The circular saw is used for a wide range of cutting depth in woodworking. It is very important to know about cutting depth because when the saw blade is inclined its cutting depth also varied with the angle. So let’s see how much depth a circular saw can cut?
Circular saw cutting depth depends on the shoe and motor height and flanges diameters. When those are higher it can cut lower depth. So 4 1/2″ blade can cut 1 11/16″, 5 1/2″ blade can cut 1 3/4″, 6 1/2″ blade can cut 2 1/8″ and 7 1/4″ blade can cut 2 1/2″ of maximum depth of cut.
So, let’s see how each blade can cut with various inclined angles.
How to Calculate The Circular Saw Cutting Depth?
We can calculate the cutting depth of the circular saw blade by using its maximum cutting capacity and inclined angle.
Cutting Depth = Maximum Cutting Deth x Sin (Cutting Angle)
How Deep Can a Circular Saw Blade Cut?
Circular saw blade cutting depth depends on the circular saw blade diameter. The most available circular saw blade diameters are 4 1/2″, 5 1/2″, 6 1/2″, and 7 1/4″. Each of these blades has different saw blade cutting depths. It can be varied as follows.
How Deep Can a 4 1/2″ Circular Saw Blade Cut?
A 4 1/2″ circular saw blade can cut a maximum of 1 11/16″ of cutting depth when the saw blade angle is 90 degrees. Other angles will be varied like this.
| Saw Blade Angle | Cutting Depth In (Inches) | Cutting Depth In (Millimeters) |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 1/8 | 4 |
| 10 | 5/16 | 7 |
| 15 | 7/16 | 11 |
| 20 | 9/16 | 15 |
| 25 | 11/16 | 18 |
| 30 | 7/8 | 21 |
| 35 | 15/16 | 25 |
| 40 | 1 1/16 | 28 |
| 45 | 1 3/16 | 30 |
| 50 | 1 5/16 | 33 |
| 55 | 1 3/8 | 35 |
| 60 | 1 7/16 | 37 |
| 65 | 1 1/2 | 39 |
| 70 | 1 9/16 | 40 |
| 75 | 1 5/8 | 41 |
| 80 | 1 11/16 | 42 |
| 85 | 1 11/16 | 43 |
| 90 | 1 11/16 | 43 |
How Deep Can a 5 1/2″ Circular Saw Blade Cut?
A 5 1/2″ saw blade can cut a maximum depth of 1 1/8″ when it is in 90 degrees and it can cut 1 3/8″ of depth when it is in 45 degrees saw blade angle.
| Saw Blade Angle | Cutting Depth In (Inches) | Cutting Depth In (Millimeters) |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 1/8 | 4 |
| 10 | 5/16 | 8 |
| 15 | 7/16 | 11 |
| 20 | 5/8 | 15 |
| 25 | 3/4 | 19 |
| 30 | 7/8 | 22 |
| 35 | 1 | 25 |
| 40 | 1 1/8 | 29 |
| 45 | 1 1/4 | 31 |
| 50 | 1 5/16 | 34 |
| 55 | 1 7/16 | 36 |
| 60 | 1 1/2 | 38 |
| 65 | 1 9/16 | 40 |
| 70 | 1 5/8 | 42 |
| 75 | 1 11/16 | 43 |
| 80 | 1 3/4 | 44 |
| 85 | 1 3/4 | 44 |
| 90 | 1 3/4 | 44 |
How Deep Can a 6 1/2″ Circular Saw Blade Cut?
A 6 1/2″ circular saw blade can cut 1 1/2″ of depth when the saw blade is a 45-degree inclination. It can cut a maximum of 2 1/8″ of depth when the saw blade is 90 degrees.
| Saw Blade Angle | Cutting Depth In (Inches) | Cutting Depth In (Millimeters) |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 3/16 | 5 |
| 10 | 6/16 | 9 |
| 15 | 9/16 | 14 |
| 20 | 3/4 | 18 |
| 25 | 7/8 | 23 |
| 30 | 1 1/16 | 27 |
| 35 | 1 3/16 | 31 |
| 40 | 1 3/8 | 35 |
| 45 | 1 1/2 | 38 |
| 50 | 1 5/8 | 41 |
| 55 | 1 3/4 | 44 |
| 60 | 1 13/16 | 47 |
| 65 | 1 15/16 | 49 |
| 70 | 2 | 51 |
| 75 | 2 1/16 | 52 |
| 80 | 2 1/16 | 53 |
| 85 | 2 1/8 | 54 |
| 90 | 2 1/8 | 54 |
How Deep Can a 7 1/4″ Circular Saw Blade Cut?
A 7 1/4″ saw blade can cut a maximum of 2 1/2″ of cut when the saw blade is 90 degrees. When saw blade is 45 degrees it will cut 1 3/4″ of depth.
| Saw Blade Angle | Cutting Depth In (Inches) | Cutting Depth In (Millimeters) |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 3/16 | 6 |
| 10 | 7/16 | 11 |
| 15 | 5/8 | 16 |
| 20 | 7/8 | 22 |
| 25 | 1 1/16 | 27 |
| 30 | 1 1/4 | 32 |
| 35 | 1 7/16 | 36 |
| 40 | 1 5/8 | 41 |
| 45 | 1 3/4 | 45 |
| 50 | 1 15/16 | 49 |
| 55 | 2 1/16 | 52 |
| 60 | 2 3/16 | 55 |
| 65 | 2 1/4 | 58 |
| 70 | 2 3/8 | 60 |
| 75 | 2 7/16 | 61 |
| 80 | 2 7/16 | 62 |
| 85 | 2 1/2 | 63 |
| 90 | 2 1/2 | 64 |
How to Cut Shallow Cut Using Circular Saw Without Damaging the Wood Piece?
Shallow cut using a circular saw should be done carefully becuase it can bring the wood or damage the tool. Hence you should follow the below step by step guide to cut the wood piece.
- Mark the cutting line – Use a ruler and a pencil to outline where you want to cut on your material.
- Adjust the blade depth – Adjust the depth of your circular saw blade to just slightly more than the thickness of the material you’re going to cut through.
- Position the circular saw – Place the saw at the edge of the material, lining up the blade with your marked line.
- Start the circular saw – Activate the saw while it’s not yet touching the material. Let the blade reach its full speed before you start cutting.
- Make the cut – Slowly push the saw into the material and carefully follow along the cut line that you marked.
- Guide the saw – Use a straight edge or a guide rail if necessary, for straighter, more precise cuts.
- Control the circular saw speed – Shallow cuts need to be done slowly in order to avoid burning the wood or damaging the tool.
Remember, always use safety glasses and gloves when operating power tools.
