Dad's Saw Tip

If you are reading this blog, chances are you love making crafts.  BUT, you've probably made most of your gifts without setting your hands on a saw or a wrench.  Ladies, we can do it.

After learning some tiling skills from my dad this past week, I realized I'd wasted a lot of time assuming I couldn't do "big" projects around the house.  I could have spent the past decade learning how to cut wood, use a sanding machine, and measure properly.  I'm not sure why I steered clear of tools all these years.  I'm not sure why I learned how to use a glue gun with grandma, but avoided the nail gun with pops.  I can't wait to tile a wall now.  I know these aren't the kinds of tips that everyone can use.  But, I'm going to stop assuming that none of our readers would dare use a saw.  Yes, we can.

Once you have some one-on-one training, this little tip might come in handy.  The dial on the base of your saw allows you to set accurate measurements for the angle of your cut.

After a lot of use, your dial may not be accurate anymore, just like the weight on a scale.  Here's how you can check the accuracy:  Set your angle to "0" and cut your wood.

Cut a wide piece of scrap wood straight across with no angle.  Initially, the cut looks straight.  The two pieces of wood fit together perfectly.

Now, flip one side of the wood over and place the two pieces together again.  If the wood doesn't come together perfectly, it wasn't a straight cut.  Your saw cut with some degree of an angle.  Your dial isn't correct and you either need to fix it or adapt when you cut.

Thanks to dad for another tip.  I'm enjoying learning all the things that are usually just passed down to sons.  Good luck with your own projects!!