# Looking for plans without table saw



## mattwolfmatt (Aug 29, 2010)

Hi, I am fairly new to woodworking. I've made a workbench, two nightstands, a wall mirror/coat rack, picnic table, etc.

My biggest problem is I don't have a table saw. Not that I can't afford it (don't tell that to my wife) but I really don't have any room to put it, muchless the extra space you need around it. My shop is in the basement of a very small house - and there really is no more room down there for anything else. I'm in a small room that takes up 1/3 the basement. No garage.

Anyway I'm at the point where all the plans I see are either 1. too elementary (I think I'm beyond making a cutting board, thank you very much) or 2. they require a table saw. 

I have a 12" mitre (non-sliding) and I've faked my way through some longer cuts with that, cutting halfway across the piece, then flipping it and cutting the other way. This is REALLY hard, however, to get it perfect. 

I also have jigsaw, circular, router, biscuit jointer, and basic hand tools. Any suggestions for plans or places to look for plans? Could be outdoor, indoor, shelving, office, kids, etc.

Thanks! I love the forums!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

While I do have a table saw and use it when I have a project. I have come to the age that it is very difficult to handle full sheet of plywood to cut on a table saw. I have seen devised a way to cut large panels or any panel for that matter without a table saw. It is not my idea at all but the idea has been around a while. 

Festool does have a great one of the saw guides but I could not afford the high dollar saws with the guides so I made my own. I have a couple extra circular saws so I could dedicate a saw just for this purpose. 

I went to a metal shop and had them bend a piece of 1/8 inch aluminum which is about 5 inches wide by 100 inches long and break a 90 degree angle on one edge to turn up about 3/8 - 1/2 inch. I took a good board of oak and mounted it to the bottom of the skill saw (circular saw). 

I grooved one edge of the oak to fit over the 90 degree angle turn up on the aluminum. I can now clamp the aluminum down to a sheet of plywood (actually I screw mine down as I cut from the back of the panel) and cut it with accuracy with no tear out from the saw blade. All you need is a couple of saw horses and you are good to go. If you like I will detail this a little more for you so you will have a zero cutting slot so you won't have tear outs from the saw blade.

By the way, if you have trouble lifting the sheet of plywood on the horses, just let me know as I came up with a way to put the plywood on the horses without lifting it.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Ji, I would love to hear the details, and if possible see pics! Upgrading my method of cutting panels is the next shop improvement I plan to do (beside killing the spring of water in the floor)... very timely!


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Neat system, Jim.
Not having ready access to anyplace that can do the bending but, having several pieces of T Track and T sliders, I dadoed a piece of 8' track into a 3/4 piece of ply, bolted a short piece of slider on the saw's sole plate and ripped off the extra ply width. Now, I set the edge of the ply/track on the sheet goods at my lines, clamp 'er down and cut away. 
As long as the work is under the guide, I get no tear out.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

jiju have you looked at the folding table saws? They do not take up much space when folded and not in use.

George


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## bofa (Jul 17, 2010)

Yep, circular saw with a good straight board or two is good enough for my longer cuts. My circular is about 8 years old though and doesn't have the nifty groove for the saw guides sold today, so I measured from the outside of the kerf to the edge of the guard and adjust my board accordingly. 

I have a TS but its been easier to drag out the CS and to be honest, I'm not 100% comfortable on my TS yet.


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## mattwolfmatt (Aug 29, 2010)

Hmm, so the circular saw with some straight guides should be close enough, eh? I'll look into some. Or, I'll look into making some.


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## MitchelWB (Sep 2, 2010)

I was just thinking about this the other day. I saw this online and thought to myself that making something like that out of a simple piece of angle iron from home depot would be awfully easy to do. It might take a little practice clamping it down without the neat clamp system on that particular saw, but depending on where your cut it, it might not even be that big of a deal. Certainly nothing a little ingenuity can't overcome.

Edit: I've done this too.


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## Old61 (Aug 28, 2010)

Mark the factory edge of a sheet of 1/2" ply, cut it off 3-4" wide, clamp it to your work and use it as a straight edge allowing for the distance between the blade and shoe.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

That's what I'm now doing. I cut a couple lengths of squared up hardboard exactly the width from blade to the edge of the shoe, and first lay those on the cut lines, and place the straight edge guide against the hardboard. No measuring involved in locating the cutting guide.

=========== 

But I am tired of making space on the floor, and then spreading out 2x4s for a cutting surface and then picking it all up again!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

mattwolfmatt said:


> Hmm, so the circular saw with some straight guides should be close enough, eh? I'll look into some. Or, I'll look into making some.


Matt with the system with the aluminum with the angled edge, the cut is as accurate as a table saw. I have a Unisaw cabinet saw and the method I use is just as accurate if you align the edge of the aluminum to your mark, that is where it will cut. I would recommend getting a good blade for your saw though.

MitchelWB The setup I have is similar to the last link you have in your post here http://wayneofthewoods.com/circular-saw-cutting-guide.html
The difference is mine has a captive slide and the saw can't wander off cut.

Gene you have a great setup there, mine isn't as elegant as yours. Could you post a picture of it for us.

I will do my best to get some pictures of my setup tomorrow and some details. By the way, my set up cost around $20 to have the aluminum fabricated.

mattwolfmatt I hope I am not hijacking your thread, hopefully this may help you be able to do more in your small work area. My shop is small also but it is fun.


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## Hankthetank (Aug 4, 2010)

I as well don't have a table saw don't have the cash to shell out for a good one and I have managed to do everything so far without one, although its often a bit more involved. If ripping large pieces of lumber is your main problem I copied this jig for cutting the long straight lines, I would normally use a table saw for. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/HomeRemodelWorkshop#p/a/5F944F6ECAE00F92/0/CH5dW-QcgeI 

As a hobbyist, so far I have been able to get around not having a table saw and haven't found any projects I can't do because I don't have one. I think rather than looking for projects that don't require a table saw, a better question might be what are you trying to do that you feel you can't do without a table saw? 

Sincerely, 
Hank


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## braden johns (Oct 19, 2010)

You could use the wet bar plans and just omit the wet part...as in remove all the plumbing and what not. Best thing to do... counter top = MDF board and 2" or 3" floor tile some adhesive, and grout. It is easy to clean...and it takes quite a beating. I have built a few like that. you could even get fancy with some Marble tiles.
Look into standard base cabinets... adds a little depth to the bar for storage. Lowes has a small dishwasher if the wet bar is an option. it is like 15 inches wide or so.
Draw on paper a plan of your own. Then price it all out. You might find that others plans are not as nice as you might have thought.


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