure Width and Length
You should carefully find the front in this particular step. This will be the part where you push into the circular saw when cutting. Once located, feed a part of the sacrificial wood to cut into the saw. This helps acquire a good-enough reference cut for the wood.
Then, get an accurate measurement of the thickness you obtained while doing the job. Afterwhich, adjust the front of the circular saw until you get the right thickness.
Adjust to a Paralleled Angle
This will require you to carefully hold and rotate the circular saw’s body until the blade and the face of the platform are parallel to each other. Make sure that you do this part right. Otherwise, you might warp your blade, strain your circular saw motor, ruin the wood, throw out your shaft from alignment, or worse, shatter the blade no matter the height.
When you follow these steps, ensure that you gently slide the sacrificial piece from the front into the blade. Then, turn the wood over so that the reference point and cut are on the same side. Afterward, set the wood into the blade from behind the saw. This will give you a second reference cut or mark.
Your reference cuts from the start should be on the underside. So, check to see that the reference cut from start to finish meeting at the same point. If they are not in line, you have to loosen your durable woodworking clamp and adjust as required. The blade is parallel when the two reference cuts perfectly line up once clamped.
Rip the Board
After the above-mentioned step, be sure to put on your safety equipment. Then, press and lock the trigger and begin to feed the board through the blade slowly. While doing this, our experts advise that you must not push your fingers past the circular saw’s sole. In just a few minutes, you should be done with this woodworking project.
Tips and Reminders
To make this task easier, here are the tips and reminders from our experts on how to rip narrow boards right:
- Always put on your protective gear before you rip lumber with a circular saw or even a table saw. This includes face, nose, eye, and ear protectors.
- Do not hold the tool or saw with just one hand when cutting or ripping. Using only one hand reduces stability and control. If you need, use a table for better stability.
- Ensure your saw blade is always sharp on every side to cut every inch of the piece you are working on. A dull saw blade requires more effort to rip board which can eventually cause accidents
- Always inspect your circular saw or tools before you start going on the next task. You can do this by powering it on without a board to cut. This method ensures that the blade can cut properly.
- Make sure that the cords do not touch the cutting line when using a circular saw[1].
Conclusion
Cutting a narrow board with a circular saw poses a challenge even to the most seasoned professionals. If you are not careful, you could completely mess it up and ruin good wood in the end. Our experts have broken down the process into a simple guide so you can easily follow, check and get the job done right.
If you are looking for the best saw to rip a narrow wood, you can check our review of the best cordless circular saw here. Read next!
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