# Misaligned circular saw blade



## Raptor22

I have been using a DIY grade circular saw and a home made fence to make cuts. Recently when cutting a large 4x8 ply, I noticed the rear end of saw shoe would detach from the fence as I'm about 1ft into the cut, while the front seemed to still stay against the fence (see the picture). The cut eventually came out ok, but it just bothers me.

I decided to make a track for the saw so that the shoe stay in contact with the straight edge. As I cut the slot in the track base (about 3/8th thick), I noticed the saw was binding badly towards the end and there's even some red paint on the left side of the slot (see picture). I figured it's the paint from the saw blade (but how?).


I finally figured that the blade and the shoe were not in parallel (maybe from the time I dropped it from 2 ft high :huh. My question is, how do you check the alignment of the saw to the shoe? And if they are indeed misaligned, how do I correct it? Thanks!


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## tcleve4911

Measure the front and back of the blade to the front and back of the shoe.

If they are out of line, drop the Ryobi from the top of the ladder again and see if that fixes it.

If not, get a real circular saw. You will never regret it.


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## joesbucketorust

I've always thought the circular saw was for rough framing or cutouts, no fence needed. But if you are going to try and blueprint it, wouldn't it be done the same way a tablesaw is? 
Flip the saw upside down (OK, maybe that's a bit different from a tablesaw.)
Mark one tooth with a marker or paint and with that tooth towards the front of the saw, measure from tooth to fence.
Rotate blade by hand until marked tooth is at back of saw and measure distance from that tooth to the fence. 
As for adjustment, each saw is different so it's up to the owner to figure out what needs moved where to make an adjustment.


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## cocheseuga

joesbucketorust said:


> I've always thought the circular saw was for rough framing or cutouts, no fence needed.


I always break down a sheet of ply by doing the crosscuts first with my circular saw with a fence guide and try to be as accurate as possible so I get the most from my sheet.


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## MNsawyergp

Most circle saws don't have an adjustment to parallel the edge of the base to the blade and most are not parallel. I bought a DeWalt 384 for that very reason. It has an adjustment screw to line up the blade to the edge. I do a lot of on sight built-ins and I use 1/4" plywood fence guides for ripping and cross cutting plywood. It is much easier to move the saw across the board than to manhandle the sheets through a contractor saw. Here is a trick... set up 4 sawhorses in a row, lay a sheet of plywood on them, lay a sheet to 1" styrofoam on that, lay the sheet of plywood to cut on the styrofoam, clamp on the plywood fence jig, set the saw blade to cut through the plywood and about 1/8"-1/4" into the styrofoam, make the cut. There will be no tear out and the plywood will not fall to the floor. It works like a charm. Keep the styrofoam for the next job.


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## Raptor22

Thanks for the advise. I found this video online and figured that it might just solve my problem - as long as I can make sure the rail bolted to the base is parallel to the blade.


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## GeorgeC

cocheseuga said:


> I always break down a sheet of ply by doing the crosscuts first with my circular saw with a fence guide and try to be as accurate as possible so I get the most from my sheet.


This is exactly what many, many people do. Some will even cut the long length.

George


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## Wood4Brains

> ...as long as I can make sure the rail bolted to the base is parallel to the blade.


It appears that is the key. On the Ryobi, I bet there is little chance that there is any sort of a base adjustment screw for truing the base with the blade.

I just returned my craftsman circular saw that lists for around $90 because there was no way to true the base to the blade and also because the hex head screw that is supposed to allow you to fine tune the bevel angle, ensuring that the blade is square to the base when at 0 degrees, was frozen up. Nearly broke my hex head wrench while trying to turn it.

I hope the one that I returned it for last night doesn't have this problem.


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## ericTreeLight

Raptor22 said:


> Thanks for the advise. I found this video online and figured that it might just solve my problem - as long as I can make sure the rail bolted to the base is parallel to the blade.


Thanks for that. I'd seen it before, but thought of it only as a "track saw solution".
Given a misaligned blade and no adjustment, this is the only way to get a base parallel to the darn blade!


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## woodnthings

ericTreeLight said:


> Thanks for that. I'd seen it before, but thought of it only as a "track saw solution".
> Given a misaligned blade and no adjustment, this is the only way to get a base parallel to the darn blade!


If your saw has a blade alignment issue there are easier and better solutions.
I bought a used saw off Ebay that had been dropped from about 20 ft and the base was all twisted. I took it all apart and bent it back into alignment, it took a while, but not difficult. Another way is to add a wedged shaped shim on the side of the base you intend to use against the guide to make it parallel to the base. Solder it on or use hot melt glue. There's no real forces on it if you don't drop it ....!


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## TimPa

agree, if the saw was cutting well beforehand, the drop no doubt bent the shoe/attachment of the saw. remove it and try to see where it was bent and try to straighten it out. you may find that the attachment points are cracked. any dropped tool should be evaluated for safe use...


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