How to Use a Circular Saw to Make Cutouts
- 1). Mark the locations of cuts you wish to make on your work medium with a pencil. Also mark the location of any knots in the wood, or nails in your work medium which can cause problems during cutting.
- 2). Ensure that you are using a proper blade for cuts you want to make. Different sized blades are appropriate for different sized cutouts. Furthermore certain types of blades or serration patterns are better suited for cutting different types of materials.
- 3). Ensure that your blade is sharp. Dull blades can bind and make imprecise cuts. If your blade seems dull, or has seen a lot of use, use a blade sharpening tool to return the blade to proper sharpness.
- 4). Measure the thickness of the material you will be cutting, using a measuring tape. Circular saws have an adjustable blade depth that can be modified using a slider on the side of the saw. Use your measurements to adjust the blade depth so that it is no more than 1/4 inch deeper than the thickness of the work material. If too much blade is exposed, your saw may "kick back" against the medium and cause trouble.
- 5). Put on all necessary safety equipment, and then turn on the saw. Ensure that the saw is running before touching the blade to the surface of your work medium.
- 6). Work the saw along any marked lines using almost no force to propel the saw. Pushing the saw to guide it may cause the blade to bind, as the saw is already propelling itself while in motion.
- 7). Pull the saw away from the material once you have made the desired cuts, allowing the blade to fully stop first. You can then reorient your saw perpendicular to your previous cut to cut out specific sections. If you are working with a delicate medium or intricate cuts you may wish to use a small chisel or power drill to make smaller cutout sections.
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