ARRRRRR, im trying to complete a little DIY at home, and i can’t finish it if i can’t even rule straight lines, this is really really really frustrating, and im sure some carpenters can agree, its very annoying, and a project that should take bout 30mins to an hour, has taken 4 because i can’t get my lines straight, what tools can i get from my local hardware store, ie, mitre 10, or bunings, that can aid me into making straight cuts, because a ruler simply doesn’t do, and when you are making cuts more than 1 m long and you want them straight, it’s not very fun logging around a 1 m long ruler. i have a circular saw, Makita, and a table saw, both the blades are relatively old, that could be some of my probs, so i will be replacing them soon, simply because they need to be. CAN ANY1 HELP ME PLEASE, im ripping my hair out here, lol.
Thanks.
Information on the WorldClass Makita PowerTools
{ 8 comments }
laser line always straight line ..hardware store sells them
You should get one of those chalk lines. Its sort of like measuring tape except instead of that its a string coated with chalk. You have to stretch it across whatever you’re trying to get a straight line of and then you pull on the string and let it snap down and it makes a straight line… you can probably get one at a hardware shop just ask…
I hope that this helps
Measure from the edge of your saw to the blade and attach an old piece of lumber on your you project this same distance from your cut line and use this as a guide. I love the red diablo blades for my circular saw. I used to have problems cutting straight, but with these blades I just freehand cuts 1 1/8 deep by 7 feet long
Mark
the easiest way. I do this all the time when cutting sheets. You can either get a straight piece of wood or you can buy a straight edge for $20. and clamp the 2 ends down to the piece you are cutting. Now you have a guide to run your saw against.
idk
my favorite tool for marking long straight lines on large stock (plywood, drywall) is a folding metal drywall t-square. This is made up of two long metal rulers with a wing nut that clamps them together in a big tee shape. It works just like a drafting t-square — one edge rides along the edge of your material and you draw the line at 90 degrees along the other part of the tee.
You should also have an adjustable guide bar that attaches to your circular saw to rip narrow cuts.
If I am ripping wider pieces with a circular saw I clamp on a straight piece of scrap wood or a strip of metal channel as a guide to run the saw cut guard plate against. Measure carefull to get the distance right from the width of the saw plate to the blade cutting line. A couple of pairs of vise-grip welding clamps are perfect for this clamping. These are big square mouthed adjustable spring-loaded vise grips — much quicker and tighter for clamping things together than c-clamps. They are also incredibly useful doing any kind of construction on your own — like an extra pair of hands to hold a lot of things in place while you nail or screw or glue them together.
Pick up those three tools (t-square, circular saw extension guide and 2 medium welding vice grips) and you will find it much easier to get your cuts straight.
First things first….dull blades will not cut straight. If you suspect you have a dull blade you should replace it before doing anything else.
I assume you are making long rip cuts in solid wood or in plywood. I have found that making very precise straight cuts on a table saw can be difficult depending on the type of wood you are cutting, the size of the table and the condition of the blade, and whether or not you have a second set of hands helping you. One trick I like to use is to clamp a straight edge to the piece you are cutting and use that as a fence for the circular saw. If you need a long straight edge the factory milled edge of a sheet of plywood is usually quite straight and stable. I have been able to cut the edge off of my work piece to use as a straight edge to cut the rest on some occasions. For a really precise cut use two straight edges to form a channel for the saw to travel between. Also, you can buy straight edges that are made specifically for this purpose that come in 4 foot lengths and can be connected to make an 8 foot length. I have found these to be very easy to work with if you want to spend the $20 or so.
You are in need of a carpenter’s square for making straight lines square to one edge of the board.
To make cuts 1 m long, measure from the end of your board marking at several points along the 1m length. Then use a straight edge (a long board with a good straight side will do).
This still will not prevent you from straying as you make your cut. Take a board as long as what you are cutting and clamp it to the material to be cut so that you create a guide for your cutting tool. You will need to offset the board by the width of the base of your saw. Measure the distance from the base of your saw to the edge of your blade and offset from your cut line by that much to serve as your guide.
As you cut, keep the saw base pressed against the board and you should get a straight cut.
Comments on this entry are closed.