Normally, to cut a wide board or a plank with the circular saw, I place it on the workbench overhanging one side and I cut with the disk saw and the help of a guide. But like this, the cut piece that was overhanging usually falls to the floor. The result is that the piece that falls to the floor is usually crushed in a corner. But since these cuts are usually not to final size, I don’t mind messing up the wood a bit for the woodworking project I’m going to make at the time. So, in those cases I don’t worry about the wood getting a little damaged in a corner.
But with my crosscut jig for 90 degrees cuts with the circular saw I sometimes cut the wood directly to the final size, and in those cases I prefer to avoid the wood from being damaged when it falls. That’s why I decided to make this cutting table that allows me to hold the boards or planks on both sides of the cut when cutting with the circular saw.
To make this cutting table I am going to use Galician pine strips 4’5cm by 2cm in section, and 250cm long.
To make the cutting table for circular saw I have to cut these strips to make 3 pieces of 168cm long and 10 pieces of 82cm long. To cut them I use the table jigsaw. But I will only use 9 of these pieces. The one I have left over, I will see later where I can put it when I know where I might need it.
To make the cutting table for circular saw I put the 168cm pieces horizontally, and on these I put the 82cm pieces vertically and at a 90 degree angle with the long pieces. To join the pieces I drill pilot holes from the long pieces to the short pieces and drive a couple of nails into each joint. I have to use a square to keep the pieces at right angles. And yes, I make the cutting table for circular saw upside down.
In the video it is easier to see how the layout is. One of the long pieces is nailed to the end of the short ones. But another long one is nailed at 20cm from the other end of the short ones so that I can also use this cutting table to cut with the jigsaw without a long piece getting in the way. And the third long piece is centered between the other two long pieces and nailed to the short pieces. The separation between the 82cm pieces (the short pieces) is 20cm, for which I cut some spacers that allow me to keep the exact distance while nailing them. This woodworking trick is very helpful because like this I don’t have to measure continuously. Although two of them are at a distance well under 20cm. I put them like this just in case at some point I need two support points that closer together.
So now I can use this circular saw cutting table as a base to cut with the circular saw and also with some of my other woodworking jigs.
However, to avoid the kickback of the circular saw, I have to make sure that the wood to be cut is always supported on at least two strips to each side of the cut. And I must avoid turning the disc saw on just on one of the strips I used to make this cutting table.
