How To Cut A Straight Line With A Circular Saw

Have you ever tried a straight cut with your circular saw and failed? If yes, then ardently, the chances are high that, like many beginners, you think that making a straight cut with a circular saw in challenging, if not impossible.

Well, I have to differ with you since, during my long woodworking career, I have found the circular saw a handy tool to perform straight cuts.

So, here I go with the tutorial on how to cut a straight line with a circular saw in the easy ways. I aspire and hope this might come helpful for you- DIYers and professionals.

Three Ways On How To Cut A Straight Line With A Circular Saw

The worm drive circular saw usually comes without a fence or guide. So, you need to purchase a fence guide to perform straight cuts with it. However, for your convenience, we are going to discuss making consecutive cuts using a worm drive circular saw with or without a guide.

Method One: Cutting An Accurate Straight Line Without A Guide

If you want to make straight cuts indeed using the circular saw without guides, we recommend you to not go beyond 8” wood piece. Otherwise, the cut will be faulty, and the result will be dull.

Preparing the board:

Find the right surface for the placement of the cutting boards. You can use scrap wood or sawhorses for it.  You can use two 2” X4” scrap underneath the work piece to support the board. Also, it would be increasingly best if you made sure that the board is high enough from the ground so that the blade of the circular saw remains contactless from the ground.

The 2” X4” stalk height is sufficient for the purpose.

Mark the cutting lines:

Now it’s time to mark the lines on the board where you want to make the cuts. For it, at first, measure the wood board with a measuring tape. You should measure the work piece at three to four points for enhanced accuracy.

Mark uses measured points with a pencil. Then connect the ends with a pencil and assure that the connecting lines between the points are 100% straight.

Make the cut:

Once the outline is marked, you can move on to make the first cuts. For this, firstly, line up the worm drive circular saw with the cutting board. Turn on the circular saw blade and check for the adequate speed and RPMs.

Also, before you turn on the blade, it should be away from the board. If the module is in contact with a material at the time of starting, it may damage the edges.

Follow the outline to align the circular saw blade accurately with the pointed lines. Maintain a consistent saw level while you make the cuts. After each straight-line cut, release the power button. It comes handy to keep the saw motor and module cool and provide better performance.

Method Two: Cutting An Accurate Straight Line With A DIY Guide

Getting a professional circular saw guide is quintessential to make high-precision cuts. However, you can make a guide quickly with a few easy steps. It will help you perform the straight cuts with high accuracy.

To create a DIY guide, you will require a board with an identical length of the cutting piece. Alternatively, I recommend you to use an extended level. Lastly, you will need some clamps.

The process includes:

1. Using a measuring tape measure the desired cutting length precisely. Take measurements at different points and make them with a dash. Then use a pencil to connect the marked spots for the outline.
2. Find the bottom guard on the circular saw. Measure the accurate distance between the saw blade and the edge of the bottom guard. The measurement of the gap between the blade and saw guard edge should be anywhere close to 11/4”. However, if you feel too lazy for the analysis, check the circular saw label. It should be written on the label.
3. Now, draw another dashed line on the work piece. It should be parallel with the distance marking between the circular saw blade and the bottom guard. Now position the circular saw blade correctly so that it is in perfect alignment of the outline. If the alignment is an incorrect position, it means the measured distance is accurate. Draw the second line on the opposite end of the cutting board.
4. Now use the clamps to attach the straight edge with the work board. This attached straight edge or level will work as your guide for cutting.
5. Once you are ready, position the circular saw blade with the guide alignment. Now start the cutting just as you usually do with a circular saw.

Method Three: Use A Kreg Rip-Cut for the Straight Line

If you don’t want to ardently go through the hardships of making a DIY guide, owning the Kreg Rip-Cut circular saw is the best possible solution for you. The tool is built to provide you the most precise cuts with a circular saw.

The Rip-Cut Kreg circular saw is ideal for making multiple cuts in a relatively short time since you won’t have to outline the measurement for each cut. It accommodates up to 24” long cuts, which gives you the ultimate freedom to work with the circular saw.

How To Effectively Use A Worm Drive Circular Saw

If you are a beginner, the application of the worm driven saw can seem a bit confusing to you, especially when it comes to creating straight cuts. For this, you need to adjust the cutting depth according to your project requirement.

Once you have adjusted the cutting depth, start the cuts with the circular saw. You don’t need to apply additional pressure on the work piece. Just let the worm-driven circular saw weight do its job.

Conclusion

This is everything you should ardently know about how to cut a straight line with a circular saw. Ideally, you shouldn’t feel tense with the straight-line cutting. All you need to do profoundly is to follow the guidelines mentioned above.

I hope it benefits you.

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Last Updated on September 9, 2020 by Robert Patrick