hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

unclescrooge wrote in news:aa5eed0b-f81d-4095-
:

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

If you're thinking furniture, you'll probably want something better than
the Ryobi. Ridgid tools have a good reputation here, and HD carries a
model on wheels like the Ryobi. It runs around $400, though.

I've used a 7 1/4" Skil circular saw, and it's not a bad saw. Uneven
cuts and lines could be due to a bad blade, or a blade that's too tight.
If you tighten a circular saw blade too much, it will deform. (It's easy
to do, too.)

Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

On Thu, 22 May 2008 21:29:54 -0700 (PDT), unclescrooge
wrote:

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

"Small" tablesaw and a 4x8 sheet of ply don't typically go together.
However, it is possible to get precision cuts with the proper
jig/technique without a cabinet tablesaw--it just takes longer. I
still use my circular saw for large ply sheets when I don't have a
helper nearby.

unclescrooge wrote:
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

I bought a brand new table saw once when all I needed was to clamp a
straight-edge and use my circular saw.
But now that I think about it, I didn't even need to buy a circular
saw, I coulda used my handsaw up against a straight-edge. Oh, well...
I'm sure doing a great job of tool collecting.
Just ask my wife!

On Thu, 22 May 2008 21:29:54 -0700 (PDT), unclescrooge
wrote:

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

Clean up your cut lines with a router, straight bit, and straight
edge. This will leave a straight line that's 90 degrees to the face.

If you don't yet have a router, you're better off spending the money
on a good router than a tiny table saw.

This jig:
http://www.darkroomsource.net/sawguide.shtml
can be built for your saw and a router.

Many of us who have really nice table saws still use jigs like this
for field work and when getting the sheet on the saw is a pain.

---------------------------------------------
** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
---------------------------------------------

"unclescrooge" wrote in message
...
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

I'm looking at purchasing a 2 seater car, probably a Miata, Honda S2000, or
a Saturn Sky and need to pick one that will handle carpooling of 8 people.
See where I am going here. You need at least a Contractors sized saw
otherwise you will be very frustrated in a very short time.






would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

You do not necessarily need more expensive but certainly bigger. Or
consider the Festool Circle saw and guide system. It will probably make
better cuts than the saw you are considering.

Your wife been talking to my wife? She says the same thing..

user wrote:
unclescrooge wrote:
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

I bought a brand new table saw once when all I needed was to clamp a
straight-edge and use my circular saw.
But now that I think about it, I didn't even need to buy a circular
saw, I coulda used my handsaw up against a straight-edge. Oh, well...
I'm sure doing a great job of tool collecting.
Just ask my wife!

I have the Ryobi on wheels which we use as a jobsite saw. It is great for
rough work. I would never consider using it for furniture and would never
try to send a full sheet of plywood through it. The cross cutting
capabilities of the Ryobi are horrible when it comes to accuracy and
straight cuts.

cm


"unclescrooge" wrote in message
...
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

"Leon" wrote
I'm looking at purchasing a 2 seater car, probably a Miata, Honda S2000,
or a Saturn Sky and need to pick one that will handle carpooling of 8
people.

No problem ... trailer hitch, el cheapo riding lawnmower trailer, phone
booth attached ... authorized for HOV lane.

(caught three nice bass this morning!)

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

You need a big saw to handle full sheets. I cut the sheet into slightly
oversized pieces with a straight edge and my circular saw and do a final
trim on my table saw.

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
"Leon" wrote
I'm looking at purchasing a 2 seater car, probably a Miata, Honda S2000,
or a Saturn Sky and need to pick one that will handle carpooling of 8
people.

No problem ... trailer hitch, el cheapo riding lawnmower trailer, phone
booth attached ... authorized for HOV lane.

There you go.



(caught three nice bass this morning!)


Yeah you sucketh.






--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"unclescrooge" wrote in message
...
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!
It is hard enough to deal with 4x8 sheets on a contractor saw. The table on
those small ones is way way way too small.
I use my circular saw, straight edge, and lots of 2x4s to cut these beasts.
Jim

Festool Plunge Saw is the best saw ever, pricy, but very accurate, more
versitile then a table saw. Easy to store and very high quality, I use it
to build cabinets I even joint long boards together for table and bar tops.
If you have never used one, it is a real treat. I have a big shop and also
own a Unisaw, and find myself using the Plunge saw to rip and cross cut
large sheet of plywood for cabinets.

KK



"unclescrooge" wrote in message
...
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

On May 23, 1:41 pm, "Ken" wrote:
Festool Plunge Saw is the best saw ever, pricy, but very accurate, more
versitile then a table saw. Easy to store and very high quality, I use it
to build cabinets I even joint long boards together for table and bar tops.
If you have never used one, it is a real treat. I have a big shop and also
own a Unisaw, and find myself using the Plunge saw to rip and cross cut
large sheet of plywood for cabinets.

KK

"unclescrooge" wrote in message

...

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

Agree wholly. Usually, using the Festool circ saw means only having to
lift the full sheet one time, with no balance or feed problems. I have
used a Porter-Cable drop foot for years for the job, but the plunge
feature and the factory straight edges make the Festool the winner,
even at its price.

wrote:

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

I'd avoid the Ryobi and get a decent contractor saw from Delta, Jet etc.
One thing not mentioned though, is to build an outfeed table for it to
support those sheets. I prefer to rough cut them to size first, then put
them on the tablesaw to finish cut with a good blade.

On May 23, 9:57*pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
wrote:

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

I'd avoid the Ryobi and get a decent contractor saw from Delta, Jet etc.
One thing not mentioned though, is to build an outfeed table for it to
support those sheets. *I prefer to rough cut them to size first, then put
them on the tablesaw to finish cut with a good blade.

so i guess the concensus is: i don't necessarily need it to cut
plywood as it may or may not do a good job. but i would be better
served thinking smarter. my problem is that i frequently don't have
help, i am just trying to get a little saw for my home shop yet also
something i can wheel into the backyard, take to my parents' home for
their fixes, and various other things. i just don't think i can get my
wife to say "Sure, go ahead" to the $450 rigid model.

"unclescrooge" wrote in message
...
On May 23, 9:57 pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
wrote:

hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or
would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to
use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

I'd avoid the Ryobi and get a decent contractor saw from Delta, Jet
etc.
One thing not mentioned though, is to build an outfeed table for it to
support those sheets. I prefer to rough cut them to size first, then
put
them on the tablesaw to finish cut with a good blade.

so i guess the concensus is: i don't necessarily need it to cut
plywood as it may or may not do a good job. but i would be better
served thinking smarter. my problem is that i frequently don't have
help, i am just trying to get a little saw for my home shop yet also
something i can wheel into the backyard, take to my parents' home for
their fixes, and various other things. i just don't think i can get my
wife to say "Sure, go ahead" to the $450 rigid model.

In my early years of attempting to become a woodworker I was faced with
the same decision. I bought a Skil saw and mounted it underneath a 4 x
4 sheet of 3/4" plywood to which I had attached folding legs. I used a
piece of angle iron and clamps for a fence. It served me reasonably
well for a couple years.
When cutting plywood sheets, I removed the saw from the "table" and used
a piece of angle iron as a guide.
You would still need:
1. A good quality blade
2. be sure the edge of the saw baseplate is parallel to the blade.

Max

On Sun, 25 May 2008 05:51:57 -0700 (PDT), unclescrooge
wrote:

so i guess the concensus is: i don't necessarily need it to cut
plywood as it may or may not do a good job. but i would be better
served thinking smarter. my problem is that i frequently don't have
help, i am just trying to get a little saw for my home shop yet also
something i can wheel into the backyard, take to my parents' home for
their fixes, and various other things. i just don't think i can get my
wife to say "Sure, go ahead" to the $450 rigid model.

I have the $550 Ridgid saw and I don't cut 4x8 sheets on it, even WITH a
helper..
By the time I added or made out feed tables or whatever I needed to make the cut
safe and accurate, I could have made the cut several times with my circular saw
and a board/fence..

If you cut a lot of big stuff, you can buy a very good steel or aluminum saw
guide for less than $100 that will also get used as a straight edge, etc..

For me, the trick is to know the distance between the edge of the saw's shoe and
the blade, say for example, 2".. then, if I clamp the guide 2" from the cut, I
can just keep the saw against the fence and get a straight cut..

A good quality plywood blade for the circular saw will also help a lot.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"Max" wrote in message

so i guess the concensus is: i don't necessarily need it to cut
plywood as it may or may not do a good job. but i would be better
served thinking smarter. my problem is that i frequently don't have
help,

That is where the tables come in handy. If you look at some shops with the
50" fence, they have large table built around the saw to support the
plywood. Easy to do in a big shop, difficult to do and maintain
portability. I had a benchtop saw for my first. It was OK for many things,
but I often got frustrated trying to do a decent crosscut of a wide board on
a small table. The fence was also a PITA to get set perfectly too.



i just don't think i can get my
wife to say "Sure, go ahead" to the $450 rigid model.

Is your wife going to use the saw? If so, let her pick out what works wellf
or her. If not, she should have no say in what you pick out. Your family
finances are none of my business, but when either of us want to spend a bit,
we just wait untill we have the money. I don't question what she wants to
spend not does she on my expenditures.



You would still need:
1. A good quality blade
2. be sure the edge of the saw baseplate is parallel to the blade.

Still good advice

Good luck.

On May 23, 12:29*am, unclescrooge wrote:
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

this tip has probably been repeated on this board numerous times, but
it's very useful so it's worth repeating again: assuming you have
enough floor space (my shop is in my garage), buy a 4x8 sheet of foam
insulation. Lay it on the floor, lay your plywood/osb/mdf sheet right
on top of it. Clamp or tack-nail on a straight edge guide, set your
circ saw blade (even if you have a cheap circ, replace the blade -
Freud Diablo is a good one and not too pricey) to a cut depth just a
little beyond the thickness of your sheetgoods (it shouldn't be much
more anyway), and cut away. You can make many many cuts before that
foam gets too kerfed up and you have to get a new one - they're only
6-7 bucks. I made a set of built-in bookshelves out of oak ply for my
study using that method, and never needed an extra set of hands to
hold anything.

I have a Ryobi BT3100 table saw, and it does a pretty nice job for my
needs, but I have never attempted to cut a 4x8 sheet on it.

On May 23, 12:29*am, unclescrooge wrote:
hi,

i'm looking at purchasing a small/portable table saw and need
something that can handle a 4x8 sheet of plywood/osb/mdf

would the ryobi on wheels that home depot sells work for this or would
i need something more expensive? i really want to build a lot of
furniture for our home and i think i can do it if i don't have to use
my 7" skill saw. it leaves uneven cuts/lines

thanks!

A circular saw is much better than a small table saw for cutting 4x8
sheets. Make a jig for cutting straight lines with your circular saw
by nailing a 1x4 to a piece of plywood. Then rest the saw up against
the 1x4 and cut the plywood. To use this jig, just put the plywood
edge on the line you want to cut and clamp it down. Using the 1x4 as
a guide, cut away.