Kuhn315 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I have to cut out a 20"x22" piece out of a 4'x8' sheet. The cut is on the inside of the sheet though and has to be precise. I know I can use a jig saw but even with a guide the cut isn't perfect. Does anyone know of a better way to cut out a square from sheet goods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Tablesaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris H Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Circular saw would be my first inclanation, though a router with the right bit would work too. You can just hold the blade guard up, and carefully plunge it into the panel. A guide is reccomended if precision is key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 You could make a plunge cut if you have a track saw, then finish the cuts with the jigsaw and a straight edge. Or you could rough out the entire square freehand with the jigsaw, then clean up the lines with a straight edge, router and straight bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I'm understanding you want to cut a window in the middle of the sheet? I'd use a router and straight edge for each straight line, then clean the corner with chisels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I missed the middle part. If its whole sheet a router. If closer to half sheet I'd go table saw. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris H Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Just a word of warning, if you go with the table saw or circular saw, keep in mind the blade is round so your cut will be further on one side of the board than the other. And swearing doesn't fix it... Router's the best bet if you have the bit for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Yeah, i cant use a tablesaw since this square is to insert an old table tablesaw (20x22") into the 4'x8' table, I think im just going to make a frame as a guide and use a flush trim bit to get it perfect and then chisel out the corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TRBaker Posted March 1, 2013 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Good choice, Kuhn, but I would rough out the opening with a jig saw first. Just leave about an eighth of an inch all the way around so your router doesn't have to work so hard. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySats Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 You could use a straight edge with your jigsaw , or do it like you suggested with the router and a template. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I have a really crappy jig saw (ryobi) and the tilt on it doesnt stay 90 degrees,the locking mechanism is garbage! about to throw that POS out! I like your idea TRb, i think i'll do that, thanks a lot guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdhills Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Plunging track saw with edge guide is pretty good. You'll still need to touch up at the corners. Otherwise, rough out with jigsaw, and trim to a template/guide with a router. (again, you'll need to touch up corners) by "cutting perfect square" are you mostly worried with having an accurate square layout, or that the edges of the cut be perfect? Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Build a template tight around the saw, slip it off and use it to layout and guide a router to cut your hole. All the suggestions to rough cut the hole first are right. Even if your jigsaw is sloppy it should be able to get within a half inch or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 So i went ahead and put the tablesaw on top of the table and made a frame around that, cut out most of the waste with my jig saw and am going to flush cut the rest with a router bit. I want the edges to be snug with the table saw...it will be mounted under the table and pushed up through the hole, I dont want any gaps. I am then going to mount the table saw on a stand (old but sturdy end table) and on the legs of the stand I bought 4 machine levelers to fine tune the height when setting it to the table. Thanks for all the input, appreciate it. I'll post a picture when I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Well. I have the Festool system so it is easy. First use my track saw and get close to the corners, even score them. Follow the rest with a jig saw. I have done this many a times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 My budget doesn't allow for any type of festool product =/ or a track saw for that matter lol, the template and flush trim bit on the router worked very well...a couple knocks with the chisel and everything is square and nice clean edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Ok, so this is my progress on the table saw build, I have both tables leveled, no gaps around the actual table saw and table..now i just need to make a fence and rail system. cut out the miter slots, and im ready to go! P.S. disregard the junk in the background Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 We all have that pile of junk in the background, some of us hide it better than others. Tablesaw project looks like it is coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Looking really good. What are your plans for the fence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 That looks great. I am very impressed with your precision. Do keep posting pics as the project comes together. Be aware that the seasonal growth and retraction of those table legs will mean you may need to adjust periodically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 thanks! i was thinking a t-style fence, but not out of metal, and have it ride in a miter slot on the front and back of the table with some type of clamping device to hold it down. Suggestions are welcome!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 You could go with a Beismeyer (spelling?) style, riding on rails with two toggle clamps to hold it in place... Or.... My choice would be to add a pair of T Tracks in place of miter slots, and set up a "dual clamp" fence in them. First clamp would lock the base plate into place, (I'd probably go a 1/2" thick sheet of plywood with perpendicular T Tracks mounted parallel, spaced enough so the blade won't interfere but it covers the T Track not in use) and the second clamp would actually fix the fence down the proper distance you need for each cut. You're not talking a 24" wide sheet, probably going to be more like 6 or 8 inches wide, but you can now move the fence to either side as needed, and already have a notch at the bottom of the fence for dust and small pieces to move to so they don't bind in the cut. (Then again, I tend to make things overly complicated... so my ideas might not be the best one for you. Your other option would be to make a longer fence than you have table, and simply clamp the fence to the table... this way you can use a 2x4 screwed to a long and narrow piece of playwood.... er.... plywood.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhn315 Posted March 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Yeah thats the style I was thinking about but they are made of metal, so i was just thinking making one of wood, I like the t-track idea, but I want to get this done this weekend and I would need to purchase a t slot router bit and rockler and woodcraft take forever to ship, so I might go with the miter slot for now and can always upgrade later. I was thinking about mounting a 2x4 to each side of the table and cut my dado in that as the fence would slide in the slots. I was also thinking of using a vertical toggle clamp as it would clamp the the 2x4 but unsure if that would have enough holding pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Brainstorm moment... what about those magnetic clamps? Will they hold on the small table surface you have? That way, you could just use a pair of 2x4s fixed together at a long 90 degree joint, and just have two mag-clamps to hold it in place... Looking at your photo, you probably won't need to have the extra 2x4 side rails run the entire length of the work surface... maybe 1/3 of the total length will need a 2x4 rail... so you could just cut dados or maybe a french dovetail into them.... As for the toggle clamp, I think they'd work fine, but I've got no experience with a lot of toggle clamp pressure. The two I have in my shop are used to hold small stock in place for my drill press... and only one of them holds it down to the table top... the other holds to the fence as an alignment guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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