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Where do you put your left hand when using the circular saw? (Household tips from old Nine-Fingers)


SwampNut

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Don't do this.  First, most of us here can afford a newer model with anti-kickback built in.  Second, keep your left hand clear of the potential trajectory, which is about a 90 degree area to the rear of it (45 from each side).  I've seen my friends hang something off the edge of the table, and grab it right by the cut, to stabilize it.  Fuck no.  Get clamps, figure something else out, whatever.

 

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I use the circular for dealing with really large pieces, to get them ready for the TS, and warped stuff to get them ready for planing/jointing/drum sanding.  Warped stuff in the TS is bad news.  I've started using it with my left hand, and using my right to support the cutoff at a direct outward position, or simply away from the piece.  I'm more aware of where my right hand is, and I can use the saw just fine with the left.  I keep my guide to the right, and stand to the right of the guide.  Even if it kicks it should then go away from my body.

 

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I cut larger pieces and sheet goods too big for the table saw on a sacrificial 4x8 sheet of particle board and set the saw blade to go about 1/4 inch deep into the 3/4 inch particle board, There's no fall-off and I can keep my right hand on the saw trigger handle and my left on the front handle of the saw. I don't take my hands off the saw until I'm done with the cut or the saw is stopped.

 

About 18 years ago while being stupidly cavalier with a dado cut on the table saw, the wood kicked back and flipped my fingers against the dado blade. Thankfully didn't lose any fingers but it took a couple dozen stitches to fix me up. That woke me the fuck up and I've been SUPER careful ever since around saws with spinning blades. 

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I use a styrofoam insulation sheet to work with full sheets on the ground.  Almost free, and no weight so I can just toss them on top of cabinets or behind things easily.  It's the medium stuff that I tend to do on a folding work table, though I may re-think that too.

 

I haven't tried two-handing the saw because I'm usually using the other hand to support myself as I move, but should try.  Either way though, the extra hand is 3' from the saw.

 

 

 

 

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I use a guide and typically the table saw with the blade retracted as one of my sawhorses and those Stanley foldable sawhorses for other locations.  In other words, there are multiple points of contact so I'm not tempted to try to hold anything up.  I haven't had to handle a full sheet in a while though.  I also have roller stands so even if I had to deal with a full sheet it could still run through the table saw as a one-man job.

All that being said, I'm also not trying to do a single, perfect cut either.  I'll cut down a 4X8 to something manageable, THEN run that piece through for the final cut on the table saw to get it to the correct size.  I know some people try to do tracksaw work with a circular saw and an edge guide and more power to you if you're that good but I ain't that guy.  Used to try that in my younger days building speaker boxes and that's why I kept a belt sander with a lot of belts.  Kinda like the old saying "I've seen your welds, that's why you're getting a grinder for Christmas."

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I use one of these to get precision cuts from the circular.  Not the 1/256th of the TS, but certainly at least within 1/64th with a little careful setup.  Do I have to?  Guess not.  But useful.  It's also helpful to not induce a bind by accidentally going off course.  They work with or without the track, mostly I just add 1.5" to accommodate the saw's baseplate and run against it.  The lever they are hanging from locks them, and total width is super quick to set on the other end.  Recommended.

 

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