Plywood Saw Guide

The factory edge of plywood makes a good straight-edge.

Cutting full sheets of plywood on a table saw can be challenging, unless you have a large out feed table or another person to help hold the sheet. If you don't have room or the time to build support tables, there is a better option--a plywood saw guide and a circular saw.

Features

The saw guide consists of two strips of plywood screwed and glued together. The top piece is 3/4-inch by 4 inches wide and is screwed and glued to a 1/4-inch, or thicker, bottom piece approximately 12 inches wide. When screwed together, the circular saw runs along the factory edge of the 4-inch piece, which cuts the bottom piece to width.

Uses

A plywood saw guide is made from materials often available on the job site.

To cross-cut or rip a sheet of plywood, place the plywood saw guide on the cutting line, clamp it in place and run the saw along the factory edge of the 4-inch plywood. The 4-inch strip is the straight-edge and the wider, bottom strip keeps the saw base from scratching the plywood. With a good blade in your circular saw, very straight cuts are made, as long as the saw is kept tight against the 4-inch factory edge.

Expert Insight

The plywood guide doesn't replace a table saw. Though the guide will produce quality cuts, you may want to rough cut your material with the plywood saw guide, and make the final cut on a table saw. Your material is easier to handle once it is cut into a smaller piece.

References

• Popular Mechanics: How to Build a Simple Circular Saw Guide for Straighter Cuts