Thread: Square cuts

Originally Posted by garfield

G'day all,

Looking for some tips on how I can square up a board that I have cut down from a large manufactured board. I have cut down both ends of a manufactured board coming in 600mm off each end, and seeing I used the square manufactured end to run along my table saw fence I have ended up with square cuts but now I have a middle piece that I have produced a in cut in, in both sides of the middle piece that would be slightly out, so looking for advice on how best I could square the entire piece so I can use, but seeing it is too wide for my crosscut sled how could I do it?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks
Geoff

What dimension is the leftover piece?

Originally Posted by taz01

What dimension is the leftover piece?

Hi Taz,

It's 1200 wide by about 800 - 900mm.

Hi G. Easy enough to do. Find one edge that is straight (this will become your datum - longest length is best, so one of the 1200mm sides) and square off this across the two shorter ends (I use a framing square but you can also 3:4:5). Then make equal measurements perpendicular to the straight edge (datum) along the lines you squared and connect these points. This line should be parallel to the datum and square to the ends. To confirm, measure your diagonals, if they are the same then your marking out is square. Now you just have to cut to the lines.......

Track saw?

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

Hi G. Easy enough to do. Find one edge that is straight (this will become your datum - longest length is best, so one of the 1200mm sides) and square off this across the two shorter ends (I use a framing square but you can also 3:4:5). Then make equal measurements perpendicular to the straight edge (datum) along the lines you squared and connect these points. This line should be parallel to the datum and square to the ends. To confirm, measure your diagonals, if they are the same then your marking out is square. Now you just have to cut to the lines.......

Thanks for that. Don't suppose there is a video that fully explains that also do you know ?

Originally Posted by havabeer69

Track saw?

Was thinking of buying another but not sure how I can cut a straight edge on one end and then make it square with measurements from there. Like now if I measure with a tape and then cut it would have to be out of square even slightly but would still be out.

I was thinking of buying another track saw I had the Ozito from Bunnings and it was absolute crap. Was looking at the Bayer at Sydney Tools.

Is there a sure way to make it square if I use a track saw? I am in 2 minds to buy a new table saw but I will still need to cut the melamine down to a manageable size to run through the saw but I want the boards square to be able to cross cut accurately. Parallel is ok but if the ends are out of square and too wide to fit in my sled I am stuck on how I can get those ends at 90 degrees to the straight cut edge.

This vid should get you the info you require. Just use the units that you feel comfortable with, you don't have to use feet as in the video. Going by the dimensions of your leftover you could use 600, 800, 1000mm which are multiples of 3, 4, 5.
You have to get this right before you could put a track saw on it. The track only makes a straight line, it doesn't square it for you.

[QUOTE=Treecycle;2254761]This vid should get you the info you require. Just use the units that you feel comfortable with, you don't have to use feet as in the video. Going by the dimensions of your leftover you could use 600, 800, 1000mm which are multiples of 3, 4, 5./QUOTE]

You can also use 5, 12, 13 or multiples of those. 5 on one side of the right angle, 12 on the other and 13 becomes the 'diagonal' if the angle is exactly 90 degrees or perfectly square.
Perhaps look up Pythagoras Theorem to get a better explanation.

Originally Posted by Treecycle

This vid should get you the info you require. Just use the units that you feel comfortable with, you don't have to use feet as in the video. Going by the dimensions of your leftover you could use 600, 800, 1000mm which are multiples of 3, 4, 5.
You have to get this right before you could could put a track saw on it. The track only makes a straight line, it doesn't square it for you.

Thanks for that

- - - Updated - - -

[QUOTE=Chesand;2254770]

Originally Posted by Treecycle

This vid should get you the info you require. Just use the units that you feel comfortable with, you don't have to use feet as in the video. Going by the dimensions of your leftover you could use 600, 800, 1000mm which are multiples of 3, 4, 5./QUOTE]

You can also use 5, 12, 13 or multiples of those. 5 on one side of the right angle, 12 on the other and 13 becomes the 'diagonal' if the angle is exactly 90 degrees or perfectly square.
Perhaps look up Pythagoras Theorem to get a better explanation.

Thank you