Building Tips
Measuring and marking can be simple, but putting a little extra thought in will lead to better results. Try to lay out your project parts in ways that avoid material defects, like cracks, rot, and loose knots. Cut the factory ends off to ensure clean and square cuts. Some material comes with nicer end cuts already. One time you may not want to cut ends is with PT. The treatment penetrates the factory ends more deeply than throughout the rest of the board.
When you grab a new board, start by cutting a clean end, then hook your tape on that cut end of the board and pull to your length. Make a mark with a carpenter’s pencil. I use a skewed V instead of a single line. The point signifies the exact cut location vs. a line that may be angled, and the second leg angles in the direction of my offcut to help me place the kerf on the correct side of the line.
When using sawhorses, it is important to make sure that you don’t ever pinch the sawblade in a cut causing a dangerous kickback. Never make a cut on a board between only two sawhorses. Either slide so that your offcut can fall to one side or use a sacrificial board that will not be fully cut through and will fully support your work piece.
When making crosscuts with a circular saw, mark a square line to follow or try using your speed square as guide for your saw. Make a tick mark where you want your cut, then find the indents at the front edge of your saw’s baseplate. The divots should indicate where the blade will cut in a vertical and 45-degree bevel setting. Reference the vertical indent and position the saw so that the blade will remove material from the offcut side. The width of the cut is called the kerf, and it is important to position the blade in the waste side so as to not change your dimensions. Once the circular saw is positioned, hook your speed square over the far edge and slide it up to the left side of the saw base. Twist the saw until the base plate is square, back off from the wood so the blade is not in contact. Start the saw. Make your cut while refencing the speed square. Note that you will have to run your saw one handed this way. If you’re uncomfortable with this, simply mark a square line and use two hands to make your cut.
If you ever try to cut something that is thicker than your saw can cut in one pass, like a 4 by 4, you may have to make cuts from multiple sides. You can use a square to carry your mark around and cut from opposite sides, but there is a far superior alternative. Use a speed square as mentioned above to keep your cuts square. Make your first cut at full depth but stop the saw once your cut reaches full depth on the far edge. Wait for the blade to come to a stop. Roll the board towards you while leaving the saw engaged. Reposition your square. Make your cut to the same point, stop, and rotate. Repeat one more time to finish your cut. This should lead to a pretty good cut without using a bigger saw. There are some good references online if you’re looking for more support.