# Woodworking: How to saw to a straight line? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375 "2013-01-25T22:24:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375/41 "2013-01-29T15:17:13Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > apologies Frank … > > I had jumped to the unwarranted conclusion that your man had used a hand ripsaw for the operation …I understand now that he used his circular saw … I find it even more impressive if he used a circular saw. I have ripped 2x4’s through the long axis with circular saws - in small sections for shims many times; long sections maybe once or twice, never eight feet. Note that with a 7 1/4" or even 8 1/4" saw you can’t cut 3 1/2" deep, you have to flip the material and make a second cut. Now if he had access to the big-ass 10 or 16"(!!!) saws, he could cut through but he is still fighting a saw not made for the job. Easy enough to follow a line but keeping your cut plumb down the center of the long axis with a circular saw? Sheesh. You have a 1 1/2’ unlikely-to-be-true-surface to guide your table and fight against 2 1/2’'s of bottomed out blade. Even a good framing blade really is not designed to rip that deep. It can be done, but it is dangerous, ugly and very hard on your saw. Now a good hand rip saw - that can do the job well. Once the cut is started the blade will follow pretty well. You would still need big arms, patience and technique. I am amazed he could do it in 60 seconds. Now I want that Starrett square!. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375/42 "2013-01-29T17:04:57Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > Now I want that Starrett square!. It was one of the few tools that my woodworking instructor recommended spending the extra money on (either 4" or 6"). They are always true, and the four graded scales on the blade are actually accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375/43 "2013-01-30T17:23:40Z")
One way to saw straight is to saw at a shallow angle following the line you draw on the wood, sawing at a right angle to the wood is easier and faster, but it’s very hard to keep a straight line. If you are cutting a squarish stick or plank use a visual guide under the stock to help you keep the saw perpendicular, or better yet get yourself a [mitre box](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitre_box). Incidentally, a safety notice. A few months ago I was hacksawing 1" by 2" aluminium tubes for a CNC machine I’m building, cutting square ends to within 1mm or less error, how about that? 🆒 There was a lot of stock to cut and I ended up hurting my hand from the repetitive use, I didn’t know you could end up with a [Trigger Finger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_finger) (or two in my case) from doing work like that. So take it easy with the saw. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375/44 "2013-01-30T18:17:08Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > I think we’re getting pretty far afield here. A toothing plane is only used on highly figured woods, or woods with wild and difficult grain. And it uses a specialized blade in a specialized plane. If the OP starts filing notches in his plane blade, it will only end in tears and lamentation. Given the simple approach of scribbling on the board vs. filing notches in a plane blade, I can’t imagine why a beginner would think the second approach was anything but specialized. But thanks for clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375/45 "2013-01-30T20:55:57Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > Now a good hand rip saw - that can do the job well. Once the cut is started the blade will follow pretty well. You would still need big arms, patience and technique. I am amazed he could do it in 60 seconds. Not as amazed as I am …I am prepared to stake an even $1000 that there is no carpenter anywhere on the planet who can deep rip an 8 foot length of 4 x 2 accurately in 60 seconds (singlehandedly) using a hand ripsaw. Note the words “accurately” , “single handed” and " under 60 seconds". [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodworking-how-to-saw-to-a-straight-line/648375.md?page=2)