Stupid Human Tricks - Cutting Sheetgoods

[gee-dub]

I don't like to complain about a small shop since many do more with less room.  There are times, if too many projects are going at once, that I don't even have room to put a sheet of ply on the floor.  Opening the large door isn't always an option so here's what I do with BB ply.  Silly, I know but, you never know what might help someone . . .

I clamp the ply so it hangs off the bench, cut it just over half way, rotate, re-clamp and finish the cut.

[wtnhighlander]

Do you use a horse or stand to support the offcut when it falls free?

[Coop]

26 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

Do you use a horse or stand to support the offcut when it falls free?

I'm with Ross, elaborate just a tad. 

[Woodenskye]

I think it's clamped to the bench at all times.  After it is rotated, both pieces are clamped so they won't fall.  Then again, my brain is dangerous at times.

[gee-dub]

Correct. It is clamped for the first cut, rotated and re-clamped for the second cut. Both pieces remain firmly clamped to the bench at the end of the cut. No additional support. The bench is 30" deep.

[wtnhighlander]

Aha, I see my error! In the photo, some portion of the bench's lower shelf (or something on it) is revealed just enough to appear to be a supporting surface under the left side of the cut, as pictured.

[..Kev]

I toss a couple roller stands under the off cut side but, you gotta do what you gotta do!

[freedhardwoods]

I read the title and thought I was going to see something really dumb, but instead, you show a good idea.

 

[gee-dub]

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

Aha, I see my error! In tge photo, some portion of the bench's lower shelf (or something on it) is revealed just enough to appear to be a supporting surface under the left side of the cut, as pictured.

My fault.  I couldn't get far enough away to give you a really good overall shot .

[Marmotjr]

9 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Do you use a horse or stand to support the offcut when it falls free?

Just came off a 12 hour overnight shift.  I stared at that for a good 60 seconds before I realized you meant sawhorse.  I kept thinking the horse would freak out as soon as the saw turned on.  

[Immortan D]

2 minutes ago, Marmotjr said:

Just came off a 12 hour overnight shift.  I stared at that for a good 60 seconds before I realized you meant sawhorse.  I kept thinking the horse would freak out as soon as the saw turned on.  

You really need some rest. It's well known that cutting sheet goods on horses may stain them sheet goods.

[Dave H]

I cut off saw horses using a break down sheet goods jig

[Marmotjr]

That's pretty nifty.  I'll have to make one of those. 

[wdwerker]

I made one like "higtron" has about 25 years ago. It works great !

I also use a sheet of 2" thick foam. I ripped it in half then cut one of those into 2-24 x 48 chunks.  It's easy to work out a configuration to cut 5x5 and 4x8 sheets with the off cut supported. Some time the only issue is where to place the tracksaw clamps. I've used everything end to end and ripped 14' long glue line ready pieces of 5/4 oak, you just have to hold your tongue right while cutting.

[Jfitz]

hey Gee-dub, would the sheet fit completely (or even mostly) on the table?  if so I'd consider some sacrificial boards laid on the table first, and then just zip through them with the saw.  Or put a piece of 2" foam on the table first and then same thing.

I do like the clamp and rotate approach though.  clever.

 

 

[CharleyL]

I also have a small shop, much smaller, since I crammed the 52" Unisaw and Unifence into it, although I never was able to break down full sheet stock inside without clearing most of everything else out.. 

I built a cutting table (see pictures) and I now do all of my sheet stock break downs in my driveway. The cutting table is just a 1 X 4 frame with 5 pieces of 2 X 4 laying flat and flush with the top of the 1 X 4 frame. The legs are Banquet Table legs purchased from Northern, but Harbor Freight sells them too. Two of the 2 X 4 cross pieces are positioned near each end of the frame and the folding banquet table legs and brace attach to their under side. There is also a fifth 2 X 4 cross piece across the center that is also laid flat and flush with the top of the 1 X 4 frame. My table is about 30" X 72", but any dimensions about that size will work. The 2 X 4 cross pieces are older because I salvaged them from a previous table that was all made from 2 X 4 stock and was becoming too heavy for this 75 yr old.. The frame and 2 X 4 cross pieces are all assembled with glue and biscuits, so the only metal in the table is the short screws that attach the legs to the bottom of the 2 X 4 cross pieces. When folded, the legs recess into the bottom of the 1 X 4 frame and I store it inside my shop against the sheet stock or in my box trailer.

I added two squares of plywood to one side of this frame with an off center bolt through each piece of plywood and into a center hole in the 1/4 table side. I can turn these so they are below the top of the table or so they extend about 1 1/2" above the table frame. These make it easier for me to put a sheet of plywood or other sheet stock on the table. I turn them so they extend above the table, turn the table over onto it's side, with these pieces of plywood down against the driveway, and then lean a sheet of stock against the table top with the bottom edge of the sheet sitting on these pieces of extended plywood. Then I can reach down and lift both the sheet and the table together until the table is upright on it's legs with the sheet laying flat on the top of the table frame. I then turn the small plywood pieces so they are flush with the table top and then center the sheet stock on the table. 

Once in place it's easy for me to break down the sheet into any size needed. I always make each cut roughly down or across the center area of the table using my circular saw and guide so poth the large piece and the off cut are close to the center of the table.. A track saw would be great, but I have made a guide piece to slide my circular saw along the aluminum guides that I have that are similar to a track saw track and it works well for me, so I never bought a track saw. I always set the saw depth to cut about 1/4" deeper than the thickness of the sheet stock that I am cutting up so it will cut the sheet cleanly. When I reach the end of the cut, both the large piece and the off-cut remain flat on the table. Nothing ever falls, or breaks off as the cut is being completed. My system gives me great accuracy, but I prefer cutting about 1/4" oversize and then doing a  final trimming to the exact size needed inside my shop on my Unisaw. I have a zero clearance insert plate on the bottom of my circular saw, so splintering is never an issue..I still have a couple of saw horses around, but I no longer use them for cutting. They get used to hold up scaffolding more than any other purpose. 

Attached are a few photos of my cutting table. Again, the dimensions of the table aren't very critical, but should be about 3/4 the size of a 4' X 8' sheet stock or larger.. My 50" and 102" straight edge clamps are in picture 4 but I failed to get a photo of the zero clearance saw base and the track guide on my circular saw that day. You would probably prefer using a track saw anyway.

Charley

 

 

[woodbutcher74]

This looks like a great way to cut sheet goods. If I used more plywood I'd definitely built one. I've never seen straight edge clamps like that. Where did you get them?

[Chet]

 I don't have any place to store a piece of rigid foam insulation or even a crappy piece of ply so I shamelessly but with out regrets copied higtron's idea.  I can place it either direction on my work area and when not in use, bundled up it is easy to stick in a corner.

 

[CharleyL]

On 8/17/2017 at 7:42 PM, woodbutcher74 said:

This looks like a great way to cut sheet goods. If I used more plywood I'd definitely built one. I've never seen straight edge clamps like that. Where did you get them?

Peach Tree Woodworking in Atlanta, GA   www.ptreeusa.com   My circular saw that I use with them has a shop made guide shoe that fits these straight edge clamps, so the saw slides along the straight edge clamp much like a track saw,The shoe also has a zero clearance area where the blade comes up through the wood to minimize chipping. It's my  low budget version of a track saw,  I made use of what I already had. It's a little more difficult to use than a true track saw because the cut line isn't against the straight edge clamp. I made a spacer to position the clamp to the cut line, but I usually break up sheet stock leaving about 1/8-1/4" extra, and then trim the pieces to final size on my Unisaw..

I also use the cutting table on work sites, My miter saw has a plywood base that attaches to the center 2 X 4 of the table. So cutting and installing trim, or even just cutting 2 X stock is very easy, and again, the off cuts do not fall.  I  much prefer this cutting table to saw horses.

I recently purchased a "Gorilla Gripper"  so now loading sheet goods onto the turn up tabs of my cutting table is easier too. Their ad is very funny. See attached video.

 

Charley

[collinb]

On 8/20/2017 at 6:59 PM, Chet said:

 I don't have any place to store a piece of rigid foam insulation or even a crappy piece of ply so I shamelessly but with out regrets copied higtron's idea.  I can place it either direction on my work area and when not in use, bundled up it is easy to stick in a corner.

 

Never forget your ceiling. Add a couple of those hooks used for bicycles and perhaps a chaine (ok, now I've done it) some twine holding some light planks. and your can suspend lots of large light-weight stuff.

[collinb]

On 9/2/2017 at 10:57 AM, CharleyL said:

Peach Tree Woodworking in Atlanta, GA   www.ptreeusa.com   My circular saw that I use with them has a shop made guide shoe that fits these straight edge clamps, so the saw slides along the straight edge clamp much like a track saw,The shoe also has a zero clearance area where the blade comes up through the wood to minimize chipping. It's my  low budget version of a track saw,  I made use of what I already had. It's a little more difficult to use than a true track saw because the cut line isn't against the straight edge clamp. I made a spacer to position the clamp to the cut line, but I usually break up sheet stock leaving about 1/8-1/4" extra, and then trim the pieces to final size on my Unisaw..

I also use the cutting table on work sites, My miter saw has a plywood base that attaches to the center 2 X 4 of the table. So cutting and installing trim, or even just cutting 2 X stock is very easy, and again, the off cuts do not fall.  I  much prefer this cutting table to saw horses.

I recently purchased a "Gorilla Gripper"  so now loading sheet goods onto the turn up tabs of my cutting table is easier too. Their ad is very funny. See attached video.

 

Charley

A cute take-off of the Pepsi commercial.

[Immortan D]

Off to buy sheet goods.