Colin: To help contain more saw dust, screw a clear polycarbonate, or equal, 1/8" thick sheet over the top open area. Create the saw kerf through the plastic and add any additional screws to maintain stability of what is now two pieces of poly covering the jig/sled. Dong this will provide a see-through feature and contain approx. 80%+ saw dust. Also, create a hinged flap at one end of the "saw dust box" to afford simple emptying of the box area. I love watching your videos and the imaginative way you take on complicated tasks. All The Best - Michael
Great jig idea Colin. I am learning a lot from your videos, as I get my wood crafting shop up & running. Keep up the good work. (Patrick - a fellow Canuck)
Very inspiring. I might add tabs for bench dog clamps and consider hinging the tracks so they tilt open from the back. so you can drop long pieces into the jig rather than sliding them in. Great safety tool for the novice circular saw user.
Very interesting design,... with a little accesory to differents cuts,.. 30º, 45º it will be something absolutely necessary to use to building boxes and frameworks. I love it!!!
That is an amazing coincidence..I just got a cordless circular saw and had pretty much the same idea of this jig and you already knocked it out of the park. Thanks for the video I will see about making one. :)
This is a good idea. I think if I make one I think I would add a place I can connect my portable shop vac. You would get 100 % then. Thanks for sharing.
I really like this Colin. I would add one more piece, a stop at the finish cut to stop the saw from going farther than you want. Very nice for outside work as well framing with 2X4 etc.
Love this idea! I was thinking the addition of an open riser on the bottom or even a set of 1” feet would let you use clamps on either side to hold the board in place for added support.
Could be a winning alternative to a mitre saw. Might need another for angles, 45 degrees, or maybe just another fence position. Dowel holes for positioning? Connect a vacuum cleaner for near 100% pickup?
Very clever little jig. Would you trap more of the sawdust if you made the bottom of the rail the saw base rides on to the left a little wider, particularly over where the sawdust is collecting? That would reduce the path for sawdust to exit from the box. Also, if you added a block of wood flush with the cutout on the left of the frame the piece being cut would have something to ride on for the in-feed and could be secured to it using a clamp. I noticed when you were cutting the scrap piece the end was lifted a little, and if they were cutting from a longer board the weight of the end might cause the board to teeter, but if it were clamped it would reduce that possibility. Clamping the piece would also make using the saw more safe.
Great jig Colin, it's amazing the number of times you need to make an accurate cut on one small piece of wood and you don't want to move the settings on your table saw or you're using it as an assembly table. Just one suggestion maybe I can see. If you make the right support slightly wider then when the guard flips up it will ride on top of the new wider support instead of slamming down once it clears the back support.
Hi, thank you for all your videos. They’re amazing and so much to learn from them! I made this jig but it’s not 100% accurate. I’m struggling to get dead straight cross cuts. Mainly dealing with plywood and pine. I tweaked the build slightly to accommodate my needs. Many thanks
great jig Colin I just bought my first circular saw and this jig would be so handy 2 have because I don't have a table saw. I can't wait 2 build this so I can get more accurate cuts on smaller pieces. Thank you
Only recommendation I have is to put a solid stop at the end once the blade is just past material, that way there's no accidental overcut. Great little jig instead of having to carry around a tablesaw in your back pocket ;-)
Nice design. I would extend the bottom of the L shaped piece used for the backer or fence all the way back. It would give a zero clearence effect along the full cut to help reduce bottom tear out.
You should add wins to the side to help support the material you're cutting and integrate universal fence clamps to the wins to hold the material in place.
Pretty darn clever. It even makes an attractive shelf stand. I would think a thin cover for the dust collection box that you simply cut through (zero clearance style) would get 75% of that last 40% (I won't bother with the math). Tell us what your pal thought of it won't you?
Old video, but i still comment. If you would like to collect more dust then use the wider strips of plywood which are used as base for rail. You can mske them wide enough just to have few cm of fissure
Add a cleat to the bottom along the leading edge so you can put it up against the edge of a table. Also add a hole to the opposite side you could hook a small shop vac to.
Only thing I might say beside great job would be to add addition support pieces inside to hold up wider pieces of stock. Other then that great idea. Much safer then trying to hold small pieces of stock and cutting off smaller pieces.
If you add some piece of plywood (or even apiece of acrylic glass) which moves forward in front the saw and covers the hole above the dust collector, that feature would prevent even more dust from leaking out.
Neat idea for those of us without chopsaws. I was thinking, would it be beneficial to have the floor of the jig be proud of the sides just enough to put a clamp on the piece your cutting? It seemed awkward both times you were cutting the test pieces, almost as if you had to (but didn't want to, obviously) put your hand just inside the jig to hold it. I say this because I noticed the first piece wasn't firm up against the stopblock. Just an idea. As you said: It's a prototype! (We can't all print out our designs on fancy 3D printers and glue them on our projects!)
Would have been interesting to see you actually use the sled after creating it, as someone who knows nothing of woodworking, but hopeful to one day start learning.
Aloha Colin , This is not a 'new' idea , I recall one such 'jig' from the late 60's in either the M/I magazines or Popular Sci. magazines . One also was an early 'chop' saw , having a miter angled cut possible . Yours look good and using it with the 'cordless saw ' makes it appealing . The dust catching could be improved with a dust port for your shop vac. at the 'dust bin' end of your jig . That is what I would do next time if you were to take your 'prototype' one step farther . Aloha from Oahu , Mark Baker
Mine ejects sawdust to the back and side port more than the front - this wouldn't work for mine. Second, you would need some support for the wood being cut equal to the thickness of the bottom of this jug for a "square vertical cut" on longer pieces of wood.
maybe you could make one that is catching the sawdust in the back... if you're fancy you can integrate a hand vaccum with batteries. that's my plan. it gets a little bit bulkier that way. but it might work just fine.
Excellent concept as I just purchased a circular saw for small DYI projects around the house. My garage space for storage and work is very limited but see a need to have more accurate cuts after working on a small project. I do not have the space for a mitre saw and been looking for something like this. Just came across this video and many more of yours. Great content and explanations. When will you have 2.0 prototype ?
thanls for the upload again, Im curious if any of your more experienced viewers like my self skip the cutting assembling portion and skip to the end result ? a picture is more than enough info for me to work off. i would say great result at first impression
As usual you are always able to come up with something. Good job thanks Colin, I’m making one today. Wonder if we can make it catch more sawdust? That would be a positive.
Love this jig! I wonder if a person could make a second version for ripping long boards, such as 2X4s and 1X4s into thin strips. I have what I call my ''micro-shop,'' so no room whatsoever for a table saw...
How about shower cap like bags with elastic or something similar. Some kind of device that molds to the shape of the item going in but stays closed enough to catch the dust. Maybe something like the pin thing that shapes to your hand or face in Spencer's in the mall or with BB's maybe. Too much?
Nice, always love a good, simple solution. One question, when you place a piece on the “L” it seems like it is not wide enought to support it so it tilts upward. Wiuld you recommend a wider part?
I made a jig like this but the blade lifts the workpiece up and kicks whenever I use it, scary! I'ts square, I measured everything. The blade is just below the top surface. I use a small 12v bosch circular saw, the blade is 85mm (less than 3 1/2"). What has gone wrong do you think?
Well I have had a great day watching a marathon of your videos. That is what I do when it is too cold to work in my shop. Thanks again.
thanks for sharing it , this is really great jig for someone who doesn't have much space for table saw etc.... I need a lot of jigs :-)
Very cool. Put a cover over the area where the dust is collected.
Colin: To help contain more saw dust, screw a clear polycarbonate, or equal, 1/8" thick sheet over the top open area. Create the saw kerf through the plastic and add any additional screws to maintain stability of what is now two pieces of poly covering the jig/sled. Dong this will provide a see-through feature and contain approx. 80%+ saw dust. Also, create a hinged flap at one end of the "saw dust box" to afford simple emptying of the box area. I love watching your videos and the imaginative way you take on complicated tasks.
All The Best - Michael
That is a great SIMPLE jig (simplicity can be a benefit). The jig is complete as it is or it can be a starting point for a feature-packed jig.
Great jig idea Colin. I am learning a lot from your videos, as I get my wood crafting shop up & running. Keep up the good work. (Patrick - a fellow Canuck)
Good to hear! Thanks for watching, Patrick!
Its great that you put the dimensions on the website. Great Video.
Very inspiring. I might add tabs for bench dog clamps and consider hinging the tracks so they tilt open from the back. so you can drop long pieces into the jig rather than sliding them in. Great safety tool for the novice circular saw user.
Ingenious. I will make one of these instead of trying to alter the cross cut jig I’ve just finished making.
Very interesting design,... with a little accesory to differents cuts,.. 30º, 45º it will be something absolutely necessary to use to building boxes and frameworks. I love it!!!
I'll maybe add that to version 2 of the design!
Very nice! A 45 degree fence would be a great addition. Thanks Colin
That is an amazing coincidence..I just got a cordless circular saw and had pretty much the same idea of this jig and you already knocked it out of the park. Thanks for the video I will see about making one. :)
Very cool Colin. You are the King of the jigs.
This is a good idea. I think if I make one I think I would add a place I can connect my portable shop vac. You would get 100 % then. Thanks for sharing.
yet again, another great little idea Colin, always a pleasure to watch,. Garry from the UK
Thanks for watching, Garry!
Awesome! You could also put a stop at the end so you don't have to be so careful not to blow through the end of the jig.
I never read your comment & I said the same thing.
Judy Kerk wala het,
Great job Colin! 👍 I'll have to make one now! 😁Thanks for sharing!
add a thin piece of plexi under the rails on top of the box and a shopvac hole at the back. it should reduce the dust even more
Very good Jig Colin :) I will make one of these. Thank you ॐ
You're welcome Wood Yogi!
Good job nice square cuts an added bonus
It's really good, it only needs be able to do 45 degrees cuts to be perfect
Excellent design Colin. Add a cordless vacuum and it will be even more awesome.
I really like this Colin. I would add one more piece, a stop at the finish cut to stop the saw from going farther than you want. Very nice for outside work as well framing with 2X4 etc.
Joe Brown .. Λίγο. Το
very handy for some one who is always cutting the same small pieces of wood. I might make the bottom part of the L longer.
Neat design! I think I'd adhere some of that foam mat onto the bottom to provide a little traction wherever it was used.
Or glue mousepad to the bottom (with the grippy side down).
Love this idea! I was thinking the addition of an open riser on the bottom or even a set of 1” feet would let you use clamps on either side to hold the board in place for added support.
Could be a winning alternative to a mitre saw. Might need another for angles, 45 degrees, or maybe just another fence position. Dowel holes for positioning?
Connect a vacuum cleaner for near 100% pickup?
That's a neat looking jig...Thanks. Colin !
You're welcome Mike. Thanks for watching!
Very clever little jig. Would you trap more of the sawdust if you made the bottom of the rail the saw base rides on to the left a little wider, particularly over where the sawdust is collecting? That would reduce the path for sawdust to exit from the box. Also, if you added a block of wood flush with the cutout on the left of the frame the piece being cut would have something to ride on for the in-feed and could be secured to it using a clamp. I noticed when you were cutting the scrap piece the end was lifted a little, and if they were cutting from a longer board the weight of the end might cause the board to teeter, but if it were clamped it would reduce that possibility. Clamping the piece would also make using the saw more safe.
Great jig Colin, it's amazing the number of times you need to make an accurate cut on one small piece of wood and you don't want to move the settings on your table saw or you're using it as an assembly table. Just one suggestion maybe I can see. If you make the right support slightly wider then when the guard flips up it will ride on top of the new wider support instead of slamming down once it clears the back support.
smart idea
this is neat and simple.
would make a mini-drawer in the front to get the saw dust out easier
and a closable hole for a vacuum
Hi, thank you for all your videos. They’re amazing and so much to learn from them! I made this jig but it’s not 100% accurate. I’m struggling to get dead straight cross cuts. Mainly dealing with plywood and pine. I tweaked the build slightly to accommodate my needs. Many thanks
Love your work, brilliant again, from 🇦🇺
great jig Colin I just bought my first circular saw and this jig would be so handy 2 have because I don't have a table saw. I can't wait 2 build this so I can get more accurate cuts on smaller pieces. Thank you
You're welcome, Holly! Thanks for watching.
Very good idea..Mr.Colin👍👍👍
I’m glad to see a somewhat regular upload schedule!
Clever design! I love your channel! I also am a fan of mustard glue. 👍😁
This is brilliant! Great design!
Thanks, David and Thanks for watching David!
Only recommendation I have is to put a solid stop at the end once the blade is just past material, that way there's no accidental overcut. Great little jig instead of having to carry around a tablesaw in your back pocket ;-)
Excellent Colin. Great innovation.
Nice design. I would extend the bottom of the L shaped piece used for the backer or fence all the way back. It would give a zero clearence effect along the full cut to help reduce bottom tear out.
WoW! so simple and effective! Thanks!
You should add wins to the side to help support the material you're cutting and integrate universal fence clamps to the wins to hold the material in place.
Ill bet its great for cutting laminate flooring, great idea
I would put a piece of Plywood (like a shutter) in front of the saw which you push away when cutting might help to keep more saw dust inside the Jig?
Pretty darn clever. It even makes an attractive shelf stand. I would think a thin cover for the dust collection box that you simply cut through (zero clearance style) would get 75% of that last 40% (I won't bother with the math). Tell us what your pal thought of it won't you?
Nice jig Colin. Maybe drill a hole in the front that can accept a vacuum hose for added dust collection?
Old video, but i still comment. If you would like to collect more dust then use the wider strips of plywood which are used as base for rail. You can mske them wide enough just to have few cm of fissure
Add a cleat to the bottom along the leading edge so you can put it up against the edge of a table. Also add a hole to the opposite side you could hook a small shop vac to.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching!
Only thing I might say beside great job would be to add addition support pieces inside to hold up wider pieces of stock. Other then that great idea. Much safer then trying to hold small pieces of stock and cutting off smaller pieces.
Colin got his ears lowered. Looking fresh.
Very ingenious Colin! A little tweaking, as noted in a few of the comments, and your friend will be ready to cut away............... :)
Wah.. good design 👍👏🙏🏼
If you add some piece of plywood (or even apiece of acrylic glass) which moves forward in front the saw and covers the hole above the dust collector, that feature would prevent even more dust from leaking out.
my hero ^^. so creative
Around 7:25 ...you might want to add a little extension off to the side to support the feed area of the wood on the outside of the sled.
Thank you for good Idea. It works can proceed.
You're Welcome!
hi colin your ideas are brilliant and the videos as my eyesight is not good your jigs will be very helpful a download plan if possible Thank You
The plans can be download here: woodworkweb.com/woodworking-videos-1/woodworking-jigs-projects/669-portable-cross-cut-jig-for-circular-saws.html
I like it! compact. nice and easy to make! thanks!
Thank You!
That's a great jig.
Neat idea for those of us without chopsaws. I was thinking, would it be beneficial to have the floor of the jig be proud of the sides just enough to put a clamp on the piece your cutting? It seemed awkward both times you were cutting the test pieces, almost as if you had to (but didn't want to, obviously) put your hand just inside the jig to hold it. I say this because I noticed the first piece wasn't firm up against the stopblock.
Just an idea. As you said: It's a prototype! (We can't all print out our designs on fancy 3D printers and glue them on our projects!)
Muito legal, prático, e sem complicações. Parabéns
Would have been interesting to see you actually use the sled after creating it, as someone who knows nothing of woodworking, but hopeful to one day start learning.
Aloha Colin ,
This is not a 'new' idea , I recall one such 'jig' from the late 60's in either the M/I magazines or Popular Sci. magazines . One also was an early 'chop' saw , having a miter angled cut possible .
Yours look good and using it with the 'cordless saw ' makes it appealing . The dust catching could be improved with a dust port for your shop vac. at the 'dust bin' end of your jig . That is what I would do next time if you were to take your 'prototype' one step farther .
Aloha from Oahu ,
Mark Baker
Very cool jig.
Good job. and idea. could make a hole in the front of that side pannal to attach a house Vac.
Sehr gut gemacht! Danke!
Excellent !
I'm going to make one today. thanks
Mine ejects sawdust to the back and side port more than the front - this wouldn't work for mine. Second, you would need some support for the wood being cut equal to the thickness of the bottom of this jug for a "square vertical cut" on longer pieces of wood.
maybe you could make one that is catching the sawdust in the back...
if you're fancy you can integrate a hand vaccum with batteries. that's my plan.
it gets a little bit bulkier that way. but it might work just fine.
Excellent concept as I just purchased a circular saw for small DYI projects around the house. My garage space for storage and work is very limited but see a need to have more accurate cuts after working on a small project. I do not have the space for a mitre saw and been looking for something like this. Just came across this video and many more of yours. Great content and explanations. When will you have 2.0 prototype ?
thanls for the upload again, Im curious if any of your more experienced viewers like my self skip the cutting assembling portion and skip to the end result ? a picture is more than enough info for me to work off. i would say great result at first impression
As usual you are always able to come up with something. Good job thanks Colin, I’m making one today. Wonder if we can make it catch more sawdust? That would be a positive.
Love this jig! I wonder if a person could make a second version for ripping long boards, such as 2X4s and 1X4s into thin strips. I have what I call my ''micro-shop,'' so no room whatsoever for a table saw...
Sure can make it into sheet ripping size too
Brilliant.
Good one Col
Thanks for watching!
How about shower cap like bags with elastic or something similar. Some kind of device that molds to the shape of the item going in but stays closed enough to catch the dust. Maybe something like the pin thing that shapes to your hand or face in Spencer's in the mall or with BB's maybe. Too much?
wow
so nice
Nice, always love a good, simple solution. One question, when you place a piece on the “L” it seems like it is not wide enought to support it so it tilts upward. Wiuld you recommend a wider part?
Look at the sides of the jig. They are the same height as the backer board and will support wide boards.
Nice job and enjoyable vid. Thanks for sharing mate!
You're welcome Mark
I suggest (removable) six feet long L board so I can set a stop for repeat cuts
Hey Colin how about a hole in the tray for a shop vacuum?
i have to try it.
At this time I assume that saw blade MIGHT lift the work piece.
it's awesome!!!,I'll build it!!
Thank you for watching!
Excellent!!!!!
thank you!
great idea but it needs a lip for clamping down
Colin, Why are you putting mustard on your boards?
Extend the dust box add vacuum port.
do you happen to have measurements for the jig
Made jigs similar nearly 40 Year’s ago
I made a jig like this but the blade lifts the workpiece up and kicks whenever I use it, scary! I'ts square, I measured everything. The blade is just below the top surface. I use a small 12v bosch circular saw, the blade is 85mm (less than 3 1/2").
What has gone wrong do you think?
I an see it mounted at the end of a table, but what size material will it cut? Will it cut everything up to 2 x 12?
I thought that was great,!👍
Thank-you!
Parabéns muito bom
Very interesting design, Pls give us measure. Thanks
You're Welcome!
The big problem that I see is how to hold the piece in place. Holding it by hand is not desirable.
too kool.....
Hi Colin , what type of table saw do you use here, I am thinking about getting a new one , yours looks better than others I've seen
I'll give you a 9.5 fer that one thanks
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