Thank you for this video! So far all of the other 'make your own track saw guide' videos use a table saw to make true cuts to start the project. I don't have a table saw. I have very few tools, but need to cut plywood sheets. Yours video is the winner! Thanks again.
Another great instructional video that explains how to do things in a way that is easily understood. Liked the fact you took the battery out as well for safety. Thanks Colin
Thank you so much for this video! I am a novice and was having trouble using my circular saw to cut a straight line. I put together the jig you described and it came out beautifully! Thanks again for your videos.
Thanks, Colin, love watching your videos. I have been using the same jig for several years, I built mine so that one side of the fence is set up for my circular saw and the back side of the fence is set up for my router so I can cut long dados or rabbits, even chamfered a table edge with it. In addition, to get rid of the clamps, I always catch my cords on them, I have placed a series of slots along both sides and I can use stop blocks to clamp to the wood underneath. Clamping with the saw side when using the router and vice versa. Again many thanks for all your videos.
Thank you ....simple and clear language.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! none of all these technical jibberish terms. lol just two pieces of woods and a few clamps... Nice video
Love this. As an elderly female living alone but semi remote and having to do many odd jobs myself, this is fantastic and saving me half the price of what I would have paid for a basic plunge saw.
Once again, a wonderful diy/how to. I learn much from you and I appreciate the sawdust out of it all. Keep up the great works and diy projects. It helps many many more than you realize and I for one are extremely grateful for you and the works you do to help us learn.
I just made a new one because my old saw died. Wish I’d seen this video a week ago. That offset is a great idea. I will incorporate it on my next one. Thanks
I made one of these. It works really well. No calculating the width of the sole and distance to the blade. One addition I added was some anti skid tape to the bottom of the jig. (a very thin foam with adhesive on one side) That way it does not slip easily when setting it down and then cutting. I cut outside, on the ground, with 2" of foam insulation under the wood.
Colin,. I have been using this jig for along time. I struggled with clamp placement for a while and finally had that "ah ha !" moment. I have been using that rubber drawer liner to hold my work while sanding and wondered if it would hold my circular saw jig. It held great, with no movement of the jig on the piece being cut. I have been using this for a couple of years and have not had a problem even once. ( they sell this stuff in woodworking shops, but saw your money and get some in you grocery store or Walmart)
Howdy Colin. After I saw this I made one with two usable sides. One for my 7 1/4" circular saw and the other side for my 4 1/2" saw. Works like a champ. Thanks for uploading this.
If I may? This video was just recommended to me by TH-cam. I have been a working carpenter since 1977 & my Dad was a carpenter who started me in carpentry long before I choose it for a career. Your design is easy enough to make, but I have a better idea that is not any more difficult to build. Your design still introduces the chance of miscuts, as shown in your video. When I made mine I took the main piece of ply & picture framed it on all 4 sides. The inside dimension is the width of the Circular Saw base + about 2 sheets of paper thickness just so it's not too tight. Then I just put the saw inside the picture frame & plunge cut running the saw the entire length. The saw can not move off line to either side. I also drilled 1" holes centered on the cut line in the track so when you lay the guide on what you are cutting there is a sight hole if you will to line it up on your marks. This also gives you the ability to clamp your "track" on both sides & not just 1 side like yours. Anyway FYI.
Colin, thank you so much for all the time, your talent, your attitude, and everything that go into every wonderful video you make. My question is, since you make the original cut that mirrors your fence, at 7:28, why would you try to compensate for the thickness of the blade? My logic is that the original cut already does that. Let us know if my logic is sound or doesn't hold water. Again, thanks for all you do!!! : ) -jb
This is the sort of thing I use too. Mine is a bit shorter at approximately six feet, so I can hang it on the back of the workshop door. Incidentally I use mine with a thick sheet of polystyrene foam as a sacrificial material which gives support to the offcut piece - no chance of it breaking off at the end of the cut. Thanks for that Colin, always a treat!
7:15 one thing to mention , when you measure out the distance from the far end , you need to make sure it is square , otherwise the cut wont be square . I found it the hard way. another thing is that always cut on the waste site of the line.
I made two many years ago, 8ft and 4ft. I have seen a modification where a router can be used on the other side of the fence. I wished I had thought of that! Best regards from very wet England.
Brilliant, Colin, as most simple things are and I end up slapping my forehead saying why didn't I think of that. I have been marking my cuts an inch and a half, the width of the narrow side of my saw base, from the line I actually want and then grabbing any old relatively straight board to use as a guide. Needless to say my cuts are only approximations of an accurate straight line. Worse, the saw ends up riding on the narrow side of the base if I'm cutting near an edge. So thank you for this. I'm off to buy a sheet of plywood.
Colin. After I saw this on one of your old videos from you (I think it was you) I made one out of a cheap aluminum straight edge screwed on to a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 plywood. It's a total go to tool!! - if it was you...Thank you!
Hi Colin Thanks again for the advice. I had made one of these type maybe 18 months ago when (if you can believe it) my woodworking skills were even worse than today! I made it using 18 tooth blade and not a factory edge. I also made it a lot shorter. I can see some real benefit from starting with the max teeth and factory edge like you did. Time to revisit the exercise.
Very good. I've been doing this for years. If you have more than 1 Skil saw, be sure to write the name of the saw on the jib so you grab the right one.
Hello. Thank you for the video. I made the jig and it was not working: I was getting crooked cuts and I was fighting to get the saw to cut properly. I looked again at your video and wondered what you did differently. Then I realized you had a good saw. Mine was an old saw from another user so I went to get a new Makita. Now it works great. Everything within a 64th so far and straight cuts. I also marked the edge where the saw cuts in case I nick it with the blade so I know not to take my measurements off of there. This also solved the problem I was having about the particle board I was cutting chipping upwards.
So i built this jig and it works for plywood, but i'm having trouble doing detailed cuts because I can't keep the 2x4, etc. clamped down because it isn't wide enough. Can this jig only be used on material that is longer than the jig itself so it can be clamped?
Neat tool! I like the idea of the length- 7', 8' -no issue. I am also making one from another channel that is 5' to 6' long, and boxed/reinforced. Great accuracy with the 5' and less range. Cool tools! Thanks again! Added to this!!! As comment!!
Had a "brain issue", lol! One Minute Work Bench is the other channel with the "short" guide. Neat guide for the shorter cuts that happen. I am making both guides, as I see I will have a use for both as applied! Simple and Great stuff for the shop!! Thanks for sharing the details!!
What do you do when you want a 45 degree cut? I made two 4 foot jigs for straight cuts but I need to cut an 8 foot long french cleat and if I cut at 45 degrees I'll be cutting 3/8 of an inch off of my guides for when I do straight cuts.
Colin - This jig does work great when you just want to cut off a small amount from the edge of a piece of material. When the saw drifts off the guide slightly, you can just go back and re-cut that section. Perfect cut.....BUT, when you want to cut down the middle of a sheet and use BOTH remaining pieces, you don't have that luxury, especially when the jig is in the middle of a piece of sheet material. You need to find a jig that locks the saw onto the track. There are several designs on TH-cam that will accomplish this.
Could you do a video of how you organize and store your jigs? My shop is a little small and organization is critical. I loved this video on making a track saw jig.
When you make the perfect cut in the jig for the first time, any advice on how to start the saw perfect? I got a bit of wobble in the first few centimetres, so the base of the jig is a bit wobbly right at the start. I guess I could just discard the first few centimetres?
Thanks Colin- Great idea offsetting the fence. I've made a few of these. 4 foot, 8 foot one for cordless one for corded (they're backwards) and I stuff them in the joists when not in use. They do wear out but they're cheap and easy to make. Not sure why anyone would buy a ready made one.
A true track saw keeps it in place without applying pressure to one side like with this type of guide. That is the one benefit of using a track saw that this doesn't have.
@@cspann831 The sort of ride a rail that goes into a notch on the bottom of the saw so it can't move right or left but you can lift the saw off the rail
Great video I noticed my de Walt saw seemed to tighten as I went along and try to wander. Using my digital vernier the blade is several degrees out of parallel with the rectangular guide base edge. The hinge which attaches the two bits also has some play. Not something that I have seen anyone measure or discuss before. It is about 3 to 5 degrees out! A bit of fixing is clearly in order with a bolt, lock nut and shims - groan!
Most circular saws are of flimsy construction and come with either a too flexible sheetmetal baseplate, or come misaligned from factory... But some can be adjusted with shims and patience!
Hi Collin! I've benn watching your videos for a long time and I'm always surprised on how you can be so objective and straight-to-the-point in your explanations. It's a pleasure to watch and a great way of learning how to work in my shop. Thanks a lot!
I've been using a jig like that for years. I use one edge for my circular saw and the other edge for my router with a 3/8 straight bit. Got the tip from NORM .
I prefer circular saw with blade on left hand side so that I can more easily see the pencil line. I need to cut accurate cross cuts across 4x4 inch timber to prepare mortise joints, depth of mortise trench is 2 inches. Is there a jig that can help, or do I just run the circular saw against a speed square ? Great video, thank you sir.
I've had these for years now. I use them all the time. I made an 8' and 5', both for my circular saw. I also made a 3' that fits my circular saw, and on the opposite side, I can fit my jigsaw.
Thanks Colin. I have two jigs, one for my battery and one for power. A couple of thoughts.. I have stuck router mat/ shelf liner on the underside at intervals to assist in non slip. my fence is pretty wide so that I can put clamps on and not have the saw motor body hit the clamps while cutting.
Weird. If you are a lefty, righty circular saws should help you make straighter cuts with the blade being more visible. Many righties prefer lefty circular saws for this reason.
I have a 4’ jig that’s super portable & gets a lot of use (my favorite way to trim doors). I also adapted the concept to make a pair of jigs for my trim router to make dados (I clamp them facing each other, the space in between is the width of the dado).
I made one like this a few years ago, but I left enough of the board on the opposite side to use the saw going in the opposite direction. That side of the saw is not as wide, so I just cut off the excess on that side. Works great.
I can't figure out the "width of the blade" concern. In my mind the blade is already aligned to the outside of the jig guide. Taking the jig in for the blade width, I thought by design would make the cut smaller than the measurement. Shouldn't the guide line up _exactly_ with the marks to get the right cut? What am I missing?
That's true when the meat is the part under the saw - where the jig is sitting on. If it's the other way round you must add the blade width to your measurement or you will end up short by that amount.
I agree with Ian. When you cut the jig the inside edge of the blade lines up exactly with the edge of the jig. I have been using these jigs for years and the fact that you do not need to account for the blade width is one of the most convenient features. I feel that track saws are a rip off when this jig is made for practically nothing and gives very precise results.
I added a small piece of wood at the bottom of mine, it helps me keep the ruler to square and helps me clampt everything in position, specially for larger cuts
I just attached a straight piece of plywood or wood to a 6'x28" sheet of scrap 3/4" plywood and set it farther in than shoe of the saw to be the fence and just ripped the excess off rather than doin all that measuring. Its 100% accurate that way
A bit confused. On yr safety issue of using circular saw, it was advised not to cross yr hand over the blade or in front of the saw blade. Here it showed your hand is in front and cross over the saw blade. Any advise on this?
Thanks Colin, for the great video. I too have the same question as Ian's below. It seems that after you've finally cut the base of your jig using the fence's factory edge, you no longer have to consider blade width; the cut on your workpiece will be exactly along the jig's cutting edge. Did I misunderstand?
Another amazing video! :D hope you don't mind me asking but for the 'straight edge' can you use melamine wood? I have a 3m piece with the factory edge still in place. I didn't know if it made a difference where it's not actual 'wood' rather than particle board.
Melamine coated MDF is pretty stable to size with humidity changes, and plus. Melamine coated MDF 8 feet long and 10-12" wide is pretty heavy, and want's to "take a set" if it stored not perfectly flat. I prefer to spend $20 for a 1/4" thick by 2" wide aluminum bar stock attached from underneath. Melamine coated MDF weights a lot more than 3/8" or even 1/2" plywood. I have a "long" guide (for 8 foot panels) and a "short" guide for 4 foot and less panels. My cheap Skil saw has a very narrow bottom plate, but this is better than man-handling a full 4x8 sheet to the table saw. A few years ago, some place down in Georgia(???) made a "universal track saw" from extruded aluminum for just under $100...honestly, I SHOULD have bought it and ignored the hype about $1000 One-Brand and the $2200 Other-brand track saw. My former sofa slug has the $2200 track-saw, and it's VERY NICE, but it's $2075 more than most of us will ever need. Hint: cutting your MDF base to keep a nice edge, use a VERY HIGH COUNT toothed blade. For a 7 1/2" saw, Freud sells a 60 tooth and 80 tooth "finish blade". You DON'T want a 120-200 tooth "laminate blade" in MDF, trust me! Another MDF cutting trick is to put blue painter's tape where you are going to cut the MDF. The edge of the Melamine will be SHARP and not chipped.
I have a DIY track saw made out of plywood. Is it possible to attach anti-slip rubber or foam tape to the bottom of my plywood track to make it anti-slip so I don't have to clamp the track down all the time? Where would I buy this tape? thx
nice. ive tried using a clamped level measure as a guide for some cross cuts with a circular saw.. but the saw wont glide across the board, does this mean my circular saw blade isnt doing a correct 90degree cut? would that mean my blade needs a changing or maybe some type of adjustment on the saw itself. idk
I would also add that while at it you could use the other side for the 1-5/8"(?) Side of the saw foot. (obvisouly the opposite guiding edge would need to be true). This also provides a little bit more space to have a clamp at a slightly lower hieght than the guide.
This is probably a stupid question At 5:30 in, why is the fence being set back 2 1/4" inches? What is the purpose of that? Why can't the base and the fence the the same length?
I understand your ripped the small 1/4" off in order the make the edge true with the fence? So it doesn't really matter how strait the fence in laid on the base? Is that correct? Thanks for the great Videos
I been thinking of making one in different lengths. The longer ones I plan on being setup for my router so I am not trying to router edges on long boards on my router table
Now i have to rip 10 ft 2x4s to the following dimensions 1 7/8 on one end down to 1 1/4 inches ,im trying to level out a living room floor in an old house i purchased. How would i use this jig to accomplish this? How would i fasten the 2x4 to the jig? Im a newbie woodworker, and certanly not a carpenter. Any help would be appreciated. P.S hello from Espanola Ontario.
I have been doing this with a simple "L" made from two strips of 3/4" birch ply, the "L" shape is so I can clamp it into place, and keeps the straight edge rigidly straight. The "L" is low enough to clear the motor of the saw, and reminds me of clamping it correctly, nothing worse than getting to the end of a cut to find a clamp blocking your path. I never saw a need for the sled part of the jig when I can measure 1 1/4" off of my cut to find the line for the guide.
Thank you for this Colin :) It reminded me that I need to make one of these and a nice simple and you demonstrated the process really well. Blessings ॐ
Thank you for this video! So far all of the other 'make your own track saw guide' videos use a table saw to make true cuts to start the project. I don't have a table saw. I have very few tools, but need to cut plywood sheets. Yours video is the winner! Thanks again.
Colin, I hope you’re still here in 20yr. I thank you for all the videos you have made. I will use them to teach my son about woodworking.
I'm glad I could help and I sure hope I'm still here in 20yrs! Thanks for watching!
Great stuff, not enough kids use their hands to build stuff nowadays.
Another great instructional video that explains how to do things in a way that is easily understood. Liked the fact you took the battery out as well for safety. Thanks Colin
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video! I am a novice and was having trouble using my circular saw to cut a straight line. I put together the jig you described and it came out beautifully!
Thanks again for your videos.
Thanks, Colin, love watching your videos. I have been using the same jig for several years, I built mine so that one side of the fence is set up for my circular saw and the back side of the fence is set up for my router so I can cut long dados or rabbits, even chamfered a table edge with it. In addition, to get rid of the clamps, I always catch my cords on them, I have placed a series of slots along both sides and I can use stop blocks to clamp to the wood underneath. Clamping with the saw side when using the router and vice versa. Again many thanks for all your videos.
Those are some great tips, Dennis. Thanks for sharing them and thanks for watching!
I wish I had someone like you in my family to spend time with 😌
i feel you..😔
@@CAMOTEDIGGER Thank you 🙏
@@thomasmarliere2505
Yes. Same feeling here.
At least I have my church family now
Thank you ....simple and clear language.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! none of all these technical jibberish terms. lol just two pieces of woods and a few clamps... Nice video
Excellent idea, took no time to make and will be invaluable in cutting down 2.4m sheets. Thanks from London
Love this. As an elderly female living alone but semi remote and having to do many odd jobs myself, this is fantastic and saving me half the price of what I would have paid for a basic plunge saw.
Can’t beat those old school tricks
Once again, a wonderful diy/how to. I learn much from you and I appreciate the sawdust out of it all. Keep up the great works and diy projects. It helps many many more than you realize and I for one are extremely grateful for you and the works you do to help us learn.
I just made a new one because my old saw died. Wish I’d seen this video a week ago. That offset is a great idea. I will incorporate it on my next one. Thanks
Colin you always leave me more better educated after watching your videos. Thanks!
Carl Alm Florida has
I made one of these. It works really well. No calculating the width of the sole and distance to the blade. One addition I added was some anti skid tape to the bottom of the jig. (a very thin foam with adhesive on one side) That way it does not slip easily when setting it down and then cutting. I cut outside, on the ground, with 2" of foam insulation under the wood.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
Colin,. I have been using this jig for along time. I struggled with clamp placement for a while and finally had that "ah ha !" moment. I have been using that rubber drawer liner to hold my work while sanding and wondered if it would hold my circular saw jig. It held great, with no movement of the jig on the piece being cut. I have been using this for a couple of years and have not had a problem even once. ( they sell this stuff in woodworking shops, but saw your money and get some in you grocery store or Walmart)
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching! I'll give it a try!
Howdy Colin. After I saw this I made one with two usable sides. One for my 7 1/4" circular saw and the other side for my 4 1/2" saw. Works like a champ. Thanks for uploading this.
If I may? This video was just recommended to me by TH-cam. I have been a working carpenter since 1977 & my Dad was a carpenter who started me in carpentry long before I choose it for a career. Your design is easy enough to make, but I have a better idea that is not any more difficult to build. Your design still introduces the chance of miscuts, as shown in your video. When I made mine I took the main piece of ply & picture framed it on all 4 sides. The inside dimension is the width of the Circular Saw base + about 2 sheets of paper thickness just so it's not too tight. Then I just put the saw inside the picture frame & plunge cut running the saw the entire length. The saw can not move off line to either side. I also drilled 1" holes centered on the cut line in the track so when you lay the guide on what you are cutting there is a sight hole if you will to line it up on your marks. This also gives you the ability to clamp your "track" on both sides & not just 1 side like yours. Anyway FYI.
Colin, thank you so much for all the time, your talent, your attitude, and everything that go into every wonderful video you make. My question is, since you make the original cut that mirrors your fence, at 7:28, why would you try to compensate for the thickness of the blade? My logic is that the original cut already does that. Let us know if my logic is sound or doesn't hold water. Again, thanks for all you do!!! : ) -jb
This is the sort of thing I use too. Mine is a bit shorter at approximately six feet, so I can hang it on the back of the workshop door. Incidentally I use mine with a thick sheet of polystyrene foam as a sacrificial material which gives support to the offcut piece - no chance of it breaking off at the end of the cut. Thanks for that Colin, always a treat!
Thanks for the tip, Mark and thanks for watching!
WoodWorkWeb Actually mate I saw Tim Hunkin do the sacrificial foam thing. Very clever I thought.
Have used one for 30+ years. Made 8 & 4 foot ones. Works great.
I might try to make a double guide one, one left side, one right.
Thanks for watching!
7:15 one thing to mention , when you measure out the distance from the far end , you need to make sure it is square , otherwise the cut wont be square . I found it the hard way. another thing is that always cut on the waste site of the line.
Thank you my friend, i made a version to suit my work and my circular saw..but yes , very useful and well explain the gist of it...Track on!!
Simple but effective. I need to make another one for my cordless circular saw.
Great video. Makes perfect sense and is both economical and practical.
Thank you.
I have seen a few different designs and this one is the easiest way. Great video and channel my friend, thankyou 👍
- Colin, thanx for sharing this simple but very useful jig.
Very good idea to off-set the guide a few inches. Bravo!
Thank You!
I made two many years ago, 8ft and 4ft. I have seen a modification where a router can be used on the other side of the fence. I wished I had thought of that! Best regards from very wet England.
Looks like accurate jig i will try it thanks for sharing the video
Brilliant, Colin, as most simple things are and I end up slapping my forehead saying why didn't I think of that. I have been marking my cuts an inch and a half, the width of the narrow side of my saw base, from the line I actually want and then grabbing any old relatively straight board to use as a guide. Needless to say my cuts are only approximations of an accurate straight line. Worse, the saw ends up riding on the narrow side of the base if I'm cutting near an edge. So thank you for this. I'm off to buy a sheet of plywood.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching, Zale!
Colin. After I saw this on one of your old videos from you (I think it was you) I made one out of a cheap aluminum straight edge screwed on to a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 plywood. It's a total go to tool!!
- if it was you...Thank you!
I have used this on other videos, but I'm far from the only person. But, you're welcome anyways! ;)
nice details with advancing the fence and reversing the boards
Thanks for watching!
Hi Colin Thanks again for the advice. I had made one of these type maybe 18 months ago when (if you can believe it) my woodworking skills were even worse than today! I made it using 18 tooth blade and not a factory edge. I also made it a lot shorter. I can see some real benefit from starting with the max teeth and factory edge like you did. Time to revisit the exercise.
Thanks for watching!
Very good. I've been doing this for years. If you have more than 1 Skil saw, be sure to write the name of the saw on the jib so you grab the right one.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
Hello. Thank you for the video. I made the jig and it was not working: I was getting crooked cuts and I was fighting to get the saw to cut properly. I looked again at your video and wondered what you did differently. Then I realized you had a good saw. Mine was an old saw from another user so I went to get a new Makita. Now it works great. Everything within a 64th so far and straight cuts.
I also marked the edge where the saw cuts in case I nick it with the blade so I know not to take my measurements off of there.
This also solved the problem I was having about the particle board I was cutting chipping upwards.
Would it be simpler to cut the fence, fix it approximately in place, but a liite too far in, then run the saw down it to make it perfectly true?
Make sure the fence is wide enough that the clamps clear the motor.
lol. I wish I had read this comment before making this fence, now I make my second fence.
haha! I was about to write the same thing :D Learned the hard - read: in the middle of the cut" - way :D
Sounds as though we all went to the same school. LOL
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
No need for clamps if you glue a roll of that Non Slip Rubber onto the back.
No need for track saws, this is OLD SCHOOL at it's finest.
So i built this jig and it works for plywood, but i'm having trouble doing detailed cuts because I can't keep the 2x4, etc. clamped down because it isn't wide enough. Can this jig only be used on material that is longer than the jig itself so it can be clamped?
Bravo !!!!! AccurAte, simple, and INEXPENSIVE
what else could you ask for?
Thank you, thank you thank you.....
Neat tool! I like the idea of the length- 7', 8' -no issue. I am also making one from another channel that is 5' to 6' long, and boxed/reinforced. Great accuracy with the 5' and less range. Cool tools! Thanks again! Added to this!!! As comment!!
Had a "brain issue", lol! One Minute Work Bench is the other channel with the "short" guide.
Neat guide for the shorter cuts that happen. I am making both guides, as I see I will have a use for both as applied! Simple and Great stuff for the shop!! Thanks for sharing the details!!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Excellent demonstration & tutorial. enjayed very bit. Keep it up. Thanks
Awesome guide track for anybody's circular saw. Thanks for the knowledge Sir
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
What do you do when you want a 45 degree cut? I made two 4 foot jigs for straight cuts but I need to cut an 8 foot long french cleat and if I cut at 45 degrees I'll be cutting 3/8 of an inch off of my guides for when I do straight cuts.
Colin - This jig does work great when you just want to cut off a small amount from the edge of a piece of material. When the saw drifts off the guide slightly, you can just go back and re-cut that section. Perfect cut.....BUT, when you want to cut down the middle of a sheet and use BOTH remaining pieces, you don't have that luxury, especially when the jig is in the middle of a piece of sheet material. You need to find a jig that locks the saw onto the track. There are several designs on TH-cam that will accomplish this.
Sounds interesting, could you point to one of those designs?
I glued a sheet of sandpaper in the bottom of the jig. Avoid slipping. Just for the records.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
Great idea thank you Colin, I have got one to make this coming weekend. Take care Graham 🇬🇧🇬🇧
Hope it helps! Thanks for watching!
Could you do a video of how you organize and store your jigs? My shop is a little small and organization is critical. I loved this video on making a track saw jig.
Can you please tell me what that little measuring pencil tool you used is called?
Great idea on staggering the fence thanks
I usually enjoy and understand your videos because they are quite clear, organized and easy , this one...not so much.
When you make the perfect cut in the jig for the first time, any advice on how to start the saw perfect? I got a bit of wobble in the first few centimetres, so the base of the jig is a bit wobbly right at the start. I guess I could just discard the first few centimetres?
So simple! Love it!
I built one of these and glued sandpaper on the bottom. this prevents the jig moving when cutting
Thanks Colin- Great idea offsetting the fence. I've made a few of these. 4 foot, 8 foot one for cordless one for corded (they're backwards) and I stuff them in the joists when not in use. They do wear out but they're cheap and easy to make. Not sure why anyone would buy a ready made one.
I agree, for the price and time, it's well worth to make your own!
A true track saw keeps it in place without applying pressure to one side like with this type of guide. That is the one benefit of using a track saw that this doesn't have.
@@timkarcher6724 I see... like a panel saw on rails that you clamp to your sheet. . I've never seen one up close
@@cspann831 The sort of ride a rail that goes into a notch on the bottom of the saw so it can't move right or left but you can lift the saw off the rail
Once again, a great tutorial. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great video
I noticed my de Walt saw seemed to tighten as I went along and try to wander. Using my digital vernier the blade is several degrees out of parallel with the rectangular guide base edge. The hinge which attaches the two bits also has some play. Not something that I have seen anyone measure or discuss before. It is about 3 to 5 degrees out! A bit of fixing is clearly in order with a bolt, lock nut and shims - groan!
Most circular saws are of flimsy construction and come with either a too flexible sheetmetal baseplate, or come misaligned from factory...
But some can be adjusted with shims and patience!
Hi Collin! I've benn watching your videos for a long time and I'm always surprised on how you can be so objective and straight-to-the-point in your explanations. It's a pleasure to watch and a great way of learning how to work in my shop. Thanks a lot!
I've been using a jig like that for years. I use one edge for my circular saw and the other edge for my router with a 3/8 straight bit. Got the tip from NORM .
I prefer circular saw with blade on left hand side so that I can more easily see the pencil line. I need to cut accurate cross cuts across 4x4 inch timber to prepare mortise joints, depth of mortise trench is 2 inches. Is there a jig that can help, or do I just run the circular saw against a speed square ? Great video, thank you sir.
Thank you for showing us this simple technique.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Very simple and easy solution. made one a while ago. works great. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
I've had these for years now. I use them all the time. I made an 8' and 5', both for my circular saw. I also made a 3' that fits my circular saw, and on the opposite side, I can fit my jigsaw.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
Good simple guide tool, thanks for your ideas.🙏
Colin,all should remember that each saw needs its own guide ,as they don't all have same shoe size!
So simple, yet so effective. Just loved it.❤👍
you r the best one my friend you r so simple
Thanks Colin. I have two jigs, one for my battery and one for power. A couple of thoughts.. I have stuck router mat/ shelf liner on the underside at intervals to assist in non slip. my fence is pretty wide so that I can put clamps on and not have the saw motor body hit the clamps while cutting.
That's a great idea, Peter. Thanks for watching!
I am a lefty, so I have a hard time making straight cuts. (laft hand circular saws are expensive). I guide like this really helps me. :)
Thanks.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Weird. If you are a lefty, righty circular saws should help you make straighter cuts with the blade being more visible. Many righties prefer lefty circular saws for this reason.
Kreg adds some sort of rubber stripping to ensure it holds which appears to often eliminate clamps. Do you have any idea what the strip is?
I have a 4’ jig that’s super portable & gets a lot of use (my favorite way to trim doors). I also adapted the concept to make a pair of jigs for my trim router to make dados (I clamp them facing each other, the space in between is the width of the dado).
Thanks for the tips and thanks for watching!
Since the jig is made of wood, does it warp in the edge? Im affraid that the jig will lost its "straighness"
I made one like this a few years ago, but I left enough of the board on the opposite side to use the saw going in the opposite direction. That side of the saw is not as wide, so I just cut off the excess on that side. Works great.
I can't figure out the "width of the blade" concern. In my mind the blade is already aligned to the outside of the jig guide. Taking the jig in for the blade width, I thought by design would make the cut smaller than the measurement. Shouldn't the guide line up _exactly_ with the marks to get the right cut? What am I missing?
That's true when the meat is the part under the saw - where the jig is sitting on. If it's the other way round you must add the blade width to your measurement or you will end up short by that amount.
I agree with Ian. When you cut the jig the inside edge of the blade lines up exactly with the edge of the jig. I have been using these jigs for years and the fact that you do not need to account for the blade width is one of the most convenient features. I feel that track saws are a rip off when this jig is made for practically nothing and gives very precise results.
@@YouHolli Never put the meat on the other side. This defeats the purpose...
You are correct.
I can't figure it out either Ian. You really should address this Colin. I'd go as far as suggesting you edit it for newbies who don't spot your error.
Better idea than clamping a 2x4 as a guard rail. Cheers
Finally one that doesn't take a month to make!
Many and sincere thanks for sharing !!
I added a small piece of wood at the bottom of mine, it helps me keep the ruler to square and helps me clampt everything in position, specially for larger cuts
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
I just attached a straight piece of plywood or wood to a 6'x28" sheet of scrap 3/4" plywood and set it farther in than shoe of the saw to be the fence and just ripped the excess off rather than doin all that measuring. Its 100% accurate that way
I wondered why he didn't just attach the piece he cut off along the edge then use the saw to cut it off exactly to size.
Great trick, Thank you for the video.
Nice and clear. Thanks Colin!
Very helpful information 👌
A bit confused. On yr safety issue of using circular saw, it was advised not to cross yr hand over the blade or in front of the saw blade. Here it showed your hand is in front and cross over the saw blade. Any advise on this?
Thanks Colin, for the great video. I too have the same question as Ian's below. It seems that after you've finally cut the base of your jig using the fence's factory edge, you no longer have to consider blade width; the cut on your workpiece will be exactly along the jig's cutting edge. Did I misunderstand?
It all depends if you are cutting off the waste side or the keeper side.
Just made this yesterday, use today. Wondered though why bother with screws vs brads and glue since it's just a shop jig.
Another amazing video! :D
hope you don't mind me asking but for the 'straight edge' can you use melamine wood? I have a 3m piece with the factory edge still in place. I didn't know if it made a difference where it's not actual 'wood' rather than particle board.
Melamine coated MDF is pretty stable to size with humidity changes, and plus. Melamine coated MDF 8 feet long and 10-12" wide is pretty heavy, and want's to "take a set" if it stored not perfectly flat. I prefer to spend $20 for a 1/4" thick by 2" wide aluminum bar stock attached from underneath. Melamine coated MDF weights a lot more than 3/8" or even 1/2" plywood. I have a "long" guide (for 8 foot panels) and a "short" guide for 4 foot and less panels. My cheap Skil saw has a very narrow bottom plate, but this is better than man-handling a full 4x8 sheet to the table saw. A few years ago, some place down in Georgia(???) made a "universal track saw" from extruded aluminum for just under $100...honestly, I SHOULD have bought it and ignored the hype about $1000 One-Brand and the $2200 Other-brand track saw. My former sofa slug has the $2200 track-saw, and it's VERY NICE, but it's $2075 more than most of us will ever need. Hint: cutting your MDF base to keep a nice edge, use a VERY HIGH COUNT toothed blade. For a 7 1/2" saw, Freud sells a 60 tooth and 80 tooth "finish blade". You DON'T want a 120-200 tooth "laminate blade" in MDF, trust me! Another MDF cutting trick is to put blue painter's tape where you are going to cut the MDF. The edge of the Melamine will be SHARP and not chipped.
I have a DIY track saw made out of plywood. Is it possible to attach anti-slip rubber or foam tape to the bottom of my plywood track to make it anti-slip so I don't have to clamp the track down all the time? Where would I buy this tape? thx
nice. ive tried using a clamped level measure as a guide for some cross cuts with a circular saw.. but the saw wont glide across the board, does this mean my circular saw blade isnt doing a correct 90degree cut? would that mean my blade needs a changing or maybe some type of adjustment on the saw itself. idk
As always, excellent.👍🇬🇧
I would also add that while at it you could use the other side for the 1-5/8"(?) Side of the saw foot. (obvisouly the opposite guiding edge would need to be true). This also provides a little bit more space to have a clamp at a slightly lower hieght than the guide.
Didn't understand why you compensated for the blade. Really enjoyed the video.
Bill Procter depending which side you want to keep, yes. But I think he was referring to side being cut off.
This is probably a stupid question At 5:30 in, why is the fence being set back 2 1/4" inches? What is the purpose of that? Why can't the base and the fence the the same length?
I understand your ripped the small 1/4" off in order the make the edge true with the fence? So it doesn't really matter how strait the fence in laid on the base? Is that correct?
Thanks for the great Videos
That makes sense to me, you're running the blade parallel with the factory edge at that point.
Yea that's a good point. As long as the fence is a nice straight line.
Awesome great job
I been thinking of making one in different lengths. The longer ones I plan on being setup for my router so I am not trying to router edges on long boards on my router table
Thanks a great idea, Oneal. Many people make different versions of them.
Now i have to rip 10 ft 2x4s to the following dimensions 1 7/8 on one end down to 1 1/4 inches ,im trying to level out a living room floor in an old house i purchased. How would i use this jig to accomplish this? How would i fasten the 2x4 to the jig? Im a newbie woodworker, and certanly not a carpenter. Any help would be appreciated.
P.S hello from Espanola Ontario.
You're getting very narrow there. I would use a friends table saw for 2x4 like that. Thanks for watching!
I have been doing this with a simple "L" made from two strips of 3/4" birch ply, the "L" shape is so I can clamp it into place, and keeps the straight edge rigidly straight. The "L" is low enough to clear the motor of the saw, and reminds me of clamping it correctly, nothing worse than getting to the end of a cut to find a clamp blocking your path. I never saw a need for the sled part of the jig when I can measure 1 1/4" off of my cut to find the line for the guide.
Thank you for this Colin :) It reminded me that I need to make one of these and a nice simple and you demonstrated the process really well. Blessings ॐ
You're welcome! Thanks for watching. Wood Yogi!
I will have one in my garage today! Actually i will have 2 of them. I believe a 3 or 4 footer would be helpful too. Thanks.
I hope they help! Thanks for watching!
All ways very good ideals you explain things so well.
Thank You!
Thanks for the nice idea
I've just made it and it turned out great