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Building a Darkroom: Circular Saw Guide
This project is a guide which can be used with a circular saw to make fairly precise straight cuts with a circular saw in almost any material. ToolsMaterials
Assembly
Using the guide
Tools
- Circular Saw
- Screw driver - preferably power, but not required
- Plumb line - to make a perfectly straight edge
Materials
- 1/2" material - either plywood, particle board, masonite, wood, or whatever you have
- Fasteners - screws slightly shorter than two thicknesses of your material
Assembly
- Cut the 1/2" material into 2 strips.
- One, about 1 1/2" to 2" wide
- The other the width of the first strip, plus the width of your circular saw base, plus the width of your router base (if you have a router) plus about 1".
- Make the long edges of the smaller strip perfectly straight. Snap a line on each edge using the plumb line (the lines do not have to be exactly parallel). Cut this line very precisely. It is critical that these cuts be made very well, it might behoove you to do this with a hand saw. Try to make one side be the 'factory' straight edge on the piece of material you are using, that will save you one cut.
- On one end of the larger strip, mark the width of the circular saw base. Do the same on the other end (same edge).
- Using the plumb line, snap a perfectly straight line between the two marks.
- Align the small strip with this line, so the saw base can ride up against the small strip. Screw the smaller strip to the larger strip.
- Saw along the guide, riding the saw base against the smaller strip, and removing material from the larger strip.
- Do the same on the other side with the router (if you have one).
