Squaring Plywood Offcut Help

[Dave LoSapio]

What is the best way, well, easiest way, to square up a piece of plywood? I have several pieces that I used a jigsaw to cut windows out of a full sheet of plywood that I used to sheath the walls in my workshop. I'd like to get these back into square to use them in smaller areas on the walls.

I have yet to build a sled for my table saw which would probably be a great way to do it, so in lieu of having that option, what other techniques are available to me?

I do have a track saw and thought about just laying the track down on a path that looks pretty straight then going to the table saw for the other sides. Another idea (that I've seen some videos on) is screwing a straight edge to it and running that through the table saw.

Appreciate any tips I can get! TIA

[Mark Bolton]

Track saw and the 3-4-5 method? Or if you have a calculator just do the math out to the longest dimension and get it dead on.

[Flamone LaChaud]

If you have access to a table saw with a fence that you trust, the straight edge method works like a charm . . . I have one that clamps so there's no need to screw it down, but I get it close, clamp it down, then run it thru on the side away from the straightedge. Once that's straight, remove the clamp, flip the piece over and straighten the other side. Now that you have two parallel sides, use a square to draw your 90's top and bottom . . . clamp and repeat.

[Brian Tymchak]

If you have access to a table saw with a fence that you trust, the straight edge method works like a charm . . . I have one that clamps so there's no need to screw it down, but I get it close, clamp it down, then run it thru on the side away from the straightedge. Once that's straight, remove the clamp, flip the piece over and straighten the other side. Now that you have two parallel sides, use a square to draw your 90's top and bottom . . . clamp and repeat.

Depending on the size of the pieces, I've used double sided tape to hold an offcut to a piece of plywood with a straight edge and run it through the table saw.

Where I volunteer, we create a web frame by cutting a center out of a larger piece of sheet stock to eliminate some weight in the clothes dressers we build. These offcuts are then recycled into another part. These offcuts have no square side, and sometimes a definitive curve in one or both sides. Since we are not worried about grain orientation, we have a "push guide" for lack of a better term that has 3 cleats on the bottom. The offcut registers against these 3 cleats and the side of the "push guide" registers on the fence. We cut one side this way, then flip the offcut around to cut the opposite side parallel. Very handle tool. We can get 2 sides parallel on about 100 pieces in about 15 minutes.

[Jim Becker]

Track saw to at least establish one straight edge and then either continue with that or use the table saw to clean up the remaining edges if it's accurate and square.

[lowell holmes]

I agree.
Also, I have clamped a 1x4 to use as a straight edge to guide the saw.

[Ben Helmich]

I don’t know which track saw you have, but I have a 90deg square attachment for my Festool. Don’t remember the brand. It’s blue. It was a game changer for me.

[Mike Henderson]

Track saw to at least establish one straight edge and then either continue with that or use the table saw to clean up the remaining edges if it's accurate and square.

That's the way I'd do it. Once you have the two sides done, you can use a framing square to mark the other two sides and cut them with the track saw, or cut one with the track saw and the other on your table saw.

Mike

[Peter Kelly]

https://tsoproducts.com/tso-guide-ra...e-rail-square/

Fits most styles of track saw guide rails.

[Dave LoSapio]

Thanks to all for the replies and advice! Track saw it is, hopefully I'll have time to get to it soon! That TSO 90 degree attachment looks pretty cool. I have the Kreg track saw system, not sure if that would connect to the Kreg tracks as well as it does the Festool, Makita and Triton, from what I understand the Kreg and Festool stuff are not compatible.