That "measure twice cut once" rule is missing a step

I keep seeing guys on job sites measure twice and then just go for it without thinking about the kerf. You know, the width of the saw blade? I had to redo a whole set of cabinet doors last spring because I measured twice with a tape, but my circular saw ate up an extra 1/8 inch on every single cut. That mistake cost me about $80 in plywood and a full Saturday afternoon. If you're using a table saw or even a handsaw, that tiny line of wood dust is real material that just disappears. I always mark my cut line and then account for which side of the line the blade goes on now. Has anyone else had this bite them on a big project?

4 comments

4 Comments

taylor_patel4d ago

My buddy did this exact thing building a deck last summer. He measured twice for the joists, cut them all, and then realized his saw blade ate up a quarter inch on every one. He ended up having to shim everything and it looked janky. Did you have to scrap all those cabinet doors or could you adjust the spacing?

phoenix_grant3d ago

Mess up all those cabinet doors? Nah, I just turned them into really expensive kindling for my fire pit. Made for a great story when my wife asked why we suddenly needed all new cabinet fronts with the same exact dimensions. I ended up redesigning the spacing so the doors could be smaller and it actually looked intentional, but man did I learn that lesson the hard way. Your method of marking the waste side sounds like a lifesaver compared to my method of crying over the scrap pile.

nancy_king293d ago

Did you end up having to redo any of those joists or just live with the shims? I've been there with the cabinet doors and it stings bad. I always put a little mark on the waste side of the line now so I don't forget. It's wild how such a tiny gap adds up when you're doing a whole project.

kai_burns733d ago

Taylor nailed it with the kerf issue, I started marking waste sides after ruining a whole sheet of plywood myself.