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I am NOT a hard-core "Tim the Toolman Taylor" type of guy at all, but I've been doing (or attempting) some light around-the-house home improvement projects, such as cutting wall paneling and cutting plywood. One issue I come up with is when cutting wood, especially wall paneling (1/8" thick), it is so hard to get a half-decent straight-cut. The wood is so picky in terms of support and stabilization. I have a wood work bench that's about 2x5 feet or so but for 4x8 sheets it just isn't enough it seems, but given that I typically don't do such projects, getting a table saw or larger workbench would be a huge money outlay for a temporary "seasonal" type of thing.
One scenario: I'm trimming wall paneling. The sheets are 4x8, but I'm needing a sheet around 44 inches wide and 90 inches tall, meaning I'm trimming 4" off the right side going in a top-to-bottom direction, and "stopping short" 6 inches from the top before going horizontal to get the 90" height achieved. (Did I describe that correctly and clearly?) I use a tape measure and T-square to outline the cutting area.
If I use a circular saw to do this, the problem is I only have 4" on the right-hand side of the wood with the other 44" on the table, but not all of it, and thus it's unstable and I mean HARD to get that saw to go in an even half-way straight line, sometimes it "groans" trying to go where I tell it. I don't know what law of physics I'm butting heads with, but it's considerable, because I have to SHOVE that saw to get it to go.
Or, say the panel needs to be 30" wide and 70" tall. I now have about 2/3rds of the board on the workbench, the other 1/3 hanging "free" in the air, and the saw goes in-between there going vertically. Again, it's hard as the dickens to get it to go easily down the line as I want it to because the right-hand part isn't supported by anything.
Yet, two things (a) for some reason, a jigsaw does this much better for some reason even though I commonly read that jigsaws aren't good for straight cut scenarios, and (b) when cutting plywood, which is firmer, it goes a whole lot easier. I'm not sure what it is about wall paneling that's so much more difficult, unless it's the "wobble" factor of the wood (the heavier weight & size of a circular saw maybe is too much for a small "dangling" bit of wall paneling to support?).
Tips? Basically I need tips on how to stabilize the wood so it stays the freaking heck STILL. It seems that for the first scenario, I need larger work bench (but I never see work benches THAT large in the stores where I've looked) for the 2nd situation it sounds like I need two tables of the same size with a gap in the middle and with the board weighed down on the two respective boards.
*A set of saw horses- plastic ones from a big box store
*(4) 2X4's either 8' or 10' long- I like the 10's so I can clamp on an end and still have full support.
*An 8' piece of 1-1/2" aluminum angle
*(2) 4" C-clamps
Saw horses support the 2X4's
2X4's support the plywood/paneling
The C-clamps hold the angle as a guide for the saw to follow
The short-side of the saw plate is 1-1/2". So, if you set the angle 1-1/2" +/- depending on the direction you cut- you're on your mark.
Other things to do-
Set the saw blade so it cuts through the material with about an extra 1/2" of blade. In otherwords, if the paneling is 1/4" the saw blade should be set 3/4" beyond the sole plate.
The other,even more important thing to remember- turn the finish side down to cut. That will give you a clean cut edge without "chip-out". It also means that you have to measure "backwards".
Cutting paneling is tricky! Festool makes a dedicated circular say that has an elaborate guide to get this right. There are other J_I_Gs that accomplish the same thing a the angle iron and clamps that K'ledgeBldr suggests. Depending on how often you need to cut paneling (and how expensive it gets to waste miscut sheets...) it might make sense to check some out -- the adjustable soleplate of a circular saw is designed to allow some degree of control when cutting thin material, but ultimately a guide is even better...
I am NOT a hard-core "Tim the Toolman Taylor" type of guy at all...
One issue I come up with is when cutting wood, especially wall paneling...
If I use a circular saw to do this...
Tips?
Have the lumberyard cut your panels to the sizes you need.
They'll use a "panel saw" and not charge you a single penny.
But you DO need to have accurate measurements.
The easiest way to get a straight cut is clamp a straight edge like a piece of plywood to the board you are cutting and use it for a guide by butting the edge of the saw up against it.
Quote:
Or, say the panel needs to be 30" wide and 70" tall. I now have about 2/3rds of the board on the workbench, the other 1/3 hanging "free" in the air, and the saw goes in-between there going vertically. Again, it's hard as the dickens to get it to go easily down the line as I want it to because the right-hand part isn't supported by anything.
Either get someone to help you of you can get some saw horses, use some 2*4's to support the long length of the panel. You'll have a channel in the center....
Honestly what you need is a table saw, if you are going to continue to do work like this it's something to consider.
BE SURE to read all the instructions for your saw including EVERY SINGLE safety warning!
That includes the part about keeping both hands on the saw. The above is in red for blood, because that is what you will get if you don't follow the safety instructions.
Both hands on saw.
Use clamps and saw horses - hold down what you are sawing.
Clamps are cheaper than medical bills.
A table saw may be better for long straight cuts - cheaper to buy or rent one than medical bills cost.
Knowledgeable Bldr is on the right track (excuse the pun), but you want to keep the straight edge guide to the LEFT side of the LARGER portion (about 5 inches) of the saw. This will leave you with 1 1/2" of the sole plate running over the 4" piece which you are trying to cut off.
The reason you do it this way: Remember how the saw was 'grinding/lugging" ? That is because the blade is being pinched in the not too well supported material. Keep the wider portion of the saw over the "save" material, and the narrower portion of the saw over the 4" of waste material. Other wise, you are asking the narrower piece of material to support the saw, and it will undoubtedly bind when it gets toward the end of the cut and the 'cut-off' piece with the saw sitting on it using Knowledgeable Bldrs method will want to drop/move/etc.
It takes practice to get good with a circular saw. Simple tool, but difficult to use well. Take your time.
The best way to cut paneling is on top of a full sheet of sacrificial plywood on saw horses. Set the depth of the blade on the saw to only cut like an 1/8" more then the thickness of the paneling you need to cut. Simple and no hassle with pieces flopping around.
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