# Should I Return My Circular Saw and Just Use Hand Tools?



## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Hi there, Everyone:

I am new to woodworking and don't have a LOT of time to become an expert, so please pardon my ignorance.

I wonder if I should return my circular saw and just use hand tools instead.

to be honest, using a circular saw *SCARES* me. Plus it is loud and messy. But mostly I am concerned about safety.

plus, it won't really do miter cuts (it can, but most people suggest against it and instead suggest using a true miter saw). and I need saws for woodworking, not for carpentry.

A table saw is unfortunately out of the question for me (as much as I wish I could get one).

I think that by I could get away with using my local lumber yard I could get them to do precise crosscuts - but they don't do rips). They also charge $3 per cut if you want more than one cut per piece of lumber.

the home depot will do rips - for panels at least. But I am not sure if they will rip boards. Maybe someone knows if HD does usually rip boards??? (Unfortunately, HD says they won't do precise cuts, and the selection of wood at HD is often inferior).

Mostly, I just need shelving, so I would need lots of 1 X 12 X 4 foot length boards, as well as 2 X 3 studs cut to precise lengths.

I would like the ability to make some basic joints (like M/T and half lap, bridle, etc.,) Plus I would really love to do some miter joints.

So would it make more sense to just return the circular saw and invest in a few different hand tools?

The circular saw was on sale for $60, and the blade I would want (Freud diablo 60 tooth) is $20, for a total of $80 (I have a workable table and some clamps already, so I don't know what other expenses go into using a circular saw).

so, Is it possible to get good hand tools in that $80 range instead?

I figure that long term it would be more expensive to have to buy slightly higher priced lumber at the locally owned lumber yard and pay them $3 per cut for multiple cuts, but it might be more efficient time wise, since I would be EXTREMELY cautious trying to use a circular saw myself, and the extra time it takes for me to measure, clamp, re-measure, re-clamp, double check that everything is secure, cut it wrong the first time, reposition the wood, reclamp, remeasure, double check clamping... well, you get the idea.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions whether I should use hand tools instead and, if so, which hand tools to invest in.

Or whether I should overcome my phobia of circular saws and get down to work.

(I hope to one day get a table saw, but we live in an apartment with a car port, so no way to do it now.)

Thanks in advance.

~~~~

BTW: Noticed that [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Corp-10-2312-12-Inch-Carpentry/dp/B00004TBPZ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1344026091&sr=8-4&keywords=backsaw"]*This Shark Pull Saw*[/ame] has gotten really good reviews on amazon. I just don't know if I would be able to crosscut 2 X 12 boards with it or not...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You can make a jig for your circ saw.*

This jig will make accurate cross cuts.... and if you turn the saw in the guides you can rip accurate widths. The guides need to be parallel and the same width inside as the saw base. If you turn the saw, the base is longer than it's width, so you can either make a pair of guides, or make one and accommodate the base's length, then fill in to accommodate the width.  bill


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Hi there, Bill:

thanks so much for the suggestion.

One thing I realized (and completely forgot to mention) is that on the craftsman circular saw I got, the blade is not true to the edge of the shoe. And it cannot easily be trued, unfortunately.

So it looks like if I want to use any kind of a straight edge / speed square for the saw, I will need to file the edge of the base so that it is true with the blade. :furious:

I forgot to mention that above.

thanks again.

by the way; The sled your drew up *LOOKS AWESOME!!!* If I do end up keeping the circular saw, then I would DEFINITELY want to go with something like that. Thanks so much for the sketch. :smile:


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I would hold on to it, unless it's got some incurable issues. Because you're new, it's hard to know what your needs will be in the future, or how much more comfortable you'll become as you get used to using it and learn new tricks to make it easier/safer.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks for the input, knottscott.

right now, I really don't know WHAT to do :wallbash:

I like the concept of the circular saw, and expect that it would make me more productive (eventually).

But I still need to find a way to do miter cuts and tenon cuts as well as some cuts that coping saw or jigsaw would handle - and I am working within a budget.

sigh...

I know I am not giving everyone enough info to help me make a decision...

I am going to hit the garage sales this weekend and see what is available. Maybe that will help me decide.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*rough carpentry vs woodworking*

Every rough or framing carpenter will have several circular saws since that's their means of making money. Some like the heavy worm drive saws with the narrow profile, others like a 7 1/4" the standard version and some, myself included prefer a small 6 1/2" left hand saw, blade on the left side of the motor and visible without leaning over the motor. I have used all types to break down/rip sheets of plywood on saw horses using a straight edge guide. I use a Speed square or crosscut guide when I need better than "trained eye" 90 degree cuts. You reach a certain minimum size where the pieces are just not safe to cut with a circular saw. 
Now out comes the table saw and sleds to safely cut small pieces. 
A miter saw can also cut smaller pieces, but I prefer the table saw since you only need to expose the amount of blade needed to make the cut.
Woodworkers prefer the accuracy and added safety of the table saw for not only ripping long and heavier stock with just one measurement from the blade to the fence or with a tape on the fence rail.... no measurement needed. 

So definitely it's not a one size fits all situation. I've carried a heavy old Craftsman contractor saw to many a job and finally got a Bosch 4000 job site saw which is much lighter, but still pretty accurate. With a proper table extension even an old RAS can be an asset on a job site especially for cutting studs to a specified length.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would suggest to hold onto the saw.You can make yourself a jig *like this*. It takes into account any deviation on the left side of the shoe to the blade when you make the first cut and the leg becomes the marker for the saw cut.









 







.


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## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

Take it back to Sears and exchange it. Check the new saw out b4 leaving the store. No need to be frustrated over this.


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