In Tricks of the Trade

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Instead of measuring for my circular saw’s offset each time I need to make a cut, I use a modified edge guide. I screwed two 3/4″ x 3/4″ x 12″ hardwood blocks to the front and back clamp bars of the guide and clamped the guide to a board.

Next, I placed the saw’s base against the edge guide and made a cut through the blocks and the board. The end of each block now indicates exactly where the saw will cut. I just line up the end of one block with a pencil mark on the panel, clamp the guide, and turn on the saw.

I also routed a dado in the other end of the hardwood blocks, using the same method. Again, instead of measuring my router’s offset, I just position the dadoes in the blocks next to a pencil mark on the panel, and rout away. –Brett Bateman


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