Can I make a table saw with a skill saw? Yes, you absolutely can build a table saw with a circular saw, often called a DIY circular saw table or portable table saw conversion. This project lets you create a much more accurate cutting tool than just using a handheld saw freehand. Many woodworkers look for homemade table saw plans because a dedicated table saw can be expensive or take up too much space. This guide will walk you through the steps to build a table saw with a circular saw.
Why Convert a Skill Saw to a Table Saw?
A standard circular saw (or skill saw) is great for quick cuts. However, getting long, straight, and perfectly square cuts across large panels is tough. A table saw, even a makeshift one, holds the material steady while the blade moves through it. This setup offers better control and cleaner results.
This conversion acts as a fantastic table saw substitute using skill saw technology. It is perfect for hobbyists or those needing a temporary shop solution. It is also an excellent way to make a DIY track saw table setup if you prefer that approach for certain cuts.
Essential Components for Your Conversion
To successfully achieve this portable table saw conversion, you need a few core items. The quality of these parts affects the final accuracy of your machine.
Necessary Tools and Materials
Gather these items before you start assembling your circular saw work surface plans:
- Circular Saw (Skill Saw): A powerful saw with a good blade is key. Look for one with depth adjustment features.
- Plywood/MDF for the Table: At least 3/4 inch thick material is needed for the main surface. Smooth MDF works best.
- Fence Material: Straight, sturdy wood (like hardwood strips or aluminum extrusion) for guiding the wood.
- Miter Slots/Guides (Optional but Recommended): For crosscuts, these are very helpful.
- Fasteners: Screws, bolts, and T-nuts.
- Measuring Tools: Tape measure, square, level.
- Safety Gear: Goggles, ear protection, dust mask.
The Blade Angle Issue
The main challenge in converting a circular saw into a table saw is blade height and angle control. Unlike a real table saw, the circular saw blade is designed to move up and down through the wood from below. You must secure the saw so the blade sticks up through a slot in your table top.
Phase 1: Designing and Building the Table Surface
The table surface must be flat and strong. It supports the wood being cut.
Choosing the Right Dimensions
Keep the table large enough to support your average workpiece but small enough to remain portable. A size around 24 inches by 30 inches is a good starting point for many projects.
Creating the Base Structure
You need a solid frame underneath the top panel. This frame prevents the top surface from flexing or bowing under load.
- Cut Frame Pieces: Use 2×4 lumber or sturdy plywood strips to build a box frame slightly smaller than your tabletop dimensions.
- Attach the Top: Secure the 3/4-inch tabletop firmly to this frame using wood glue and screws driven up from the bottom. Ensure the surface is perfectly level.
Making the Blade Slot
This is the most critical cut. The blade needs clearance to spin freely, and the slot must be narrow.
- Mark the Center: Find the exact center line where your saw blade will run.
- Positioning the Saw: Place your circular saw upside down on the table top, exactly where you want the blade to emerge. Mark the outline of the blade guard and motor housing.
- Cutting the Slot: Use a plunge cut technique or carefully guide the saw to cut a slot slightly wider than the blade itself. If you are making a crosscut sled for skill saw use later, ensure the slot runs perfectly straight across the table. Remember, the saw motor will be mounted underneath the table.
Phase 2: Mounting the Circular Saw Securely
This step dictates safety and accuracy. The saw must not move during operation. We are essentially creating a skill saw jig for cutting.
Mounting Methods
You must secure the saw firmly so that the blade emerges through the slot.
- Method A: Bolt-Through: If your saw base plate (shoe) is flat, you can drill holes directly through the shoe and the table top. Use strong bolts and washers to secure it tightly from below.
- Method B: Custom Bracket: For saws with oddly shaped bases, build a wooden frame or metal bracket underneath the table. This bracket holds the saw body tight against the underside of the table surface.
Adjusting Blade Height
True table saws allow you to raise or lower the blade easily. In this DIY setup, achieving perfect height adjustment is tricky.
- Fixed Height: The easiest method is to shim the saw mount underneath the table until the desired depth of cut is achieved. Mark this setting carefully.
- Simple Adjustment (Shims): Use thin, consistent pieces of wood (shims) between the saw base and the table surface. Swapping shims allows for minor height changes. For deep cuts, the saw blade will extend further; for shallow cuts (like veneers), use thicker shims.
Adjusting Blade Depth for Riving
For safety, the blade should only stick up about 1/8 to 1/4 inch above the material you are cutting. If the blade is too high, it increases the kickback risk significantly.
Phase 3: Building the Rip Fence
The fence guides the wood straight through the blade for ripping operations (cutting with the grain). A quality fence is what separates a simple jig from a functional DIY circular saw table.
Fence Requirements
The fence must be:
1. Perfectly parallel to the blade at a 90-degree setting.
2. Tighter than the blade thickness to prevent binding.
3. Easily adjustable and lockable in place.
Constructing the Adjustable Fence
- Material Selection: Choose a very straight piece of hardwood (like maple or oak) or a straight aluminum extrusion. Avoid bowing wood.
- Mounting Tracks: Attach two long, parallel tracks (made of hardboard or thin metal strips) to the table surface. These tracks must run perfectly parallel to the blade slot.
- Fence Attachment: Bolt the fence piece to sliding brackets that fit into these tracks. This allows you to slide the fence closer to or further from the blade.
- Locking Mechanism: Use knobs or bolts that tighten down securely onto the tracks to lock the fence position. Check parallelism with a square frequently.
Tip: Ensure the fence is tall enough to support the material being cut, preventing it from tipping over while the blade spins.
Phase 4: Enhancing Accuracy with Crosscut Jigs
Ripping is easier to manage with a fence, but cutting wood across its width (crosscutting) requires a different guide—a miter gauge or a crosscut sled. A making a crosscut sled for skill saw attachment vastly improves this functionality.
Building a Crosscut Sled
A crosscut sled rides on slots embedded in the table surface, ensuring the cut is 90 degrees (or mitered, if you build adjustable slots) to the fence line.
- Sled Base: Cut two wide strips of smooth material (like melamine or thin plywood) that will act as runners. These runners must slide smoothly in tracks you will install.
- The Sled Face: Attach a wide, square piece of material perpendicular to the runners. This is the face against which you brace your workpiece.
- Installing Miter Slots: You need a way for the sled runners to glide. You can route shallow grooves into the table top, parallel to the fence tracks, or install metal miter slot hardware (like those used in band saws).
- Assembly: Attach the runners to the underside of the sled face. Test the fit in the table slots. The sled must glide smoothly without any sideways wiggle.
When using the sled, the workpiece rests against the face, and the entire assembly rides the tracks, guiding the wood through the blade. This mimics the function of a dedicated crosscut table on a standard saw.
Safety Considerations When Converting a Saw
This setup requires extra vigilance. You are dealing with a powerful motor mounted upside down under an unsecured surface.
Key Safety Rules
- Blade Guard: Can you retain the original blade guard? If not, fabricate a simple guard that sits above the blade, attached to the table surface. Never operate without some form of guard.
- Push Sticks/Blocks: Always use push sticks when your hand must come near the blade, especially when ripping thin material.
- Dust Collection: Circular saws generate a lot of sawdust when mounted like this. Plan a dust port underneath the table if possible.
- Checking Fasteners: Before every session, gently wiggle the saw mounting and the fence. Everything must be rock solid.
Fine-Tuning Your Table Saw Substitute Using Skill Saw
Once assembled, testing is crucial. Your goal is to achieve the accuracy of a real table saw.
Squareness Checks
- Blade to Table: Use a reliable machinist’s square. With the blade set to 90 degrees (no bevel), check that the blade is perfectly perpendicular to the table surface. Adjust the saw mounting if necessary.
- Fence to Blade: Check that the fence is 90 degrees to the blade at all settings. If it is slightly off, wood will bind or bind during the cut.
Dealing with Blade Runout
Blade runout is the wobble in the blade when it spins. This is often a limitation of the skill saw itself, but mounting it poorly can increase it. If you notice excessive wobble, check:
- The flatness of the saw’s arbor mounting point.
- If the saw shoe is warped against the table surface.
A quality blade will reduce surface tear-out, even with minor runout. Consider using a thin-kerf, high-tooth-count blade designed for fine cuts.
Advanced Concepts: Utilizing a Track System
For those seeking extreme precision, especially for very long sheet goods, incorporating a DIY track saw table concept can be beneficial.
Instead of relying solely on the rip fence for long rips, you can use guides that the saw rides along.
- Mounting to a Guide: If your skill saw has a base plate designed to slide on tracks (like some dedicated track saws), you can adapt this.
- Temporary Tracks: Secure two perfectly straight boards parallel to your intended cut line onto the main table surface.
- Riding the Guides: Mount the saw assembly so that its base slides along these temporary guide tracks. This method is excellent for ensuring long cuts stay true, bypassing some limitations of a fixed rip fence on a DIY setup.
Table Comparison: Traditional vs. DIY Table Saw
For clarity, look at how this homemade table saw plans project stacks up against a dedicated tool.
| Feature | Dedicated Table Saw | DIY Skill Saw Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Blade Height/Bevel Adjust | Easy, precise adjustment | Requires shimming or complex mechanical rigging |
| Fence Parallelism | Factory calibrated and locked | Relies entirely on user build quality |
| Dust Control | Usually integrated ports | Requires custom, often clumsy ducting |
| Motor Power/Duty Cycle | Designed for continuous heavy work | Limited by the skill saw’s motor rating |
| Portability | Stationary (usually) | Highly portable; can be stored easily |
Maintaining and Improving Your Conversion
This setup is a machine you must babysit. Maintenance is key to longevity and safety.
Regular Checks
- Blade Tightness: The arbor nut on the skill saw must remain tight. Vibration can loosen it.
- Fence Tracks: Keep the tracks for the fence and sled clean of sawdust buildup.
- Blade Changes: Changing blades is often more cumbersome than on a real table saw, as you usually have to unbolt the entire saw assembly or reach awkwardly under the table. Plan blade changes carefully.
Potential Upgrades
If you find the fixed-height setup limiting, you might consider modifying the mounting structure:
- Lever Lift: Design a simple lever system under the table that pivots the entire saw assembly up and down slightly, mimicking a basic lift mechanism. This requires precise pivot points and robust hardware.
- Sliding Carriage: For the ultimate portable table saw conversion, build a mechanism where the saw slides along a fixed axis parallel to the blade slot. This is complex but offers more dynamic cutting control than a fixed mount.
Final Thoughts on the Build
Building a table saw with a circular saw is a rewarding DIY challenge. It provides a significant upgrade in cutting precision over freehand work. While it will never match the ruggedness and convenience of a professional cabinet saw, with careful construction of the table, fence, and crosscut jig, you can create a very capable table saw substitute using skill saw power. Focus on making the table top flat and ensuring the fence is dead straight, and you will achieve excellent results in your woodworking projects.