Plunge cutting with a chainsaw is a skill that may seem challenging to you. Before you try it for the first time, you need to know how to plunge cut with a chainsaw. However, the process to make plunge cuts with a chainsaw is quite simple once you learn it well.

There are some special saws designed for plunge cuts that maximum people use. Also, a circular saw or a track saw can be used to make this cut. This is why many people think that the process of plunge cutting with a chainsaw may be relatively difficult or the work cannot be done perfectly.

Well, you have come to the right place to know the answers to all your questions about chainsaw plunge cuts. This article will describe to you the steps to make a plunge cut with your chainsaw and the significant things involved in this.

6 Tricky Steps To Cut Plunge With A Chainsaw: Do It Carefully

Here are some important and simple steps to cut plunges using a chainsaw. Hopefully, this will be helpful enough in cutting your plunge.

Step-1: Gather The Necessary Equipment

Before you begin the process of plunge cutting with a chainsaw, gather a few useful tools that will make your job easier. You will need the following tools:

Chainsaw;

Pencil or marker;
Combination square;
Clamps;

Gloves;
Hard Helmet. I

Step-2: Mark The Cutting Area

Before starting the plunge cut, measure the cutting area on the workpiece and mark it with a pencil. It needs to be measured accurately, otherwise, the cut can be difficult or the product is almost impossible to adjust.

You may know that plunge cut is necessary for many other important tasks including sinks, building cabinets, trimming doors, and so on. So it is important to cut to the right size. Make sure the correct measurement before marking.

Step-3: Set The Depth Of The Saw Blade

Woods can be thin or thick. The depth of the blade needs to be set accordingly to make the plunge cut accurate. Needless to say, there is no special feature to set the depth of the chainsaw’s blade. In that case, it can damage the part of the table under the wood while cutting.

One solution for this is to leave enough space under the wood when cutting so that the chainsaw has a space under it to be free once a cut is finished. In the case of a circular saw, since there is an option to set the depth, there is no need to do this.

Step-4: Wear Safety Gloves And Helmet

Generally, you should take some precautions when using chainsaws, especially when plunging. Wearing a helmet and gloves will give you adequate protection before the final cut begins. These are mandatory to avoid any unwanted injury while doing plunge cuts.

A small piece of wood can be splashed on your eyes, so wear a helmet whose front part is covered with clear glass. It also protects your ears. Gloves must be worn on the hand or inadvertently in contact with the blade can be harmful.

Step-5: Place The Chainsaw

If you do the plunge cut for the first time, the cutting may not be straight, it is likely to bend. A vertical line can take it to cut straight and perfectly. Decide which side of this line you want to start cutting and set the saw there.

Place your chainsaw at the convenient end of the vertical line mark. Make sure it touches the edge along the line. Do not allow the saw to be tilted to the right or left, as it can cause the uppercut to be straight but the lower to bend.

Step-6: Start Plunge Cutting

Now it’s time to start cutting. The chainsaw should be started at one end of the perpendicular line of the piece of wood at the exact tip. Before that, hold it tightly with both hands so that it does not tilt to the right or left. Turn on the trigger after making sure the saw is in the correct position.

After the cut has started, when the blade is about to sink into the workpiece, bend it vertically downwards so that all the places are cut straight. Now continue cutting until it reaches the edge according to the mark.

6 Useful Tips To Make Your Plunge Cut Safe With A Chainsaw:

Here are some tips to help you safely cut plunge with a chainsaw:

Tip-1: Refrain from over-cutting. Determine a depth of guesswork because you need to know how deep you are going and where to stop

Tip-2: Cut slowly without haste, it will reduce the chances of mistakes and the cut will be perfect. Also, go slower before reaching the end so that it stays flawless.

Tip-3: Always go along with Mark. It will give you courage while working and give you confidence that you are on the right track

Tip-4: Never push the chainsaw during the cut, as this will block the chain and cause the motor to stop.

Tip-5: Keep your fingers away from the blade as much as possible, even if you have gloves on. Since chainsaws cut hard objects like wood instantly, it doesn’t matter if the gloves are damaged.

Tip-6: Many people make that mistake during the plunge cut, which means not wearing safety helmets, gloves, and goggles. These must be used to keep yourself safe.

Reasons Why Plunge Cut Is Not Recommended With A Chainsaw:

There are some reasons why it is not advisable to cut the plunge with a chainsaw. So if you are a regular chain court user, you should be aware of the following reasons:

Risky Tool Of Plunge Cut:

Most people find the issue of plunge cuts with chainsaws risky. This is because the chainsaw does not have the features required for the plunge cut. So naturally, it is not suitable for plunge cuts and is quite risky.

The plunge cut usually uses a separate saw which is made with all safety considerations in mind. For example, if you use a circular saw, it is suitable because it has some features that make your work easier.

Requires More Experience:

You must be experienced enough to cut a plunge with a chainsaw. It is best not to try it with little experience or as a beginner. While good experience with it makes you think the task is easy, avoid it without learning too much.

Inexperience may cause you to err on the side of safety items or push it while cutting, which is risky for you and the hot saw. Also the less experienced usually try to make the plunge cut faster which is certainly not advisable.

Lack Of Enough Features:

Although chainsaws are very effective for other cuts, you will still miss some features for the plunge cut. You must know that some holes need to be drilled while working on the wooden workpiece. There is no such option in a chainsaw that can help you make a circular hole.

You will need to use a separate tool to drill the hole. Although this can be done with a jigsaw or circular saw, the chainsaw is beyond this feature. It also lacks some more convenient features.

Cannot Make An Accurate Cut:

Another major disadvantage of a plunge cut with a chainsaw is that it is very difficult to make the perfect cut with it. It is designed for regular cuts, so in case of hard cuts like a plunge you have to be tactful enough to maintain your safety at the same time.

Before cutting the plunge with a chainsaw, the required areas must be marked to perfection. However, if you move the saw unnecessarily or apply too much pressure, the cut will be bad and even the workpiece may get harmed.

Related Questions About Making Plunge Cut With A Chainsaw:

What Is A Plunge Cut And What Tools Do You Use For A Plunge Cut?

Plunge cutting is a difficult method in all woodcutting techniques. In addition, these cuts can be used to quickly and accurately clean holes in a variety of materials. The blade is made by making a hole to set it at any point and then it is successfully cut by starting the cut from there.

Straight blades are ideal for plunge cutting, but saws vary by type of work. A round saw will be needed if you want a long, linear, and shallow scoring cut. You can also use a chainsaw although it is difficult to do with a normal chainsaw.

How Do You Plunge A Chainsaw?

Place the hammer down to cut the plunge with the chainsaw so that the saw can be controlled. Be sure to hold the handle of the hammer with your right hand. The chainsaw needs to be slightly larger for plunge cutting because the blade will be in the workpiece when cutting. This allows you to control the shaking of the saw, but be sure to hold it tight.

Never let the saw get out of your control. Properly immerse the tip of the blade in the wood so that there is no need to bite the kerf. When swinging, bend the plunger upwards to protect the kerfs from crossing. Also, make an angle of about one inch at the bottom of the cut swing.

Can a Chainsaw Drill Circle Holes When Making A Plunge Cut?

It is very difficult to make round holes with the chainsaw. Rather you can make a square hole with it, but cannot make a round hole because you will not be able to rotate the chain in a circle. If the hole is large, you can take a hole equal to it and cut it accordingly, but it cannot be said whether the hole will be very perfect.

If you are confident that this is possible then take a piece of discarded wood. Take the hole mark in the same way there and practice accordingly a few times. If you succeed in this, you can try on the main workpiece.

Is It Safe To Plunge Cut With A Chainsaw?

The process of cutting the plunge with a chainsaw is not called safe. Even if a skilled person has done it a few times, he does not advise anyone to try it, especially the unskilled. Many things can go wrong when working with a chainsaw, especially when cutting logs.

If you push the saw too hard, the chain may pick up and the motor stop or the saw can slip backward, causing serious injury. It also gets stuck in the log as a result of applying pressure which you will be harassed to release.

Is The Circular Saw The Safest Tool To Plunge A Cut Than Chainsaw?

If you are thinking of a safe saw for plunge cut, don’t forget the circular saw as it is considered one of the safest tools for plunge cut. It has the option to stick to the workpiece as needed. In addition, it is not necessary to control the line of the saw too much while cutting.

After determining the depth of the blade and setting it accordingly, place it in the right place from where the cutting will start. Now cut the excess part of the front of the blade with the workpiece while immersing the blade. Note that your fingers are naturally at a safe distance when using this saw. So it goes without saying that there is no possibility of getting injured.

Is There Any Way To Make A Safe Plunge Cut With Chainsaw?

While the process of a plunge cut with the chainsaw is a bit risky, there are some ways to do it safely that will not discourage you. In the case of a plunge cut, the use of a chainsaw will be safe only when it is done with a chain mortise. A mortise is a device that has a chainsaw attached to it and stands with a rigid frame.

Here the plunge cut is controlled by just one handle and there is no need to hold the chainsaw by hand all the time. The main risk of using a normal chainsaw is that it always has to be carried with both hands, which can lead to any danger due to carelessness. So, a plunge cut with mortise is a safe way.

Can A Plunge Saw Make A Safer Cut Than A Chainsaw?

A plunge saw is better than a chainsaw considering the safe cut. When cutting with a plunge saw the blade rotates and after applying some pressure it slowly sinks into the workpiece. Since then it has been able to finish the cut safely and perfectly.

Since the blade rotates in the guard while the plunge saw is running, the dust created by it cannot come out easily. The safety of using a plunge saw is high and you can get your work done without any fear of injury.

Is A Track Saw Better For Plunge Cut Than Chainsaw?

Track saws are often called plunge saws because they are cut in the same way as plunge saws. This is certainly more convenient than ordinary chainsaws because a rail is used when sliding a wooden workpiece which ensures a perfect cut.

No matter how long you want to cut, it is possible to do exactly where you need to complete each of the shortcuts in the chain. The track court is a very safe, easy, and convenient plunge cut tool compared to the chainsaw.

Final Thought

So, now you know the way to plunge cut with a chainsaw. Although it is complicated to make a plunge cut using a chainsaw, the steps mentioned in the article will be quite helpful for you. Also, some tips will help you to get started.

If you think to plunge cut with a general chainsaw without enough experience, it should be discarded as it is risky for you and the saw. Alternatively, you can use mortises as the chainsaw is attached and can be used safely.

How To Plunge Cut With A Chainsaw? [The Safest Method]