If you are an amateur or professional woodworker you’ll have to use a circular saw at some point or another. These tools are required to cut many materials, but what happens when you need to cut an angle?
You can’t just set the blade into place and start cutting because there’s no way for it to know where your edge is until you make that first stroke.
The solution: draw a line on the workpiece before making each pass of the tool. This will ensure that you’re always starting from the same spot so your lines all align perfectly.
Cutting 90-degree angle with a circular saw
To create a perfect 90-degree angle using a circular saw, follow these steps:
- Set the angle lever so that the blade of the circle saw is perpendicular to the work surface. This ensures that the blade spins around itself as opposed to moving forward.
- Place one end of the board against the fence and hold down firmly. Then place the other end of the board against another piece of material such as plywood. Make sure that they don’t touch each other.
- Using a pencil, mark out two parallel lines across the width of the board about 1/4″ away from the edges. The distance between them should be equal to half the thickness of the board.
- With the blade in position, slowly move the handle back toward the center while holding onto both ends of the board.
- When the blade hits the marks made by the pencil, stop pushing the handle backward. You’ve now created a 90-degree corner!
Cutting 60-degree angle with a circular saw
The same procedure applies here as well. Take a look at the angle mark on the base plate and adjust accordingly.
- Once again, place the base plate on the wood and slide it across the surface until the blade touches the wood.
- Now turn the saw so that its blade faces upwards.
- Pull the trigger and keep holding it till the blade stops moving. This indicates that the cutting has been completed.
- Now release the trigger and let go of the handles.
What are the other types of angle cuts using saw?
- Clean angle cuts
The first step in achieving such an outcome is by ensuring that your blade has been sharpened properly. If it’s not, then there will always be some imperfections at the corners.
This can lead to unevenness when cutting out pieces from larger boards or even worse – crooked edges.
If this happens, then you should definitely sharpen your blades again before doing anything else. You could also use a power planer instead of a hand plane to achieve better results.
- Rough cuts
If you want to avoid having rough or uneven edges when doing the angled cuts, then you should use an alternative method.
This involves taking advantage of the fact that there will always be two sides of the same piece of wood.
When performing such cuts, you can simply flip over the board and start from another side.
You could also try this technique while working on other projects like furniture pieces where you don’t mind having imperfections.
- Beveled cuts – 45 degrees
If you want to create an angled cut, then there are two ways: either use a circular saw or a jigsaw. Using a circular saw can be tricky if you don’t know how to set its angles properly.
However, using a jigsaw makes this task easier since all you need to do is just follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
In addition, you also need to pay attention to the fact that the blade needs to be perpendicular to the workpiece.
- Beveled cuts – 60 degrees
If you’re looking for something even better than 45-degree angle, then you may consider using a jigsaw instead.
Jigsaws come with different angles ranging from 30° to 90°. However, the best option is probably 60° which gives you an edge over other options.
To achieve this, all you need to do is set the depth of the cut to 1/4 inch and use the appropriate setting on the machine.
- Acute angle for perfect angle cuts
Acute angle cuts are used mostly for making decorative elements. They usually involve creating small curves along the length of the material.
There are several methods available to make these kinds of cuts but one of them includes using a router table.
A router table allows you to easily control the speed of rotation and direction of movement. It’s important to note that the tool must have a straight bit attached to it.
It would be ideal if you were able to attach the bit directly onto the end of the router itself.
Safety tips for using circular saw
Safety first is always a priority especially when your are using circular saw for cutting angles in wood or any pieces of wood.
This means that you should ensure that you wear safety goggles as well as gloves. In addition, you should keep the dust away from your eyes and nose.
Also, remember to turn off the motor whenever you aren’t actively holding down the trigger button. Doing so will prevent any accidents from happening.
Lastly, never forget about keeping yourself safe at all times. This means not only wearing protective gear but also being aware of what you are doing.
