New toy...

[richardrouse]

lol!!! not a proper saw, the proper saw [for sheet goods]

I still love my 510 for smaller stuff, but sheet goods scare the crap out of me on the shopsmith.

[Ed in Tampa]

lol!!! not a proper saw, the proper saw [for sheet goods]

I still love my 510 for smaller stuff, but sheet goods scare the crap out of me on the shopsmith.

Horsing around sheet goods on any saw should scare the crap out of you.

After over 55 years of wood working both commercial and hobby I'm convinced there is only two relatively safe ways to deal with sheet stock. A vertical panel saw, which still requires one to horse around stock to get it on the panel saw. And the guided tool system ( Festool, Eurekazone, Dewalt, Makita, Grizzly, Triton, and I'm sure there are others.)

P.s. OHSA and the insurance industry agrees with me.

[richardrouse]

True enough!

[JPG]

For sure.. I'm just glad it didn't go to scrap or worse.
and now that I have the proper saw, I can forsee a sheet goods project in my near future.

"Now that I have a 'proper' saw." Oh no you didn't! Not on the Shopsmith forum.

Regardless it is better suited for breaking down sheet goods!(assuming external in/out feed support)

[richardrouse]

I need an outfeed table, That will probably be one of the first things that I make. Unfortunately, I wont be home for about six weeks to play with it :/

[Ed in Tampa]

For sure.. I'm just glad it didn't go to scrap or worse.
and now that I have the proper saw, I can forsee a sheet goods project in my near future.

"Now that I have a 'proper' saw." Oh no you didn't! Not on the Shopsmith forum.

Regardless it is better suited for breaking down sheet goods!(assuming external in/out feed support)

Why? If the same in/out feed support was added to the Shopsmith why would the Powermatic be better suited? Admittedly the fact the Powermatic controls the depth of cut by raising or lowering the blade rather than raising or lowering the table makes providing the in/out feed support easier to build. But is it really better suited?

Again it is moot question, without doubt the safest and easiest method for sheet stock is either a panel saw built and specifically designed for such tasks. Or a guided tool system that removes the need to manhandle the stock and keeps the operator out of harms way.

The concept of trying to accurately guide a 75+/- lb object into an cut zone that is approx. 1/8" wide from 8 ft away makes the whole thing ridiculous if you really think about it. Then add to it that a slight lateral movement left or right can bind the blade, distort the cut to the point that whole sheet can be ripped from your hands and hurled like a giant frisbee back at the operator.

Better suited?

[robinson46176]

The concept of trying to accurately guide a 75+/- lb object into an cut zone that is approx. 1/8" wide from 8 ft away makes the whole thing ridiculous if you really think about it. Then add to it that a slight lateral movement left or right can bind the blade, distort the cut to the point that whole sheet can be ripped from your hands and hurled like a giant frisbee back at the operator.

Better suited?

I agree that a panel saw would be great, I have a spot where I could mount one but I'll probably just use a table I have and my home made guides.
That last paragraph however does not begin to describe my experience cutting 4' x 8' sheet goods on a tablesaw. I keep reading about people losing control of a sheet or binding the blade etc. That has not been a problem. Maybe it has something to do with being a farmer all of my life. If you spend all day tossing 50 pound bales above your head and handling 100 pound bags of feed, a sheet of plywood isn't much of a threat...
I keep saying that the best sheet support for a Shopsmith is another Shopsmith sitting behind it using the main table and the right end extension table. I have even sat one in front as well.

I keep watching guys on TV remodeling shows and I am constantly amazed at how casually they hold wood that they are cutting. Of course it yanks it away from them, they didn't have a grip on it to start with. It's almost as bad as how close many of them run their fingers to the blade...


.

[jsburger]

The concept of trying to accurately guide a 75+/- lb object into an cut zone that is approx. 1/8" wide from 8 ft away makes the whole thing ridiculous if you really think about it. Then add to it that a slight lateral movement left or right can bind the blade, distort the cut to the point that whole sheet can be ripped from your hands and hurled like a giant frisbee back at the operator.

Better suited?

I agree that a panel saw would be great, I have a spot where I could mount one but I'll probably just use a table I have and my home made guides.
That last paragraph however does not begin to describe my experience cutting 4' x 8' sheet goods on a tablesaw. I keep reading about people losing control of a sheet or binding the blade etc. That has not been a problem. Maybe it has something to do with being a farmer all of my life. If you spend all day tossing 50 pound bales above your head and handling 100 pound bags of feed, a sheet of plywood isn't much of a threat...
I keep saying that the best sheet support for a Shopsmith is another Shopsmith sitting behind it using the main table and the right end extension table. I have even sat one in front as well.

I keep watching guys on TV remodeling shows and I am constantly amazed at how casually they hold wood that they are cutting. Of course it yanks it away from them, they didn't have a grip on it to start with. It's almost as bad as how close many of them run their fingers to the blade...


.

I have to totally agree with you Farmer. I have cut many many 4X8 sheets on both my SS and my Powermatic table saws. I always have someone help, usually my wife. Yes you need extra support on both machines and yes you can get off the fence a bit sometimes but there is no way I have ever had a 4X8 sheet come close to lifting off the table or becoming a "giant frisbee". I usually get away from the fence on the in feed side at the beginning of the cut and it dose mess up the cut a bit but it is a rough cut to start with so no problem. With a riving knife/saw guard there is no way to pinch on the out feed side of the blade which causes a kick back.

[JPG]

EIT!

Why?

Simply because it is.

Yes a SS can function quite well as a table saw for cutting large sheet goods, but all that cast iron and steel at a lower elevation just plain makes it easier.

[BuckeyeDennis]

EIT!

Why?

Simply because it is.

Yes a SS can function quite well as a table saw for cutting large sheet goods, but all that cast iron and steel at a lower elevation just plain makes it easier.

Engineer In Training?