Cut Off Guide for a Circular Saw

Step 6 What I would do differently next time

I was too eager to weld something. Welding makes metal very hot, and when it cools, it changes its shape. When I finished there was some distortion in the angle iron piece and in the long guide piece. I had to do some work with a file to make these straight and square again. See the yellow and red lines for the areas I had to dress with a file.

I would have saved some time if I had drilled holes and tapped threads for screws. I might have been successful with the welds if I had done only a little light tack welding, but the plug weld made just too much heat. The saw guide works well now and it is very strong, but I spent more time than I would care to admit making corrections with a file. Still, it is a useful addition to my tools.