Parallel stop for circular saw with your own hands

Circular saw and parallel stop

The compass and parallel stop is perhaps the most important fixture on the circular table. So I decided to take this project very seriously. I do not spend a lot of time sanding and shaping without the need for rounding on the fixtures, I think cut, glued, screwed together and it’s in the bag. In my opinion extra beauty is not always appropriate, and durability is always needed. When I work on complex projects, I break them down into smaller components and work on them one by one. Having a thin aluminum parallel stop (photo on the right) had a number of inconveniences as well. The trouble is that for each new cut you need to change the size of the installation of the stop, for this, moving the stop, consider the dimensions at the point of the beginning of the kerf of the workpiece and at the point of exit kerf in relation to the saw blade, then fix it with two knobs. Uncomfortable and time consuming.

Making the stop.

Cut three pieces of laminated chipboard 1.A square of 8 cm wide, then assemble them together to make a U-shaped profile. According to the inner dimensions of the profile make five blanks-inserts for rigidity and insert into the inside of the profile, they will create a square cross-section required by the stop. The advantage of this stop is that you can use it on both sides of the saw blade (photo left).

Making a guide channel for the stop.

Guide channel for the stop is made of two slats, has a U-shaped profile and is bolted to the end of the circular table, perpendicular to the circular saw blade.

Assembly of the stop. part 1

So, the circular saw and the parallel stop now have a guide channel. Putting everything together, using a small piece of Fiberboard in the shape of an inverted “T”, it will be screwed to the back of the stop and inserted into the guide channel. The width of the channel, depends directly on the thickness of the T-shaped piece Fiberboard, which will ensure that the T-shaped piece will fit snugly in the channel.

Assembling the stop. part 2

Align the positions of the stop using a metal ruler, this will ensure that the stop is parallel to the saw blade. Connect, firmly, together the stop and the T-mount piece. Working with the stop, I realized hardwoods are better than Fibreboard, replacing the T-shaped piece from Fibreboard took almost a day. Any misalignment in the finished setup, will result in changes to the overall setup, be prepared for that.

Mechanism for locking the stop.

The locking of the stop uses slots for the original stop. The locking mechanism is simple: a bolt with a thread and a nut, a hole in the lower strip of the parallel stop, a wooden washer. Tightening the bolt, the block pulls the stop down to the table top and clamps it very firmly.

It does not look like the most beautiful project, but it is made of wood and laminate, and unused bolts and nuts from the factory devices came in. Changing the size of the cuts is now quick and much easier compared to the original stop system. The resultant recesses in the stop “s” are used for storing pencils, tape measure, ruler and other necessary tools, as the saying goes, they are “always on hand.

Circular saw guide: bar and slide, parallel stop

The circular saw is most often used for precise, straight cuts in wood and wood materials, but it can also be useful for cutting light metals and plastic. It must have a guide for circular saw: guide bar and slide, parallel stop. Buying a tool, you should pay attention to this. Power and the number of revolutions per minute. these parameters determine the productivity of labor, the quality of work, the ability to saw hard materials.

Manual circular saw. an indispensable tool in the home workshop of the self-respecting owner. It must have a circular saw guide bar for successful work. Saw blades are of great importance, the quality and accuracy of cutting depends on their thickness and the size of teeth. The smaller the tooth, the cleaner the surface that is machined.

A well-equipped workshop has a hand-held power tool that has a circular saw guide bar, handmade and set up for successful work. And also a special connection for a vacuum cleaner and bags or containers for sawdust. It is a very practical solution because during long sawing you don’t have to stop every minute to clean the workplace. This saw is made by Bosch for professionals. In addition, it has the ability to adjust the angle of deflection from the vertical and the depth of cut.

Before you buy, it’s worth making sure that the tool you choose provides the necessary depth of cut vertically and at an angle. An additional aspect that can facilitate normal operation is the cable length. If conditions are not good for using an extension cord, a saw with a long cable should be chosen.

The saws offered by well-known manufacturers are equipped with a device for easy replacement of the discs, which further simplifies the work. This is an excellent power tool to use for minor home or garden repairs.

For people who like to do craftwork, this mechanism is a must. Small size means there is always room for one, even in the smallest of home workshops.

Fixtures for the multitool

Beginner craftsmen doubt that you can make a cut in a straight line with a manual mechanical tool. It is true if you cut according to the marking, but it is possible to facilitate the work by using a purchased or homemade guide device,

Hand-held woodworking tools, especially those of modern design, are sometimes amazed at the number of auxiliary devices that help in the performance of sawing material. The simplest auxiliary device is an ordinary stop on the base of the saw with an indicator of the line along which the cut will be made.

The most popular addition is a short guide with adjustable extension length. complex designs have on such a guide another roller, so that when it contacts the edge of the material the movement of the saw is not hindered.

Sometimes they put indicators that show laser cutting lines and other fixtures that have the same disadvantages. All of these mechanisms serve to inform you that the saw blade is out of line for the cut trimmer. All simple mechanisms indicate inaccurate sawing.

Why, then, are there systems that prevent the amateur from making a simple cut?? Where is the error in this approach? All known woodworking machines for professional woodworking have a parallel clamping device for a constant hold-down of the material to be cut and a hard stop. Often this is a moving stop. For professional tools, there is an Interskol hand circular saw guide rail on sale that can be applied to another overhead mechanism.

Then the tremor in the forearm muscles has no effect on the direction of the cut because it is controlled by the rigid stop. Some will say that surgeons do not use stops and are able to do complex and precise operations. That’s probably true, but their material is more susceptible to machining, and perfectly straight lines don’t matter.

To minimize the costs of the circular saw guide rail, it can be made by hand. Thanks to this homemade device, the only thing you’ll have to worry about while cutting is to hold the saw securely to the stop and slowly move it forward. The materials needed to make, the devices will be found in every workshop.

For example, the width of a panel of thick plywood should be five centimeters wider than the base width of the saw. The length depends on the workpieces to be cut. Optimal dimensions:

The circular saw guide is a necessary accessory that extends the capabilities of the tool

Straightness of cut is a critical issue when using a hand-held circular saw. There are two concepts for ensuring a straight line:

Fixing of the circular saw itself on the sawing machine (workbench).

With this design, the hand-held tool is permanently fixed to the table and the workpiece moves on the guide rail. Quality of the cut is excellent, but there are serious limitations on the size of the material to be cut.

The workpiece is attached permanently, and a guide ruler is installed for the handheld circular saw.

With this design, the size of the workpiece to be cut can be any size, the main thing is to ensure that the circular saw attachment is firmly fixed. Manufacturers of hand tools take care of users, and offer for sale a variety of ready-made attachments.

Industrially made guide rails are comfortable and safe. They are usually equipped with a precision ruler, some allow for setting the angle of the cutting blade. Material is selected in such a way that it does not jam or play when the tool is moving.

The pair, which consists of a groove and a runner, is protected from sawing products, and does not need to be lubricated.

However, all these sets have a high cost, and many home craftsmen make a rail for circular saw with their own hands.

Let’s consider variants, independently invented and created by homebrew “handymen.

The fixture is actively used when cutting with an electric jigsaw.

Works well enough, but is of limited use for a manual circular saw. The guide rail is clamped to the workpiece. The fixture projects over the work surface, both above and below.

The result is a limited cutting length. The circular saw motor rests in the clamp, and one has to make the cut in two steps. In this case the quality of the edge deteriorates, you can create a step.

Any craftsman will tell you. the quality of the cut is obtained in the case when the saw moves continuously from beginning to end of the workpiece. In industrial models the fasteners are placed outside the ruler and do not interfere with the free passage of the tool.

Self-made guide is made from ready-made tool of a different profile, which has a low cost. Buy a long aluminum rule (emphasis in i) for plastering or screeding.

Its The tool is a complex shaped profile with a straight groove on the reverse side to adjust the position of the handles. It is fastened by clamping on hexagonal nuts. It is not suitable for our purposes.

Screwless quick release clamps can be used as a donor for the countersunk clamps, which also have a reasonable price. Their main advantage for our design is the removable top foot.

We remove it. Thus. it is possible to return the complete set to the tool at any moment, and to use it according to its intended purpose. Instead of claws we make and fix runners from piece of fluoroplastic or polypropylene. The main criterion when choosing the material. strength and low coefficient of friction.

The process of making a circular saw guide

As for the size of the proposed guide design, it is chosen individually for the depth of cut of the existing saw, as well as those workpieces that will be further processed.

Plywood sheet is used for table top fabrication. Its length can be whatever you want. The width can be made 35 cm, which will be convenient for the vast majority of circulars. Step back 10 cm from the long edge of the plywood need to draw a line for the installation of the profile with a T-slot.Preferably, the profile should be shorter than the actual length of the table top, to facilitate further storage of the machine. The profile must be set into the groove. It is most convenient to choose it with a hand router by setting the parallel stop. When working with plywood it is better to go deeper gradually, by making a few cuts.

Profile with T-slot is pressed into the obtained flush slot. It is fastened with self-tapping screws along its entire length.

For the direct guide for the power tool itself, you can find an angle, but it often has the same sides, which is not very convenient. It is much better to buy a channel and saw it lengthwise, obtaining two perfect angles with a low edge.

Now you need to make the stops for the guide. To do this, take 2 boards with a section of 30 mm, the length corresponding to the width of the plywood table top. In this case they are 35 cm long. As for the width of the boards, it should be equal to the actual depth of cut of the circular saw plus 8 mm. After aligning the boards and putting them on edge, you need to mark 7 cm from the edge. From this line the length corresponding to the width of the saw’s sole is measured. The second mark is put a little wider, taking into account the thickness of the walls of the angle and the gap of 1 mm.

After clamping the boards in a vice file you need to saw everything along the marked lines with a hacksaw to a depth of 1 cm, then make a groove.

Now you need to fix the boards to the table top. To do this, they are first glued and then pulled up with screws. Note that the second board is fixed at the end of the profile with a T-slot, not plywood. Before gluing, you need to hang a T-bolt in the profile

On the obtained from the boards posts to fix the corners of the channel directly into the groove, thereby adding rigidity. To make the construction collapsible, it is better not to screw the screws into the wood, and install a furniture dowel and then use the screw.

It is also possible to move the slides of the guide so that it can be used for the router. You need to make a couple more holes and put furniture dowels.

Making a stop for a circular saw

Sawing support of 2 types: parallel and angular. Each variant has its own characteristics, which you should know about before making.

Corner

The corner stop for the machine is used quite often. Sawing boards with it is fast and accurate at right angles. It is also used to end boards from which the stop is made. The angle sawing fixture can easily be made by hand.

• Take for the base a sheet made of plywood. Its thickness should not exceed 1 cm.
• Fix a guide bar on the base, the height of which is no more than 2 cm.
• It is advisable to fix a stop that is perpendicular to the guide at the bottom. It must be made from the same piece of material.
• Separate the unused parts of the bar. The distance from the guide to the saw blade is calculated individually, so it is recommended to fix it to the material you want to work with screw clamps from the corner.
• Apply fixing devices made of wooden washers.
• Use a wing nut on the screw to tighten it.

Makeshift angle stop

Parallel

To make a parallel stop for the circular saw with your own hands can be as follows:

• Drill 6 marked holes with a diameter of 0.8 cm.
• Treat with sandpaper the burrs that are created from drilling.
• Press two 0.8×1.8 cm pins into the outermost holes of each triplet.
• Put it on the table so that the pins fit into the slots provided for the circular saw.
• Insert the bolts from below the working surface into the slots and the middle holes between them. The threaded part should fit into the holes of the lath and the slot of the table.
• Screw a simple nut on each side on top of the bar.
• Lower both nuts.
• Move the rail to the necessary distance from the disk and fix it with the nuts.

Saddle support

If you saw a lot of similar material with a circular saw, it might be worth your while to make a simple saddle stop. Its use will more than compensate for the minutes spent. The saddle fence is especially effective for thicker bars that require the circular saw to make two cuts from opposite sides.

The seat support is U-shaped. The base plate is a board 25 mm thick, its width exactly equal to the thickness of the bar to be sawn.

The sides made of 10 mm plywood are fastened to the base. sides width should be wider than the board to allow the circular saw blade to rest on the board until the saw blade touches the board.

The saddle is put on the bar at a distance from the cutting marks, corresponding to the working distance to the saw disk, and through the sides it is clamped to the bar with the help of clamps. Using the sidewall as a stop for the saw pad, the cut is made. if thickness of the timber is so that one cut is not enough, it can be turned over and another cut made. The position of the stop does not change in any way.

Materials and tools

Material, from which circular saw jigs are made, can be selected from pieces of thick (no less than 10 mm) plywood or hard wood (e.g. birch), which are at hand.

• joiner’s square to measure and mark workpieces;
• electric jigsaw or hand circular saw (for cutting workpieces);
• Drill (drilling mounting holes for fasteners);
• screwdriver or electric screwdriver with a set of bits for installing fasteners.

The process of making fixtures for the circular saw consists of several steps:

• The sketch is developed and the details are thought through;
• the material is selected;
• the material is marked out and cut;
• assembly and setting up of accessories if necessary.

Circular saw guide

The simplest device is a guide-bar. A straight cut is easily obtained. To make it you need a flat straight bar of the required length. It, with the help of self-tapping screws (if allowed) or clamps, is attached to the material to be worked. Fastening should be carried out at such a distance from the required cutting line, so that the position of the saw blade coincides with the marking when resting in the guide bar by the side sole of the circular saw. For a single cut this method is suitable, but if you repeat the same operations, the procedure of marking and installing a bar each time will need to be repeated again.

The guide-bar can be improved by fixing it to a sheet of sturdy plywood 6-8 mm thick. One edge of the sheet will be aligned with the cut line when working. At a distance equal to the distance between the saw blade and the edge of the circular saw’s sole (working distance), a guide bar is attached to the plywood with self-tapping screws. When working, you will only need to align the working edge of the plywood sheet with the cutting line and fix the opposite edge with clamps.

A parallel stop for circular saw with his hands

You can make the parallel stop for circular saw with your own hands by one of the variants according to the following drawings.

What is common in the homemade guide. it is the base, moving along the plane of the table relative to the saw blade, which is made of standard rolled aluminum (profile pressed rectangular unequal angle section of aluminum and magnesium alloys GOST 13738-91. profile number. 411158)

The dimensions of the flanges of the angle used in the section (mm):

length. 70, thickness. 6 width. 41, thickness. 10

The length of the angle is 450 (mm). In the wide shelf of the angle, let’s drill on both sides three through holes with a diameter of eight millimeters, with the same pitch between the centers. In the outermost holes press two pins 8×18 GOST 3128-70.

Between pins, from below table insert bolt M8 DIN 933 so that its threaded part passed into the groove, and the head of the bolt rested against the lower plane of the table.

At the top of the table, the bolt M8, is clamped by a wing nut M8 GOST 3032-76 or ordinary.

How the parallel stop for the circular saw works?

Loosen both thumbscrew nuts.2. Let’s move a corner in the necessary direction relative to a saw disk.3. Clamp the nuts of the thumbs.

Angle movement is carried out in the direction of the groove. pins guide the stop and allow it to move relative to the saw blade without tilting (parallel).

The length of the angle is 700 (mm). On the edges of the angle, at the ends, let’s drill holes for M5 threads and cut them. According to the drawing we make two slides from metal.

Attach them to the ends of the angle with hexagon head cap screws (M5x25 GOST 11738-84). In the thread screws screws M5.

How the parallel stop for the circular saw of the suggested variant works?

Let go the thumbscrews.2. Move angle in the right direction relative to the saw blade.3. Clamp the thumbscrews.

Angle movement is carried out in the direction of the end surfaces of the table. Guides, fixed at the ends of the angle, allow you to move it relative to the saw blade without tilting (parallel).

On the surface of the table we draw a marking (ruler) to visually fix the position of the self-made rail.

In the following article we will focus on the working body (saw blade) and the electric motor for the circular saw.

Circular saw with your own hands: safety of use

If we take into account, how much costs a circular saw (from 16000. the most modest model), and compare the price with the cost of self-made (this is 60-90% less), then the difference is significant. But no savings will be justified in the case when the safety of work is not ensured.

Before starting to work on the circular saw, it is necessary to wear goggles and gloves

In order to avoid traumatic situations, it is worth adhering to the following recommendations:

• Do not use wood with metal parts (nails, angle bars, bolts, etc.) as a raw material. д.);
• The sawing of boards over 200 cm in size must be done by two people;
• Do not make any sudden movements while working on the circular saw;
• it is necessary to wear glasses and gloves before starting work;
• Wood scraps from the surface of the circular saw should be removed, as they can provoke a short circuit.

It is strictly forbidden to work on a homemade circular machine:

• If the guiding device is not made;
• there is no casing;
• No finger-holding safety guards;
• the riving knife is higher than the saw blade.

To avoid traumatic situations when working with a circular saw, it is worth adhering to safety

A good quality tool makes it possible to have fun working. And the result pleases with a high level of quality. Making a tool with your own hands will allow you to get the desired parameters and the necessary performance characteristics. One should not be limited by superficial knowledge in any activity, especially in the technical field. To start assembling a circular saw only after thorough theoretical training and a full understanding of the practical part of the process.

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Making a guide bar from laminate

This method of making a carriage for a circular saw with their own hands is the easiest to perform, it uses readily available source materials.

Three pieces are made of laminate. One of them will serve as the base for the rail. The other two are cut in the form of two strips, each approximately half a meter long. Both are aligned on one side of the edges with a router. With the help of self-tapping screws, the strips are fastened to each other parallel with even edges. The width of the groove between them is reconciled, using a paper sheet of A4 format, inserting it into the device and scrolling.

The guide rail is secured to the circular saw’s sole with the side stop fasteners. If the saw has already expired, the body of the circular saw can be used for extra security by making an extra hole in the body.

Before starting work, the homemade guide must be extended in front of the circular saw handle. Make sure that the guide bar is covered by the nose of the sole plate by a few centimeters. For perfect alignment of the edges of the strip guide and the marks on the material you need to carefully saw out the jagged edges of the strips with a laminate cutting wheel.

Such a homemade bar is not without a disadvantage. it reduces the depth of cut to one and a half centimeters. But this indicator is not critical, and is more than compensated by the ease and cost of manufacturing.

Making a stop for a circular saw

Sawing support of 2 types: parallel and angular. Each option has its own features, about which you need to know before making.

Corner

Angular stop for the machine is used quite often. With its help sawing boards are accurate and fast at right angles. It is also used to end the boards from which the stop is made. The fixture for sawing at an angle can easily be made with your own hands.

• Take for the base a sheet made of plywood. Its thickness must not exceed 1 cm.
• Fix a guide bar on the base, the height of which is no more than 2 cm.
• At the bottom, it is recommended to fix a stop that is perpendicular to the guide. It must be made of the same piece of material.
• Separate the unused parts of the board. The spacing from the guide to the saw blade each time is calculated individually, so it is recommended to fix it to the material to be treated with the screw clamps from the corner.
• Use fixing devices made of wood washers.
• Use a wing nut on the screw to tighten.

Parallel

To implement the parallel stop for the circular saw with your own hands can be as follows:

• Drill six marked holes with a diameter of 0.8 cm.
• Apply sandpaper to treat any burrs that are created by the drilling operation.
• Insert two pins of size 0,8×1,8 cm into the outermost holes of each triplet.
• Put the obtained construction on the table so that the pins fit into the slots provided for the circular saw.
• Insert the bolts from below the work surface into the slots and the middle holes between them. The threaded part should enter into the holes of the rail and the slot of the table.
• Screw a normal nut on each side over the rail.
• Lower both nuts.
• Move the rail to the desired distance from the disc and secure it with the nuts.

How to use the circular saw correctly

Important! As soon as you have finished working with the machine, check that it is in the off position.