"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
...

"Nonny" wrote:

I've posted about this before, but one of the handiest and most
accurate cutting guides is made from scrap. In my case, I used
1/2" plywood for a couple of the long guides and 1/4" scrap for
the shorter ones. As I recall, they were 8', 7', 4' and 2'
long. In all instances, I sized them for BOTH of my circular
saws.

To make a guide, rip a piece of plywood to the required length
and make the piece about 12" or so wide. Don't worry about the
cuts being too straight. Then, get a piece of hardwood that is
as long as the plywood and around 3/4" or so thick.
Approximation is fine. First, run it through a joiner to get
one edge as square and true as possible. Then, rip along the
trued edge about 3/8" in, making a straight strip the thickness
of the board by 3/8" by the length of the board.

On the plywood, snap a chalk line or use the straightest thing
you have in the shop to make a line down the middle. Apply
glue to one of the 3/4" sides of the hardwood strip, then place
it along the line. Sight along it and use brads to make sure
it doesn't move when drying. The strip should be as straight
as you can make it and extend the length of the plywood.

Then, put your favorite rip/combo blade in the circular saw,
place its base on the straight strip and rip off the excess
plywood from the side. Magic Marker an ID for which saw/blade
you are using. Then, if you want to use a second saw, do the
same thing with it on the other side of the strip. If you will
only use one saw, just do that other side with the same saw, or
with a different blade. For instance, one side could be with a
combo blade and the other with a pure rip or crosscut,
depending on what you normally use.

Since a circular saw cuts upward, the edge of the shooting
board will act as a break-off for splinters as you rip or
crosscut. To use it, clamp the edge on the marks you make for
where the cut is to go and just grab your saw. There's no
guess work, the cut will be clean and your accuracy will be
improved.

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http://tinyurl.com/yaubmdt


Yup, that's the same thing Lew, except that in the ones I built
there were two sides for 2 saws. It's one of the most handy
jigs/tools you can make for a shop and well worth the half hour or
so it takes to make one.

--
Nonny
Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member
of Congress.... But then I repeat myself.'

-Mark Twain
..