I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out of some
aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench. Maybe a
professionally designed one would be better than mine....?

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:53:02 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out of some
aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench. Maybe a
professionally designed one would be better than mine....?

Being w/o a table saw, I was tempted to try this one as well. But I
think it's kind of a convoluted design. Not too crazy about the wood
runners, for one - I would ASSume that using extruded aluminum T-slot
tracks would be more stable and accurate. I also noted that it won't
support a full 8' long sheet of plywood as designed, either.

The other apparent problem I saw was one of operation. Since the saw
travels from top to bottom, it's reversed such that operating it from
the handle (at least on my DeWalt saw) is either really hard or
downright impossible. Not to mention unsafe (?) - other panel saw
designs I've seen incorporate some sort of counterweight to keep the
saw from dropping free.

It seems to me that if you rotated it 90 degrees (and angled it
against the wall), and ran the saw from left to right at a normal
height, it would work fine.

At least, these were my first impressions. I'll reread the article
tonight to get a better grip.

- Matt

Matt Stachoni wrote:

Being w/o a table saw, I was tempted to try this one as well.

Being w/o a T/S is NBD, IF, you have a few other tools.

A 2"x2"x1/8"x96" aluminum angle, a couple of 3" C-Clamps, a router with
a bottom bearing, and a Bosch saber saw will get a lot of work done.

Do your layout on the plywood, cut proud with saber saw, clean up with a
router.

Built my router table this way, then used the router table to make all
the finish moldings.

It can be done.

Lew

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:53:02 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out of
some
aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench. Maybe a
professionally designed one would be better than mine....?

Being w/o a table saw, I was tempted to try this one as well. But I
think it's kind of a convoluted design. Not too crazy about the wood
runners, for one - I would ASSume that using extruded aluminum T-slot
tracks would be more stable and accurate. I also noted that it won't
support a full 8' long sheet of plywood as designed, either.

The other apparent problem I saw was one of operation. Since the saw
travels from top to bottom, it's reversed such that operating it from
the handle (at least on my DeWalt saw) is either really hard or
downright impossible. Not to mention unsafe (?) - other panel saw
designs I've seen incorporate some sort of counterweight to keep the
saw from dropping free.

Yeh, the saw seemed awkward to me also. Does it say why the saw goes down?
I read it in the library, so I can't check.

Going horizontally means that you have to make sure the top part is clamped
good, or the weight of the top piece will cause the saw blade to get pinched
between the two pieces. Going vertical (either way) eliminates that
problem.

--
Clint
"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:53:02 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out of
some
aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench. Maybe a
professionally designed one would be better than mine....?

Being w/o a table saw, I was tempted to try this one as well. But I
think it's kind of a convoluted design. Not too crazy about the wood
runners, for one - I would ASSume that using extruded aluminum T-slot
tracks would be more stable and accurate. I also noted that it won't
support a full 8' long sheet of plywood as designed, either.

The other apparent problem I saw was one of operation. Since the saw
travels from top to bottom, it's reversed such that operating it from
the handle (at least on my DeWalt saw) is either really hard or
downright impossible. Not to mention unsafe (?) - other panel saw
designs I've seen incorporate some sort of counterweight to keep the
saw from dropping free.

It seems to me that if you rotated it 90 degrees (and angled it
against the wall), and ran the saw from left to right at a normal
height, it would work fine.

At least, these were my first impressions. I'll reread the article
tonight to get a better grip.

- Matt

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:53:02 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out of some
aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench. Maybe a
professionally designed one would be better than mine....?


AAMOF, up until Saturday, I had that copy of Workbench on mine, planning
to seriously look at making it. However, upon further inspection, I
realized that I don't have any wall space in my shop where I can put this.
So, I'm back to using the rolling workbench for my infeed table and the
long outfeed table. Only real trick is lifting the ply onto the workbench.



+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

In article t,
Lew Hodgett wrote:

A 2"x2"x1/8"x96" aluminum angle, a couple of 3" C-Clamps, a router with
a bottom bearing, and a Bosch saber saw will get a lot of work done.

In the countertop biz, 12' long 25.5 " wide slabs of substrate become
unwieldy at the best of times...now glue on a 8' L-shape section and it
becomes farging nigh impossible.

I henceforth learned to take the tool to the job.
2 x2 x 1/4" aluminum extrusion works very well for me... 'cept I use a
Milwaukee circular saw with a nice sharp blade and cut 1/4" long ('over'
dimension.). Then I use a 12, 8 or 3 foot 1/4" x 6" wide aluminum guide
and, with a 7" square base on a router, I clean up the circular saw
cut... BUT!! They're dead-nuts perpendicular.

Mark & Juanita wrote in
:

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:53:02 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I was, as soon as I got around to it, going to build a panel saw out
of some aluminum angle irons. Then I saw this month's Workbench.
Maybe a professionally designed one would be better than mine....?


AAMOF, up until Saturday, I had that copy of Workbench on mine,
planning
to seriously look at making it. However, upon further inspection, I
realized that I don't have any wall space in my shop where I can put
this. So, I'm back to using the rolling workbench for my infeed table
and the long outfeed table. Only real trick is lifting the ply onto
the workbench.

There was this link to a little trick posted some time ago. Basically
you buy a set of folding legs for a "banquet table", then attach them to
a semi-sacrificial frame of 2x4's. By putting this "see-thru" table on
it's side against the sheet of plywood standing on its edge, you can flip
the plywood against the table, then leverage the the combo back onto the
table legs. Set the circular saw not too deep, and you can saw quite a
few sheets.

See http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

And thanks to whoever posted this before!



--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 03:15:57 GMT, "Clint" wrote:

Going horizontally means that you have to make sure the top part is clamped
good, or the weight of the top piece will cause the saw blade to get pinched
between the two pieces. Going vertical (either way) eliminates that
problem.

Yeah, that's a good point, thanks. But I would think that just two
clamps on the top edge would eliminate the squeeze on the kerf.

- Matt

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 01:02:15 GMT, Lew Hodgett
wrote:

Matt Stachoni wrote:

Being w/o a table saw, I was tempted to try this one as well.

Being w/o a T/S is NBD, IF, you have a few other tools.

A 2"x2"x1/8"x96" aluminum angle, a couple of 3" C-Clamps, a router with
a bottom bearing, and a Bosch saber saw will get a lot of work done.

I'm finding this out. So I've been using a low-tech 8' long aluminum
straight edge, some clamps and a 120-tooth DeWalt plywood blade in the
circular saw.

But I just bought a Bosch 1617 router kit the other day, along with a
Freud 1/2" carbide up-spiral carbide bit. The "Tool O' the Week" (next
week) is the ubiquitous Bosch jigsaw.

- Matt

I built this one:
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm
Best twenty dollars and four hours I ever spent. And the four hours
includes going out to buy the parts and making the edge guides. It
folds up and stores with the sheet goods, it doubles as a work surface,
you can clamp anything to it anywhere, and last fall the neighbor
borrowed it as a display table for her yard sale, and later her dad
used it to prep her new screen door. He said he was going to make his
own as soon as he got back to the farm. Half inch ply I just toss on
the table. The heavier stuff, I use that tilt/lean/lift method. My back
thanks me every time I cut a panel.

I think this is the third time I've posted about this panel cutter but
I just like talking about it so much. :-)

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:00:03 GMT, Han wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote in
:

.... snip

AAMOF, up until Saturday, I had that copy of Workbench on mine,
planning
to seriously look at making it. However, upon further inspection, I
realized that I don't have any wall space in my shop where I can put
this. So, I'm back to using the rolling workbench for my infeed table
and the long outfeed table. Only real trick is lifting the ply onto
the workbench.

There was this link to a little trick posted some time ago. Basically
you buy a set of folding legs for a "banquet table", then attach them to
a semi-sacrificial frame of 2x4's. By putting this "see-thru" table on
it's side against the sheet of plywood standing on its edge, you can flip
the plywood against the table, then leverage the the combo back onto the
table legs. Set the circular saw not too deep, and you can saw quite a
few sheets.

See http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

And thanks to whoever posted this before!


Thanks, that's helpful.



+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Here is another solution.

http://www.eurekazone.com/products/smarttable.html

Alternate to keeping a 4x8 sheet of 2inch styrofoam around.

Dave Paine.

"Mike M" wrote in message
...
I just use a 4x8 sheet of 2" styrafoam on the floor, and lay the sheet
goods right on top. Good straight edge and you can kneel right on the
work piece for long cuts.

Mike M



On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 09:59:24 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:00:03 GMT, Han wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote in
:

... snip

AAMOF, up until Saturday, I had that copy of Workbench on mine,
planning
to seriously look at making it. However, upon further inspection, I
realized that I don't have any wall space in my shop where I can put
this. So, I'm back to using the rolling workbench for my infeed table
and the long outfeed table. Only real trick is lifting the ply onto
the workbench.

There was this link to a little trick posted some time ago. Basically
you buy a set of folding legs for a "banquet table", then attach them to
a semi-sacrificial frame of 2x4's. By putting this "see-thru" table on
it's side against the sheet of plywood standing on its edge, you can flip
the plywood against the table, then leverage the the combo back onto the
table legs. Set the circular saw not too deep, and you can saw quite a
few sheets.

See http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

And thanks to whoever posted this before!


Thanks, that's helpful.



+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 03:15:57 GMT, "Clint" wrote:

Going horizontally means that you have to make sure the top part is
clamped
good, or the weight of the top piece will cause the saw blade to get
pinched
between the two pieces. Going vertical (either way) eliminates that
problem.

Yeah, that's a good point, thanks. But I would think that just two
clamps on the top edge would eliminate the squeeze on the kerf.

- Matt

another solution for kerf pinch would be to jam a shim into the kerf after
starting the cut.

Works great but the floor is not a good place for a lot of us.
"Mike M" wrote in message
...
I just use a 4x8 sheet of 2" styrafoam on the floor, and lay the sheet
goods right on top. Good straight edge and you can kneel right on the
work piece for long cuts.

Mike M

Han wrote:
There was this link to a little trick posted some time ago. Basically
you buy a set of folding legs for a "banquet table", then attach them to
a semi-sacrificial frame of 2x4's. By putting this "see-thru" table on
it's side against the sheet of plywood standing on its edge, you can flip
the plywood against the table, then leverage the the combo back onto the
table legs. Set the circular saw not too deep, and you can saw quite a
few sheets.

See http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

Instead of using 2x4s on the table legs, you may want to add John
Carroll's* idea of using less-expensive, better (I think), ready-made,
and readily available (often trashed) Frame-and-Panel doors. Just
remove the panels and you have a great frame for sawing on top. They're
usually $5 or less at thrift stores, free at most dumps, and best of
all they have straight-grained wood in the frames--which is not the
case with most dimensional lumber.

*John Carroll, Working Alone, p. 15

Regards,
Bill Seavey

Han wrote:
There was this link to a little trick posted some time ago. Basically
you buy a set of folding legs for a "banquet table", then attach them to
a semi-sacrificial frame of 2x4's. By putting this "see-thru" table on
it's side against the sheet of plywood standing on its edge, you can flip
the plywood against the table, then leverage the the combo back onto the
table legs. Set the circular saw not too deep, and you can saw quite a
few sheets.

See http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

Instead of using 2x4s on the table legs, you may want to add John
Carroll's* idea of using less-expensive, better (I think), ready-made,
and readily available (often trashed) Frame-and-Panel doors. Just
remove the panels and you have a great frame for sawing on top. They're
usually $5 or less at thrift stores, free at most dumps, and best of
all they have straight-grained wood in the frames--which is not the
case with most dimensional lumber.

*John Carroll, Working Alone, p. 15

Regards,
H

For you guys that are looking for a nice straight edge. I bought an
extruded aluminum piece roughly 2" x 5"x 9 ft long for $20 from a window
place. It was removed out of a building that was being thorn down. It was
junk to him so $20 made him jump for my money. It is solid so by placing
the saw horses about 4 ft apart the end of the sheets drop down but a c
clamp on each end bring it tightly to the straight edge.

Have fun guys
Eric