I'm a total newbie to woodworking, so i apologize in advance for the
ignorance. The question is, how do i cut a precise angle with a circular
saw? I'm building a couple sawhorses for a bigger project, and i can do a
bevel cut, but can't figure out how to measure and cut a precise angle
(other than 90 degrees... i figured that one out) ;] Is there some kind of
gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
Thanks for the help,
Jeff
It depends on what you are trying to cut. For sheet goods, like plywood,
simply mark the degree angle you need using a protractor and extend it
across the sheet. For stock boards (1x4,1x6,2x4, etc) clamp a speed square
to the board for a 45 degree cut, or mark it using a protractor, then clamp
a guide so that you have something to run the base of the saw against as you
cut.
Yes, you can build an adjustable guide, but unless you really need an
accurate cut, and need it often using a cir saw, forget about spending the
time to do this...
"Jeff Rhines" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm a total newbie to woodworking, so i apologize in advance for the
> ignorance. The question is, how do i cut a precise angle with a circular
> saw? I'm building a couple sawhorses for a bigger project, and i can do a
> bevel cut, but can't figure out how to measure and cut a precise angle
> (other than 90 degrees... i figured that one out) ;] Is there some kind
of
> gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
>
> Thanks for the help,
> Jeff
>
>
The idea behind the "almost product" was that after "calibrating" the wooden
spar all you would need to do is mark your cut and align the end of the
wooden spar with the mark. When using a speed square you have to take into
account the offset between the edge of the base of the saw and the blade
location. Lee Valley sells two similar saw mitre gauges, see below.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?
page=48434&category=1,240,45313&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=
> What's better about it than the standard quick square? (I'm not picking a
> fight, just ignorant).
>
> Jeff
>
>
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> "Bridger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 04:28:57 GMT, "Jeff Rhines"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >Is there some kind of
> > >gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
> > >
> >
> > for short cuts a speed square works well.
> >
> >
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3801131885&category=42337
>
> Perfect... thanks.
>
>
>
Bids are up to $5.00 already, sans shipping. HD has a Stanley
equivalent for $6.97.
On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 06:03:49 GMT, Mark & Juanita
<[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
>[email protected] says...
>> "Bridger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 04:28:57 GMT, "Jeff Rhines"
>> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>> > >Is there some kind of
>> > >gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
>> > >
>> >
>> > for short cuts a speed square works well.
>> >
>> >
>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3801131885&category=42337
>>
>> Perfect... thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>
> Bids are up to $5.00 already, sans shipping. HD has a Stanley
>equivalent for $6.97.
I didn't mean to imply that the OP should buy that particular one-
just using it as a convenient image.....
"Bridger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 04:28:57 GMT, "Jeff Rhines"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Is there some kind of
> >gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
> >
>
> for short cuts a speed square works well.
>
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3801131885&category=42337
Perfect... thanks.
"Morris Dovey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You might get a kick out of an "almost" product described at
> http://www.iedu.com/ssq.
>
What's better about it than the standard quick square? (I'm not picking a
fight, just ignorant).
Jeff
Paul Kierstead wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Morris
> Dovey <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> You might get a kick out of an "almost" product described at
>> http://www.iedu.com/ssq.
>
> Hey, neat! I often use a handheld saw when roughing out the
> pieces from 1x12x8' stock as they are too big and unwieldy to
> be convient on the chop saw or TS. Or somethimes I use a
> handsaw cause the circular saw is just to much bother, but
> that jig would make it convient enough ....
>
> Gonna make me one of those.
Paul...
You made my day! Enjoy...
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA
In article <[email protected]>,
Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote:
> You might get a kick out of an "almost" product described at
> http://www.iedu.com/ssq.
Hey, neat! I often use a handheld saw when roughing out the pieces from
1x12x8' stock as they are too big and unwieldy to be convient on the
chop saw or TS. Or somethimes I use a handsaw cause the circular saw is
just to much bother, but that jig would make it convient enough ....
Gonna make me one of those.
Paul K
Doug Brown wrote:
> The idea behind the "almost product" was that after
> "calibrating" the wooden spar all you would need to do is mark
> your cut and align the end of the wooden spar with the mark.
> When using a speed square you have to take into account the
> offset between the edge of the base of the saw and the blade
> location. Lee Valley sells two similar saw mitre gauges, see
> below. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?
> page=48434&category=1,240,45313&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=
>
>> What's better about it than the standard quick square? (I'm
>> not picking a fight, just ignorant).
Jeff...
Doug nailed it. Used with care, it combines extreme accuracy,
speed, durability, and convenience - and delivers those benefits
equally well to complete newbies and old pros.
It died as a product because I couldn't afford the entry fee -
cost of stamping dies + cost of minimum initial production order.
The good news is that all it takes to build your own is 30" of
1"x1", a 12"x12" piece of 1/4" plywood, glue, and screws.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA
On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 04:28:57 GMT, "Jeff Rhines"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I'm a total newbie to woodworking, so i apologize in advance for the
>ignorance. The question is, how do i cut a precise angle with a circular
>saw? I'm building a couple sawhorses for a bigger project, and i can do a
>bevel cut, but can't figure out how to measure and cut a precise angle
>(other than 90 degrees... i figured that one out) ;] Is there some kind of
>gadget that acts as a guide, and is adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
>
>Thanks for the help,
>Jeff
>
for short cuts a speed square works well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3801131885&category=42337
Bridger wrote:
> I didn't mean to imply that the OP should buy that particular one-
> just using it as a convenient image.....
You might get a kick out of an "almost" product described at
http://www.iedu.com/ssq.
Note: Please do NOT attempt to order. This is not a current
product and the web page was only a prototype for a business that
never got off the ground.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA
Morris Dovey writes:
>Bridger wrote:
>
>> I didn't mean to imply that the OP should buy that particular one-
>> just using it as a convenient image.....
>
>You might get a kick out of an "almost" product described at
>http://www.iedu.com/ssq.
>
>Note: Please do NOT attempt to order. This is not a current
>product and the web page was only a prototype for a business that
>never got off the ground.
Porter-Cable had a similar product a whole bunch of years ago. I tried it,
didn't much care for it.
Charlie Self
"Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." Mark Twain
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
Jeff Rhines wrote...
> Is there some kind of gadget that acts as a guide, and is
> adjustable from 0 to 90 degrees?
Probably, but in this case, a little knowledge is better than gadgets,
which are fiddlesome and often inaccurate.
For a hand held circular saw, I would use a good square, a rule, and a
straight edge to guide the saw. To cut a given angle, use trigonometry to
determine the lengths of the two perpendicular sides of a triangle
containing the desired angle.
<crude ASCII art; use fixed-pitch font>
+ <-- mark 2 here
|\
| \
| \
O | \
| \
| T \
+------
A ^- start of cut
^
`---- mark 1 here
</crude ASCII art>
Suppose you want to cut angle T. You need only remember that
O = A * tan(T)
Use a calculator to find tan(T).
Make a mark an arbitrary distance along the edge of the wood from the
point where the cut will start. This is side A (Adjacent) of the
triangle. Use whatever length works well for the piece of wood to be cut.
Multiply A times tan(T) to get the length of O, the side Opposite the
desired angle T.
Using a square, make a second mark at distance O from the first mark,
perpendicular to the edge.
For example, to cut a board at a 30-degree angle:
tan(30) = 0.5774 (approx)
Mark 1 for side A, say 10" long.
Mark 2 for side O = 5.774", as close as the rule allows.
Use the straight edge to guide the saw from the start of cut through
mark 2.
Cheers!
Jim