Cutting Sheet Goods in Small Shop

[Fat Casper]

Sometimes ignorance is the best policy. I had to rip some plywood, and balancing the sheets on sawhorses was the best idea I could come up with. I hadn't even finished my first sheet when I figured out just how bad an idea that was (at least for someone who had thought it was a pretty good idea in the beginning). That was when I decided that I needed a table saw. If I had come up with a sawboard I wouldn't own my BT.

[fischermh]

I use a saw board, however if money were no object I would have a panel saw.

Mark

[germdoc]

I use a straightedge/cutting guide with a circ. saw. If necessary, I do the final cutting on the BT. A really accurate circ. saw and plywood blade (highly recommend the Freud 40T finishing blade) makes a huge difference.

[jgscott987]

I have a BT3100 but if money were no object I'd have a saw board.

[crokett]

Sawboards. cheap and very easy. I made my small one longer than 4' and added a piece that squares it to the edge so I only have to make one mark on the sheet.

[JimD]

Sawboards, 8 foot and 5 foot, to cut to rough size (I generally leave 1/8 to 1/4 inch). Then through the BT3100 for the final cut. I put the plywood currently on vertical 2x4s that have a hook about a foot off the floor and lean at about a 5 degree angle back towards the wall (they are supported at the top). This idea was in a Tools and Techniques edition of Fine Woodworking a few years ago. The 2x4s have metal hooks to slide over a piece of electrical conduit resting in wooden brackets near the floor/ceiling intersection. My only complaint with this is that it takes up valuable wall space I could fill with more tools. I've built a 1x4 pine lattace arrangement to throw over saw horses or even the BT3100 but haven't switched over yet. A sheet of foam insulation might have been a better idea except it isn't as strong and you can't fasten the saw guide to the foam. The lattace is a bit heavy to store overhead (I have a rack over top of the garage door for plywood where I put the lattace).

Jim

[rja]

I drag the sheet of plywood into the blacksmith shop and lay it on the 4'x 8' steel layout table. Using a long enough length of bar stock, round, square, angle iron, whatever, as long as it is straight, I cut the plywood up with the Porter Cable circular saw making sure the cut line is beyond the edge of the table.

[msoomro]

Y'all ought to try using Eurekazone's EZ Smart Guide Rail System, www.eurekazone.com. Trust me you will forget about need wide rail kit. Customer Service is far superior than I have ever experienced. You use the guide rails with circular saw. I could cut 1/6" wide strips with just regular saw and regular blade!

[Scottydont]

I use a www.allinoneclamp.com guide and saw base plate. It's one of the most tools in my shop. I have a router mounted base plate designed to cut 1/32" inside the saw cut line for glue joint ready cuts.

[LCHIEN]

you don't really specify what is the overriding criteria.
They are all effective when used properly.
For low cost, ease of storage, the saw board.
For cost & space no object, ease of setup and use, I like the panel saw.

[mdudley]

What is a saw board?

[DonHo]

To answer your
"what is a sawboard" question.

http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

DonHo

[mdudley]

Thanks, I actually have two of these already, I have just never called them a saw board. I highly recomend them. The cuts are dead on.

It is disapointing to hear that the wtk does not help much unless you have a helper. I was considering getting one to help me rip up 4x8 sheets to build some cabinets.

Do any of you use the wtk to rip wide pieces of ply.

[JimD]

MDudley,

Yes, I use the BT3100 with my mobile base and extension rails to make the finish cut but I usually cut the piece to a more manageable size with a sawboard first. You can cut full sheets by yourself (assuming you can lift them OK) on the BT3100 but will probably need both infeed and outfeed support to be accurate. I usually carry the sheet goods home on the roof rack of my SUV so I can lift them OK but I still struggle some trying to support a full sheet during the cut without the infeed and outfeed support. With support it goes OK but it's still easier to cut off a chunk first and then make the final cut on the BT. I like my saw boards but I am more accurate with the table saw.

Jim

[sharshan]

Most people suggest using foamboard and cutting on the floor of your shop. On nice days in Florida, I pull out my two metal folding sawhorses with a 2x4 bolted on each, and then layout my plywood cutting frame made from 1x4s. It's sized to a 4x8 sheet of plywood, and then I use a circular saw and a ClampN'Tool guide to guide my cut. I can then utilize my table saw to finish the cuts. I find this gets me off the floor and saves my back, and doubles as an assembly table, giving me more room in the shop. That said, it doesn't work real well on those rainy days, but we all have to make do with the size of shop we have. I happen to have the challenge of a 1 car garage.

I found the plans for the cutting frame in a variety of magazines. Some suggest plywood as an alternative for the slats, but 1x4s work for me. I can fold it up into a neat little pile when I'm done, and stick in the corner of my shop.

The cool thing is you can still utilize the sawboards, it just saves a bit of on-the-floor-hurt-your-posture-and-back time.

Craig.