How to Make Angle Cuts With a Circular Saw

Miter Cuts

• 1

  Lay the lumber facedown on a flat, stable work surface, such as a pair of sawhorses. Place your layout tool, such as a triangular framing square or sliding T-bevel, across the lumber. Use a square to layout 45 degree miter cuts and use a T-bevel to layout alternate angles.

• 2

  Butt the lipped side of the layout tool against the lumber's edge. If using a sliding T-bevel, adjust the slide's angle and tighten the slide's nut to secure the slide in position. Draw a pencil along the layout tool's edge and across the lumber's face to create cut mark. Remove the layout tool from the lumber.

• 3

  Hang the marked portion of the lumber over the edge of the worktable or sawhorse; never make a cut over the space between sawhorses. Rest the forward lip of the circular saw's base plate onto the lumber with one hand and firmly hold the lumber in position with the other hand. Align the saw's blade with the cut mark. Pull the blade away from the lumber, activate the saw and slowly push the saw across the mark and through the lumber.

Bevel Cuts

• 4

  Place the lumber facedown on a flat, stable work surface. Align a layout tool across the lumber and draw along the tool's edge to mark a straight cut or a miter cut across the board's width.

• 5

  Lift the saw to the work surface. Search the front of the saw for the bevel adjustment knob. The bevel adjustment knob sits within the channel of an arced piece of metal attached the front of the saw's base plate. Look for the markings on the arced piece of metal that indicate the angle's degrees. Turn the knob counterclockwise to loosen the bevel setting. Slide the base plate until the knob's indicator points at the desired angle. For example, the number 35 indicates a 35 degree angle. Turn the knob clockwise to secure the saw blade at the desired angle.

• 6

  Position the marked portion of the lumber over the edge of the work surface. Hoist the saw onto the lumber and align the saw's blade with the cut mark. Pull the blade away from the lumber, activate the saw and push the saw through the lumber along the cut mark.