No matter what the purpose is, you may have some narrow boards in your home that are needed to be cut. Many people often ask this question- “How to rip narrow boards with a circular saw?”. Yes, you read it right. To rip these narrow boards properly, you will need a circular saw. But having a circular saw doesn’t make it simple; it just means you have the thing to do it.
Ripping narrow boards can be a problematic task. But it’s time to do that! So, after checking everything, the tool picks required for this job. For more information & various type tool reviews you can visit PickTheTools.
And if you do not do it the right way, you may not get the results you want. Here, we will tell you how to do this task properly step by step. So, without any further ado, let us get started!
Things you may need
- A measuring tape or angle
- A marker or wood pencil
- Some 8d nails or clamp
- A work table, foam boards, or sawhorses
- A saw track
- A sharp circular blade
- A circular saw, of course
Precautions:
- Ensure that you are familiar with your circular saw’s functions & operation systems. If you do not know anything about it, spend some time & learn how it works by reading the user manual. And remember to read the safety advice section multiple times.
- If your saw is corded, ensure that the cord does not have any exposed or worn sections in it. And further, check if your saw has any shaky or loose components. If they are okay & in place, you can proceed.
- Even if your job is small & quick, you must wear appropriate protective gear every time you use the saw. Hand gloves, face shields, ear muffs, nose masks, safety glasses & footwear: do not miss any of them.
- Circular saws that are corded usually come with long electrical cords so that you can use it from a distance. When you are using the saw, ensure that it does not get in the work way.
- If you are working with some adults around you, make sure that they too, have taken proper safety steps because there is always a chance of wooden chunks, loose equipment parts, or splinters flying out & injuring them. And, do not allow children into your workspace.
Ripping narrow boards:
Let us get into the main task now. Follow these steps accordingly:
- Put your narrow board on support or surface. A work table, wood piece strips, one or more sawhorses, or foam boards can be used in this case.
- Make sure that your saw is fully functional. Make some sample cuts to check the blade’s sharpness.
- With the measuring tape, make appropriate measurements. After that, mark the areas that you wish to cut with a marker or a wooden pencil. The sequence in which you want to cut the board should be decided from before. It is actually not right to decide your next move while you are ripping the narrow planks.
- Make use of your saw edges. Because saw edges are responsible for straight, accurate & repeatable cuts. You can fix a temporary one for the task if you do not have a manufactured saw edge. Anyways, if you have bought a saw edge or you have got one with your circular saw, attach it to the saw. However, if you want to make one, take a scrap wood piece & nail it along the line you are making the cuts. After you have finished cutting, you can get rid of the scrap piece.
- Situate & position the board that you marked. Foam border or sawhorse, workbench, a table must also be in place. You do not want your board to slide or move while you are cutting it. You can prevent this by fastening the wood to your sawhorse or work table with the help of 8d nails. After preparing & checking on all the tools picked for the job, it is time to rip the narrow board now.
- Find the first cut line & situate the circular saw on it. Now, begin to pull the trigger in a slow but firm manner. Slide your saw smoothly onwards your marked cutting line till you cut through. The pieces that you will cut will fall off naturally. Keep doing this for every cut marking of yours.
- Once you have finished ripping the narrow boards, disconnect the circular saw from the power source & put it in a secure place. Lastly, get rid of all the scrap pieces & the wood dust.
FINAL WORDS:
Well, you have come to the end of the article & that is how you are supposed to rip narrow boards with a circular saw. We tried to make this guide as easy & simple as we can & hope you will benefit from it. But please do follow the safety precautions every time you do this.
If you have any other tips related to this topic in your mind, feel free to share it with our readers. Thank you for reading our article. Have a good one!