"DonkeyHody" wrote in message
...
I got sucked into helping build sets for my son's high school show
choir. I was truly frightened by what I saw. People with little to
no experience were wrestling 4x8 sheets of plywood across a little
jobsite table saw to rip strips about 18" wide. Then they'd crosscut
the strips they had ripped - no sled or anything - just put the end
against the fence and go at it. Only the large size of the panels and
the low power of the saw saved them from being hurt by the several
kickbacks that occured. But they just stayed at it.

The sets change each year, so this is an annual project. I expect to
be involved for four years. Something's got to change. I think the
answer is a dedicated panel saw like the ones they use at the borg to
cut plywood. Milwaukee makes one that seems to go for about $1,500.
Our budget is pretty generous, so I think I could talk them into the
investment. Question is, Is this the saw I need? Anyone have
experience with Milwaukee's panel saw? It's marketed as a commercial
use rig, but it's still about half of the cost of Powermatic's panel
saw. Are there others I should consider?

DonkeyHody
"Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him." - Thomas
Carlyle

This sounds like a job for Festool.

I recommend one of their circular saws with the appropriate length guide
rails. Their large multi-function table would also help.

http://www.festoolusa.com/