2/8/2026 Note: I originally posted this blog on LumberJocks back in April 2017. I m re-posting it here so I can eventually remove it from there.

The scariest part of building this desk was making the 45-degree cuts across the 24" wide top/side and bottom panels.

I have a nice crosscut sled for my table saw, but it will accommodate stock up to only 21" wide, so it wasn't an option. I didn't feel like making a special sled. I'd love to have a Festool track saw, but I couldn't justify the expense. My only option was my Porter Cable circular saw.

With a circular saw, the cleanest part of the cut is the underside, but I wanted to make my cuts from the top side of the panel to keep its top edge as straight as possible. (If the blade fluttered, etc., there might be irregularities on the bottom edges, but they wouldn't be visible after assembly.)

I have a 48" sawboard for making rough cuts in MDF and plywood sheets. I decided to sacrifice it and modify it to make bevel cuts. That was easy--just tilt the saw blade and run it across the fence. With this new sawboard, I could cut from the top, and the sawboard s base would minimize tear-out there.

To make each cut, I carefully positioned the sawboard using speed squares on each end, clamped it and the panel to my workbench (with scrap between the bench and panel to leave room for the blade). Then I took a deep breath and made the cut very slowly.

Here's how everything looked right after I made the first cut.

Here's how the top and bottom lined up after I finished. The reason for the clamp in the first photo is that the top panel was twisted a bit on one corner. (That also explains why I clamped everything to my workbench before cutting-I didn't want that twist to affect the cut.)

The two top-panel cutoffs formed the sides. I used my table saw to rip the other 45-degree bevels in the sides. That part was easy and drama-free.

This photo shows the amount of twist in the top. Aside from this corner, the rest of the panel was flat on the bench.

I'd have to deal with that twist when I assembled the case.