Make cutting easier, more accurate, and safer with these four projects you can make yourself. Two will help with your circular saw, and the other two will make your miter saw work even better.
How can I make it easier to hold plywood sheets while cutting?
Build this: Knock-Down Cutting Grid
One of the biggest hassles when cutting plywood and other large panels is figuring out how to hold the sheets while you cut. This handy support grid eliminates that hassle. Made from 2×2 boards, it spans between two Kreg Track Horses, two Mobile Project Centers, or one of each. You can also modify the cutting support grid to work with about any sawhorse. This cutting grid offers a big workspace but is easy to disassemble when you’re not using it.
The cutting grid holds plywood sheets securely at a convenient height so they won’t move around or fall as you cut. This makes cutting safer and easier — especially when paired with a Kreg circular saw cutting guide like the Straight Edge Guide, Accu-Cut™, or Rip-Cut™.
Download the FREE plan! Click here to get a printable step-by-step plan for the Knock-Down Cutting Grid.
How can I hold boards securely while cutting?
Build this: Crosscut Support
When cutting boards with a circular saw, it’s common to use a couple of sawhorses to hold the board. If you’ve done it, though, you know there are two inevitable problems.
First, the piece you cut off is almost always unsupported, so it falls to the ground and gets banged up as you complete the cut. That’s fine if you’re just trimming the end off. But when building projects, you’ll usually need to cut more pieces from that cutoff piece.
Second, you can’t always space the sawhorses at the proper distance to support both ends of the piece you are cutting.
This project helper takes care of both problems. It’s just two 2×4 rails that have 1×2 cross bars spanning between. This assembly can sit on a pair of works supports, like Track Horses or Mobile Project Centers, on sawhorses, or even on the ground.
The crossbars securely hold the piece you’re cutting, as well as the remaining part of the board. Because the crossbars are spaced above the rails, you can cut without the saw blade contacting the rails. With this setup, you’ll have a much easier time holding the board, and you don’t need to worry about it falling or binding. With the board supported, you’ll also have an easier time using a saw guide, such as the Portable Crosscut, to get a straight, square cut.
Download the FREE plan! Click here to get a printable step-by-step plan for the Crosscut Support.
How can I support long boards on my miter saw?
Build this: Miter Saw Outriggers
It’s no surprise that a miter saw is one of the favorite tools that woodworkers and DIYers have. A miter saw is versatile, powerful, compact, and affordable. But this tool has a major shortcoming: The small saw table just won’t support long boards. So you end up having to try to hold them down and prevent pieces from falling when you cut.
Of course, you can create a dedicated miter saw station, which is the ultimate setup. But what if you don’t have space, or you want your saw to remain portable?
The answer is surprisingly easy: Just build these simple outriggers. They’re cut from a 24″-square piece of ¾” plywood, they don’t take much space, and they can be set up anywhere — on a workbench to a table, a deck, or a driveway.
Download the FREE plan! Click here to get a printable step-by-step plan for Miter Saw Outriggers.
How can I create my own miter-saw station?
Build this: Miter Saw Extension Wings
If your work area offers plenty of space, using this miter-saw station is a great way to make project building easier. It has long wings on either side of the saw that hold boards securely while cutting. Plus, it allows you to add stops if desired — in this case, the Precision Trak & Stop Kit. With this setup, you won’t have to mark your boards and line them up with the blade for every cut. Just lock the stops in at the dimensions you need and then butt the board against the stops to make super-accurate cuts — whether you’re cutting one piece or many.
We’ll show you how to make the wings from a single sheet of plywood. You can mount the wings and your saw to many kinds of work surfaces. Here, we’re showing the miter saw station mounted to a 14″ x 64″ Kreg Universal Bench with casters.
Download the FREE plan! Click here to get a printable step-by-step plan for Miter Saw Extension Wings.
Associated Products
Rip-Cut™
Straight Edge Guide
Portable Crosscut
Accu-Cut™
Crosscut Station
Accu-Cut™ XL
Track Horse
Kreg® Pocket-Hole Jig 720
Kreg® Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO
