Shop built panel saw

[Ed Weiser]

I was looking for a way to handle 4 x 8 panels of sheet goods for sawing working by myself. The two alternatives are a sliding table for my table saw vs a vertical panel saw. In terms of space needs the panel saw seems to be a better idea. Does anyone have any experience with the Rockler plans and hardware for their shop built panel saw? Any other plans out there? Commercial panel saws are really pricey!

Thanks.

Ed Weiser

[Paul Kunkel]

Ed, I know you mentioned space needs but didn't give any particulars. Look at my saw table-I routinely handle full sheets without help. When not in use for the saw, it's used for assembly, shaper,planer/jointer stock storage or whatever. Click on my www below and I'd be happy to answer any questions. Paul

[David Klug]

Paul: your sight didn't come up on my computer.

Dave

[Howard Barlow]

It worked fine for me. Looks good,Paul.

[Doug Edwards]

Here's a plan from Shop Notes. They had a fancier one in a back issue, but I don't recall the number. This is a really basic panel jig, but looks if it might fit the bill if cost is a consideratrion.

http://store.yahoo.com/plansnow/panelcutguide.html

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

I use a sawboard guide and a CS (Skill Saw). I got the idea on the forums. The sawboard is 1/2" plywood with a 1/4" Masonite guide attached.

Make an 8' X8" piece of 1/2" plywood
Glue an 8' X 4" piece of Masonite on top with the factory edge towards the middle
Guide the CS down the masonite edge to cut the side of the plywood.
This cut side can be clamped onto a line and the CS will cut right on the line.
This is an ancient carpenters technique. It's dead on.


My sawboard table is Three 2" x4" x 8' boards indexed on edge on 2 saw horses. I use this table for everything. The table easily breakes down to go to a job site. Not that I go to any job sites.
<center> Cheap, Accurate & Convenient</center>

<center> Scroll Down for More on this System</center>



Note: One 2x4 is removed in this photo. I'm using my table for finishing. I also have a 4' Sawboard.

[Bob Oswin]

Good Morning Zack:
Looks like we both use the same panel cutter system.
What I don't have made as yet is the cutting table insert you are using on your horses.
Any chance you could give us a shot of those alone when you are finished
with the finishing?

I have been sliding sticks around on my tablesaw to creat a gap for my CS blade but this has to stop.
It's too high for good control.

Bob

[John Wadsworth]

Thanks for the good idea. I'm on the point of solving the how-do-I-deal-with-full-size-sheet-goods problem myself, and have decided to go horizontal and use saw guides--maybe treat myself to the Festool saw and guide system if all goes well. I was thinking of building a simple sacrificial cutting table--sort of a torsion box without top or bottom, either attached to a folding picnic table (or its legs) or just supported by sawhorses. The longitudinal 2x4s in your design might be a good alternative.

[Simon St.Laurent]

I love my Festool saw and guides. Shoving plywood over the tablesaw wasn't fun, and my old circular saw (a B&D) seemed to wobble through the cuts. I use the Festool on a sacrificial table, and I can use the (Baltic birch ply) pieces I cut directly without trimming.

Woodshop demos has a great walk-through:
http://woodshopdemos.com/fest-1.htm

[Dan Cameron]

I made a cutting "table" which is versatile, lightweight, and is not sacrificial. From a sheet of half-inch shop ply I cut 18 strips 2 inches wide by 8 feet, and cut 12 of these in half lengthwise. I clamped these 12 short pieces together face-to-face and cut a series of half-inch wide by three-quarter inch deep dados into one of the edges of the strips. There are 6 dados, 8 inches on center, with the first and last dados approximately 4 inches from the ends. I then repeated the process with the 6 long strips, cutting 12 dados, also on 8-inch centers starting 4 inches from the ends. I then glued the stips together to form a lapped 4X8 lattice which is 2 and a half inches thick (NOT 2 inches). The key here is that the 4 foot strips stand proud of the 8 foot strips on one face by one-half inch and the the 8 foot strips are proud on the flip side. I usually use a pair of saw horses to support the "grid" with face A or face B up depending as whether I am making a cut across the long or short dimension of the sheet. Note that it was important to cut the dados only three-quarter inch deep.

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Sawboard Table by Zack

1. Shows the 4' sawboard clamped to a piece. The saw is guiding on a factory edge of 1/4" masonite. The saw base is riding on 1/2" plywood. The edge of the 1/2" plywood is on the cut line.

2. Shows the Sawboard Table: 3 Sacrificial 2X4's keyed into a pair of "store bought" sawhorses.

3. Shows the key ways. Please note I shellaced the 2x4's ,straight ones, and painted the ends green so I wouldn't cut them up for another project.

<center>Advantages: </center>
Breaks down easy, Sawhorses fold up, throw in the back of the truck and go..... Carry it outside on a pretty day for nasty jobs. This ain't Rocket Science folks. You can build this thing in 28 minutes flat.

[Jim Izat]

Nice setup Doc. I've already saved the pictures!

Jim Izat

[William Parks]

Doc,

That table is a nift setup especially since I don't cut sheet goods that often. I'm deffinitely putting that on my to-do list. Thanks for sharing the idea.

William

[Bart Leetch]

This is what I use I was real lucky to find it for $100. I had to install a B&D circular saw that I had because the DeWalt saw was long gone.

Sometimes if you keep a close eye on the newspaper you can fine these at a little more than I paid.

I guess you could call it shop built I had to rebuild the bed after I got it in the shop.

[John Wadsworth]

I went the sacrificial table route. 42" x 84", with the long pieces 2 x 4 fir on edge and the cross braces of the same wood on their sides, fastened with 2-1/2" countersunk screws. Folding "banquet table" legs finish the job and make it easily storable.

I pop a piece of foam insulation board on top to make a work surface--prevents damage to the wood and makes it handy as a temporary workstation in the front of my barn for things like a session with the chopsaw so the sawdust overspill goes outdoors.

The design is also an aid in handling 4 x 8 sheet goods, which can be awkward. With the table canted over on its side and resting on a couple of wood scraps, lean the foam board on it (if you're using it), then the sheet goods. The scraps lift the whole shebang off the floor just enough to get your hand underneath to lift it, and the legs provide a fulcrum to help swing it upright.

Got to get around to designing that chopsaw station, though...