Circular saw types?

[opps]

on some saws the riving knife will stop a plunge with a blade only making a perhaps 3mm deep trench till the riving knife grounds on the uncut timber behind the blade

My old Festool plunge cut saw- I had to remove the riving knife for plunge cut outs. To date I have never used the saw without the track and if there is a risk of the material behind closing up, I just insert a tiny wedge.

The newer Festool plunge cut saws have a retracting riving knife.

Personally, cost aside, I would always recommend a plunge/track saw for a DIYer. Potentially much safer.

 

[opps]

Don't all circular saws have variable height adjustment, to err

Height adjustment is nothing to do with plunge cutting. There is an optimum depth of cut. The teeth should be a certain distance under the underside of the wood.

To be honest I can never remember the formula and ignore it any way.

 

[^woody^]

I've been plunging with a circular saw for longer than many people have been believing the marketing hype.

There is no common 'plunging' cut that a circular can't do. The limitation is the controller circuitry on the other end of the saw arm.

 

[^woody^]

Height adjustment is nothing to do with plunge cutting. There is an optimum depth of cut. The teeth should be a certain distance under the underside of the wood.

To be honest I can never remember the formula and ignore it any way.

Then you set the blade depth and then lower the plate to the timber. ie plunge. Voila!

 

[Diver Fred]

Height adjustment is nothing to do with plunge cutting. There is an optimum depth of cut. The teeth should be a certain distance under the underside of the wood.

With 'Tipped' blades the saw should be set so that circa Half the Tip protrudes through the material being cut.

Theory is that the small protusion does not cause a rough finish (breakout) where the tip leaves the cut material.