Having a power tool such as a circular saw in your workshop surely increases your desire to start your first woodworking project.
But before you can do that, you’ll need to learn how to use it properly, provided that you aren’t adept in using one.
Learning how to properly use power tools ensures your safety, increases your effectiveness when using a power tool, and increases the lifespan of your equipment. So in order to minimize the chances of damaging your woodworking equipment of hurting yourself, let’s start with the basic of using a circular saw, shall we?
Always Wear Protective Goggles
Every woodworker knows how important it is to wear safety gear while operating on power tools.
But how is it that this gear protects us from harm of using a power tool such as circular saw?
Firstly, and most obviously, they protect your eyes from incoming saw dust. While processing a wood piece, small saw dust specks fill the air with each cut that you make, right? Imagine working on a big project that requires a lot of cutting. Your eyes would be soar and dry after half an hour.
This is why it’s extremely important to wart the safety goggles and minimize the exposure of your eyes to sawdust.
The Importance of using Gloves
Gloves can not only protect your hand from possible injuries while woodworking, but they also add to your performance. Without wearing gloves, you’ll have a blister on your hand after a single day in your workshop.
But let’s set aside the blisters, by using gloves your grip will be stronger and as a result, you’ll feel more comfortable while performing even the most demanding cuts.
Protective Mask
Mask allows you to minimize the amount of dust specks that enters your system while working. Anyone who’s into woodworking knows that without wearing a mask their lungs would be filed with small saw dust specs. This can greatly impact your health, so be sure to add a respirator and a dust mask to your shopping list next time you’re in a hardware store.
Earplugs and Noise Reduction
There are many models of circular saws, each different in design, and what it has to offer to its user.
This being said, it is natural to assume that some generate more noise while other can be barely heard. If you’re spending most of your day in a woodworking workshop, you must use earplugs. They protect your eardrum and ensure that you still have your hearing even after a long woodworking career.
Safety Standards
There are a couple of standards that every experienced woodworker should be acquainted with. Without these safety rules, accident and injuries would be a common thing in woodworking. So to minimize the threat of possible injuries be sure to follow this safety standard.
For example, you should always stop your circular saw using the brakes on the side, after each cut. You should also use clamps when operating on larger wood pieces. This way you won’t need to hold the wood piece and lose focus when cutting.
Proper depth adjustment of the saw is also quite important. You wouldn’t want to damage the saw by exceeding the depth of the cut and scratching the surface underneath.
Circular Saw Maintenance
The best way to ensure that your power tool exceeds its lifespan limit is proper maintenance.
But proper maintenance doesn’t only imply that you clean and maintain your tools, but to use them properly as well. This is why you should work on creating a routine of performing each cut the same. This way, after a while of cutting with your power tool, you’ll do things mechanically without even thinking. If you start learning how to use your equipment from the beginning of your career, you’ll minimize the chances of creating an error.
So be sure to work on your woodworking routine of handling equipment, safety gear, and you’ll never make an error in your career.
