Ripping 2x4 lumber with a circular saw

[JHZR2]

Hi,

I'm putting crown moulding in multiple rooms in my house. One of the rooms I'm using bigger moulding, like 3.5+". Because the house is somewhat crooked and the walls are all plaster, I'd like to put up nailing strips.

I don't have a table saw, just a circular saw and a compound mitre.

So there are instructions on this old house for how to make nailing strips.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/m/skill-builder/0,,20168434,00.html

But it isn't very clear how to cut the 2x4. I need to rip them with my circular saw.

I tried the method I'm going to show, it works. Would love a safety critique though, as I'm far from a regular at ripping wood or operating a circular saw. I have a few 1000# saw horses, so I clamped the wood to the horses, scribed the lines on the wood, then cut.

So it is a 3-sawhorse setup. Clamp to two with someone spotting down there. Set the third horse a little but in and start ripping. Go a few inches in, change the horse to the end of the board, keep ripping in. Can only do about 5 of 8 feet, but to me it is safe, I have good control, and stay alongside the board at a good height.

Is there a better way?

Thanks!

 

[Eddie]

A very nice and neat job. Thanks for sharing. Ed

 

[Astro14]

Pretty good job with a circular saw...the better way, of course, is to find a friend with a table saw...

 

[JHZR2]

Thanks! The saw (US made Skil worm drive) is nice. I even shaved a 2mm thick edge off of one of the sides of the 2x4, as my other cut's size requirement didn't make the cut down down the middle.

I could cut a pretty precise little sliver off of the 2x4.

But ripping boards scares me, so it helps to have other eyes considering safety too.

 

[tom slick]

Other than the clamps and a spotter, that's the way we'd do it on the jobsite.

 

[doitmyself]

Looks great. Amazing what we can do with some ingenuity.

One idea I have is to clamp some scrap 2X boards (or 3/4 plywood) to the sawhorses. Then deck screw your 2 x 4 to the scrap wood base. You could then rip the entire 2 x 4, then zip the hold down screws out. Be careful where you place the screws to avoid the blade.

 

[SuperDave456]

I was about to suggest something similar, but use some small screws to screw it down to some scrap that you don't mind gouging. I'd worry about catching a blade on a sawhorse.

Good idea for nailer boards through. My folks house needs some work. Going to show my Dad that!

 

[Shannow]

The fact that you are questioning safety means that you are thinking about it and taking precautions...it's gun-ho stuff that gets you hurt.

(like my ex boss cutting roof tiles while on the roof with a 9" grinder - chopped clean through his Achilles tendon)

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I'd worry about catching a blade on a sawhorse.



Well I set the third sawhorse (cutting end) about 1 ft in, cut from the end in about 6-8 inches, and then move the sawhorse (plastic so very light)to the end and cut in along the line I drew.

Since Im cognizant of it, no way to catch the sawhorse.

I can also set blade depth for a 2x4.

 

[Merkava_4]

Is that a Skil Mag77 in the picture?!!? If so, I'm impressed.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4


Is that a Skil Mag77 in the picture?!!? If so, I'm impressed.

What else would I buy? Yes, indeed. And a wife in the same picture not afraid of doing hard work.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
And a wife in the same picture not afraid of doing hard work.


Aren't we the lucky ones? Today, I caught my wife loading a large, heavy live trapped possum into our Caravan and she carted it off to release it (she doesn't like my disposal method). This is the third one in 2 weeks trying to get a bite on our chickens.

When I got home, she had a hot kettle of venison stew going. Gotta love em.

Back on topic, is there any way to mount that beast upside down and make it into a makeshift table saw?

 

[TooManyWheels]

As an alternative to following a pencil line with the blade, you might try putting either a clamp or piece of tape on the saw base and follow the edge of the 2x4, assuming the base is wide enough.

 

[Clevy]

I got you all beat. If you are ripping something 5 inches or smaller you just pinch the table with your fingers then use them as a fence against tge side of the wood. Consistent and fast.