Building Confidence
| Volume 21 Issue 12 ISSN 1923-7162 |
Welcome to Dave's Shop Talk's Home Improvement Newsletter of questions from our members on their construction projects, a Tip of the Month and a home remodeling article, both from our website at https://daveosborne.com.
Tip of the Month
To save money in a home renovation, choose standard size windows and doors rather than custom sizes.
I couldn't write it better than Rob Patterson, Fire Chief of Malahat Fire & Rescue, who kindly gave us permission to publish it.
Brand New Year! Same old bad habits? Is this the year that we will really effect a change in way of thinking and act safely, or are we all going to fall into the same old rut? Personally, I have no plan to get hurt or be part of another responder's "day". It's a known fact that we spend more time planning a vacation or weekend away than we do for day-to-day living. Don't let winter get you down... break old winter habits... be positive in all that you do.
Are you prepared for the week ahead? Do you have an emergency kit at home? In your car/truck? At work? If you are stuck in traffic do you have enough fuel, a snack, water, a charged cell phone, a blanket? Do friends and family know where you are? At home do you have spare gas for your generator, flashlights, batteries, a good supply of dry firewood? Rely more upon yourself and be "that person who cares enough to check on others". The elderly and infirm just might need a hand and are not used to asking for help. Don't wait for them to ask, it may be too late. You never know how much just a simple act can affect someone. By getting out and checking on your neighbors you can do some real good.
Salt/Sand their drive or walk, help to clear a roof or driveway of snow. Have your chimney cleaned regularly if you burn a lot of wood for heat. Don't burn "green" wood, only seasoned dry wood. Check and test your smoke alarm regularly. If you need to call for emergency services, please make it easy for them to find you (Address sign), flash driveway/house lights, meet us at the driveway if possible. If someone is hurt, please don't move them unless they are in imminent danger. Stay calm, cover with a blanket and reassure them. We will be there! Sometimes it just takes a little bit of time. Keep all important medical forms close at hand and easily found as it can be difficult to remember when a loved one is suddenly ill. Be prepared! Be part of the solution not part of the problem. Fail to plan. Plan to fail! From all of the team here at Malahat Fire & Rescue we wish all of you a prosperous and safe new year.
Thanks Chief Rob and thanks for all the FD responders out there, willing to put their lives on the line for us.
Feature Article of the Month
(taken from our website: DaveOsborne.com
Jigs 6: Circular Saw Guide
In the good ole days before the time of fancy power miter and cut off saws, when framing a house, we would use nothing but our trusty old circular saw—Skilsaw, we called them—for cutting and ripping our lumber. We used plywood, so I'm not that old. This was also the time before pre-cut studs came onto the market. In order to cut our studs quickly and accurately, we would make ourselves a jig or circular saw guide.
Here is a picture of a circular saw guide I made up quickly for those of you who don't have a cut off saw or radial arm saw.
Basically it would consist of a 2x10 floor joist with 2x4's nailed along one side as a circular saw fence and a short 2x4 block opposite on the right hand end. Spanning the 2x4 and block was a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood with a strip nailed to the left side of it to act as a guide for the circular saw base plate. We wedged the circular saw blade guard up, not a healthy thing to do, but safe as long as the circular saw was left on the circular saw guide. About a foot or so to the left of the circular saw guide we notched the circular saw guide fence about a foot in length to enable us to grab the stock and move it easily. This circular saw guide was designed to cut to length 2" stock (1 1/2") and under. We mainly used the circular saw guide for cutting the studs and cripples and duplicate more cuttings, such as window studs and header studs.
Making Your Circular Saw Guide
Start with a 2x10 or smaller, depending on the width you will be cutting, and nail the 2x4 on the top edge of the 2x10, flush with the bottom. Make sure if you are cutting 8' studs, use a 10' 2x10. Leave a little extra on the right hand side for cutting short pieces. The plywood is about 1 1/2" wider than the base of the circular saw to allow for a guide strip to be fastened on the left side of it. Place a screw through the guide, plywood and into the fence. A 2x4 the same width is nailed to the opposite side of the 2x10. Keep in mind here that the 2x4 stock you are cutting will slide under the plywood guide easily, so make sure that there is a clearance of at least 1/4". I allowed 1 3/4" from the top of the 2x10 to the top of the 2x4. Best to notch the 2x4 fence for the plywood to set down 1/4". For the block on the front side, just rip it down to 3 1/4" and nail it flush to the bottom of the 2x10. When the guide plywood is square with the fence, screw it down to the block as well as to the right hand side.
Wedge the circular saw guard up as shown and set the depth of cut to just scratch the surface of the 2x10. Cut through the 2x4 block and fence.
This picture shows the left side of the plywood with the guide strip fastened. Notice how the circular saw will sit on the outside of the 2x10 (at the front) so the stock piece to be cut can slide under the plywood easily.
Here is shown a stop block rather than using nails. Notice the bottom of the block is undercut with a 45 degree to allow sawdust to not interfere with the end of the piece to be cut. Clean this out regularly.
Set this circular saw guide up on a couple of sawhorses and away you go.
Almost the End
Thanks for your emails this month.
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Hi, I'm Dave Osborne. With over 50 years experience as a journeyman carpenter, foreman and contractor in heavy construction I enjoyed working with apprentices and sharing the tricks of the trade that others shared with me. Now I get emails from Members all over the world and we include many of my answers in our Free Monthly Newsletters. Some of my answers include drawings and instructions specific to a project, but may also answer your questions. I use correct construction terminology, so you can confidently inform your building supply dealers or contractors exactly what you need.
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