Sometimes it's easier to cut a full sheet of plywood with a circular saw than it is to balance it on the table saw. To get accurate results while crosscutting with a circular saw, I use a shop-made edge guide, see photo at right.
This edge guide has an added benefit as well. It can also be used as a guide when cutting with a hand-held router, see Cross Section in the drawing below.
CONSTRUCTION. The edge guide is simple to build. It consists of two parts: a hardboard base (A) that serves as a platform for the circular saw (or router), and a plywood fence (B) that guides the base of the tool, see drawing below.
In order to crosscut a full sheet of plywood, it's best to make both the base and fence 48" long. Also, start with an extra-wide base. After screwing the fence to the base, both sides are trimmed to final width. You’ll want to cut one side with the circular saw and the other with a router and a straight bit, see Cross Section below.
USING THE JIG. To use the jig with a circular saw, simply place the edge of the base on the layout line and clamp thejig securely in place. Then run the metal base of the saw against the fence to make a cut.
If you're using a router to make a crosscut, the idea is basically the same as using a circular saw. Just make sure that you use the same diameter bit that was used to trim the edge of the jig.
Good circular saws have external brush access ports that make it easy to inspect brushes periodically and change them when needed. These ports usually appear as pairs of circular depressions, often equipped with a screwdriver slot to untwist them.
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