The circular saw is the most dangerous tool in the home or shop. More people get hurt with this circular saw than with any other tool. This is mostly due because the circular saw is the most commly found power tool in the home (aside from the power drill). But poor training in its usage also contributes that statistic.

A poorly made circular saw, even in a trained woodworkers hands can also be a dangerous tool. Choose a good quality saw, as in all power tools. Read the manual carefully before using, don't set the tool down before the saw blade stops spinning, and always disconnect the power before changing the blade.

Using the Circular Saw

The circular saw is an ideal tool for cutting large pieces of wood or plywood with relatively straight lines into more managable sizes. The main reason why a woodworker would use a circular saw would be to cut 4x8 sheet goods (plywood, mdf boards) into smaller sizes if they did not have access to a large sliding table saw.

Used with a fence or custom made guide, the circular saw will make straight cuts so that the pieces can then be cut to final size on a regular table saw. Another reason that a woodworker would have a circular saw would be to cross cut long pieces solid wood if a radial-arm saw is not available.

Safety First

A circular saw is capable of some serious injury, but if you know some basic procedures, the chance of having an accident can be brought down to almost zero.

Always first check if the path is clear in the line of cut. Seems simple but remember that the blade will be passing through the material, so always check underneath what you are cutting so that you won't be cutting through your work horse, or worse, your work bench.

There are safety features on a circular saw for a reason. I will be discussing them in the article. Do not remove or disable them. If they are malfunctioning, fix the problem before continuing your work. If a safety feature is blocking you from performing a certain operation, think of another way to accomplish your goal.

Always clamp the material to be cut, never hold it with your free hand. You should be holding the circular saw with two hands. If you feel resistence while cutting and the blade is binding, stop the saw and wait for the blade to stop before pulling out of the cut. Either the wood is warping or the cut is becoming offline. Continuation of an unstright cut may result in a kckback. Lastly, be aware of the extension cord and get it out of the way before you start cutting.