Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i am going to be getting into a large project and will be cutting down full sheets of plywood. this is something i have not been able to do before and i have previously bought precut pieces and trimmed them to the sizes i needed.
i am wondering if i should get a table saw or a circular saw and a guide.
i figured a table saw would be better, but how would i cut a 4'x2' piece? the saws i was looking at (in my price range) had a max cut of about 30inches, this would work for one cut but not the other. how do you guys make these cuts? the table saw is obviously the more expensive route, but if i will not be able to use it for all my cuts then i might as well just get a circular saw and a guide.
i would really appreciate any input and insight you can give.
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- Jason F.

I would reccomend a circular saw. It isn't very hard to follow the straight line without a guide, just be sure to use a t-square to make the line. Also the circular saw makes quick work of any framing you're going to use. I don't have much experience with table saws, but with my uses of a circular saw, I don't see why it won't be sufficent. Just my two cents.

Alex

Wow! Racks, Aboreals, Power Tools you guys are on a role!

The ulitimate question how do I rip a 4x8 sheet of ply in half, or to make two 4x4 squares. There is only one answer, that is practical, a circular saw and guide.

I personally have hand sawn full panels for years, it can be done but its difficult. I myself have watched peoples mouths drop when they see me cut a nearly perfect straight cut without a guide. One reason why, Dad handed me a hand saw when I was a kid and I didn't get a power tool for years. You do anything for years your bound to get good at it.

The circular saw and guide is my tool of choice. I have considered a panel saw but they are expensive even to build. A table saw with that much fence, is not only expensive but takes up a lot of space. You need at least a 9'x9' space to cut a full sheet in half most people don't have that much space.

I use a tale saw fo everything else. But my first cuts are to cut down the full sheets to half sheets. Take your time and measure twice you want the edges square.

A few other Choices would be;

1)Have a cabinet shop cut a sheet down

2)Buy half sheets

3)Use Chris Harpers favorite 5x5 panels of Finnish Birch

My Table saw only rips at 24", help me convince the wife I need a new saw.
Jeremy
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's -Coming Soon-
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse

I have had the same problem as in i only have a circular saw and needed to rip a whole 4x8 sheet. If you go to home depot or lowe's, they will make a perfect cut for you for about .75 cents...and you dont have to buy a table saw. What i did is I got all my measurements from a rough drawing and then went to home depot and then rattled them off to one of the workers and 30min later i had all of my wood cut...just my opinion, hope this helps...

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0.2 normal ball pythons
0.1 normal Redtail boa
1.0 Hypo Redtail boa
1.0 true Redtail boa
1.1 100% Het Albino Redtail boa
1 baby sulcata tortoise
0.0.1 Baby Bearded Dragon
0.0.1 Baby Red Uromastyx
0.1 GF Eryn (WC)

my .02$ whichever route you go, look for quality, if you buy a cheap tool, you most likely will get a cheap tool. I know many people do very well with a good circular saw and guide. I went the expensive table saw route. I have a delta unisaw (limited edition) with 52" capacity (paid for by selling rodents). I love it and use it for everything. If I need a cut greater than 52", I do a minus cut AKA - cut off the waste part (minus kerf).

Whatever you do, straight cuts are a must or your joints could fail.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,

Are you saying that if you need a 6'x4' piece of plywood you just crosscut at 24"? I just got my saw setup and have not tried that yet. Seems a bit daunting.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

I do the same as Dave mentioned but I don't do full sheets. It actually works real well. Like I have said before you need to double check every measurement and angle. Or it could be a disaster.
Jeremy
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's -Coming Soon-
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse

The only time I tried to so something like that was with a piece of 1/4" plexiglass. I tried to crosscut a full sheet into 32"x48" panels. I'm lucky I didn't get killed in the first cut. I have since been cautious of table saws and have tried to better educate myself on how to safely use them.

Which, of course, brings up an interesting point. If you believe everything your hear a table saw should not be used for anything other than ripping narrow stock.

BTW, for Dave, I just go off the phone with a plastics distributor. They also machine plastic for basically nothing. I bought two sheets of PVCX. One crosscut into three pieces at 32x48, the other into 4 pieces at 24x48. They charged me nothing.

If I understood them correctly, they only charge for smaller cuts where a certain degree of accuracy is needed. And they don't charge much for that.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Power Tools by nature that is no joke. Since I started using power tools I have almost 2 fingers and nearly broke a rib. Thats only on my two saws I have never had an incident with anything else had a bad experiance with a drill but thats another story.

I agree table saws are best for ripping small stock. Does that mean it shouldn't be used for large ply. No if that was the case they wouldn't build saws with 56" ripp capacity. I think the bigger the sheet the more careful you need to be and more room you should give yourself.

I frequently cut full sheets on my table saw usually length wise. On accasion I have ripped width wise but I don't recommend it. I always cut twice. For example if I need a 24" wide piece I will do a first cut at 24.5" then a second on the mark. This gives me a margin of error if the blade catches board twist whatever. The second cut is clean because of the smaller size.

When I built me melamine cages I cut down the full sheet length wise. Then cross cut with my circular than back on the table to finish the last. It takes time but so does most wood work.

When I built my rack I cross cut ech sheet at 52" then back cut on the table saw at 10 7/8" to get a width of 37". Then finish cut each 37"x52" board down to 17" wide stock.

Nearly anything can be done so long as your safe. I am not the best example. But I do wear eye protection!
Good Luck
Jeremy
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's -Coming Soon-
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse

Cutting plywood on a full size table saw is fairly easy. It's bulky and awkward to handle but once on the saw it slides real easy. I keep my table waxed. I have two of my other tools, router table and shaper, shimmed to just below the height of the table saw and use them as side and outfeed tables. A MUST for plywood. As some of you know, I built my entire kitchen and used quite a few full sheets. I cut all of it into the various sizes I needed with my table saw and most of it was done by myself with no assistant.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

If you believe everything your hear a table saw should not be used for anything other than ripping narrow stock.

That should read:

If you believe everything YOU hear -- a table should not be used for anything other than ripping narrow stock.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

i dont want to go crazy money wise with a table saw so 30" is all im gonna get for under $300. having lowes or homedepot cut them is out of the question as i have had them do this before and i (admitingly being a perfectionist) got less then near perfect cuts. with all the discussion so far as of now i think i am going to go with a circular saw and a guide.

as a side note, i am getting a good amount of tools 'free' in return for constructing a built-in for my aunt, so as i want to get something good out of it i also dont want to spend half the budget on my tools although it would be nice.

i really appreciate all the replys. keep em coming if you got more.
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- Jason F.

i dont want to go crazy money wise with a table saw so 30" is all im gonna get for under $300.

On many saws you can shift the rails over to increase the cutting capacity. My saw came with 31" of right-side rip capacity. I shifted the rails over and now have almost 53". But not every saw allows this and certainly not any $300 saws I know of. But I still would not cross-cut a sheet of ply this way.

Also, don't spend $300 on a table saw. At that price range you only get the bench-top models and they can't handle full 3/4" sheet goods. Some of the portable table saws are okay, but they are not designed for cutting sheet goods.

You can do okay used for $300.

having lowes or homedepot cut them is out of the question as i have had them do this before and i (admitingly being a perfectionist) got less then near perfect cuts.

Find a cabinet shop to cut them for you. You'll get perfect cuts that you can't match with $300 worth of tools and they will also sell you higher quality materials.

i am going to be getting into a large project and will be cutting down full sheets of plywood.

Can you describe the project? I may have some better advice.

the table saw is obviously the more expensive route

Not necessarily. You'd be surprised at the number of cabinet contractors who have more expensive circular-saw and edge-guide setups than their table saws. This is mostly for dust control in customer's homes. Still I know guys with nearly $1000 invested in their circular-saw/edge-guide setups. Look up the prices for Festool saws and guides and the EZ Smart guide system. They are the high end edge-guides.

But to get to the point, a table saw is not a machine designed for handling full sheets of plywood. I know guys with $3000 table saws with 52" of rip capactity who cut all of their sheet materials down to size with a circular saw setup.

I have over 52" of RSRC and I would not run an expensive sheet of laminted ply over my saw sideways. It's not safe and is actually pretty difficult to do accurately.

So get a circular saw and a guide. Make you sure drop a lot of money on the blade. If the largest finished panel you will need is 48"x24" then you really only need to get a 48" guide. Most of them do not work very well to rip the entire 8' length. To much flex in the middle. Instead just cross cut three times to get four 48"x24" panels (minus blade kerf, of course).

Get a corded saw - they are more powerful. You'll burn up batteries like crazy with a cordless saw.

Spend some money on a good carpenter's square to make sure the edge guide is running square to the edge of the ply you are working off of. Take some time to make sure you are cutting off of a square corner/edge. A lot of ply is not very square. I have bought ply from Home Depot and found the width to vary by 3/16" across the entire 8' length.

Again, do consider having a cabinet shop make some cuts for you. I know of guys with thousands of dollars worth of tools who have their panels cut down to manageable size for them. It's just such a time saver.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Sorry. It's early.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

first, thank you for the comments.
eventually the tools will be used for cages but their intended project is a built-in for my aunt. its pretty simple, more or less it will be threee book shelves having two large openings. one opening will be for the big screen tv and the other will be made into a closet type space.

i am deffinately going to go with a circular saw and a guide. since i have only used tools that are older than me, what brands would you reccomend (saw, blade, guide).
thanks again, i appreciate the help.
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- Jason F.

I am not really up on what some good deals are for circular saws and edge-guides. My Skil saw is old and has been with me forever. I guess there is something about their design that lends itself to longevity. Other saws have the same design, I'm not sure exactly what is different about it.

For cutting sheet goods you do not need a worm-drive saw.

I am shopping for a new saw only because mine does not hold it's 90* adjustment very well anymore.

My blade is so old that I can't even read the name anymore. I paid a pretty penny for it and it was worth it.

I'll try to research some more about edge guides.

>>first, thank you for the comments.
>>eventually the tools will be used for cages but their intended project is a built-in for my aunt. its pretty simple, more or less it will be threee book shelves having two large openings. one opening will be for the big screen tv and the other will be made into a closet type space.
>>
>>i am deffinately going to go with a circular saw and a guide. since i have only used tools that are older than me, what brands would you reccomend (saw, blade, guide).
>>thanks again, i appreciate the help.
>>-----
>>- Jason F.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

This Old House web site. All ?'s about tools

Mike