ss

"sal"

24/05/2012 5:53 AM

straight edge:

Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.

Sal


This topic has 24 replies

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 8:18 AM

On Thu, 24 May 2012 05:53:01 -0500, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.

I used to use an 8'2" aluminum straight edge built for that purpose.
Now I can use my Makita SP6000K plunge saw guides.
The Texan Twins use their Festool guides.

For a quick and inexpensive one, build your own:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/4283497
Just make sure that 1x4 is _straight_!

--
When a quiet man is moved to passion, it seems the very earth will shake.
-- Stephanie Barron
(Something for the Powers That Be to remember, eh?)

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 6:16 PM


"sal" wrote:

>Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>plywood?
--------------------------------
A 2"x2"x1/8"x96" aluminum angle and a couple of 3" C-Clamps.

Lew


Ll

Leon

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

29/05/2012 7:20 AM

On 5/28/2012 4:34 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
> On 5/26/12 12:16 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
>> On May 24, 6:53 am, "sal"<[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>>
>>> Sal
>>
>> 8 foot level, does double duty.
>
>
> Don't most 8 footers have a slight bow in the middle?
>
>
>

Some of the bubble tubes have a slight bow in the middle.

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 9:31 AM


"sal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>

A steel stud and a couple claps would be fine for rips. From what I've seen
most steel studs are quite straight... certainly adequate for initial rips
that would be later cleaned up on the table saw and for most purposes just
fine as is.

John

FH

Father Haskell

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

26/05/2012 10:16 AM

On May 24, 6:53=A0am, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping =A08ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal

8 foot level, does double duty.

SB

Steve Barker

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 6:30 AM

On 5/24/2012 5:53 AM, sal wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal
>
>

i have a piece of oak, about 4 1/2 inches wide, i keep straight on one edge.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Pp

"Pat"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 6:12 AM


"sal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal
>

I had a machine shop make me some out of 10 gauge stainless years ago. They
have served me well ever since.

ss

"sal"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 8:46 PM

Thanks for the input guys, very useful info quite a range of ideas.

Sal
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "sal" wrote:
>
>>Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>>plywood?
> --------------------------------
> A 2"x2"x1/8"x96" aluminum angle and a couple of 3" C-Clamps.
>
> Lew
>
>
>

Sk

Swingman

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 8:57 AM

On 5/24/2012 8:38 AM, G.W. Ross wrote:
> sal wrote:
>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>
>> Sal
>>
>>
> I made my circular saw guides out of a piece of 1/2 " aluminum channel
> from Lowes, bolting it onto a strip of scrap paneling. I countersunk the
> flat-head bolts on the bottom. Left about 2 inches on the left side of
> the channel for clamping. Run the saw down the paneling with the shoe
> rubbing against the channel. The cut edge is where the saw will cut
> every time. The plywood you are keeping should be on the left side of
> the cut line, otherwise it will be a saw blade's thickness shy of what
> you measured.
>
> Drill 2 or 3 holes for hanging on the wall. I hang mine over the door. I
> have a 4' one and an 8' one.

Exactly what I used for 20 years, until I got a Festool track saw.
AAMOF, just gave it to my main carpenter just recently. Got tired of
watching his crew trying to eyeball sheet good cuts with circular saws
that have been dropped roofs umpteen times.

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

Ll

Leon

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 7:14 AM

On 5/24/2012 5:53 AM, sal wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal
>
>

My TS fence?

And or my Festool Track saw and track.

Yeah my track saw and track were expensive but only about 1/3 the price
of my TS.

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

26/05/2012 8:24 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> On 5/24/2012 5:53 AM, sal wrote:
> > Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> > plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
> >
> > Sal
> >
> >
>
> i have a piece of oak, about 4 1/2 inches wide, i keep straight on one edge.

I have a guide made from the factory edge of a sheet of plywood.

Here's one variant:
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/4283497>

Takes maybe 10-15 minutes to make.

DM

Doug Miller

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

25/05/2012 2:21 AM

"sal" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.

One of these (105" version):

http://www.amazon.com/PRO-GRIP-STRAIGHT-CLAMP-PEACHTREE-
WOODWORKING/dp/B0013GJ4Y8

plus one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-CS5-120-Volt-4-Inch-Circular/dp/B000WMDBIE/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1337912430&sr=8-1

Rr

RonB

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 5:41 AM

On May 24, 5:53=A0am, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping =A08ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal

I have used 2 x 4's that had been passed across the jointer a few
times but I had to check it against the layout line carefully and it
is a one-shot deal.

I bought an 8' aluminum straightedge from Home Depot a while back. It
is two pieces of extrusion that join together with an insert plate and
you clamp it on with c-clamps that are provided. I is not the
highest quality thing around but it will stay true to a layout line if
you clamp it tight. As two 4' straightedges is is just fine. I think
I paid around $18-20 for it. But I have seen some that are way more
expensive.

As Leon noted the table saw works as well as anything, unless you are
cutting at an angle.

RonB

mr

marc rosen

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 4:26 AM

On May 24, 6:53=A0am, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping =A08ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal

Hey Sal,
Years ago I used to use the edge of another sheet of plywood.
=20
Marc

tn

tiredofspam

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 10:03 AM

Although I have a track, I like using my shop made jig.
I used 2 pieces of masonite.

One I cut on the tablesaw oversized. The other is the guide piece.
I placed the guide piece in the middle and then cut the oversized piece
with the circular saw.

I have zero clearence now on both sides of the blade. One side is for
the 5" sole, the other side of the jig is for the narrower sole plate.

Works great, just but up against your cut marks.



On 5/24/2012 6:53 AM, sal wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal
>
>

c

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 12:34 PM

On Thu, 24 May 2012 08:18:40 -0700, Larry Jaques
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Thu, 24 May 2012 05:53:01 -0500, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>>plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
>I used to use an 8'2" aluminum straight edge built for that purpose.
>Now I can use my Makita SP6000K plunge saw guides.
>The Texan Twins use their Festool guides.
>
>For a quick and inexpensive one, build your own:
>http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/4283497
>Just make sure that 1x4 is _straight_!
Another 4X8 sheet of plywood??

LB

Larry Blanchard

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 4:32 PM

On Thu, 24 May 2012 05:41:51 -0700, RonB wrote:

> I bought an 8' aluminum straightedge from Home Depot a while back. It
> is two pieces of extrusion that join together with an insert plate and
> you clamp it on with c-clamps that are provided. I is not the highest
> quality thing around but it will stay true to a layout line if you clamp
> it tight.

I've got something similar to that. I noticed that it tended to bow a
little at the center connection when pressure was applied. I drilled a
small hole for a finish nail. Problem solved.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

BB

Bill

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 2:46 PM

Steve Barker wrote:
> On 5/24/2012 5:53 AM, sal wrote:
>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>
>> Sal
>>
>>
>
> i have a piece of oak, about 4 1/2 inches wide, i keep straight on one
> edge.
>


Incidently, using this technique has made me better appreciate Lew's
remark that "When you buy a TS, you're buying a FENCE." I've learned I
can get some decent cuts without a TS, but it is SLOWer work!

Mj

"Morgans"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

26/05/2012 2:05 AM

"sal" wrote in message news:[email protected]...

Thanks for the input guys, very useful info quite a range of ideas.

Sal

I have several jigs I built for ripping ply. I start with a piece of
hardboard about 14 inches wide and 8 feet long. I then rip a piece of 1/2"
ply about 4" wide, keeping one factory edge, and ripping it very carefully
in a table saw, so both sides of it are very straight.

Measuring the distance between the edge of a circular saws shoe and the
blade, I add about 1/4" and place the 1/2' ply onto the 1/4" hardboard the
above distance from the edge with glue and staples. Clamp the jig on
something and run the saw down the edge, and it will cut off the extra 1/4"
so you then have the edge of the hardboard that is exactly where you will
later cut plywood. Makes it easy to put the cut exactly on the line you
measure on your ply.

On the other side of the jig from where the saw rides, I do the same thing,
but I make it a little wider than the distance from a 3/4" router bit to the
other side of the 1/2" straight plywood fence.

I now have one jig that works for cutting a dado or rabit, with quick use
with no need to add measurements to the desired size to account for the size
of the saw or router shoe. If you want different size for different router
bit, make them, too. I have a stack hanging on a shelf bracket on the wall.
I also have 4 foot versions, and 2 foot versions.

If you have never done this, give it a try. It is hard to imagine anything
easier to use or as accurate for a tenth of the price.

-- Jim in NC

Mm

-MIKE-

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

28/05/2012 4:34 PM

On 5/26/12 12:16 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
> On May 24, 6:53 am, "sal"<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>
>> Sal
>
> 8 foot level, does double duty.


Don't most 8 footers have a slight bow in the middle?



--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Mm

-MIKE-

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

29/05/2012 11:01 AM

On 5/29/12 7:20 AM, Leon wrote:
> On 5/28/2012 4:34 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
>> On 5/26/12 12:16 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
>>> On May 24, 6:53 am, "sal"<[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>>>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>>>
>>>> Sal
>>>
>>> 8 foot level, does double duty.
>>
>>
>> Don't most 8 footers have a slight bow in the middle?
>>
>>
>>
>
> Some of the bubble tubes have a slight bow in the middle.


haha. :-)


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

ZY

Zz Yzx

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 4:59 PM

On Thu, 24 May 2012 05:53:01 -0500, "sal" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
>Sal
>
I've used both a strip of plywood ~6 in wide with a factory edge and
piece of aluminum angle stock. I use it with a circular saw becasue I
don;t have enough room in my shop to use my table saw.

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

28/05/2012 3:16 PM



"-MIKE-" wrote in message news:[email protected]...

On 5/26/12 12:16 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
> On May 24, 6:53 am, "sal"<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
>> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>>
>> Sal
>
> 8 foot level, does double duty.


Don't most 8 footers have a slight bow in the middle?'
=================================================================================
Only if bent.


GR

"G.W. Ross"

in reply to "sal" on 24/05/2012 5:53 AM

24/05/2012 9:38 AM

sal wrote:
> Hello W/W what do you guys use for a straight edge when ripping 8ft
> plywood? I looked at various pro. models but they are too expensive.
>
> Sal
>
>
I made my circular saw guides out of a piece of 1/2 " aluminum channel
from Lowes, bolting it onto a strip of scrap paneling. I countersunk
the flat-head bolts on the bottom. Left about 2 inches on the left
side of the channel for clamping. Run the saw down the paneling with
the shoe rubbing against the channel. The cut edge is where the saw
will cut every time. The plywood you are keeping should be on the
left side of the cut line, otherwise it will be a saw blade's
thickness shy of what you measured.

Drill 2 or 3 holes for hanging on the wall. I hang mine over the
door. I have a 4' one and an 8' one.

--
G.W. Ross

How long a minute is depends on which
side of the bathroom door you're on.






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