panel cutting

[aurelio alarcon]

Recently I was making a TV stand and had to cross-cut two panels (cabinet side pieces 29"x22") that, when placed on my table saw, hung over the edge too much to use my miter gauge. Additionally, they were too long to use my fence as a guide. I cannot afford a panel cutter. Does anyone have ideas about how to go about doing this?

[Tom Hintz]

Recently I was making a TV stand and had to cross-cut two panels (cabinet side pieces 29"x22") that, when placed on my table saw, hung over the edge too much to use my miter gauge. Additionally, they were too long to use my fence as a guide. I cannot afford a panel cutter. Does anyone have ideas about how to go about doing this?

You might consider making yourself a sled (example at the link below) or a panel cutter like theone His Normness uses. Both are easy to build and work well. You can also size them as needed to best fit your saw.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/tssledpln.html

[Jerry Todd]

Recently I was making a TV stand and had to cross-cut two panels (cabinet side pieces 29"x22") that, when placed on my table saw, hung over the edge too much to use my miter gauge. Additionally, they were too long to use my fence as a guide. I cannot afford a panel cutter. Does anyone have ideas about how to go about doing this?
Aurelio, I recently ran into the same problem. I needed a large piece of 3/4" plywood for a table top and could not use my Jet Cabinet saw because the fence ran out of table. I have a set of "CLAMP'N TOOL GUIDE" that I used as a guide for a circular saw. You could also use a piece of straight lumber with clamps as a guide. I guess the only other way would be to build tables around your table saw with grooves cut for the miter gauge. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.
Jerry Todd

[Steve Jenkins]

I know it has been mentioned a lot lately but the Festool circular saw and rail system is head and shoulders above anything less than a sliding table saw for dealing with panel stock. Make a 4x8 grid out of 1x2's and lay it on a couple sawhorses to provide good flat support for the ply and cut away. the grid will last for years and the sawkerfs don't matter. When not in use it leans up out of the way. Steve

[Mike Evertsen]

american woodworker best new tools november 2003 page 26 has plans to build a fold down cutting rack ,,,,,,,,

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Aurelio
I use a reverse sled
The wood being cut is pushed against the fence of the sled.
Fence is at the front edge rather than at my belly.

Flat piece of 1/2 plywood for sled
3/4" plywood for fence
piece of 3/4 by 3/8 maple for the guide in the slot.
Daniel

[aurelio alarcon]

Aurelio
I use a reverse sled
The wood being cut is pushed against the fence of the sled.
Fence is at the front edge rather than at my belly.

Flat piece of 1/2 plywood for sled
3/4" plywood for fence
piece of 3/4 by 3/8 maple for the guide in the slot.
Daniel

So, this is the same type of sled as the others except the panel is pushed up against the front (that you call a fence)?

[Art Johnson]

Aurelio
I use a reverse sled
The wood being cut is pushed against the fence of the sled.
Fence is at the front edge rather than at my belly.

Flat piece of 1/2 plywood for sled
3/4" plywood for fence
piece of 3/4 by 3/8 maple for the guide in the slot.
Daniel

Hi Daniel

I built a very similar sled with two modifications. I had an extra Incra rail so I used it rather than wood. I also screwed a 500lb clamp to the front fence. Nothing moves once that clamp is applied, even large panels.

BTW, that design is not called "reverse", it's called a European style fence. The reason is that you can cut larger panels than a rear fence style of similar dimensions. Guess which style is most popular in Europe :p.

Cheers

Art

[aurelio alarcon]

Hi Daniel

I built a very similar sled with two modifications. I had an extra Incra rail so I used it rather than wood. I also screwed a 500lb clamp to the front fence. Nothing moves once that clamp is applied, even large panels.

BTW, that design is not called "reverse", it's called a European style fence. The reason is that you can cut larger panels than a rear fence style of similar dimensions. Guess which style is most popular in Europe :p.

Cheers

Art

Art,

Can you give me more details on how to construct this Euro Type sled? Is this constructed just like a regular sled, but instead of holding the panel towards the rear, you clamp it to the front? Thanks again! You guys are really a great deal of help

[Bruce Walton]

I've use the methods posted and they all work well. Also, I've used a clamp-N-guide with a router. I used the router at one point to reduce the tearout on the particular material. Worked well with a spiral cutter. If you use what I believe they call a compression spiral bit, you get a very clean cut. The cutter is a sprial cutter that is both an up and down spiral so there is no tearout. Of course you have to measure real accurate on the location of the clamp to cut the right place.

[Art Johnson]

Art,

Can you give me more details on how to construct this Euro Type sled? Is this constructed just like a regular sled, but instead of holding the panel towards the rear, you clamp it to the front? Thanks again! You guys are really a great deal of help

Hi aurelio

I was trying to find a link or two for you but I guess they expired. I know that Norm has one at the New Yankee Workshop and Wood magazine also had plans for one some time back.

No problem, they are simple to make. I used 1/2" baltic birtch for a base and as I said above, I used an Incra rail but you can use wood if you like. I built mine to sit on my saw fully supported. That is, the width is from the blade to the left edge of your saw. Make it slightly wider so, when finished, you can trim off the right edge to make it zero clearance.

For a fence, I used 3/4" finnish birch (I had some scrap :p) that I installed on the front edge. of the sled. I then added a 500# hold down clamp to the right side of the front fence. The fence on mine was about 2" so there is plenty of room to mount the clamp.

It's as simple as that. I found that this sled give me much more control than the rear fence for large panels. I'll long around and try to find a link so you can see how this fence works. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say.

Hope that helps.

Art

[Rob Glynn]

I gave up on trying to manage sheet material on my table saw. Short of buying or building a sliding table I could not get it right. I don't have room for the extensions needed to safely handle 8' x 4' sheets.
I had a sheet metal worker turn up the edge of an 8' length of 8" scrap galvanised steel. It was an offcut from a trailer body makers workshop and I got it for free. The steel is 1.6 mm thick, whatever that is in your measurement. The turned up lip is at 90 degrees and is about 3/4" high.
Sheet metal bending machines have a very true edge. The outcome is a great saw guide for cutting sheet material with a circular saw.
As to getting the cut right on the line, I put the straight edge of a piece of hardboard against the edge of the guide, made a cut with the saw against the guide. I use the cut off piece of hardboard to locate the guide on my sheet material by placing one edge on the line I want to cut and then clamping the straight edge up to the other edge.
No measurement required.
One last comment.
I should have had a 4' guide made at the same time. An 8' guide is clumsy to use cutting across a sheet.
One very last comment.
Sheet metal can be sharp. Make sure you round over any edges and corners. The sheet metal shop had a gadget, like a round over chisel, that I used to clean up all the edges.

[aurelio alarcon]

Hi aurelio

I was trying to find a link or two for you but I guess they expired. I know that Norm has one at the New Yankee Workshop and Wood magazine also had plans for one some time back.

No problem, they are simple to make. I used 1/2" baltic birtch for a base and as I said above, I used an Incra rail but you can use wood if you like. I built mine to sit on my saw fully supported. That is, the width is from the blade to the left edge of your saw. Make it slightly wider so, when finished, you can trim off the right edge to make it zero clearance.

For a fence, I used 3/4" finnish birch (I had some scrap :p) that I installed on the front edge. of the sled. I then added a 500# hold down clamp to the right side of the front fence. The fence on mine was about 2" so there is plenty of room to mount the clamp.

It's as simple as that. I found that this sled give me much more control than the rear fence for large panels. I'll long around and try to find a link so you can see how this fence works. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say.

Hope that helps.

Art

I believe I am going to make a Euro Sled. It seems that this method will be beneficial for my cabinet sides. Additionally, I will use some of the other ideas to cut very long panels. I will be making another one very soon. A friend saw the first one and requested one for himself. I will post pictures when it is finished. Even though most,if not all, of you guys could make this in your sleep. Thanks to all who helped out!!!!!

[aurelio alarcon]

You might consider making yourself a sled (example at the link below) or a panel cutter like theone His Normness uses. Both are easy to build and work well. You can also size them as needed to best fit your saw.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/tssledpln.html

I have been to your website before. You may, or may not, remember me inquiring about mortising. I especially like your Projects created using Craftsman Tools. I happen to use, among other brands (Porter Cable, DeWalt, Bosch, etc.) many Craftsman tools. I have had, and continue to have, great results from my Craftsman Tools. Thanks for your input to my inquiry!

[aurelio alarcon]

Aurelio, I recently ran into the same problem. I needed a large piece of 3/4" plywood for a table top and could not use my Jet Cabinet saw because the fence ran out of table. I have a set of "CLAMP'N TOOL GUIDE" that I used as a guide for a circular saw. You could also use a piece of straight lumber with clamps as a guide. I guess the only other way would be to build tables around your table saw with grooves cut for the miter gauge. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.
Jerry Todd

Thanks Jerry. I will no doubt use this method for long pieces.

[Monte Milanuk]

Not sure if this is what you are referring to as a 'European' style fence crosscut sled, but someone recently pointed me towards this set of plans (http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/assets/html/panel_sled.asp) by Christopher Schwarz.

Not having used one of these myself, I guess I'm not exactly following how you can crosscut larger pieces than you could w/ the more 'conventional' style, at least not w/o losing control of the sled (don't know about you, my arms are only so long). Anybody able to explain this better?

TIA,

Monte

[aurelio alarcon]

Not sure if this is what you are referring to as a 'European' style fence crosscut sled, but someone recently pointed me towards this set of plans (http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/assets/html/panel_sled.asp) by Christopher Schwarz.

Not having used one of these myself, I guess I'm not exactly following how you can crosscut larger pieces than you could w/ the more 'conventional' style, at least not w/o losing control of the sled (don't know about you, my arms are only so long). Anybody able to explain this better?

TIA,

Monte

Thanks a lot! I am probably going to use those plans. I am wondering, as you are, how is this used. But I was told to use a clamp at the front end. Is it possible that once clampoed in, you would push it from behind as you would the other type?

[Monte Milanuk]

Thanks a lot! I am probably going to use those plans. I am wondering, as you are, how is this used. But I was told to use a clamp at the front end. Is it possible that once clampoed in, you would push it from behind as you would the other type?

I guess what makes me wonder about how to use it is that I usually push my crosscut sled thru, and then pull it back to index for the next cut, w/o turning off the saw. W/ a 'normal' crosscut sled, it's fairly easy to do and doesn't seem at all unsafe. W/ one of these front fence sleds, I don't see anything to hang onto to pull the sled back w/, except the workpiece itself (assuming it is big enough to slightly overhang the sled body), and I'm not wild about that, no matter how it's clamped on the front side.

Monte

[aurelio alarcon]

I guess what makes me wonder about how to use it is that I usually push my crosscut sled thru, and then pull it back to index for the next cut, w/o turning off the saw. W/ a 'normal' crosscut sled, it's fairly easy to do and doesn't seem at all unsafe. W/ one of these front fence sleds, I don't see anything to hang onto to pull the sled back w/, except the workpiece itself (assuming it is big enough to slightly overhang the sled body), and I'm not wild about that, no matter how it's clamped on the front side.

Monte

Safety is definetely my main concern.