I've been given a lot of advice about how to avoid kickback when cutting with a circ saw on a horizontal plane, but I have a question: Why not just, you know, not stand behind the saw? You can't see anything useful by standing behind it, in fact it's much harder to actually gauge where you are cutting, and if anything happens to the saw it's going to hit you before it hits anything else. So why not just stand to the side of the saw? I've been doing this for a few weeks now and it seems to work just fine. Am I missing something? Seems like a non-issue, like people wearing chainsaw pants for cutting trees on the ground - just uh, ya know, don't lean over the saw or put your leg under it. Takes two seconds to get your shit right and then you're fine. Am I moronic?
circ saws are save from kickback because they lack inertia, the workpiece usually is large and heavy + they act as gigantic disc break.
I wouldn't call them safe, just less dangerous. Like how a sawzall experiences kickback but the design of the saw means it doesn't really matter. It's pretty hard to hurt yourself with one
>It's pretty hard to hurt yourself with one
Unless you aren't thinking and do something like try to hold the cutoff piece so it doesn't break and fall. With your fingers in the blade path. That's a pretty common injury.
>With your fingers in the blade path. That's a pretty common injury.
Sorry, this thread is for whites only. Blacks, hispanics, etc are not permitted to reply or comment in any way. Try getting an IQ above 50 and we'll reconsider your application
Ah, so you're that kind of moron.
I've never had bad kickback, even when I'm being lazy and don't bother to prevent it from binding. Most of it is just learning to cut straight
He's right. Don't be a mong and you won't lose digits
I literally said think about what you're doing so you don't. He's saying that being white means you're too smart to do so, which is complete moronation.
Typically hes right. And since youre incapable of realizing this concept you are likely brown.
No, you're just a fricking idiot. Plenty of white dudes missing fingers or worse from power tools.
Staying out of the path of a handheld circular saw or the piece being cut of a fixed one like a tablespoon is always best if you can, but it isn't always possible.
Some circular saws aren't set up well to see the line you are cutting (depending on L/R handedness) unless you are positioned almost over the saw, and if you are making plunge cuts you need to be lined up pretty well to maintain the control needed to get the shoe all the way down flat.
The other big issue is that circular saws tend to do a lot of cuts where the work is hard to support and may twist and hang the blade up... and when that happens the blade may take an entirely different path than straight back.
This is especially true with sheet goods like plywood...you can anticipate which way the blade may be directed if the material flexes and pinches the blade, but that's the point- you need to figure that out first on a case by case basis and never assume that a kickback will go in any one direction. Most shoe plates are offset with one ( more stable) fat side and one (less stable) narrow one so what direction you are cutting in relation to the waste side that might shift can matter a lot too.
What a good post. I will take this onboard and think about it. Thank you
YW. Another point I forgot to mention is that the chance and severity of kickbacks and other issues is greatly reduced by always setting the depth of the cut as shallow as you reasonably can...
the blade protruding by 1/4"- 1/2" isn't a problem but grabbing a saw set for maximum depth and being lazy and not readjusting it to cut some plywood or other flimsy sheet or even 1x lumber is a really bad habit.
Sometimes you may need to extend the blade all the way to maximize the cut length when cutting towards an obstacle like a wall and/or make effective plunge cuts but just being aware of that need and setting it up deliberately makes you safer as opposed to just making do to save a few seconds because you are rushing.
FWIW almost all the accidents or near ones I've seen and had personally with handheld circular saws were from rushing and taking chances; framers are notorious for scoffing at the idea that their saw can't do everything and in an instant with no planning or setup. Personally I'm the opposite; if there's another tool that can be used I prefer to use that and leave the Skilsaw for times when it's the only sensible choice.
Deliberate actions and hyper awareness any time the blade is moving is the key with any kind of circular saw or rotary cutting tool...lots of accidents happen when the tool is winding down and technically "off".
just use a worm drive saw and power through the jam
this is why sidewinders are dangerous
I love the mag 77. Used a cheap modern saw and a cordless. Cordless jams if you look at it wrong, the other cheap corded just bogs quickly.
Those old saws sure are good tools. I remember my dad had 20 of the damn things for his GC company. Used to fix the handles or cords/lube them every once in a while.
>Cordless jams if you look at it wrong
Depends on the cordless. Modern top of the line cordless framing saws have more raw power than a mag 77, and cut significantly faster.
Fair enough, I just have a basic 20v dewalt similar to OP's pic. Maybe the 60v or some of the dual battery makita ones are stronger.
>Maybe the 60v or some of the dual battery makita ones are stronger.
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ive seen this guys dooms day prep videos lol. Didnt know he also did this type of stuff
Maybe check that you've got the right blade for the type of work you're doing, that it's actually sharp, and that you aren't trying to run it too fast.
What have you been cutting for weeks while standing on the side? Plywood? 2x4s? Both?
Im confused, what side are you standing on?
I stand behind but over the saw so I can have control and power to push it and can see if the blades on the line or not
Once you get better you will be able to cut on the line with hardly being able to see the blade
You will also start to understand what types of cuts might make it kick and you will learn to cut slower or cut so it willnt kick etc
I run a dewalt 575, a guy i work with runs the older milwahkee (twist knob to set depth ) and i cut the lines and hardly ever kick and i am gay
> Why not just, you know, not stand behind the saw?
Just some thoughts
Most of your joints will only bend in the sagittal plane so it’s easiest to apply/resist consistent and straight force in that direction.
If you move it eg sideways, it becomes a lot harder to push the saw forward in a straight line with consistent speed/force.
But sure if it works for you, it may be safer to not be in the plane of rotation. On the other hand, being completely behind the saw is the only 100% guarantee that you will never saw through a limb. If you move a circular saw sideways and set the cut depth way too deep, you could theoretically saw through your upper legs or whatever.
the only saw i ever used was a cordless that has some queer emergency torque stop when you frick up. and boy have i done some fricked up shit with it. idk if id survive a regular saw.