Great woodworking projects begin with precise cuts. A rip guide circular saw transforms your ordinary circular saw into a tool capable of making those high-quality cuts easily and accurately. Let’s explore what a rip guide circular saw is and how it can enhance your woodworking projects.
The Kreg® Rip-Cut™ is a popular example that turns your circular saw into a precision edge-guided cutting tool. It’s designed to make straight, accurate, and repeatable cuts in materials like plywood, MDF, and other large sheet goods. With a rip guide, you can cut with confidence and achieve the precision you need.
The primary function of a rip guide is to facilitate straight, accurate, and repeatable cuts without the need for extensive measuring or marking. It eliminates the struggle of keeping the saw perfectly aligned with the cut line. The core of the system is a long edge guide that runs along the straight edge of your material. You simply lock the saw sled at your desired measurement – typically up to 24 inches – using the built-in measuring scale.
With a built-in measuring scale, the rip guide eliminates the need to measure and mark each cut individually. You lock the saw sled at the desired cut width, enabling you to cut one piece or multiple pieces to the exact same size with ease. Additionally, the Rip-Cut simplifies the process of cutting down large sheets, especially when working alone. This increases safety and efficiency.
Using the rip guide is straightforward. First, you mount your circular saw to the Universal Sled. These sleds are designed to accommodate most left-blade or right-blade saws. Once mounted, you slide the sled onto the aluminum rail. After a one-time calibration to ensure accuracy, you can lock in your cut width (up to 24 inches) using the measuring scale and precision cursor.
To make the cut, simply hold the edge guide firmly against the edge of your sheet as you guide the saw. The result is straight, accurate, and repeatable cuts consistently. This ease of use makes the rip guide a valuable tool for both novice and experienced woodworkers. A rip guide improves the precision of cuts and overall quality of woodworking.
It is important to note that rip guide circular saws are not suitable for use with worm drive saws. Additionally, it’s not recommended for saws with a plastic upper blade guard, as this can affect accuracy.
