How To CUT STRAIGHT With NO GUIDE! Freehand CIRCULAR SAW CUTTING...Pro Tips, Tricks and Secrets!

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How To CUT STRAIGHT With NO GUIDE! Freehand CIRCULAR SAW CUTTING...Pro Tips, Tricks and Secrets!

I've been asked a lot of times how I cut straight with a circular saw WITHOUT using a guide or fence. In this short video, I'll explain some techniques that will help anyone cut straight with a circular saw freehand!

PLEASE NOTE: Circular saws are dangerous. This is just an instructional video. If you attempt to use a circular saw, you do so at your own risk. Please follow all safety instructions as they are described in the manufacturer's guidelines for your saw. And please be careful!

Here are the keys to cutting straight freehand with a circular saw:
1. Make sure you're cutting on a stable surface.
2. Establish a cut line--I create mine using a steel straight edge.
3. Spend time on your initial line-up--you want the blade of the circular saw to be in line with the cut path BEFORE you start cutting.
4. Keep both hands on the saw at initial startup. Let the saw spin all the way up before contacting the wood.
5. Proceed very slowly in the beginning--attempt to split the cut line in half up the center.
6. Try to get the full length of the blade into the material on the cut line.

At this point, cutting with a circular saw becomes more stable because much of the blade is encased in the wood (the blade is sitting in the kerf that it has made).

The circular saw wants to cut in a straight line. Don't let it veer too far off course! Only make small micro-corrections to keep it on track, and try to keep it moving.

When you're about a foot into the board, you can consider taking your free hand off the pommel and putting it on the board you're cutting to support it.

Don't back up too much! This can cause gouges at the front and back of the cut.

If you have to stop cutting, let the circular saw wind all the way down, and don't budge it. Before you start up again, let the saw spin all the way up to full speed, then try to get right back onto your same cut line.

To finish, pass the blade all the way through the board, then lift it away before the sole plate falls off the far edge.

As always, BE EXTREMELY SAFE WHEN USING CIRCULAR SAWS. Again, this is just an instructional video. Don't use a saw without supervision if you're new to carpentry and woodworking. BE SAFE!!

THANKS FOR WATCHING!
The Honest Carpenter

[denisoriordan]

That’s the best circ saw tutorial I’ve ever seen. 40 years using them & I can’t explain it to my 15yo anywhere as well as you did in 10 minutes.

[MikeB-bgow]

Thanks for that video. I'm 73 years old and I've been doing this stuff for a time. But your video showed me some things I've not thought of before. The tips for following a straight line was important. I have almost always used a guide for cutting plywood and other boards. Free hand cutting is rare for me in my shop, but thanks for the tips on how to do it and more importantly WHY they're important.
Thanks!

[JoeGamer]

I LOVE that you leave your mistakes/imperfections in the video. It really helps my understanding and confidence as a beginner woodworker and power tool user to see real-world examples of what can go wrong, and how, rather than being given only hypotheticals while the B-roll is all glamor shots of your flawless cuts.

[martyyoung]

My dad (a hobby finish carpenter / woodworker) taught me to keep the kerf on the “waste” side of the cut unless the call out was to “take the line”. Then go right down the middle as you described. To line the saw up he told me to put the saw down at the start with the “0” side of the guide notch on the line and look down at the blade and put it as close as possible to the line, approaching from the waste side of the cut. Start the blade as you described and ease the saw forward making additional micro adjustments so the edge of the kerf eases over against the line (all this right at the start). He liked his 1960 B&D circular saw because it blew the sawdust completely off the line just ahead of the saw. I have nice memories working with him as a kid when he was teaching me stuff.

[L.Scott_Music]

Here is a Pro carpentry tip I learned from a legendary cartoonist. When freehand drawing a line look just in front of your pencil or pen. If you look at the pencil your eyes are telling your brain where the pencil has been instead of telling your hand where to go. Look on a 1/4"-1/2" ahead for a more steady clean line. It takes a little practice but tells your brain where the pencil is AND your hand where to go.
This applies to cutting wood freehand as well. After establishing the cut look slightly forward on the line not directly at where the blade touched the wood. Remember, tell your hand where to go, not where it's been.

[farnsworth]

I've been cutting with a circular saw for over 35 years and you taught me some new approaches. Thanks you are never too old to learn

[shed]

This is the perfect video for us who are first timers with a circular saw. I wanted tips for making straight cuts and this delivers.
I also like how you always put a premium on safety and how to avoid accidents. And last but certainly not least, thanks for clear, concise articulation. It does matter how the advice is delivered. Thanks again and have a nice day.

[AndyEvansFoReal]

Tooth count on the blade made the biggest difference for me. For years I ruined sheet goods with a 24 tooth framing blade because it was all I had. Switching to a 60-80 tooth blade made it so easy it was hard to mess up a cut.

[rosscollinswilliams]

I use a piece of foam insulation to support large boards on the floor. It provides complete support to the entire board and the blade cuts into the foam. It also allows you to crawl on the board to make long cuts and limits the problems with cords since there is nothing for them to catch on.

[capohd]

I found that the biggest factor is a decent quality sharp blade. Even my cheap Skilsaw cuts straight and clean with a decent blade. Those Diablo blades work well.

[thecosmiccastaway]

I’ve worked in woodshop since I was kid. Using a circular saw I’ve always had issues with wavy lines. I’ve seen guys pull off some amazing free hand cuts. Watching this video helped a lot, It also helped me understand that no one is perfect without a saw guide lol

[revdfp]

A mistake by the newbies out there...(I was one once) not making sure BEFORE starting your cut that you have enough free cord to reach the entire cut...

[danfagan]

Great video. Very thorough. I'm an experienced Carpenter and can't stress enough the importance of "knowing where your cord is" as mentioned in the video. If you are making cuts that are several feet long this is especially important. Before you start your cut, make sure you have enough extra length on your extension cord to get your saw to the end of the cut. I frequently check my cord or adjust the cord following the saw as I'm cutting to make sure I continue to have enough slack. These are very slow movements when I adjust the cord following the saw and my primary focus continues to be my cut. There's nothing worse than being on track with your cut line and then your cord gets caught on something. Possibly even your body by kneeling on it accidentally if your cutting on the ground. Stop the saw if you have to and free up the cord to finish the cut or preferably avoid this altogether by "knowing where your cord is" and that you have enough slack following behind your saw to finish the cut. Again, great video! Thanks.

[dorothyurbanavage]

The little tips on backing up when stopping in the middle of a cut and starting away from the wood was helpful. I sometimes had issues starting a cut. Now I know why!

[gillgetter]

As an apprentice in the early seventies, we used worm drive saws roughing or framing. When I moved to commercial finished we used heavy platform circular saws. I remember journeyman telling me, don’t push just guide let the saw do the work. With the worm drive cross-cutting two bys we would square the front of the platform with the opposite side of wood by eye, then cut ! When you got used to it you could cut square every time I checked it with a square when foreman wasn’t looking many times. What really impressed me was cutting window eye brows ( curves) with worm drive saws! Just set your blade barely through material and cut curve slowly, it’s a nice curve smooth for sheathing.

[samanthablack]

Finally someone who has a AMAZINGLY organized shop gained a new subscriber due to your OCD workshop 🙌

[ddtrumpet]

Great info. 2 other tips to consider:

1) when starting cut, you can enter the wood about 1/8” deep a bit on the waste side of line then slide sideways to cut line before proceeding forward.

2) Old school carpenters hold a hand saw (the original cordless kind driven by muscle power) with index finger out of handle and pointed down side of saw. Doing this with a sidewinder circ saw and triggering with middle finger allows index finger to counteract natural tendency of saw to want to drift right since handle is left of blade path.

Keep up the great videos!

[cory]

Years ago I studied joinery at collage and am amazed how detailed and excellent the education on YouTube is. with all the different carpenters giving there knowledge and experience. I'm a huge fan thanks for your exalent vidiows.

[zoisbasis]

I own a lot of tools because I love fixing things. I just bought a circular saw & your tips are a treasure. THANKS A LOT!!! Keep up the good work!!!

[frayedinsanity]

Nice video, great advice.
One extra step I do sometimes to ensure no blowout, is after drawing my pencil line, I'll score the wood with my knife along the straight edge. I learned that trick cutting veneered wood.