Abstract: A portable zero clearance circular saw including a motor frame portion with a transverse oriented drive shaft and arbor coupled to the drive shaft, a handle portion with a hand grip coupled to the motor frame portion aft end, a planar blade deck on a first lateral side, a movable blade shield rotatably mounted coaxial with the drive shaft and having a sidewall with a edge face coplanar with the blade deck, a trigger proximate the hand grip to move the blade shield, and a blade couplable to the drive shaft against the arbor, such that the blade outer surface is flush with the blade deck and blade shield sidewall. The handle portion may be rotatably coupled to the motor frame portion, and may include two laterally disposed blade shield triggers operably coupled to the blade shield via a dual pulley system.