# How to make these kind of sheet goods cuts without a cabinet saw?



## nijabhaava (Oct 21, 2010)

Hi, ive been asking a lot of questions off of late.

Heres another one.

I am limited to a ridgid jobsite TS (which is a decent size with the 
extend-able wing on one side compared to other benchtop/Jobsite saws), and a circular saw with a milescraft edge guide, and hand saws.

With an outfeed table. I am able to make rips or cross cuts of a certain limited width (cannot go on the smaller side, because the table and the fence system end too soon), and I can make decent cuts with the circular saw until the depth limitation of the milescraft edge guide - but for other cuts I am at a loss for what to do.


For example, I have a cut right now that I need to make that my TS fence is too short for, and my saw guide is not long enough for..

I don't have any perfectly square stock to use as a fence, and don't have a jointer to make one.

How would I make this cut in this situation? Is there some perfectly square metal material I can get from Home Depot to use as a fence?

Cheers


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*several methods*

Use an adjustable clamp like these, they come in different lengths. 
http://www.ptreeusa.com/edge_clamps.htm

Or, go to home depot and get a 48" piece of aluminum angle from the rack, and 2 clamps and set it to your saw cut offset, usually about 1 1/2" or so.

Go to Wood Magazines online videos, Woodcuts Videos show how to make several straight line cutting jigs in different lengths from sheet goods/plywood/masonite..
This one:http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodvision/?videoId=4255203


Trash pick your own or neighbors storm door, dismantle it for the aluminum extrusions, they are light weight and straight.
Shower door tracks are nice too. 

:thumbsup: bill


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> Or, go to home depot and get a 48" piece of aluminum angle from the rack, and 2 clamps and set it to your saw cut offset, usually about 1 1/2" or so.
> 
> :thumbsup: bill


I do that a lot due to space issues when ripping plywood, but I would get the metal at least 4 inches longer than the piece being ripped. That way you can hang it over the wood 2-3 inches to keep the circular saw in a straight line before and after the cut.:thumbsup:

edit..... I say this assuming there will be 48 inch plywood being ripped.


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## midcent' dave (Dec 20, 2010)

Lowes has a great metal guide 50" long that extendes to double length of 100". Also comes with 2 clamps. I'm loving mine! And it was only about $20.


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## 240sxguy (Sep 13, 2010)

The aluminum extrusion idea is a great one. I did just that! I even checked if it was straight with one of those long levels they have on the shelf. 

One word of advice, Menards is hands down the cheapest place to get metal materials from what I have seen of the places that have those racks of various metals.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

*You are cutting plywood anyway*

So fasten a nice straight 1 x 2 or 1 x 4 flush to one of the factory edges of the plywood. Now run your circular saw down that 1 x edge carefully keeping the base plate against the straight edge. With the addition of two clamps and two saw horses you now have everything you need to cut sheet goods to size. Just mark and line up the edge on the marks. Make sure you have the saw blade on the "waste" side of your cut. Simple.

Bret


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

Lola Ranch said:


> So fasten a nice straight 1 x 2 or 1 x 4 flush to one of the factory edges of the plywood. Now run your circular saw down that 1 x edge carefully keeping the base plate against the straight edge. With the addition of two clamps and two saw horses you now have everything you need to cut sheet goods to size. Just mark and line up the edge on the marks. Make sure you have the saw blade on the "waste" side of your cut. Simple.
> 
> Bret


+ 1 :thumbsup: so easy a caveman can do it!!!


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## A_Sailor (Jun 17, 2009)

Just get your straight edge off of a piece of plywood or MDF, that is what I did before I bought my Festool. You know that a side of a MDF sheet is straight, just cut about a 4" strip off and glue a piece of hardboard under it and cut it once to make your "spot on" guide to line up to your marks on your material and go!


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Keep the 1 x attached to the straight edge because it's perfectly aligned with the saw blade and simply place the edge on your cut line marks.

Bret


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## yocalif (Nov 11, 2010)

My TS is sitting, too dangerous to operate, owner is not in condition safely operate TS.

Happy New Year all!

Bowl games, and more party ....


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