Saved by the sled...

[Raymond Fries]

The Woodsnith drill press upgrade base and cabinet is my first sheet goods project. I bought a sheet of 3/4" oak plywood at Lowes; it so nice that they have a panel saw so they could rip the sheet lengthwise so I transport it in my Toyota Matrix. Anyway - I thought I could crosscut the long pieces to rough size with my jigsaw and a clamped on board as a straight edge. I made two cuts and could not get an edge nowhere near good enough to run along the fence on my tablesaw. :( I do not have a circular saw so I did some blade research and bought some of the Bosch T308B blades that are supposed to cut clean and produce less flex because of the thicker blade. For me, they cut pretty smooth in solid oak but splintered the plywood way more than the solid wood. Glad I cut the piece an inch to long just in cast I needed it - and I did.

So I left the shop frustrated and thought about the resources that I have. Then it occured to me that I can rip the pieces to width on the tablesaw and then use my MiterExpress sled to make the crosscuts. :D It has a 24" capacity and the maximum panel width for my project is 21"

If I get into sheet goods projects I will have to get a better process but at least I my sled saved this project.
Somehow I talked myself out of that tracksaw I wanted last night. LOL

Have fun in the shop...

[Jason White]

If you can't afford a track saw, at least invest in a decent quality skillsaw and a clamp-on straightedge. That'll get you by for now.


The Woodsnith drill press upgrade base and cabinet is my first sheet goods project. I bought a sheet of 3/4" oak plywood at Lowes; it so nice that they have a panel saw so they could rip the sheet lengthwise so I transport it in my Toyota Matrix. Anyway - I thought I could crosscut the long pieces to rough size with my jigsaw and a clamped on board as a straight edge. I made two cuts and could not get an edge nowhere near good enough to run along the fence on my tablesaw. :( I do not have a circular saw so I did some blade research and bought some of the Bosch T308B blades that are supposed to cut clean and produce less flex because of the thicker blade. For me, they cut pretty smooth in solid oak but splintered the plywood way more than the solid wood. Glad I cut the piece an inch to long just in cast I needed it - and I did.

So I left the shop frustrated and thought about the resources that I have. Then it occured to me that I can rip the pieces to width on the tablesaw and then use my MiterExpress sled to make the crosscuts. :D It has a 24" capacity and the maximum panel width for my project is 21"

If I get into sheet goods projects I will have to get a better process but at least I my sled saved this project.
Somehow I talked myself out of that tracksaw I wanted last night. LOL

Have fun in the shop...

[Von Bickley]

If you can't afford a track saw, at least invest in a decent quality skillsaw and a clamp-on straightedge. That'll get you by for now.

I agree.......

[Jim Rimmer]

If you can't afford a track saw, at least invest in a decent quality skillsaw and a clamp-on straightedge. That'll get you by for now.
With a good circ saw, you can make a jig that will make this simple work. Glue/screw guide to long piece of plywood. Run circ saw against guide and cut off plywood. Now clamp edge of plywood to cut line and you will have a straight guide for the circ saw.

[Earl McLain]

Raymond--if that is the build from the recent Woodsmith, i'm curious to know if you added the miter gears for table height adjustment. If so, where did you source them and how has that part of the project gone (or keep us posted if it's yet to come). Thanks!!

earl

[john jean]

i saw a guy that said to use a metal wall stud for a straight edge if need to. 4 dollars at one of the big box stores