Shopsmith Forums

Yup, Bruce. You are correct. I must really be loosing it. I'd have sworn I pulled those out the last time I did a table alignment (Sawdust Session on Aligning Extension Tables).

Obviously, I didn't. I even went out this morning to see for myself.

I must be turning into a wimp but I have lost all interest in wrestling with a 4x8 sheet of anything on a tablesaw, Shopsmith or other. I don't even like cutting it on my friends saw that has a slidding carriage that more or less supports the whole sheet.

I would no more think to trying to cut a full sheet on my SS than I would think of cutting it up with a chain saw. I learned my lesson trying to bull full sheets of 3/4 and 1 inch MDF around. There had to be an easier way and I think my method is it.

I came up with a cutting table, a 4x8 sheet of 1/8 luan topped with a 1 inch thick sheet of foam board supported on saw horses. I built the table to be the exact height of my tail gate. I can then, slide the sheet on to the table and using a saw guide (either home made or one of the new designs from Ezguide or Festool), just cut the sheet into my final finish size. The foam allows the saw blade to cut through your sheetstock but allows for hundreds of cuts before you have to flip it over and use the other side. What is great is the sheet is fully supported you don't have to try to catch a cutoff or move supports around so you miss them with the saw blade. Incidently with a few hinges my table folds up to a 4x4 about 2 inches thick. I'm thinking my next one would fold twice and end up about 4 inches think and being a total of 2 feet by 4 feet. I might even go with 1/2 inch foam next time.

In the past I tried to avoid buying full sheets and when I needed them I usually had the store make an initial cut to get the sheet into manageable size. But no more I simply side the sheet into my truck drive home and slide it out. No strain no grunting and most of all no dangerous situations trying to balance a full sheet of heavy material while trying to make accurate cuts.
Ed

Me too, Ed! I discovered it becomes a lot easier to pre-plan where on a piece of plywood the pieces will come from - then have the store cut either widths or lengths that are easier to handle, but still leave room which will allow me to harvest the desired pieces.

Big Box stores have terribly abused saw blades, so I will direct them to cut a couple of inches away from my desired piece. Rip out splinters are prevalent from their cross grain cuts.

I can fit a whole sheet into my Dodge Caravan, but why? Only if I can't figure a way for the store to make a vertical or horizontal slice.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I must be turning into a wimp....................Ed

charlese wrote:Me too, Ed!........................

wimps. He he he (My time will come too, but not yet)

Hey Ed your aren't a whimp you have simply reached the age of reason. I am immobile today from lifting a box that is beyond my limit. Someday I just might learn. Jim