Would you buy a Mitre Saw or Circular Saw first?

[HunterProperty]

Hi,

I am planning on undertaking some projects at home (build pool pump enclosure, replace battens) that I believe a circular saw will be able to accomplish. However I have some further projects in mind that may require a mitre saw so it had me thinking would I be best to buy a mitre saw to complete all works or is there something I am overlooking/not understanding between the two that would require me buy both.

Thanks in advance!

[EricL]

Hello @HunterProperty 

The technique would be to clamp another piece of timber to the post you are nailing/screwing into. This is to prevent your horizontal piece from drifting/moving while you are fixing it in place. Both nail and screws are ideal to fix your timber in place, I personally find screws easier to install as it does not generate a moving force when compared to nailing which often moves the timber out of place when being hammered in. But I will leave the choice up to you.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @HunterProperty 

I think something has been lost in my description The "Temporary" pieces of timber you are refering to are meant to be permanant. They are to give a support for the new pieces you are cutting and installing. 

I would use screws for the same reason @EricL has mentioned. So many times belting in with a hammer (or even a nailgun) can cause issues such as movement and also splitting of the mounting blocks I have mentioned.

Dave

[HunterProperty]

Thank you for clarifying @EricL! That makes sense. Perhaps screws are the way to go.

[HunterProperty]

Hi @Dave-1 

Oh yes I was assuming they were temporary. Id prefer the aesthetic of having no support pieces so ill attempt without and see how I go. Im going to go with screws too 👍

[HunterProperty]

Hi All,

Now that the weather has cleared up ive started some test cuts however I quickly realised cutting a straight line is easier said than done. I found it difficult to keep the blade straight and also losing vision of the cut line underneath the blade plate before the blade touched the timber. Any suggestions to help my accuracy and alignment?

I also thought id test some toe screws however the square driver bit that came with the screws seems to be too small for my chuck. Is there an adapter of sorts I need to have or am I missing something completely?

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @HunterProperty 

me and wobbly lines are well known to each other

I take it you are refering to a circular saw for teh first question?

if you look at the front of the blade of teh circular saw there is generally a couple of " markings (notches) on the metal guard. If you line up a test piece of timber where the blade itself is on the line and then line up the notch and keep the notch on your penciled line it will run straight.

As to the Screwdriver bit.

That looks like an impact driver you are trying to put the screwdriver bit into. You will need a slightly different piece for that,

IRWIN Impact Pro Performance 57mm PH3 - 2 Pack 

There are different sizes depending on the screws you are using. I prefer using the torqued driver as I have more control over the way the screw is driven into the timber. The screwdriver bit you have atm would go in that torqued driver. I would also suggest to play around and test drive first  

Dave

[JacobZ]

Hi @HunterProperty,

If you don't want to purchase all new bits, the driver bit you have can be put in a bit holder such as this Kango Hypertorque 60mm Impact Bit Holder or this Diablo 60mm Quick Change Bit Holder.

I was taught to do a mental checklist before making cuts which has always helped me get the best result possible. I ask myself the following - 

1. Am I safe?
    
2. Am I comfortable?
    
3. Am I making this as easy as possible?
    
4. Is my saw set up for success?
    
5. Is there anything I can do to improve these things?
    

This little checklist has helped me countless times and it is simple and easy to do.

If you can set up a jig or guide, this will make your life much easier when cutting and if this can be done quickly, the professionals will always do this. Have a look at How To Cut Laminate Benchtop. This is a simple jig that will ensure you get a nice straight cut. All you need is two clamps and a straight edge, such as a spirit level. A speed square is also a fantastic tool for making crosscuts. You can hold the square against the edge of the material and run the base plate of the saw against it to keep things nice and straight.

Free-handing cuts with a circular saw is not simple and it took me at least a year of full-time construction work, with a lot of practice, using a circular saw every day, to even come close to consistency.

As @Dave-1 mentioned, there will be notches on the front of the base plate that are in line with the blade, if you put a pencil line across the workpiece and line both the notch and the blade up with your mark, this will keep you straight and true.

When cutting with a line as your guide, you always want to cut up to the line, not through the centre of the line. This is because the blade is 2-3mm wide, so by cutting straight through the middle of your mark, you are going to be off by 1-1.5mm every time. It might not seem like much, but if every timber you cut for a project is off by a millimetre, it adds up pretty quickly. 

My saw blade is on the left side of my circular saw, so I always try to cut on the right side of the line. This means I get a clearer line of sight to the line. It's hard to show in a photo, but if you try it yourself, you'll notice the difference.

This will often mean I need to move around the workpiece or reposition the workpiece before I make my cut. Making sure you are in the right place, and you are comfortable before cutting will make a world of difference.

Taking it slow and setting your blade depth to the thickness of the workpiece will also help. If the blade is being forced through the workpiece, it can bow which will take you off your line. Taking it nice and slow, making sure not to overload the saw will help prevent this.

Another thing you should do is always wear eye protection. Saws kick up a lot of sawdust, and to see what you're cutting, your eyes will inevitably end up at risk of taking in sawdust. A good pair of safety glasses will help prevent this and allow you to get your eyes in the best spot to see what you're doing.

Outside of these tips, practice is the best thing. You'll start to get a feel for things after you've given it a few tries. 

Hopefully this helps.

Jacob

[HunterProperty]

Thank you Dave.

I find that once the blade is close enough to the timber to accurately line up with the line, the notch is a few centimetres beyond the timber which make it difficult to line up. Is this common or am I doing something wrong?

Ah that makes sense regarding the bit. What would the equivalent driver be in the ozito range that you are referring to?

[HunterProperty]

Hi Jacob,

Thats brilliant thank you so much. Ill give the spirit level a go as a guide. As I mentioned to Dave the notch appears to be a few centimetres beyond the timber by the time I have the blade near to line. This leaves me guessing if its lined up. What am I doing wrong?

[JacobZ]

Hi @HunterProperty,

If you are cutting narrow material, then the notch is not really useful. Really, it is there for when you are cutting wider things like plywood and MDF panels.

The easiest way to make what's called a "crosscut", across narrow material, is to use a speed square. Running the base plate of the saw up against the edge of the square will give you a nice straight cut every time.

I only had two hands, one for the saw and one to take the photo, but when you aren't taking a photo, you would just hold the speed square in place against the material and then run the saw up against the square. You can use a clamp to hold the square in place, but it's not that hard to manage without a clamp.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob