Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I use plywood a lot, but always struggle with getting clean lines and perfect square cuts. I have a contractor saw, so don't even attempt to rip on that or cross-cut anything beyond roughly 10/11 inches (purely based on safety). The sheet is generally ripped in half right at the store just so i can fit it in the car, but once I get home, i feel like the only clean way is with my circular saw. Recently picked up up the Kreg Rip Cut and it actually rips it down really nicely, so happy with that. The downside is the max cross cut with that tool is 24 inches, and when i'm making cabinets, I'm beyond that fairly often. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can get good, and fairly efficient, crosscuts using a circular saw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I use plywood a lot, but always struggle with getting clean lines and perfect square cuts. I have a contractor saw, so don't even attempt to rip on that or cross-cut anything beyond roughly 10/11 inches (purely based on safety). The sheet is generally ripped in half right at the store just so i can fit it in the car, but once I get home, i feel like the only clean way is with my circular saw. Recently picked up up the Kreg Rip Cut and it actually rips it down really nicely, so happy with that. The downside is the max cross cut with that tool is 24 inches, and when i'm making cabinets, I'm beyond that fairly often. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can get good, and fairly efficient, crosscuts using a circular saw? A track saw is a great solution. Or you need a long straight edge as a guide for your circular saw. The latter risks not being as precise though Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Isn't a track saw more for ripping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h3nry Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 or ... Once you get your dad's planes tuned up, you'll be able to make any old cut nice and clean. what's the difference between a rip and cross-cut in plywood? If I'm cutting across the grain of the surface veneer I stick some blue-tape along the cut to protect the veneer fibres. Otherwise if you're ripping one layer you're cross-cutting the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weithman5 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 not a lot of functional difference on plywood. i have made a guide for my circular saw which i have used to cut the bottoms of doors a few times and works fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 4 minutes ago, Joeitalia7 said: Isn't a track saw more for ripping? Breaking down sheet goods is it's forte. If you have a good circ saw & blade, you can make a straight edge that can be very accurate & give you a clean cut. It just won't be nearly as nice an experience as a track saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 29 minutes ago, drzaius said: If you have a good circ saw & blade, you can make a straight edge that can be very accurate & give you a clean cut. It just won't be nearly as nice an experience as a track saw. I guess my question would be, with the circ saw, what is my guide to ensure i have that straight and clean cut? Say I have a full 8ft sheet of plywood that I've ripped to 12 inches wide, now I need to cross cut that into 3 - 30 inch panels. Since i can't use my contractor saw on anything wider than 10/11 inches, i'd need something to guide my circular saw for a nice straight and plumb cut. Does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I guess my question would be, with the circ saw, what is my guide to ensure i have that straight and clean cut? Say I have a full 8ft sheet of plywood that I've ripped to 12 inches wide, now I need to cross cut that into 3 - 30 inch panels. Since i can't use my contractor saw on anything wider than 10/11 inches, i'd need something to guide my circular saw for a nice straight and plumb cut. Does that make sense? If you don't have a track saw you need to make marks that are perfectly perpendicular to your rip and clamp your straight edge to that. If you had a track saw you could use this Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 3 minutes ago, shaneymack said: If you don't have a track saw you need to make marks that are perfectly perpendicular to your rip and clamp your straight edge to that. If you had a track saw you could use this Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk I see what you're saying. I also didn't realize that they made shorter tracks like that, I always imagined sheet length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I see what you're saying. I also didn't realize that they made shorter tracks like that, I always imagined sheet length. I'm not sure of the other companies because my blood runs Festool green but they offer tracks lengths from 32" to 197" https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/guide-rails/tracks Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 1 minute ago, shaneymack said: I'm not sure of the other companies because my blood runs Festool green but they offer tracks lengths from 32" to 197" https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/guide-rails/tracks Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Where do I get my hands on a winning lottery ticket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Where do I get my hands on a winning lottery ticket? Haha! You just gotta ease into Festool. You need to stare at the prices enough that they just seem normal. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 1 minute ago, shaneymack said: Haha! You just gotta ease into Festool. You need to stare at the prices enough that they just seem normal. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Maybe i'll start shopping for a Ferrari, that way when I get back to the Festool website i'll think everything is on sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Maybe i'll start shopping for a Ferrari, that way when I get back to the Festool website i'll think everything is on sale. Now you've got the idea ! =) Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 23 minutes ago, Joeitalia7 said: Isn't a track saw more for ripping? There's the Festool HK 55 EBQ which comes with a short track, about 16", designed for crosscuts and miters. But I've never actually seen one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 There's the Festool HK 55 EBQ which comes with a short track, about 16", designed for crosscuts and miters. But I've never actually seen one. NAINA Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 14 minutes ago, shaneymack said: NAINA Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Well that explains why you don't already have one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Well that explains why you don't already have one! I've been waiting for this one. Hopefully sept-oct it will be here. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Hope you can read this sketch. This is how I made my circular saw track. I made mine 48" wide for plywood. If you measure and mark accurately it works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Just now, shaneymack said: I've been waiting for this one. Hopefully sept-oct it will be here. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Maybe you can get just the track and use it with the saw you already own. Either way I think it's gonna be a nice addition to anyone's shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Maybe you can get just the track and use it with the saw you already own. Either way I think it's gonna be a nice addition to anyone's shop. No it's a totally different animal. I don't believe the tracks are interchangeable. The HKC 55 is purely a carpentry saw. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 What Ronn said. It's easy to make a guide that will be perfectly straight. The edge of the guide is exactly where the sawblade is, so it helps to prevent chipping & tearout on that side of the cut. Mark may have done a video on making one & there are many others that show how to do it. It's good to have one that is a little over 4' & another that's a full 8' long. Like I said, a track saw (especially the Fesstool) will be nicer to use, but a shop built guide is very serviceable. The track saw is not a game changer like the Domino. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 The most recent Fine Woodworking has a review of track saws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeitalia7 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 1 hour ago, Ronn W said: Hope you can read this sketch. This is how I made my circular saw track. I made mine 48" wide for plywood. If you measure and mark accurately it works great. I assume I'd need to make sure I have a factory edge so it's plumb, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I don't understand why you can't cut more than 11" on your contractor table saw. Is it a really small jobsite saw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.