Do-it-yourself circular drill for wood

A simple circular saw from a grinder or circular saw

An angle grinder (grinder) is one of the most popular home craftsman tools; with its help it is easy to cut metal and clean welds. In addition, using a wood disc instead of a standard abrasive disc, the grinder can be turned into a hand-held circular saw (it is also called a parquet saw), and by making a frame with a table, it can be turned into a stationary circular saw.

Required accessories

To work you will need:

multilayer plywood with a thickness of 10 mm or more;
switch and wire;
countersunk head bolts;
screws;
wooden block 40x40 mm.

You also need to prepare a drill or screwdriver, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, ruler and pencil. Using these tools you will have to make a circular saw with your own hands.

Of course, you must not forget the grinder itself or the hand-held circular saw. At the first stage, it will help to cut the material, and then it will take its place as the working body of the circular saw.

Sequencing

The first step is to make the body of the circular. Thick plywood is perfect for this; you can use any pressed wood boards. You will need to cut four rectangular sheets, size 40 x 80 cm. They are used to assemble a box with a square 80 x 80 cm at the base. For ease of assembly and reliability of the structure, four bars are installed in the corners.

The resulting box is closed on top with a table top. It can be made from the same plywood, but it is better to use some sheet material with a laminated coating. This guarantees the durability of the machine and ensures ease of use of the homemade circular saw.

A cut is made in the tabletop to allow the disk to come out, and holes are drilled on the sides for attaching the tool.

The grinder must be securely fixed under the tabletop. The design of the latch can be very diverse, it all depends on the configuration of the machine itself. The main requirement for fastening is that it must securely hold the angle grinder without allowing it to move.

The simplest fastening may look like this: two metal squares, a grinder is fixed between them with a steel clamp.

For additional strength, it is recommended to use the thread of the side handle; a bolt with a suitable thread is screwed into it.

Two holes are drilled in the upper shelves of the angles holding the angle grinder. The structure is secured from below to the tabletop using countersunk bolts. All that remains is to block the power button and connect the angle grinder via an external switch.

In the same way, you can make your own circular saw from a circular saw. In this case, the work is noticeably simplified due to the fact that there is no need to invent a fastening. It is enough to make a cutout for the disk, drill holes along the holes of the plate with a hand-held circular saw.

Factory-made screwdriver attachments

Today, there are factory adapters on the domestic market that can be used to turn a drill into a hand-held circular saw.

Their advantages include:

Workmanship;
Compatible with any type of drills and screwdrivers;
Adjustment of cutting angle vertically and horizontally;
Ease of use.

Despite the advantages, such adapters have a number of disadvantages. Among them are:

Limitation on cutting thickness. This is due to the fact that such machines are adapted to a specific disc diameter. Increasing the thickness of the cut is possible only by purchasing a more efficient adapter;
High cost, which exceeds the price of a home-made device several times;
Expensive spare parts and their lack of free access.

Making a stationary machine from plywood

There are many ways to make a stationary stand for cutting wood, we will look at one of the popular ones. The most inexpensive and easiest to manufacture is a machine with a wooden table. We will give a general manufacturing algorithm, but it is worth considering that each master makes it for his own needs, taking into account his needs. To make such a stand, you must perform the following steps:

Apply markings to round the corners on one end of the wooden beam. It is also necessary to mark holes for the axles at the ends and in the center of the bar.
Using the previously made markings in the center of the block, on opposite sides, use a wood saw to make recesses for installing bearings. Connect the resulting grooves with a through jumper.
Drill holes in the end and on the edge of the beam according to the markings made.
Press the rolling bearings into the prepared grooves. To do this, you need to install the bearing in the seat and mount them in place through a wooden plank.
Determine the center of the mounting pin, which will act as an axis.
Mount the pin into the mounting hole, accurately aligning it in the central position. Secure its position using nuts and locknuts. Install two profile washers on the installation side of the saw blade and secure their position with a nut.
Prepare a small wooden beam. Drill a blind hole in one of its ends.
From a sheet of OSB / plywood (depending on what you chose), cut two rectangular blanks. Place a block on the corner of one of them, with a drilled hole inward. Secure its position with screws.
Using hardware, connect the prepared OSB/plywood sheets together.
Connect the movable beam with the beam on the end wall of the future stand.
In the OSB/plywood sheet that will serve as the other end wall, mark the position of the longitudinal groove. Its center should coincide with the center of the hole in the end of the movable beam.
Use a jigsaw or other tool to cut a groove.
Connect the base of the machine and the prepared OSB / plywood sheet with a groove.
After this, screw a pin into the hole in the end of the movable beam. Screw a nut onto the protruding end. For convenience, it is better to use a wing nut.
At the bottom of the movable bar, symmetrically to the center, install and fix a rectangular panel cut from an OSB sheet / plywood.
Mount a metal half-clamp to the edge of the installed panel. It is necessary for fixing the drill, which will be used as a circular drive.
Cut out the working surface of the machine from a sheet of OSB / plywood. To facilitate access to the saw blade, door hinges must be installed on one of the inner sides.
Install the saw blade onto the drive shaft.
Turn on the drill. Slowly lower the work surface to a horizontal position. In this case, the rotating saw blade will cut a hole in the slab necessary for work.

After the final stage, you can begin to work. Using the protruding pin, you can adjust the cutting depth of the workpiece.

Tool selection

Using a drill as the power unit of a machine is a very profitable and convenient solution. The tool can be dismantled at any time and used for its intended purpose; in addition, it will be useful when constructing the machine.

Household drills are equipped with a low-power electric motor. Therefore, a machine with a power plant made from such a tool is suitable for cutting small-section bars, cutting sheets of plywood and OSB.

A screwdriver can be used as a drive. However, the power of its motor will only be enough to cut sheets of plywood or thin boards. Therefore, its use is advisable only in exceptional cases.

When using semi-professional and professional tools, you can increase the diameter of the saw blade and, as a result, productivity.

Design

It is better to make the machine small in size so that it can be put away on a shelf when its presence is no longer needed. Its design is extremely simple:

base made of a thick board or piece of chipboard;
working surface;
racks;
shaft with circular saw;
electric drive in the form of a drill.

We make the base from a 30 mm thick chipboard sheet; it is enough to cut out a piece measuring 300x250 mm. For the desktop, we choose a sheet of duralumin 4 mm thick - it is quite rigid and light, so as not to weigh down the entire structure. In the right place we make a hole for the circular saw measuring approximately 160x10 mm.

The holder for the drill itself can be made independently - all the necessary dimensions and drawings are available on the Internet, but a similar design for the shaft with a saw can be purchased in a store or at a clothing market. The bearing for the shaft must be chosen to be dust-proof - when the homemade machine is working, there will be a lot of small waste in the form of wood dust.

A circular saw from a drill is assembled according to the standard scheme: first, all parts are fixed to the base, then the work table is mounted and the drill is connected.

Design options

When exploring the question of how to make a circular saw with your own hands, you can work out several options:

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A circular grinder, which is mounted on a machine made of wooden beams and boards.
Installation on the frame of a hand-held circular saw.
Making a stationary circular saw from an old wooden table and a washing machine motor.
Manufacturing a frame from a metal profile, followed by installation of a powerful electric motor taken from any industrial equipment.

All these options have shown their viability in practice. The advantages and disadvantages of these schemes can only be determined by comparison, but for each of the creators of the designs, his brainchild is certainly the best.

If you plan to saw thick boards using a circular saw, a weak engine is unlikely to cope with this. A thick array requires a powerful electric motor and a metal machine.

Using a grinder as a working unit, it will be possible to trim small bars, but for long-term work, during which long deep cuts are made, it is not suitable, since the continuous operation time of a tool of this type is very limited.

The engine from the washing machine will require the creation of a gearbox. Experience shows that you cannot expect high performance and excellent cutting quality from a circular saw equipped with a washing machine motor.

How to make a washing machine engine

If there is an old washing machine collecting dust on the farm, the motor of which is in working order, it can be used as a basis for making a circular washing machine.

Remove the brushes, commutator and speed sensor wires from the housing. For reliability, it is recommended to check them with an ohmmeter.

Connect both collector outputs and coil contacts into a complete structure. Be sure to check the functionality of the device by connecting it to the network.

To change the direction of rotational movements, the contacts should be swapped.

You can increase the functionality and reliability of a circular saw by equipping it with a device that will increase or decrease the rotation speed of the cutting blade. A dimmer or trigger of a hand-held electric tool is used as such a device.

After making the base of the saw, you can begin arranging the tabletop. To do this, use a metal frame on which the machine motor is welded.

Stationary machine with your own hands

To perform everyday or one-time tasks, a hand-made circular saw is quite suitable. Small-volume sawing work does not imply heavy loads on the disk drive. The compact tool has small dimensions, which makes it possible to put it away after finishing work in a certain place. An experienced carpenter will need to make a large stationary type circular saw.

Circulation table

The main condition for making a table is the selected material. It is recommended to use a solid steel sheet, duralumin or silumin alloy. Materials such as moisture-resistant plywood, plexiglass and textolite require processing and installation on top of a galvanized sheet. The use of any material in manufacturing must meet the main conditions:

increased vibration resistance;
sagging with a load exceeding 50-60 kg is unacceptable;
the presence of a perfectly flat surface.

In cases where the conditions are not met, a DIY circular saw may stop due to a jammed disk or a broken drive. The consequences can be different, from a damaged part to injury to a person.

There are several options for making a circular table. Stationary tables can be sawed or made from two parts. The circular saw blade should protrude no more than a third of its diameter.

Saw blade

The design of a DIY circular saw must contain a saw blade. The working surface of the disk is set to one third of the total diameter. For example, with a diameter of 210 mm, the disk should protrude 70 mm from the table. Parts with greater thickness will require a powerful motor, from 1 kW. A miniature circular saw will not cope with such tasks.

The splitting knife installed on some models serves to prevent short circuits and jamming during operation. It is located at the back a few millimeters from the teeth of the saw blade. The device may also be needed when making a circular saw with your own hands.

Adjustable side support

Any type of work will require a stop. The side support is made of a block of dense wood. In other cases, it is possible to make it from a metal corner. The arrangement should be slightly longer than the table structure. The stop is installed using bolts. The template is installed between the table and the cutter for precise installation and better settings.

Shaft

Homemade shaft

The most important part of the design is the shaft mounted on the circular saw. A self-made shaft for a circular saw can damage the structure and cause injury. The reason for this is runout, which cannot be avoided when making a shaft using artisanal methods. The manufacture of the shaft should be entrusted to a specialist with good turning equipment. You should remember that there is a cutter that needs a seat. The holes must be symmetrically machined and machined.

Finished shafts are sold in specialized markets. Preference should be given to parts with a self-aligning bearing. Otherwise, the conventional mechanism may soon render the circular machine unusable.

Broadcast

There are several types of gears that can be used in the design of a DIY circular saw:

V-belt transmission;
mechanism consisting of gears.

The preferred option is to use a belt drive. Using a mechanism with gears can lead to jamming if a foreign body enters and injury to the worker. When choosing the pulley diameter, the maximum number of revolutions of the saw blade is taken into account.

Motor

Electric motor for circular saw

In most cases, homemade machines are equipped with an engine from an old washing machine. The main features are increased service life and efficiency. The speed of such engines is not high, which makes working on a circular saw assembled with your own hands safer, longer, and has a positive effect on the result. The use of a special three-phase motor implies the presence of a 380 Volt network. If one is not available, you will have to use a starting and running capacitor, which leads to additional costs.

Other homemade machines

Many users are interested in what else can be done using improvised tools from a drill with their own hands? There are many answers - home craftsmen are already making various homemade products from drills in garage workshops. A drill is a universal tool, so with a certain skill and imagination you can make anything your heart desires.

A sharpener, you just need to buy some emery in the form of a circle and make a special holder in which the drill is attached.
Drilling machine - there are special holders for vertical drilling or stand.
Small lathe for wood processing.
A mini-drill for various needs of the home craftsman.
To easily mow the grass around your garden plot, you can make your own trimmer from a drill.
A grinder from a drill is made quickly, just buy specific attachments.
Garage auto repairmen install original engine replacement winches based on old, very powerful tools.
Gardeners make holes for planting young trees using a homemade drill bit.
When pouring the foundation for a utility room in the private sector, some users use a homemade vibrator made from a drill to quickly compact the concrete structure.

Read also: Flexible drive for a screwdriver

Original devices

The list of homemade products can be continued endlessly, but we’d rather talk in more detail about some homemade machines that can be made from any model of drill.

Drill

A drill made from a drill is not a fantasy, but a real and fairly universal machine, assembled independently. The main thing is that you need to order from Chinese engineers (if you couldn’t find it in your city) a flexible shaft from a standard medical unit. As a result, a drill appears in your arsenal, which can be used for engraving work or drill holes using special burs in small parts or structures that cannot be reached with a standard drill.

Lathe

A woodworking or lathe for home can easily be made using a drill. The tool must be secured with special clamps quite firmly, and a specially designed holder with several sharp pins must be inserted into the chuck to keep the workpiece from turning. The center of the rear holder (headstock) and the clamp at the front of a homemade lathe should be located on the same axis. Precision is necessary to prevent runout as the workpiece rotates. After installing the part, the tailstock is firmly fixed with a special clamp.

The third element of the machine is a tool rest in the form of a wooden block on which a chisel or other tool for processing the workpiece will rest.

Important! When working on a lathe, do not forget about safety; be sure to wear safety glasses, and the sleeves of your clothing should fit tightly around your forearms.

A lathe for processing wooden workpieces will work properly if the drill has a built-in electronic speed controller . Using the trial method, you establish the optimal rotation mode for effective wood processing. Using such a woodworking device, you can make unique products for household needs: for example, a rolling pin or pestle with a mortar, a candlestick or a prefabricated candelabra.

Winch

An original winch based on an old but powerful drill will become an indispensable assistant in the household, especially for those users who live in their own home and have a personal plot. A simple situation: you decided to install a larger container in your summer shower, but raising it to such a height alone is problematic. Using a winch, this can be done in a few minutes. You just need to first calculate the weight of the container and the spindle speed.

According to garage craftsmen, a homemade winch can easily lift the engine from a passenger car. Watch the video if you don't take my word for it:

Experts advise using a homemade device, setting the drill at the lowest speed. This design can move objects with different masses, because craftsmen even make winches based on an ordinary car starter.

Bed and table

Creating an easel circular saw using hand-held power tools begins with constructing a tabletop or box-shaped body, where a hand-held circular saw will be located below, and part of the sawing disk will be placed above the surface.

You can find many reviews on the Internet that present a do-it-yourself circular table with drawings, as well as a detailed description of the manufacturing technology.

Usually, if you have to work with small parts, a length of 1.5 m and a width of 0.7 m is sufficient for comfortable work. The frame can be welded from a metal corner with a shelf of up to 30 mm. At the corners, the frame should be reinforced with welded jibs, which will ensure maximum reliability.

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A rectangular window is made in the middle of the tabletop, which is then closed with an insert made of duralumin or plexiglass with a slot for the disk. This insert allows for smooth movement of the board or sheet being processed along the ruler.

Preparing for work

Before you begin, you need to decide on the necessary set of tools and materials that will be needed during the work process.

The following tools will be used for work:

A circular saw or you can use a jigsaw.
Screwdriver.
Grinding machine.
Grinder (Angle grinder).
Jigsaw.
Hand tools: hammer, pencil, square.

During the work you will also need the following materials:

Chipboard.
Plywood.
Solid pine.
Steel tube with an internal diameter of 6-10 mm.
Steel rod with an outer diameter of 6-10 mm.
Two washers with an increased area and an internal diameter of 6-10 mm.
Self-tapping screws.
Wood glue.

Kinds

Do not think that mini saws are represented by only one standard model. In fact, you can find many different types of this instrument on sale today. It will be possible to choose the ideal option for any work.

It is worth considering in detail what types of small circulars exist and how they differ from each other.

Manual

This instrument has a rather complex design and structure. As a rule, these types of tools are designed to work with fairly thin and pliable materials.

Using them, it is permissible to perform the following tasks:

saw wood moving along the grain;
sawing wood across the grain;
cut various subtypes of wood (these include materials such as MDF, laminate and chipboard);
cut metal with a thin and soft structure.

Such instruments have the following characteristic features:

they have very modest sizes, making them easy to use and move from place to place;
are distinguished by their low weight (this figure rarely exceeds 2 cm);
as a rule, these models have low power;
The saw blade size in hand saws is small;
The cutting depth of this tool is also not very deep.

Disk

The mini circular saw also has a rather complex design. The main part of this tool is a disk designed for cutting various materials. This element has special teeth and is driven by starting an electric motor. Such tools are good because they are usually equipped with a number of additional functions that are very useful during certain work.

Such additions include the following:

the ability to adjust the cutting depth - for this it is possible to shift the cutting half of the disk in relation to the thrust base of the device;
removal of dust and chips - a number of tool models have a special connection required for connecting an industrial-type vacuum cleaner (this modification is especially relevant when it comes to large-scale repair work in order to prevent dust from settling on other pieces of furniture);
protection against accidental shutdown - often to initiate a circular saw on wood you need to press two buttons in succession;
continuous operation (without breaks) - this useful addition comes in handy if you plan to make fairly long cuts that take a lot of time.

Tabletop

Otherwise, such a circular saw is called stationary. It is multifunctional and very convenient to use. Moreover, such a machine can be made with your own hands, which is what many home craftsmen do. Of course, this unit will take up more free space, but it will also be more productive in its functions.

Rechargeable

Since modern high-capacity batteries have impressive dimensions, they hardly fit into the small body of a mini-circular. A capacious battery does not fit in this design. It is necessary to take into account the fact that the good thing about using these tools is that you don’t have to stay close to places where there are sources of electricity.

Rechargeable models are also good because their owner can stock up on an additional battery. The latter will make it possible to extend the operating time of the unit.

Circular design

The design of the product consists of:

grounds;
working surface of the table;
racks;
electric drive;
shaft for saw blade attachment.

Image 2. Layout diagram of a circular drill.

To make the base, you can use a veneered furniture board made of particle board. Its dimensions are 300x250 mm. The thickness can be 20-30 mm. It is better to make a desktop from a duralumin blank 4 mm thick. In its middle part it is necessary to cut a groove for a saw blade measuring 160x10 mm. Instead of a duralumin blank, you can use a piece of sheet steel. In this case, the weight of the finished product will be slightly greater. As a last resort, multi-layer plywood or chipboard is used, but this material has much less strength and allows the processing of thinner material (image 1). All details can be viewed in more detail on the layout diagram of the machine (image 2).

The drive functions are performed by an electric drill, which must be firmly secured. Drill holders can be made of wood and metal. They can look like legs with clamps, like brackets that grip the housing of the drill gearbox. A shaft holder can be made in a similar way. All parts are connected to the base and work table using rivets, fastening nuts and countersunk bolts (image 3).

The drill and drive shaft can be secured in a holder made of boards or chipboard. It is placed on its side, a recess is made according to the dimensions of the drill and the tool is clamped using an additional clamping rail and bolts.

A selection of products from AliExpress

On the Aliexpress website, the buyer is offered various adapter options to choose from, with which you can turn a regular drill or screwdriver into a hand-held circular saw. The most optimal of them is a set consisting of a set of saw blades of various diameters and drive axle shafts.

In addition to them, the delivery set may include cutters of various diameters for cutting small grooves.

We present to your attention a selection of the 3 best offers that can be found on AliExpress.

The best set in terms of price and quality ratio. The kit includes 7 metal discs with a diameter of 44 mm. Adapter, washer, nut and key for securing the disk. The best choice. View on AliExpress.
The best set of different discs. The set includes 2 adapters and 7 discs (from 22 to 44 mm) for sawing various materials. Made from HSS steel. View on AliExpress.
Another interesting set of 5 discs at a reasonable price. The set includes 5 discs with a diameter from 22 to 44 mm, differs from the previous one in price - slightly lower, because... Not many have been sold yet. So hurry up and buy. The quality is no different from the previous one. View on AliExpress.

Pay attention to the number of reviews, rating and price - hurry up to buy the nozzle while the discount is valid.

Stationary machine

If a master dreams of taking up woodworking seriously, then he has only one way - making a full-fledged circular installation. Creating such a unit will take more effort and time, but during its operation it will recoup all costs. The only requirement is a well-thought-out drawing, so it is better to use ready-made diagrams that can be slightly “adjusted” to your conditions.

bed

This is the basis for any machine - the frame on which all the main structural elements are attached. It must be stable and reliable, so there is only one optimal material - unsurpassed metal. The best options are a thick-walled corner or the same profile pipe. Welding is usually used to fasten parts of a stationary machine. If a dismountable structure is planned, then it is possible to use a bolted connection, but in this case it will be difficult to call the fastening “strong”: it will require constant checking.

Tabletop

And here metal is also a favorite. The best materials would be steel or aluminum alloys. A possible option is thick plywood, which is covered with sheet iron. An ideal tabletop for any woodworking machine must have a smooth surface, be able to resist friction, and easily support weights of up to 50-60 kg, without the slightest hint of deflection.

A hole is made in it for the disk. There are two options that are used in the case of a circular saw:

the cut is made in a single sheet;
The tabletop is assembled from two canvases.

The second method is preferable for a metal tabletop, since cutting a groove at home is a rather complicated operation. A parallel stop is attached to the tabletop. A convenient metal corner is often used in this role. A hole is also made to attach it. An alternative is reliable and powerful clamps.

Motor

The choice of engine for a future circular saw depends on what kind of lumber they plan to process. If disks with a diameter of 150-170 mm are used, then a unit with a power of 0.5 kW will be sufficient for them. For larger disks (from 350 mm), a more serious engine is suitable - at least 1.1 kW.

If the circular saw is located outdoors (for example, on the street under a canopy), then you can even use a gasoline engine with low power. It is possible to make it removable.

Rotation transmission

The best drive for a circular saw is a V-belt drive. In this case, 2 pulleys are used: the first on the engine, the second on the drive shaft. The reasons for this choice are safety and convenience: in the event of a minor emergency, the belt will simply slip, notifying the technician about the need to turn off the device.

Pulleys that have different annular grooves (grooves) or diameters make it easier to regulate the disk speed, which allows you to find the optimal mode for processing different types of wood. The shaft to which rotation is transmitted from the rotor is almost impossible to make with your own hands, so this part has to be purchased or ordered from a turner. The bearings used to install the shaft must be sealed, otherwise their service life will be short.

Pendulum suspension

Anyone who is not a stranger to working with metal will be able to make a circular machine that has a special feature - a pendulum engine mount. Its convenience lies in the fact that the shaft, motor and cutting disc are located in one common frame.

One side of it is attached with a hinge to the frame, the other is held in place by a screw, which can be adjusted if you need to change the height of the disk exit. The advantage of this system is the ability to use discs of different sizes and ease of adjustment of the cutting height.

A simple DIY circular saw can be made from various tools, but the best option is a stationary model equipped with a powerful motor. On the other hand, the choice of model depends entirely on the craftsman, on the planned “favorite” blanks and the volume of work.

You can get a closer look at the process itself by watching this fascinating video:

Design

It is better to make the machine small in size so that it can be put away on a shelf when its presence is no longer needed. Its design is extremely simple:

base made of a thick board or piece of chipboard;
working surface;
racks;
shaft with circular saw;
electric drive in the form of a drill.

A circular saw from a drill is assembled according to the standard scheme: first, all parts are fixed to the base, then the work table is mounted and the drill is connected.

Safety in use

Keep in mind that working with a circular saw is dangerous. In order to avoid injury during the work process, it is necessary to constantly monitor the position of the saw table, its strength and stability.

Each time, before turning on the equipment, check how firmly it is secured in place.

Attention: holding the cut material with your hands while the saw is running is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, you may damage your fingers. To prevent flying wood particles from getting into your eyes, it is recommended to wear safety glasses when working

To prevent bouncing wood particles from getting into your eyes, it is recommended to wear safety glasses.

Tip: In the workshop, you may also need a milling, welding or folding table, a simple table made of boards or pallets, and, of course, a personal tool cabinet.