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Thread: Circular saw Straight Edge
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20th August 2016, 04:03 PM #1New Member
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Circular saw Straight Edge
Hi,
I need to be able to rip timber and sheets of MDF etc dead straight, obviously if I use my table saw the cut will only be as straight as the edge of the timber which is against the fence.
I am wondering if you can buy a 2.5-3.0m straight edge which can be clamped to a sheet of say MDF which I could use as a fence for my circular saw then after I have a dead straight edge I could cut the other side with the table saw. I saw an aluminium tilers straight edge at Bunnings but not sure if it would be sturdy enough to put a clamp on.
I have also made some circular saw guides using plywood screwed to a piece of timber but again the cut is only as accurate as the timber fence.
Any advice greatly appreciated, Thanks.
Gordon
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20th August 2016, 05:25 PM #2Senior Member
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You can just use the uncut edge one sheet of MDF sheet as a straightedge to cut another. The factory cuts the sheets as straight as can be.
I cut some bits of old sanding belt into rectangles about 200 by 100mm and folded them in half, so there's the rough bit on both sides. Sandwiching these between the sheets at the clamp positions stops them slipping.
I made a jig from an idea posted by Woodwould some years ago. Two rectangles of MDF the length you need, one about 300 wide with a factory cut edge, the other wider (you'll see how wide it needs to be in a moment)
Glue the narrow bit on top of the wider bit, making sure that the NON-factory edge on the narrow bit is aligned with the, preferably factory cut, edge of the wider bit.
When it's dry, use the factory cut edge of the narrow bit as the straightedge to cut the other, wider bit, to width.
To use the jig align the edge you just cut with the cut line on your work and clamp using the anti-slip devices.Cheers, Glen
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22nd August 2016, 04:27 PM #3Frequent Learner
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If you prefer not to use MDF you can get long pieces of aluminium at any aluminium supplier. Get yourself some thick rectangular section stuff and you can order whatever length you want...within reason. Most of my friends and family have taken this approach. You can also sometimes get pieces like this from window or shower screen manufacturers.
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22nd August 2016, 04:32 PM #4
You need to make yourself some of these cutting guides. The are just hardboard, with a piece of cover strip glued/fixed in the center. They start off about 25mm or so wider than your baseplate to blade size, then you run the saw down them with the baseplate up against the cover strip. Then you clamp one down to your sheet, with the cut edge on the line, and you will get a perfect cut every time. Cheep as chips, and easy to make. Just got to keep you mind on where the kerf will be relative to your line.
Chris
========================================
Life isn't always fair
....................but it's better than the alternative.
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22nd August 2016, 08:10 PM #5New Member
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22nd August 2016, 09:09 PM #6
There actually are a few different kinds of over the counter versions but they vary in price and quality. I've got a $25 version from Bunnings (below) and while I honestly don't expect it to last long it's been good to have around.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftrig...guide_p5860136
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23rd August 2016, 01:59 PM #7SENIOR MEMBER
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There are dedicated track saws made by most of the major tool companies that have various length tracks available. However they are not cheap, obviously the more you spend the better it will be, but certainly a worthwhile investment if you have constant use for them.
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23rd August 2016, 05:16 PM #8SENIOR MEMBER
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I made up two of these at 2400 long from a single sheet of 12mm marine ply I had around. Then cut one to 1800/600. Gave them a wipe with finishing wax on the saw run side. Best thing I've made for a long time...
My coverstrips quite a bit wider though and I glued and stapled it (a lot) to keep it straight...
Had to trim a door on the weekend, both ways, 2400 for the sides, 1800 for the bottom. As the edge of the timber is right where the saw is there's no guess work, Put the board on the mark, clamp, check size and go...
I even use them to break full sheets of whatever down to go on the panel saw...
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24th August 2016, 08:46 PM #9
Hi Gordon,
Yes there are aluminium tracks available in Australia and, as noted above, some of them are sold as accessories to branded tools and so are dedicated to that brand (probably) only.
Here are my 2 ways of using aluminium track to cut down down large sheets or, as in the first pic, to cut down rough timber flitches.
image.jpg
I love the Festool track saw. It is a fabulous piece of kit BUT, I simply can't justify it for cutting applications beyond the capacity of my table saw. My solution was to buy the Sheppach plunge saw and a 1.4m track for less than $300 on sale at Hare and Forbes. I have since bought another piece of track and an extender kit so that the total track length is now 2.8m. It works well for cutting down full sheets and for breaking down flitches such as the camphor laurel crotch piece above today.
The second solution (which I seldom use) is this track....
image.jpg image.jpg
...... which I bought from Timbercon at the Sydney Wood Show a few years back. It is a good track, available (if I remember correctly) up to 2.4 m long with a clever built-in clamp and comes with a carriage that slides along the track. You then have to make an adaptor to mount your saw or router to the carriage. You could of course just run your saw or router along the track as a fence which is what I did until I bought the Sheppach.
The clamp on the Timbercon track is optimised for clamping to the square edge of ply or MDF whereas the Sheppach clamps are much more flexible and grip irregular surfaces and edges such as on my rough timber flitches.
flettya rock is an obsolete tool ......... until you don’t have a hammer!
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24th August 2016, 09:21 PM #10Member
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Clamp one of these. Between the 4 chippies at work we have every size from 300mm to 4m covered. Super handy.
https://www.tradetools.com/product-r...edge-2-7-metre
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
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25th August 2016, 11:15 AM #11GOLD MEMBER
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Welcome to the forum Gordon.
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25th August 2016, 04:47 PM #12.
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For the price of the 2.7m long trade tools Al straight edge you can buy 6m of a rectangular hollow cross section from an Al supplier.
I cut mine into two pieces ~2 and 4 m long then you have a pair of longer and shorter tracks to work with
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27th August 2016, 08:13 AM #13Member
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27th August 2016, 09:37 AM #14
Also check out these; I don't have one but will likely with my next order from Timbecon for use with my plunge saw as it's hard to depress the plunge, hold the trigger and keep both ends of the plate tight against the fence for the length of a long cut: https://www.timbecon.com.au/site-sho...de-rail-system
Actually looks to be the same track fletty posted above.
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27th August 2016, 12:41 PM #15Woodworking mechanic
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