Using a Circular Saw Safely - Beginners Woodworking #26

Circular saws are one of the most popular woodworking, carpentry and home reno tools. Using them safely is very important for the user and in order to get good results from the saw.

[DennisLuPresto]

Thanks Colin. I've been using a circular saw for years, but have never used a sacrificial piece as support. I've struggled with kick back, binding, and damaging larger piece when they fall. I was blown away when you showed us to use a sacrificial piece to support the material. it makes so much sense! I can't believe doing that never occurred to me. thanks!

[Jannew]

This helped me use a circular saw for the very first time...successfully and safely! First thing I cut? A full sheet of plywood! The "sacrificial" wood supports advice was priceless. Thanks much!

[simeonbanner]

Appreciate this guy. Since my dad passed away I no longer have anybody to ask advice. I spent too much time in the art world and so it's nice to be in the world of men chatting about blades, shanks and woodworking in general.

[fredblair]

I just did a few test cuts with my first new circular saw, kind of fun but also terrifying so I went to watch more tutorials and glad I found this one great tips.

[nihonbunka]

My tips, and stupid narrow misses, for cutting firewood with a circular saw are

a) I chop the top off the little round lock button. I don't find the usual trigger push button difficult to push and I find it really scary when the saw locks on. Once I did not realise that the saw was locked on and plugged it in when the guard was off and the saw chased me around! I exaggerate. But even if you are not as stupid as me, chopping off the lock button is something that you may wish to consider.

"Kickback" is the biggest issue when chopping firewood.

1) It is important to me to ensure I not standing behind the saw but rather sawing with my right hand at about the position it would be when on the arms of a chair so if the saw kicks back it will not do so towards your body. If you are doing a low of sawing (of firewood) I would recommend using a saw that is light enough to handle in this way. If you need to use both hands (as may be recommended when doing carpentry) then you are more likely to put that saw in front of you. I see that many recommend that one always have two hands on the saw. I do not.

2) But when there is kickback, it is nice to know that as soon as you take your finger off the button the saw is going to stop, hence my disabling the lock button.

3) Supporting the wood. This gentleman puts his wood on top of sacrificial wood and readjusts the depth every time he cuts. That would be quite time consuming if cutting all sorts of thickness of scrap wood for firewood. So I use a saw bench with a lot of supports parallel to the cut. The thing that causes kickback the most is when the wood is not supported by at least two supports on both sides of the blade so that as one cuts the wood collapses into a slight V shape, which impinges on the blade, causing it to kickback out of the cut. This is the thing to avoid. Always support your wood well. It does not have to be supported with a sacrificial piece all along its length but it does have to be supported so that both sides of the cut do not sag once the cut is made.

4) Take good care of where your wire is. I have seen many second hand saws with repaired wire. I have sawn through a wire once myself. This caused a big spark, and made me jump as it were, which could have encouraged me to injure myself. Make sure that the wire is going to impede movement of the saw nor behind you such that it impedes your movement.

5) Saw with more blades are less likely to kick back, I think.

6) Protect your nose and eyes from air born dust by working in a well ventilated environment and or using a mask. My wife got a sinus condition from sawing firewood.

7) Watch out for nails and screws that can also cause kickback and panic as
sparks fly and the blade is blunted. Nails and screws could break a chain saw chain,
with dangerous results, so circular saws are still better are dealing with them but
after improper wood support I think that bits of metal are the biggest cause of kickback,
perhaps (I check and have not hit any recently).

8) Take a rest when your arm gets tired. When you are fresh you can keep that saw
away from you but after 30 minutes of cutting wood ones arm can become a bit wobbly.

9) I will probably think of some more.

[hollysmith]

I've just ordered my first circular saw and this video is the best one I've found on using a circular saw Colin is always so knowledgeable and clear and easy 2 understand I always learn new things with every video he makes thank you

[gregwalker]

many yrs making a living with carpentry, but this was a nice reminder to be safe. can't see without specs so that's kinda covered..subscribed!

[bacnneggs]

I just bought one and this was the first video I came across. I’m glad I did. This was a great primer. Short and chock full of very important information 👍

[henninghellevik]

Excellent summary of using a circular saw safely. Thanks.

[khalildas]

Of all the "how to use..." this is the only one that showed which way the blade rotates. The part about eye/ear protection leading to better quality.. wood sagging affecting the quality.. that was new to me.

[ilkoconsult]

Ordered my very 1st circular saw and this video helps me a lot.
Thanks you very much for informative and good narrated video.

[bostonsailguy]

Thanks for posting video, a short pencil is better than a long memory, thanks for the safety tips

[sandieemig]

Great information. Appreciate the sacrificial board tip. Saves the saw horse.

[naturalist]

What s relief and reassurance you begin with safety improvement ! Thank you ! Wonderful you are explaining the rationale for clear understahding, much appreciated 👍🏼

[Higgiebaby]

@ the 3:15 mark, your close up shows the cord plug sitting right there, UNPLUGGED. Great job showing a very important step when changing out the blade or cleaning it. Thanks for another great video Collin.

[isthenumber]

Thank you. I just bought a circular saw today and really needed your tutorial!

[elizabethcartner]

A great teaching. I am new to woodworking so this has been very handy, thank you.

[ronc]

Yes good refresher information on the circular saw. Your right you do take the circular saw for granted. Good tip on supporting long boards and sheets of plywood to be cut. Learn something everyday. Thanks for the posting Colin.

[blackwolf]

Thank you for the instruction it is most helpful. I have used a circular saw table but never a free hand circular saw partly because I was always a little afraid of kickback so most things I have sawn by hand if necessary or used a jigsaw but now I am older it is simply too strenuous to do hand sawing especially several 2" x4"s. Your tutorial has given me the necessary safety tips as I have only just re-bought most of my power tools due to moving countries with different power supplies. So could not bring any of my English tools to Canada. which is a pain, when it took me years to gather all my English electrical tools. I have finally with birthdays etc. gained a circular saw, jigsaw, power planer, drill, electric screw driver and sander which I recommend to anyone. So back to having most of my tools again with extras except a table circular saw but I am not going to bother with that, hence having to watch this video for safety.

[kylecorbett]

Wow what a great video. Thank you so much for this and that sacrificial wood tip !