Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Wood cutting

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Expert: - 2/5/2009


Question
Someone told me that when using a circular saw to cut a piece of wood, it's important to set up the blade so it doesn't penetrate the wood too deeply. Is this true? If it is, how important is this, and what is called "too deeply"?
Thank you


Answer
Hi Seth, I assume you mean a hand held circular saw. The main reason for this is just safety. The more blade that's out of the saw body, the more chance for blade binding and kickback, or other dangers associated with the exposed blade. We had a situation here a few years ago, where a certain number of local carpenters began to rig their Porter Cable saws so that the blade guard was always retracted, and there were several terrible accidents in a short time, one involving a child that had walked up behind one of them. The guy had just finished a cut and was swinging around to put the tool down and did not hear the child walking up behind him... Sometimes it's the Pro's who think that they're so expert at using a tool, they become complacent and let their guard down, (or wire it up as the case may be). It only takes a split second for such an accident to take place, and todays machines in combination with a carbide blade, which can literally cut through steel, make a dangerous weapon. In most cases, the blade should be set to penetrate the wood to about the bottom of the gullets. This clears the chips well and limits the amount of exposed blade to a minimum. It's also very important to use the proper blade for the job, and inspect your blades carefully periodically, especially after impacting something such as a nail or screw buried in the wood. Carbide is quite brittle, and will fracture or shear off fairly easily sometimes. Hope that helps- regards- Greg

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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