Thread: Circular saw Straight Edge

Originally Posted by Glawson77

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

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.

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.

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.

Originally Posted by chrisb691

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.

Thanks for the replies, thought there may have been a purpose made straight edge for use with a circular saw, but apparently not, may go with a piece of RHS steel or something.
Cheers
Gordon

Originally Posted by Glawson77

Thanks for the replies, thought there may have been a purpose made straight edge for use with a circular saw, but apparently not, may go with a piece of RHS steel or something.
Cheers
Gordon

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

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.

Originally Posted by chrisb691

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.

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...

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.
fletty

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

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Welcome to the forum Gordon.

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

Originally Posted by BobL

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

Aslong as its actually straight. You'd be surprised the curves 6m lengths have on them.

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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.

Originally Posted by NathanaelBC

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.

Why not just buy the track that goes with your plunge saw?
I have the same as Fletty and the saw glides on the rail. You don't have to attach the saw to a piece of wood like the Timbecon unit.