Replies

1. 
   bd342 | Oct 14, 2002 05:01am | #1

   putting the blade in backwards is sometimes done when cutting aluminum siding or vinyl. Absolutely Never on Wood!

   power planer taking a very light 16th at a time is your best route.

2. 
   gdcarpenter | Oct 14, 2002 05:04am | #2

   Use as fine a tooth blade as you can and use your matt knife to score along the top side of your cut line to reduce the risk of splintering as the blade teeth come up through the door.  Also clamp a straight edge to guide your saw , freehand just doesn't 'cut' it.  Any fine chipping or splintering can be cleaned off with a best sander as the edges of the door are usually somewhat bevelled to prevent sharp edges from catching and splintering.  As an extra precaution you can use your matt knife to scribe the tail edge of the door as well as the face.

3. 
   bnovice | Oct 14, 2002 05:07am | #3

   Lacking a good saw, I took two angle irons, and clamped them to the door bottom, leaving the amount to be removed exposed. I then took my belt sander, and it quickly removed the excess wood without any splintering at all. I'm sure there are much better methods, but this worked in a pinch.

1. 
   JeffBuck | Oct 14, 2002 05:15am | #4

   Cutting with the blade backwards is done all the time.

   But.....a better alternative.......measure and mark. Measure the blade from the saw foot edge...to find how far from the cut line to set the straight edge.

   Set the blade depth about 1/8th inch........run the saw backwards against the straight edge.......pulling towards ya. Use both hands.....cut slow and controlled.......this is like running the saw with the blade installed backwards.

   Now.....don't move a thing.....set the saw for the full cutting depth...and run the saw thru.....against the striaght edge...and complete the cut.

   There...no splintering...the first shallow/backwards cut scored the top veneer..the second/full cut cut all the way thru....so no splintering on the underside.

   Quickest way I've found. Just set the straight edge once and make two cuts. Very easy...just hold the saw tight when running towards ya.

   This way...ya don't even need a ply blade....I prefer a finish cut carbide blade.

   Jeff.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......

1. 
   HeavyDuty | Oct 14, 2002 05:43am | #5

   A shooter board would achieve the same thing, make sure it has a good edge.

   Tom

2. 
   HeavyDuty | Oct 14, 2002 07:24pm | #8

   ... I've been thinking, run the saw backwards against the straight edge.....is not like running the saw with the blade installed backwards. With your method you are going through the same motion as using a sliding compound miter saw and that gives you a very clean cut. If you mount the blade backwards, which you didn't do, you'll be cutting with the back of the saw tooth instead of the face, I have never tried it on wood, wonder if it'll work. I heard of people mounting the blade backwards to cut aluminum, plastic and asphalt shingles.

   Tom

4. 
   Davo304 | Oct 14, 2002 09:40am | #6

   Lot of good info here. I pretty much do it same way as mentioned by Carpenter...I prefer to use duct tape , but will use masking tape as well. Like Jeff Buck, I prefer to use a carbide tipped blade (use a 46 tooth Carbide blade for this purpose.) instead of a plywood blade. I would definately recommend a carbide tipped blade for this purpose ( actually, for any purpose...carbide does it all extremely well)

   I have scored the top of my cut beforehand with a sharp razor knife, but if taped down well, found no difference in cut edge whether it had been pre-scored or not. In both instances, cut with saw was great..no noticeable tear-out.

   Easiest way to clamp a straightedge is to make a guide ( I think someone referred to this as a "shooting board?"). A guide means never having to measure your saw blade distance. To make a guide, rip a "base" piece of plywood (1/4 inch luan is great for this) about 6 inches in width ( or at least as wide as your circular saw's base) and approx 40 inches long.  Using glue and screws, attach a 40 inch guide strip (1x material or 3/4 plywood approx 1 to 2 inches wide) on top of the luan base. Now, set your circular saw on top of luan and keeping saw registered against the 3/4 guide strip, turn saw on, and run it down the entire length.

   After cutting the base with your saw, you now have a perfect straightedge. Make sure you have the correct saw blade that you intend to use for trimming doors already mounted on your saw when making your straightedge guide. Otherwise, the guide may not be accurate; if the blade you used is different thickness than intended blade for trimming doors. 

   Simply mark your door, set the luan straightedge base directly on this line, clamp straightedge at each end, turn saw on and hold saw against guide strip while making cut. Presto! Job complete.

   LOL.

   Davo

1. 
   petercanavan | Oct 14, 2002 12:33pm | #7

   I use a aluminum straitedge fastened to the luan w/ countersunk flat scews and wingnuts. I went as far as to file slots in the aluminum. this allows me to slide the staitedge back. New day, new blade, move the edge back an 1/8 th and off you go.

   I also have a 8' one made up. This thing allows me to take an 1/8th off the top and 1/16th from the bottom effortlessly and confidently.

5. 
   bkhy | Oct 15, 2002 04:02am | #9

   running the blade backward is bad--feeding the saw backwards has some merit as it will cut clean on the topside but this method really just transfers the splinters to the bottom. the score,straightedge,sandpaper is the way to go.

1. 
   JeffBuck | Oct 15, 2002 04:57am | #11

   BKHY...

   read well and prosper!

   Run the saw backwards set at 1/8th inch......

   so splinters transfered......

   then......set the blade full depth...and cut thru....no splinters top or bottom.

   Jeff.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......

2. 
   mike4244 | Oct 15, 2002 07:43pm | #13

   Pull the saw towards you with about 1/4" of blade showing. This scores the veneer or laminate. Then set the blade for the full depth of the door and push like normal.I have trimmed at least 1000 doors this way. No splinters top or bottom.On laminate doors I hack saw thru the laminate at the edge of the door where the saw exits, if not sometimes the edge will chip.

6. 
   lees1100 | Oct 15, 2002 04:21am | #10

   A trick I learn some time ago is to use a circular saw with a good carbide blade and a straight edge. The trick is to score the wood 1/16 to 1/8 higher than the cut on both sides then cut on the line pencil line... not the score. Now if the wood splinters at all it will only go to the score mark. Now take your sand paper and sand a 45 degree bevel to the score line which will take care of that and any splinters. Now you have a clean cut with a nice sanded edge and your done. I have found that if I try to cut right on the score line the blade can still catch and edge of the wood an splinter. Likewise if I use tape, sometimes the tape will pull the grain when removed. This method is pretty much foolproof

   good luck

   lee

   If it's worth doing... its worth doing right!!!

   New!!!   Home Remodeling forum

   
   

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   Edited 10/14/2002 9:22:21 PM ET by LEES1100

7. 
   dw40 | Oct 15, 2002 07:00pm | #12

   "...just hold the saw tight when running towards ya..."

   This is extremely important, if you decide to do this the way Jeff says. Running the saw backwards, towards you, is going to encourage it to "run" towards you. Be sure your leg (or any other part of your body that would look bad with a saw kerf in it) is not directly behind the saws line of travel. Better yet, if you are not experienced with a circular saw, use one of the other methods.

   Good luck

8. 
   RW | Oct 16, 2002 12:44am | #14

   So many posts and everyone does it a little different. I'd cut it with a good carbide, tape it if it's cross grain, leave the cut about a 16th long, finish with a block plane and chamfer your edges with sandpaper.