Carpentry and Woodworking - Cutting Plywood with a circular saw

I just tryed to do a couple cuts with a Milwaukee saw with a plywood blade (The ply is 3/4 birch). I clamped down another piece of ply as a guide (Yes it was square) and both times as I got close to the end (the cut was 24") the cut viered to one side or another....HELP!!!!

Hi, what I use is an aluminum bar, (1/4" x 2" x 10') as a straight edge. This gives you a foot over each end of your sheet. This helps you get started into the cut and out of the cut. I also use 3 or 4 sawhorses when I cut sheet goods to help keep the sheet flat. Also just let about a 1/4-3/8" of the blade to protrude through the sheet and watch out for the nails or screws in your sawhorses. Try to make your cuts with the largest part of the saws base on the sheet goods, and the cord in a position so that you don't have to stop to get it to where you can start cutting again. I use a combination square to set the distance from the saw teeth to the base plates edge and use that measurement to set the straight edge, and then set it in place with a couple of small c-clamps, good wood I use some pads on the clamps.
hope this might help you out,
Trent

Good advice from Trent. The problem sometimes is the saw hits a void or knot in the plywood and wanders off all on its own. Carefullness and proper positioning may help, but sometimes saws just do this. The store bought edge guides (Veritas or Hartville Tool) have attachements that allow you to attach your saw base to a guide that rides the edge guide. That may help if your cuts have to be dead on.

I'd suggest you use a longer straight edge and allow the saw to follow thrugh the cut completely before releasing the trigger. It sounds to me like you may be trying to pull away before the cut is finished.Hope this helps.

Carl

I hope I can explain this correctly. I saw a jig to cut plywood with a circular saw.
Take a piece of hardwood 52" inches long by 1.5" wide. Form a "T" at one end by attaching another small piece of hardwood. This one should be thicker, maybe 1.5". This will essentially form a T-Square. Now take another piece of wood, 52"L X 8" wide by 1/2 thick. Attach that under the 52" inch piece, butted to the 1.5" thick piece.
Now place the edge of your circular saw againt the 52" piece of hardwood and cut the piece of plywood. If I explained this correctly, you'll have a jig that you can clamp and use with your circular saw to make a straight cut on wood that is up to 4' wide. The edge of the plywood on the jig shows you where the cut will be.

Guys,
If you're going to start making jigs, you're better off investing in a Clamp-N-Tool Guide. Take your measurements, mark your wood and adjust the clamp to the wood. It won't move when you are running your saw down the cut:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/hi/B0000224DM/ref%3Dbr%5Ffq%5Fhi%5Fglbl%5F2/104-3315605-5023126

fred