Techniques / Tools for handing large shhets of plywood or MDF

[calver]

Are any of you using track saws or cutting edges with a circular or that drafting table device from up North to cut up your plywood?

Thanks,
Dave C

[Gene Howe]

I use a home made track and a circular saw on a piece of 3/4 insulating foam laid on a 9'X4' table/bench.

The track is a straight edge glued & screwed to an 8' long piece of hard board. Set the saw on the hard board and hold it Against the straight edge and cut the hard board. Now it can be lined up to your marks at either end of the piece of ply to be cut. I made another one 4" long to cross cut ply.

[8iowa]

Check out Nick Engler's "Sawdust Session #12". He deals with this situation;


http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... _Index.htm

[fjimp]

Check out the EZ guide circular Saw guides at eurekazone.com

[anmius]

I use 8' and 4' home-made guide boards with a straight 1"x4" attached to 1/4" plywood and held in place with 2 inch "C" clamps. I mount the sheet goods on sacrificial 2"x4"s on top of the sawhorses and cut away with an older circular saw dedicated just to this task. I also have a home-made adjustable out-feed table support for my Shopsmith 500 where I can handle fairly large sheet goods with very little difficulty. With a front table extension and home made fence auxiliary board, I can handle most anything large and cumbersome.

[a1gutterman]

I use a home made track and a circular saw on a piece of 3/4 insulating foam laid on a 9'X4' table/bench.

The track is a straight edge glued & screwed to an 8' long piece of hard board. Set the saw on the hard board and hold it Against the straight edge and cut the hard board. Now it can be lined up to your marks at either end of the piece of ply to be cut. I made another one 4" long to cross cut ply.

Hi pkni,

As long as you are making one to cut across a piece of ply, you should try a 4' guide. It beats reclamping that 4" guide all the way across!!!

[a1gutterman]

Are any of you using track saws or cutting edges with a circular or that drafting table device from up North to cut up your plywood?

Thanks,
Dave C

Hi Dave,

And welcome to the forum! I do use shop-made guides to cut ply, like the other guys have said, but a lot of the time, I use my 12" TS with it's large table for that purpose, especially when cutting hardwood ply when I want a nice smooth cut. My 12"blades cut a lot smoother then the circular saw blades.

[charlese]

I use my homemade straight cutting guide and my expandable workbench along with a circle saw.

This board was also supported by the Mark V. Bench outrigger in background.

[ATTACH]3290[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]3291[/ATTACH]

[cincinnati10]

I use a Festool TS-55 plunge saw with their guide rail; I have the MFT for smaller pieces.

Prior to that, an 18V Cordless DeWalt Trim saw and a Clamp-N-Guide plus a square and a utility knife. The deWalt was slow, but very accurate if I carefully attached the guide using the square as a guide and scored both edges of the blade line.

The Festool is a pleasure to use and a worthwhile investment.

[rdewinter]

For cross cutting or ripping plywood or mdf sheet goods, I use either a 50" or the 110" All-in-one clamp guide. Very accurate cuts when using the guide and my Milwaukee circular saw. I got the guides at Rockler, but they are available elsewhere. Kind of expensive, but with care they will last a long time.

Bob
San Diego