| Location | Portobello |
| Manufacturer | Parkside |
| Model | PHKS 1450 / LASER |
| Weight | 6 |
A circular saw is a power tool used for cutting wood and other materials, especially when you have a large amount of cuts to make and where using hand tools would be slow or cumbersome.
It’s most often used for cutting up timber (including plywood, MDF, and laminates) but with the right blade you can cut other materials like countertops, cement, metal, or ceramic tile.
Circular saws are for making straight cuts and can be used for cross cuts along the width of a board and rip cuts along the length of a board; with clamps you can make angular cuts.
WHAT IT DOES
Used for straight cutting across pieces of timber, or along wide pieces of timber, and for cutting up boards (plywood, MDF, laminates, etc.). Has a laser guide.
If you want to do curved cuts, you’ll need a power jigsaw instead. You may prefer the jigsaw for straight cuts too if you aren’t familiar with power tools and if the cut doesn’t have to be dead straight. It’s harder to get a straight cut with a jigsaw, but it’s less scary than the circular saw.
ABOUT THIS TOOL
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SAFETY INFORMATION & PPE
Safety glasses – Essential
Ear protection – Recommended
Dust mask – Recommended. A good blade shouldn’t produce fine dust, but a dust mask is still a good idea.
Safety glasses, ear protection, and other PPE are available for a suggestion donation in both of our depots.
YOU MAY ALSO NEED
Clamps – Recommended. It’s very important to hold/support the workpiece correctly. See the advice on the website below.
Measuring tape / straight edge / square – Useful to mark the wood. Measure twice, cut once...
Workbench and/or trestles – Useful to not break your back.
Consumables – None.
HOW TO USE IT
If you aren’t experienced with circular saws, look at the resources below before you begin. A lot can go wrong with a circular saw, particularly if you clamp/support the workpiece incorrectly.
There is some good advice on this site. Did you know, for example, that you shouldn’t support the workpiece at both ends? Or that it’s important to set the blade height correctly? We would like to stress the need to familiarise yourself with this tool and how to use it safely.
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
Please note: this is a general introduction to this type of tool and is not specific to this exact tool. We always advise reading the manual (which you can find linked under the tool image on the left), especially the safety advisories, before using any tool.
- Safety glasses – Essential
- Ear Protection – Recommended
- Dust Mask – Recommended. A good blade shouldn’t produce fine dust, but a dust mask is still a good idea. Safety glasses, ear protection, and other PPE are available for a suggested donation at check out.
- Clamps – Essential to hold your work securely in place and prevent it from moving. Only clamp one side of your workpiece. The piece that will be cut out need to freely go.
- Measuring tape / straight edge / square – Useful to mark the wood. Measure twice, cut once...
- Workbench and / or trestles – Useful to not break your back.
- Consumables – Look under “About This Tool” to see what blades are included with your particular saw. If you are cutting material that doesn’t match what’s included, you’ll need to buy a suitable blade. Here is a useful guide to choosing and buying your blade: https://www.manomano.co.uk/advice/circular-saw-blade-buying-guide-3089
YOU MAY ALSO NEED
HOW TO USE IT
You’ll need to clamp (or vise) your material to a fixed structure or surface like a saw horse or work table, and you may need clamps to set up a fence to ensure a straight cut.
If you aren’t experienced with circular saws, here is some good advice: https://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/circular-saws/circular-saw-tips-and-techniques/. We recommend checking it out before you start, as well as looking at the manual below. Circular saws are powerful tools and it’s worth taking the time to avoid surprises or mis-cuts.
If it’s your first time using a circular saw, looking at the advice on how to avoid kickback would be particularly helpful.
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
Note this video is a general introduction and is not specific to this exact tool. We always advise reading the manual if provided below, especially the safety advisories, before using any tools.
http://edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk