I have owned this Black and Decker circular saw for over 15 years now and it just keeps on working like it was brand new. Other than replacement blades and some electrical tape (accidentally cut into the cord when the blade was not completely stopped), it can still rip through any lumber I throw at it with no problem. I love my cordless tools but when heavy duty cutting is necessary, nothing beats a powerful, sustained cut from my trusty old Black and Decker circular saw.
Most circular saws come with 2 basic adjustments:
- Cutting blade depth
- Bevel angle
Adjusting the Blade Depth
For my Black and Decker circular saw, the wingnut to adjust the blade depth was located on the left, rear side, just below the motor mount.
If you have a scrap piece that is the same depth as what you are trying to cut, it is far easier to flip the circular saw upside-down and adjust the depth. If the piece you are trying to cut has one side that is accessible or in plain view, you can adjust it by resting the circular saw on it.
However, most of time, you will probably NOT have any of the options above. In that case, we simply need to eyeball it. One helpful hint would be to try and identify what you are trying to cut and adjust the blade depth accordingly. For example, most plywood that is used as a wall is either 1/2″ or 3/4″ thick so we can set the cutting depth to be slightly (may be 1/8 inch) shallower than 1/2″ than cut and re-adjust the depth.
Just remember, it is always better to cut shallow than deep on the first try.
Adjusting the Bevel Angle
For Black and Decker models, the bevel angle adjustment wingnut is in the front. All you have to do is loosen the wingnut just enough so that the blade can smoothly move about the cutting fence track. Once you find the desirable angle, re-tighten he wingnut and you are set to go!
If you want some more tips and information, Family Handyman has an excellent article here
How to Properly Set Up for a Clean Cut
It can be very tempting to just slap down a piece of plywood with minimal support and start cutting. Rather than hurrying up and possibly ruining the plywood, I tend to take my time and properly setup my “jig” so that all my cuts come out straight and clean as much as possible.
