The Two Dollar Circular Saw Guide Upgrade!

For a few shiny quarters, upgrade your circular saw guide! This hack will allow your guide to 'stick' to the work surface. This circular saw jig resembles an expensive track saw. This upgrade is super cheap, but also super effective!
Want more detailed instructions? Check out my article here
dustybuilder.com/build-a-simp...
Affiliate Links to Products Used:
Here is a link to the foam type weather stripping used: a.co/d/9UqF2k6
Here is a link to the rubber strips, these are very durable, however they do not create enough friction on the work surface. Providing a link though, could be useful in other applications.
a.co/d/gFa4cMO
If purchased, I receive a small commission.

[@whoofoto]

I like the time saving feature of this idea vs using clamps. And the comment to spray glue the net type shelf liner I'll likely use.

[@thedustybuilder]

I agree, shelf liner was a good idea!

[@datacarnivore8599]

Thank you for testing the two strip materials!!!

[@thedustybuilder]

Thanks for the comment! Yeah, I was surprised. I thought the hard rubber backing was going to perform better

[@user-fi8kz3sj1i]

Explain very clearly. Easy to do this saw board Thx for sharing this video 🙏🏻

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@PMichaels]

Thanks for this! I don’t have enough need to justify a track saw, but for the occasional use this would fit the bill nicely. Great video! 👍🏼 I’m now subscribed.

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@SteinerHaus]

I do like the simple ideas. This one ranks up there as a "Good Idea". I may adapt it with a cleat for cross cuts with circular saw.

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you. The foam actually provides enough ‘grip’ to eliminate the cleat…….I get it though if it is a critical cut!

[@CC_farm]

Great idea! I'll be making one for my shop today. If I can make a suggestion, change out your fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. It'll stop the dark bands on your videos and save you money. Keep up the good work!

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you......I couldn't figure out why that happened!

[@richc9503]

I've been making these for years, the weather stripping is a good idea too! A couple of spring clamps are not a bad idea though.

[@thedustybuilder]

Hey Rich, me too! I feel like the weather stripping helps. Thanks for commenting!

[@erikkessler2199]

Great job!

[@thedustybuilder]

Thanks!

[@jerryoliver5591]

love it by agein nice chaw

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you sir!

[@shaynesabala]

That’s great, I need one but the cost is not justified for the amount of use it will get for me. I was thinking, what about a larger rubber strip? I’m sure there are many out there. Only reason I bring it up is because I would hate to have to stop and clean it as I was working. Cleaning comes after the fun. 😉

[@thedustybuilder]

The rubber strip may work if it was larger.......but the foam worked so much better. I was experimenting with a combination of the two.....just like the dewalt track, but the two different strips didn't offer any advantage. Thanks for watching!

[@LargeFry1]

cool idea. no dust collection. probably can get a metal edge guide and add some rubber to it for a more durable, longer lasting diy solution. just a thought. cheers

[@thedustybuilder]

For sure. Several people have recommended the rubber along the edge….. would be easier to see and reduce tear out. Thanks for watching!

[@yussefhyman7311]

One thing that jumped out at me is the gap between the edge and the workpiece. Have you considered putting another strip along the edge, to be trimmed, just like with the manufactured tracks? Seems like it would improve accuracy, and to help prevent splintering.

[@thedustybuilder]

Solid tip, thank you. Not sure if it would reduce splintering though…… that’s usually a by product of the blade

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you for watching!

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

For someone who wants to avoid buying the weather stripping. Using a glue gun to make a thin pattern on the bottom side would work just about as well im thinking. Anything really that would add a bit of friction to keep it from sliding around would work fine. Good stuff.

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you!

[@judoyodan]

I know what you mean by December in MI. My 20x20 garage shop is in Clarkston.

[@thedustybuilder]

Nice, do you have a legit heating solution in that bad boy?

[@judoyodan]

@@thedustybuilder I use a small propane heater if I really need to get something done. Even with wall and ceiling insulation, the garage is still leaky. Makes glue ups difficult. Thinking about a solar beer can exchanger. Lots of trees blocking my southern exposure, tho.

[@feral664]

I misread this as "the busty builder" while disappointed- still a good vid 👍

[@thedustybuilder]

LOL!

[@leonlowenstadter9223]

Nice, thanks! Greetings from Germany! 😀 Wouldn't it make sense to add something like a stopper peice in aa 90 degree angle at the end to have a help to at close to rectangular cuts?

[@thedustybuilder]

Wow, Germany! Thank you for watching! You could certainly clamp a block on the track for a ‘stop’. I typically use it to rip an entire piece

[@cucciafr68]

Great idea. I'll have to make one. Off topic, does that little space heater work well against MI winters?

[@thedustybuilder]

Thanks Frank! As for the little heater, after about an hour it 'takes the edge off'. If its really chilly, I use 2.

[@cucciafr68]

@@thedustybuilder Thanks. I just got a new house in Lansing with a decent sized garage so I need to tackle insulating and heating it at some point. I can get REAL cold in there.

[@reaper060670]

I need a proper straight edge for ripping large 8x4! sheets mate.. This is a great idea with the backing to not need clamps.. Clamps are a pain in the ass tbh.. Enjoyed the video man but what if the factory edge isn't straight which a lotta the time it isn't from those stores.. Maybe show an easy fix for that if u have time aain.. Great video all the same pal..

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you...... I made a shooting board out of plywood where the factory edge had a hump in it.......I never fixed it. I would just unclamp it and move the board to avoid the spot, lol.

[@bobthegeeknc]

Dusty what is the siding up are using? Looks like hardiplank cement siding? Thx. Bob

[@thedustybuilder]

Just LP smart side, it was scrap I had left over. 1/2 inch plywood would be an upgrade

[@YTubeSDD]

I would be worried that the weatherstripping could compress and if it compressed on one side and not the other then you're not going to get a straight vertical cut. The cuts would not be square to the horizontal surface. Also do you feel like the textured surface of the LP siding means that your saw isn't sitting totally flat?

[@thedustybuilder]

Hey Sean, so it's fairly sturdy foam.....not like that super soft foam weather stripping you are likely thinking of. Its similar material to the foam on the professional grade track saw

[@zapa1pnt]

Another material, which may work better, for a no slip grip, is the foam covered net type of shelf liner, available at Walmart (and other places). I tried to add a link but couldn't.

[@thedustybuilder]

Not a bad idea, worth a shot for sure!

[@dwarden3]

Added spray glue and the shelf liner works great. When it wears out I just throw it away. Was all made from scrap so it cost almost nothing.

[@thedustybuilder]

@@dwarden3 Similar to the spray glue for corner bead? What a good idea

[@zapa1pnt]

@@thedustybuilder: 3M 77 spray adhesive.

[@phillippearce9680]

👍

[@funmaster4632]

i saw someone put silicon caulking on the bottom. That might have more friction then the padding

[@thedustybuilder]

Interesting, would have to be a pretty thin bead I would imagine.

[@raji6811]

Lets say I make it and then have one side of the track saw guide have a 45-degree onto the material so this allows future cuts to have 45-degree cuts on plywood or any other material. What are your thought about this?

[@thedustybuilder]

what a great idea! You would just have to make sure that the wood 'guide' is straight on both sides. I would likely cut it with a table saw to make sure that both sides are straight.

[@raji6811]

@@thedustybuilder sadly I don't own a table saw lol

[@thedustybuilder]

@@raji6811 No problem, you should be able to find a straight piece of wood at your local lumberyard / Lowes / Home Depot. Might take some digging!

[@Bobcat1950]

Like to see a cut with saw set at 45°.

[@thedustybuilder]

Yeah.....you would need a dedicated 45 degree shooting board

[@Bobcat1950]

@@thedustybuilder I always made one where you could cut with the wide stable side or narrow side. I made one to cut 45.5° angles for making box beams, and used it most. We didn’t have manufactured tract saws.

[@thedustybuilder]

@@Bobcat1950Oh nice.......is the 45.5 to ensure that the outside joint was closed? If it works, its kinda hard to justify a 1000 dollar track saw I guess!

[@DivineMisterAdVentures]

That is not a track saw - that is a saw guide. We've used those for decades.

[@thedustybuilder]

You are 100% correct......and I made an upgrade for it.

[@espressomatic]

Track saws plunge cut - circular saws and framing saws don't. They're simply not the same tool, even though they can do some of the same work.

[@thedustybuilder]

Yeah......I suppose they do plunge cut, however, the main advantage of them is a straight cut with a track that 'sticks' to the work surface. The same can be done with a diy track, admittedly not as easily. Thanks for watching.

[@JustinShaedo]

Of course you can plunge cut with a circular saw. Granted you might have more trouble getting the depth right, but with a little practice it's not too hard. If tearouts an issue It's also good to have a zero clearance guide rather than these single sides ones. Other than that it's just a matter of convenience (and yeah a dedicated track saw is much more convenient)

[@spencerparkes7328]

comment for the algorithm

[@thedustybuilder]

thanks man

[@melskroon]

Try levelling your audio overall throughout the video. The music and sawing are way louder than your voice, which makes for uncomfortable listening. Good luck!

[@thedustybuilder]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@manyfeather2knives423]

What ever happened to a little tolerance. My god chill.

[@thedustybuilder]

@@manyfeather2knives423 My equipment is pretty rudimentary at this point, I'm always curious how things will actually look / sound once uploaded