How to Make a Circular Saw Guide

In today's video I will showing you how to make the ultimate circular saw guide using just a sheet of 12mm exterior ply.
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One Minute Workbench - Circular Saw Guide Video bit.ly/3gN8lTp
Today's Toolkit UK
- Ryobi R18CS-0 One 18V circular saw geni.us/HdVz (Amazon) (this is my saw as featured in the video)
- Ryobi R18CS7-0 18V BRUSHLESS circular saw geni.us/hb2LldT (Amazon)
- Ryobi cordless blower geni.us/ZwrDU (Amazon)
- Ryobi R18TR-0 trim router (1/4 inch shank)
- Axminster Forged F Trade Clamps geni.us/tkQuF (Amazon)
- One sheet of exterior ply (chinese hardwood) 12mm x 1200mm x 2440mm
- De Walt DW625EKT-GB half inch shank router geni.us/bzdLK0M (Amazon) although to be honest my 1/4 inch shank router would have cut the biscuits just as well but I didn't have a biscuit cutter bit for this router when I filmed this video.
- Evo-Stik wood adhesive weatherproof 500 ml geni.us/y1bXbK (Amazon)
- Bosch electricians holesaw set geni.us/B0AN2 (Amazon)
- Continental filler knife set geni.us/tBxDwO (Amazon)
* The Amazon links above are affiliate links. It doesn't cost you anything to click on them but I do earn a small commission if you do.
And here's the legal bit I have to state: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Charlie DIYte
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#circular #saw #guide

[@azza1793]

What i like about Charlie and his channel is that it is aimed at the normal DIYer with general tools. I have subscribed/unsubscribed quite a few KZbinrs who start of at our level but as their channel grows they leave the viewers behind either by purchasing or by being given tools which we could not afford or justify. Thanks for keeping it real Charlie

[@hcazonis]

I was skepticle of a 20 volt circular saw. But I have several B&D 20 volt batteries and the drill Works great kzbin.infoUgkxjpBI8OOeUXib_iT7UomCrQ-uauwZJ62c . I saw the 4 stars and some glowing reviews so decided to purchase this saw. Well, leave your money in your pocket and run a cord because this little saw won't cut

[@CharlieDIYte]

Glad to hear it 👍

[@Cranky_Crone]

Haha, you oughtta check out bosch’s 12v circular saw… It’s a tiny beast!

[@MartinDoyle]

I have the same Ryobi saw and almost gave up with it until your earlier video about setting the cutting depth. What a difference! Great video - thanks.

[@faghihimohammad]

Well explained and demonstrated, Thanks! I also didn't know there are router bits for biscuits. After some time that guide will become the most needed tool for any diy er. You can also use aluminum tubes for sides and a tiny bit of grease, the saw will slide very smooth and the guide will be more rigid with nearly the same weight

[@southropify]

Made this a few weeks ago from the One Minute Workshop video. It's superb, easily the best design of any DIY track. Used an 18mm base which is very sturdy, because I'll only ever cut ply or MDF so don't need a great depth. When choosing the width of the raised guide rails, check how far your saw motor sticks out and on that side ensure you have space to clamp the finished guide without obstructing the saw. Related, the whole thing doesn't need to be symmetrical, so you might have a wide rail on the motor side and narrower on the other. With 18mm ply, 50mm rail width is sturdy enough for me. Anyway, great video with some good observations, thanks Charlie!

[@paullee6256]

Thank you Charlie. I can only echo Ed Moore's comment. Concise and to the point. As a keen DIYer, I really appreciate you sharing your experience, the things that did not work initially, and things to watch out for. We all know as DIYers no wall is perfectly square! Great of you to mention the originator of the project but you have truly enhanced it big time, putting a much welcomed UK spin to it. Thank you again for putting in the effort and time.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome Paul. Thanks so much for that! I would say if you're going to make one of these, particularly the full length one, the crucial thing (at risk of stating the obvious) is to get it totally straight. The long one I made is a mm or two out in the middle, which means I can't use it on the current wardrobe build kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGLHfKyYmb6sj5o When I make the next one I'll buy some strips of aluminium from somewhere to use as the guides. That way you have a totally straight edge from the outset. It does beg the question of course as to whether we're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole here, and whether we should actually celebrate the circular saw for what it is, a fantastic, versatile light saw that we can fling around the work bench, and for jobs where we need an accurate cut ripping down full sheets of MDF or ply, we should revert to a plunge saw with its purpose made tracks, that was designed for this purpose. I think I need to do a video on this!!

[@Chris-pv2ht]

I use the Worx exact saw and you can run it over a straight edge right up to the edge, its a great saw for the diy'er. Just a thought might be easier for some people to use. Thanks for video Charlie always nice to see your well presented informative video's

[@joemorris1282]

Hi Charlie, still loving your videos! This will be something I consider doing at some point once my other projects are in order! I tried to make something like this before although far more hodge-podge than this. My issue was cutting the pieces to make the guide straight in the first place! Always found the guide pieces to have been cut ever-so-slightly out of square or wavy, as the fence on my circular saw is not reliable at all. I ended up getting some bits of 18mm MDF cut down from a large sheet at my local B&Q, as at least this gave a better chance of them being straight. Might do the same with the plywood once the stores are back to normal 🙂 cheers again, Joe

[@lenccal2145]

I made a guide for my cheap saw from the same tutorial a couple of months ago. It works beautifully. 😊 Instead of marking the cut line with a pencil, however, I lowered the blade just to graze the surface, and used that as a guide for the holes.

[@LeeTomasko]

Great idea!

[@timwalters5355]

Another advantage of the double edged guide is that it helps protect the wood from splinters on both sides of the cut - it’s a great idea, wish I knew it for my kitchen and bathroom install

[@tommyvukovic8940]

Really well done! Thank you for making this video, it was very helpful. I was debating exactly what style of track to make for my circular saw or if I should invest in a track saw. This video has made my decision a little easier. Thank you for this!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Got to say though I used my Evolution the other day on some decking and it went through it like a knife through butter.

[@alanwallis2467]

Thanks for the video Charlie. I will certainly use this guide when making a guide for my circular saw. Nice one

[@michaelslawinski6449]

That was a great piece of advice and a very nicely done presentation, really liked it.

[@tuukka518]

Looking good. As an added bonus you can clamp the new guide to the work piece from both sides which is a big plus compared to the earlier model. Looks like I have to do one my self; I just made a pretty long guide from 10mm film faced plywood...

[@YellowPinkie]

Great video as ever. I have had a circular saw for about a year and never had any success with it; this guide is what I need!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Stephen. Double check your cutting height next time you use it, as this may be partly responsible for you not having any success with it.

[@ladykenja2700]

- E X C E L L E N T info that's clear, concise & addressing issues that one later finds when making many of these DIY projects. Thanx 4 sharing. Keep the videos coming.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, that's incredibly kind. I'll be posting a new video this weekend. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@billynomates4378]

Nice. Love your videos and this is something I will be making. Thanks.

[@G_Threepwood]

Thanks Charlie - cracking video. I'll definitely be making myself one

[@Flavio-yf4rg]

Best video for simple track saw.

[@vincentk531]

I made this guide about six months ago from the same web site "one minute work shop" works great.

[@mabdub]

Really appreciate this video. Thank you.

[@marcdewilde518]

Invaluable information Charlie as I'm about to start building my camper van. ATB-Marc

[@mikes6844]

I did buy a Makita plunge saw, stayed in its box for over a year after a single use. But since then it’s paid for itself time and time again. Great very useful vid. Thanks for posting 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Mike

[@adsmail]

I’m in the market for one if you decide to sell it, Mike!

[@tomtom786]

Thanks for the info, excellent ideas

[@jmtworm]

Cheers for another great video Charlie 👍

[@rickbates9232]

Best video on the subject I have seen. Very realistic and honest re the issues and trade offs. Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome Rick. It's a very accurate guide but a bit cumbersome and the full length version really needs to have an aluminium guide substrate in it to be 100% accurate. I actually bought a plunge saw for this job kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJmqZZmOlLudo8Usi=eDVrU524Btbhn8If

[@bozidar.dimovski]

Thanks for the clear, concise and comprehensive explanation. All the best to you.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, appreciate that. If you make a full length one try and incorporate a metal band to keep it straight as my full length one ended up a few mm out.

[@davidartina5022]

THANKS, just made one. Absolutely brilliant.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good work, and thanks for the comment 👏

[@eananstrain6817]

Excellent video, seriously useful. thanks very much. Those small details throughout are refreshingly honest and extremely useful. Thanks!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for the comment - glad you found it useful. 👍

[@guydesnoyers8417]

The leaf blower is great for a quick cleanup of the workplace, well done,

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks 👍

[@jamescoleman5195]

Great video and well explained mate ,, thanks for sharing gonna make a couple of these ,,cheers

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome, James. Thanks for getting in touch 👍

[@gaweown]

Many thanks the tutorial, usefull and easy to follow.

[@MrJohnnynapalm7]

Great vid - thanks for sharing 👍

[@SKTWoodDesign]

Very useful Charlie. Thanks - Im going to make one using this design. Did see the One minute workbench version but was still figuring out which design to make and why this one seems very practical.

[@brightnuertey1451]

Charie you are hero!!!.🎉🎉🎉

[@eduardofabular4308]

Itz amazing... I got more idea, hope someday can i have like ur amazing tools🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@paulbolger5761]

Great video Charlie

[@peterc3228]

Hi Charlie, great videos. Marine Ply is good quality, with strong glue between the laminations, makes it very stable in different temperatures and humidity levels. Also is reliably flat, which would make it ideal for the saw guide. You can buy it, or order it from Jewsons Builders Mearchants, (phone your branch first before travelling to them as it is a specialised product and all branches don't keep it off the shelf) other Builders Mearchants might be able to order it in. Hope this helps. Keep up the good work. All the best, stay safe, Pete

[@antoniowade3318]

Excellent instructional video, thank you very much. Ist time viewing. Thank you very much. Good day from the USA.. Wade Out..

[@gilbertboyer9936]

Nice video, well produced and explained. Honest comments, well done.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thank you Gilbert!

[@Mickeystretton]

A great guide there Charlie 👍 I personally bought the erbauer plungesaw and wouldn't look back. A cracking peice of kit 👌

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes I've had my eye on that for a while!! I'm still using the Erbauer kit that B&Q sent me for my first and only advertorial video kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2euipmoeaedadk and I can't fault it, plus they've been selling the combi drill and 2 x 5Ah batteries for £115 recently, which is phenomenal value.

[@Mickeystretton]

Charlie DIYte I noticed that the other day. I've been so impressed with their tools at a great value,especially for a DIYer! I recently added the biscuit joiner to my erbauer collection😄

[@hayleyscomet1]

New subscriber from Sunny Cape Town South Africa...great video. I use an aluminum edge but my saw does wonder. I will put this together tomorrow..Baie dankie

[@bombaydan]

Run candle stick on inside of guide makes smoother operation of saw , another great video thanks 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good thinking Danny. Or better still, silicone spray. 👍🏻

[@fbpliegorrivero8869]

Great video. I've stopped all my wood work projects because I couldn't figure out how to make a long straight cut. Now I'm heading down to my shop to build a guide for the circular saw.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome, thanks for the comment! Yes, this will get you back on track, if you pardon the pun. The CRUCIAL thing is to make sure the blade is set to the right height, otherwise, even with a saw guide, your saw will wander all over the place. 👍

[@fbpliegorrivero8869]

@@CharlieDIYte Thanks. In another video a guy checks the disc angle with a square ruler.

[@alfindigo]

Great video, thanks, I just made a guide to use to trim our new gates. I have an 18cs7. The saw blade is on the right hand side of the handle and I noticed yours is on the left. Is there any reason for them being different?

[@suj1945]

Nice one Charlie mate

[@almostanengineer]

I never even thought about that, I can move a biscuit jointer down my priority list now, and bump a router up 😃

[@ptremble9477]

Great video Charlie, 100% agree on the Chinese wood too 👍🏻

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Paul. Yes it's flooding the builders and timber merchants these days 🙄

[@robertcole7500]

What an inspired way of gaining accuracy.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Robert 👍🏻

[@nyhalo787]

Great Vid

[@MPRbyHamlin]

I knocked a rough one of these up this afternoon after scratching my head for days thinking, how to make a straight cut, its magnificent 👌

[@CharlieDIYte]

They're good, aren't they 👍

[@hassanal-mosawi6049]

Thanks for sharing that

[@petersutton6745]

Made some pullout kitchen cabinet drawers which required me cut a lot off 70mm width pieces of board, so screwed a strip of wood to bottom of jig to obtain 70mm width as a guide plate. It worked a dream, then thought why not screw a guide strip at 90 degrees to cut line, this too was perfect made it so easy to cut end square

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good work. A circular saw is perfect for that sort of length cut. For full length sheets though I'd invest in a plunge saw and metal track. 👊

[@simost2566]

I need to make fit filler panel surrounds for a wardrobe door kit and I’d thought about making a guide from plywood to cut them. Thanks for posting this video.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome 👍🏻

[@geoffreymaddison6434]

Just watched a video of one chap who, made his base out of laminate flooring. looked like a neat set up.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes that would work well. I'm guessing it wasn't a double rail design though, as the laminate wouldn't be wide enough.

[@briannewton3535]

The Makita is very effective with regard to dust extraction into a simple dust bag. I have dust extraction in the workshop, but don't bother with extraction for the Makita.

[@coxson]

Thank you! No one ever talks about using the sacrificial piece of timber 8:13 , great tip for us novices.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. It's crucial because then you can cut everything on the table rather than hanging off it. 👍🏻

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Excellent thanks very much

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome Clem.👍

[@eyeteethsightbytes153]

Made an 1829mm one of these from cheap 18mm ply (last flat stock in my local store) last week. It's super sturdy and still gives me 52mm depth on my Bosch GKS 190, which is ample for my needs. I marked the kerf with a 2mm(ish) saw cut and drilled the sighting holes with a 30mm forstner bit. Many thanks for the inspiration, it was easier than I expected and it's perfect for cross cutting full sized boards.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Great work. It's fantastic how you can line up the cut in the forstner bit hole, isn't it. More accurate than using a metal track, actually. If you do a full length one I recommend you find a metal edge as I've got a 2mm deviation in the middle of the full length one I made. This wouldn't have happened if I had used a couple of metal strips - assuming you can find them long enough. 👍

[@eyeteethsightbytes153]

@@CharlieDIYte Funny you should say that, I found 2440 aluminium angle (L) in my local Wickes while sourcing bits for another smaller cutting guide (a set square type set up) - with some carefully placed extra lengths at the ends it should do the trick, assuming they have been kept straight in the store of course. At least 2mm you know about is better than 2mm you don't. Anyhow, my first set of floating shelves next to the chimney breast in our lounge are coming together very nicely. As you say the sighting holes allow for impressive accuracy. Thanks again, all the best.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes that might work. Just check though that there's no flex in it as angle sections tend to be a lot more flexible than, say flat pieces. I've recently bought some 3m lengths of steel from my local metal workers. I think it's 3mm x 50mm or thereabouts. That would be ideal if a little heavy!

[@eyeteethsightbytes153]

@@CharlieDIYte Ha! Steel would certainly do the job better - I'd already contemplated the idea of 'angle iron'. I'll bear it in mind if I ever have the need - which, I realise, might be sooner than I think.

[@JustinShaedo]

Grease and PTFE already suggested. I'd suggest candle wax (just rub a candle along the wood edge to apply) is a superior lubricant for the track. Won't stain your work, cheap, weather proofs the wood. Many old school cabinet makers will be familiar with this trick already.

[@Confusedduckling499]

How timely, Charlie. I'm building cabinets for either side of the false chimney breast constructed during lockdown and am struggling with making consistently accurate cuts with my circular saw.

[@jonobell]

Nice one Charlie

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Jono 👍

[@themaninthesuitcase]

I went with a Triton Plunge saw when I needed to cut some MDF accurately. I feel that the extra expense was worth it vs the work (and cost of materials) involved in making a circular saw into what I actually wanted which is a plunge saw.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Christopher.

[@albo1uk]

Great stuff as always. Though I can't help feeling the recent profusion of cheap tracksaws now makes that the real 'must have' saw for the diy-er?

[@JamesWRDunn]

Charlie mate you always seem to come up with great videos for stuff I actually need. Like a DIY dad for us with less than practical parents.

[@chrimony]

That tip on the blade cutting depth was super helpful. My blade kept trying to wander and it was driving me crazy.

[@CharlieDIYte]

It's so simple but not obvious 😉👍🏻

[@blahdiblah2169]

That's actually pretty good Charlie. I have an existing doorboard made out of plywood that's still holding true for now, but when it starts flexing I'll consider this double sided design. Otherwise I agree with whatever else you said. Sure the plunge or track saw is technically superior but for a lot of us, it's about costs. I started with just a circular saw, and in the real world most of us DIYers in this position are going to want to get a table saw at some stage. IMHO a circular saw and a table saw is a better option than going for a track saw if you already own a circular saw. For what it's worth the standard doorboard is pretty good, and the Ryobi circular saw is also fantastic (in my experience). But if you want to do jointing then it's not really an option. I know I tried and failed miserably. Jointing requires precision a circular saw just doesn't have. Another thing I would highly recommend to other viewers is getting a router, and something a bit more formidable than a trim 6mm/ 3/4 inch router. While the Ryobi trim router is a fantastic tool, there are serious limitations in the 6mm shank format, and you'll find you can only flush trim really thin pieces of wood. So forget about doing anything over 20mm. That can be quite frustrating, avoid this and just get a 12mm format router from the start. But it's awesome the Ryobi is cordless.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate, what you say makes sense. I have a half inch shank DeWalt which is phenomenal, but it's just such a lump to lug around. I'll be using the Ryobi to attempt to flush trim the shelf fronts so it'll be interesting to see how I get on with it.

[@quantum_beeb]

In the USA, look and see if there is a Rockler store near you. They have great plywood.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Caleb. Plywood is so expensive here in the UK since lockdown. Wish we had some Rockler stores over here!

[@CherDele]

Waaay over my head!

[@ryantaylor6702]

@CharlieDIYte Can you use a smaller blade in your Circular saw then the recommended size? Ie Can a Bosch GKS 190mm Circular Saw use a 185mm or 160mm blade? thanks for the great vid

[@utilitarian]

Great video Charlie. I love watching old videos for inspiration. I wonder if uPVC fascia might work and could be lighter? What do you think?

[@fireblaster9961]

I just got a really thin section of aluminium 6ft long and a hard wood door stop screwed on edge then cut through base to make zero clearance guide, making a thin and strong guide with almost full depth of blade.

[@nevster5569]

Hi Charlie, I'm really finding the videos useful but I'm looking to purchase a circular saw and wondered what you would recommend buying a 150mm or 165mm?, I'll be using it for trimming doors and perhaps kitchen work surface.

[@billpugh58]

Any ideas how to make one for 6-8 cm wide by x deep wood. These always show a nice wide bit of ply:)

[@apmeehan]

"...before you plunge into making your own saw guide." 👏

[@CharlieDIYte]

Ha, didn't see that. If ever there was a Freudian slip, and I ended up buying a plunge saw for the wardrobe build. More accurate for full sheet rip downs.

[@johnbrian118]

I would like to see one made with plexiglass as the base material with plywood track guides.

[@ianelliott1016]

Like your foldover workbench with peg holes. Is there a video on that or plans/sizes?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes, there's a five video series kzbin.info/aero/PLyai2ugIzdZXJ1nnlk9art1fbWIhV-Zt_

[@nisancashi2241]

i would recommend Kreg Accu cut it will fit any brand universal

[@SargentPeppercorn]

Good recommendation - thanks

[@1mlister]

For decent quality quality ply, I've found you have to buy in from a specialist supplier. None of the DIY shops sell good ply. Although I find wicks is much better than b&q. In the south west, I use Avon ply. They'll deliver and stock high quality all birch ply of all kinds.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Matthew. That's what I'm finding too. I'm posting a video this weekend showing how I made a new bed, using tulip wood sourced from a specialist supplier in Somerset.

[@MarcusT86]

Another fantastic video Charlie. Is it worth paying the extra £33 for the brushless model in your links?

[@davidrowe8747]

Another very helpful video, Charlie; thanks. The tips in this video and the one at One Minute Workbench have given me the confidence to give this a go. I was only using the saw laser guide for several weeks, and think I had the blade too deep. The outcome reminded me of what my old English teacher used to write on my essays: "Rowe, what did you draw this margin with, a bloody banana?" He had a way with words.

[@the-elliott-day]

This is pretty quality! 👌 A quick spray (or undercoat first) with some PTFE spray might help that saw slide like butter. Thanks again Charlie for the tips, mistakes always aid the next build, saves us watchers a lot of time 😊

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome Elliott, and thank YOU for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

🛠Charlie DIYte Amazon Tool Store amzn.to/3fcLnY4 - all my tried, tested and much loved DIY tools. ☕Charlie DIYte Buy Me a Coffee Membership bit.ly/3xuQ3zb - access our incredible Discord DIY forum and help support my Channel. 👚Charlie DIYte Official Merch Store charlie-diyte.myspreadshop.co.uk/ - all new range of professionally designed merch.

[@ryantaylor6702]

Can you use a smaller blade in your Circular saw then the recommended size? Ie Can a Bosch GKS 190mm Circular Saw use a 185mm or 160mm blade? thanks for the great vid

[@ron1martens]

Well done in your presentation. I bought riobi tools many years ago and all of them either didn't last long or burnt out. I'm very careful with my tools also. So perhaps technology has improved for riobi. In saying that I have since bought professional tools. I think you did a good job and building a rail system. The riobi has a rather narrow base plate which you mentioned is easy for the people tool to wonder away from the desired cut. Have you ever considered using aluminium extrusions for a rail guide? I bought some flat aluminium for the purposes of cutting dry wall sheeting. I borrowed a saw from an engineer as I needed to cut 60mm deep into a hardwood. My rail saw has a depth of 55 when on the track. I was able to cut the timber using a 185 mm makita circular saw. Since I was only cutting a small 10mm slice off the guide was on the offcut side of the blade ( other side of base plate) . The machine cut rather well which brings me to wonder whether the wider base plate may have less of a tendency to wonder if running off a fence provided pressure was applied during the the whole cut process. Edit footnote predictive text changes words where is seed fit sometimes confusing readers of comments. My sentence was meant to read power tool not people tool. One of my gripes that social media platforms have to mess with people's typing.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for this. I'm sorry to hear about your experiences with Ryobi. Mine have been faultless except perhaps my combi, the chuck on which is failing after years of quite heavy use. Yes I have a long aluminium extrusion that was salvaged from the underside of a Lutron electric blind box, which I have used on multiple occasions to run the saw down against. It's just that you have to apply constant pressure against it, which this new guide eliminates.

[@ron1martens]

Charlie DIYte I guess that's a reason for the rail system with the groove. However like your build having a fence on either side eliminates having to put constant pressure during the whole process of cutting. I'm thinking it's the power of the unit will determine how efficiently it can cut sheet goods of certain thicknesses. Also your invention or what you have seen elsewhere as a reference. When you look at wet tile cutters or even dry scoring tile cutters they have parallel bars.

[@almostanengineer]

You get rails with that Evolution saw now, 3 segments of 340mm

[@RegDog]

Hello buddy. I'm looking to purchase my first a circular saw for casual DIY. Do you still recommend the Ryobi over the evolution in this video?

[@nyhalo787]

Hey Charlie Hello from New York City

[@CharlieDIYte]

Hi buddy, good to hear from you. How are things in NYC? 👍🏻

[@jamies8973]

Great video, thank you. Did you ever add the hinges, and did they compromise the rigidity of the guide? Will you be making a follow-on video? Thanks!

[@CharlieDIYte]

I didn't add the hinges. To be honest, whilst this is great for short guides, the longer guide is a couple of mms out (would have been even worse if I had hinged it) so when I built the wardrobes recently I ended up buying a cheap Erbauer plunge saw and use that on some aluminium tracks I've got.

[@naebadyersel]

Hi charlie, amazing video as always! Took your advice and got myself a Ryobi circular saw and It’s great! Going to make a saw guide like you have suggested. I have 2 questions if you wouldn’t mind answering them, 1. Are there finer blades anywhere with more teeth that will fit the Ryobi circular saw or is it just Ryobi blades that you have to have? (Like the one supplied) 2. Did you ever hinge your guides and was it succesful?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Michael. There are Ryobi blades like this bit.ly/3qMRAA6 - a lot more than the 24 teeth of the blade the saw ships with and I have a few of these. However you've just inspired me to delve into something I've never done before! I'm on a Whatsapp forum with some of the big DIYers like Peter Millard, Gosforth Handyman etc and they all rave about Freud blades, and look what I just found on Screwfix bit.ly/3nmkwwz It's exactly the same specs as the Ryobi but I suspect far superior. No I didn't hinge it in the end. I was going to use the long track on my wardrobe build but unfortunately it has a 3mm deviation in the middle (either it's warped since I built it or I never set it straight in the first place) so I ended up buying an Ebrauer plunge saw to use on my Evolution tracks, just because I had so much ripping down to do on the job. My circular saw did feature a lot on the build (as did the shorter track I made in that video), just not for that. If you are going to make a full length track, see if you can get hold of an aluminium section to use for at least one half of the guide. That way you should be able to ensure it stays completely true down the length.

[@chrisgraham2904]

To be able to fold in half a jig that's about 9 ft. long would be a great asset for storage. Two sections of piano hinge on each side of the kerf line should do the trick. Epoxy and screw the hinges to the end grain of the plywood base.

[@CharlieDIYte]

I thought about piano hinge. You're absolutely right, it needs a piano style hinge to support across the entire width otherwise the flex will be back. Problem is, I don't think the piano hinge would be strong enough even with the epoxy. The aluminium tracks have the sliders underneath secured with grub screws, but again on our wood design with the slit, this wouldn't work 🤔

[@chrisbanks3679]

Can u show how to put up wood on plasterboard for curtain rail can it be done with duopower plugs

[@davidrowe8747]

Take a look at some of Charlie's other videos. He has several videos on different methods for attaching something to plasterboard.

[@gavinfuller2147]

Hi Charlie. Thanks for the videos. I second what many have written that these are extremely useful and you're a naturally skilled presenter. I do have a question. Is there a reason to use ply over MDF? Ply certainly won't have the same quality issues with voids in the wood at least.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Hi Gavin, massive thanks for the kind words. The only reason I used ply is that it's typically a bit stronger and less likely to warp longitudinally. That said, there's not much between them and MDF would give you a smoother surface to slide your saw down. They're great tracks, these, and actually more accurate than a metal track saw guide like you'd use on a plunge saw in that you can line up your cut very precisely in that circular window knowing exactly where the blade is going to cut. The only thing I'd say is that I got the long guide out for my recent wardrobe project and was disappointed to find it was 2mm out in the middle. I don't know if it's flexed or whether I made it with the bend in it. So if you're making a long guide, see if you can get a couple of metal sections for it - in place of the wood retainers I used - so that there's no chance of building a bend into the track. I still love my circular saw, but have realised it's horses for courses. I had so much MDF to cut I ended up buying an Erbauer plunge saw - attached to my dust cyclone and used the 2800mm metal track with it that I got for my Evolution hybrid circular/ plunge saw (don't buy the Evolution - far too much dust generated!)

[@gavinfuller2147]

@@CharlieDIYte Thanks for the detailed reply! That's a shame about the guide, although if it had existed when you made it I imagine you'd have spotted it. I'm just buying my first house and starting out in the DIY world so figure I'll make this one of my first projects. I'm considering putting a hinge in the middle (seems annoyingly long otherwise!) and using metal somewhere in the construction so once it I'll be sure to let you know the results. I figure using metal will push the price up but still considerably cheaper than buying a ready made track and plunge saw!

[@superiorbeing95]

Did you think of using big long metal shelving rails as the guide lengths either side, they would make it more ridgid perhaps.

[@C4rL72]

I was thinking the same, maybe L shaped metal edging/box cut screwed on on both sides. Reduce the overall width of the runner too.

[@the-elliott-day]

@@C4rL72 Absolutely great idea mate - got some right angled galvanized steel coming from themetalstore this week for exactly that 👌

[@glencwilson]

I used some really heavy shelving rail screwed to 18mm MDF a year ago to make a short single sided guide rail and that has worked fine for the small amount of stuff I have needed to build. Now looking at a making a mark two version with a rail on either side on ply after watching this.

[@SteveBower996]

Such as twin-slot uprights? Great idea. Just need to be accurate when fastening to the baseboard, as it would prob need bolting as screws would be really short.

[@whiskygeekpete]

Hey, amazing video, can't wait to attempt my own. Just wondering, what dust bag you use, and is it universal?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks! It's not universal. It's an Evolution that I got with a circular saw. Annoying that Ryobi don't make one, but the dust extraction on this saw is surprisingly good considering it's only a circular saw.

[@GNU_Linux_for_good]

07:56 Any link for that beautiful foldable / hinged workbench? Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Here's the video on how I made it folding but there are a few videos on the initial construction and drilling the mft holes kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoWxZHijgc6Mmsk

[@HanleyCORE]

That was mega. Inspired me to try my own design. Gonna lay down a length of square steel screwed down to a base plate to eliminate any flex issues :) Might not be as good as this one, but no harm messing around right?

[@CharlieDIYte]

James that will be much better than mine as the longer one unfortunately has a 3mm bow in the middle now for some reason. With metal you'll eliminate any chance of that. 👍

[@nialstewart8263]

Charley, I was just thinking that if you drilled appropriately positioned 20mm dog holes in the side rails it would allow you to lock this into your MFT top in line with the table top holes. Two more dogs would allow you to keep material being cut at 90 Deg to the blade so setting up for a cut could be a lot faster. I've made one of these and although it's a great enabler for cutting with a circular saw, there's still quite a lot of faff clamping everything up. You could maybe use one of the 3mm pins through the holes in the parf jig against the side of the cut slot to keep the lateral location of the driled holes constant? Or clamp the jig down straight and mark through the dog holes from the bottom of the table (the block for drilling the initial 3mm holes doesn't fit in a dog hole does it?). Food for thought.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Food for thought indeed, Nial. The problem is still when ripping down a large 1.2m x 2.4m sheet, in which case the dog holes are all covered up. Thanks for the comment though 👍

[@nialstewart8263]

I was thinking more for cross cuts, longer cuts are easy enough to get plumb through the sight holes. I've been thiinking of making some speaker enclosures and would need to make a fair few cross cuts that I want to be as straight as possible.

[@chriswoods7452]

The key to the ply is to choose “hardwood throughout” - many DIY type merchants will do hardwood ply, but the core is softwood. Proper builders merchants will sell structural hardwood ply, which some still refer to as WBP (this refers to what punishment the glue will stand up to, but is no longer the name for the standard). This is more likely to come from Canada or Brazil than China. Hope this helps.

[@CharlieDIYte]

That helps massively. Thanks Chris 👍

[@briandavis3832]

Yah always get some plunker with a 👎🏻 down: but good job Charlie 👍🏻

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Brian 👍

[@briandavis3832]

Charlie DIYte I know you try to make life easier and they think they know better let them show us how.

[@LordxJoe]

Would you consider using metal angles as guide rails? Seems like it'll prevent more flex and need a lot less cutting?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes definitely, and in fact I've been using an old aluminium section from an electric blind box for years now as an improvised straight edge. The crucial thing though is to have one on each side of the saw so that there's no chance that the saw can wander off the straight edge.