LUNT CARPENTRY

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When cutting a big piece of plywood, you can set two boards on two sawhorses, lay your plywood on top of them so the cutting line runs between the sawhorses, and then cut as little into the support boards as possible.

Cutting

Handsaw or circular saw? Handsaws are less popular—they're slower and more tiring to use—but they will get the job done. If you use one, concentrate on keeping it Straight, and don't let its body twist sideways into the wood. Hold it at a 45° angle, start the notch with a few pulling strokes, then push and pull with an even, steady motion that lets the saw do most of the work. You can steady the board with your opposite knee and reach over to grab the waste end with your free hand right before it breaks off to keep the wood from tearing.

Getting tired? The saw may well be dull. Have it sharpened, and you'll be amazed how much stronger you suddenly become. Also, be sure you're using a crosscut saw (the ordinary one with lots of little teeth) for cutting across boards and a ripsaw (fewer and larger teeth) for cutting with the grain.

Having trouble following the line? Examine your mistake. If you're cutting a straight line but it bears left or right, the fault is yours. Practice holding the saw straight to the line while you cut. If the top of the cut is on the line but the bottom is beveled (slanted) in or out, you're not holding the saw blade vertically square to the board. Hold a square up against the blade as a guide while you cut (Fig. 6) until you develop an eye for sawing correctly. If your cuts all have curves, your saw blade is bent. Get another saw.

Circular saws (Skilsaw is a popular trade model) are definitely the most common cutting tool—but watch out, they're dangerous! Never let that spinning blade get near your hands, legs or any other part of your body. Never let it cut its own power cord. Never get the blade pinched in a cut—it can kick back into you. Never put a blade on with its teeth going the wrong way (the saw will jump out of the cut). Don't jam its blade guard open to "make things easier." Always cut with the saw on the supported side of the board, not on the one that will fall off. Unplug it when you want to adjust the blade or leave the worksite. In other words, treat that tool with lots of respect.

The real secret to carpentry? Don't lose your tools.

But don't let me scare you off: A circular saw is immensely useful. It can cut at angles. With special blades, it can saw through a variety of materials (even concrete). And it can make those standard straight cuts with ease.

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