Thread: Tips for breaking down sheets of whiteboard?

What you need is a track saw. You can of course use something more primitive. A Festool TS55 is about top of the line, then probably Makita. There are other, much less expensive versions. Makita tracks work with Festool and several others. I mention that because Mkita seels a 3 metre track for about half the cost of Festool. You can join smaller tracks, but not with foolproof results.

My thoughts are that you can likely pick up a good condition Festool for about a grand and sell it for about the same after your job. Not so with the budget brands I don’t think.

I agree with the above, a tracksaw is the way to go, one will make your job much easier, more accurate and cleaner cuts.

I have the Festool TS55 and think it’s the ducks nuts

Cheers Andrew

Best to use pre- edged board, laminex used to sell 3600mm x 600, cut to length and screw together, use vinyl wrapped pine for front edge and 760mm high 3mm mdf for backs, cut with a track saw with a 90 degree guide.


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I saw this the other day and thought it looked pretty good for cutting sheet stuff.

Cutting & Handling Plywood in a One-Person Shop - YouTube

been watching him for a while now, eccentric dude. reminds me of a science teacher at high school

Could you not break down the sheets to more manageable sizes close to what you need with a circular saw, and then finish to accurate sizing on your table saw?

Ten years ago, I did a total renovation of our kitchen and made all under bench drawers and cabinets and all wall cabinet carcasses from melamine sheet. I was concerned about the quality of my sawing and of the iron-on melamine edging.

Eventually, I prepared a cutting list and got a local joinery to supply, cut and edgeband all melamine. It was cut to an accuracy of 0.1mm, the edgebanding was far superior to any iron-on stuff, there were no cutting errors and the total cost was only about $50 higher than I could have bought the melamine sheets. Sheet materials are much cheaper by the pallet!

And I did not have to breathe in any melamine or chipboard dust - a big bonus.

Since then, I have made several cabinets and have always subcontracted the supply, cutting and edgebanding of the melamine sheeting. It is cost effective and higher quality then I could do.

Originally Posted by Tonyz

been watching him for a while now, eccentric dude. reminds me of a science teacher at high school

Same here, he's got excellent solutions to everyday woodworking hurdles and must have given a good deal of thought to present logical steps in providing a

Some time ago I did the sums on the difference between buying all the components and processing or buying the flatpack on a 450mm wide pantry.
There was ~$15.00 dollars in it. Certainly not worth the time and effort not to mention the risk of a wrong cut etc. Have done about 6 kitchens since, all using flatpacks (Not the B ones!). Where there was an odd size required I bought the size up and trimmed.

I guess we are talking melamine? The reason I ask is there used to be a product called white board, which was a simple paper overlay not subject to chipping like melamine. If it is the old white board you are using, it will cut on any saw. If melamine, you are going to need a non chipping blade or a saw with a scribing blade. A sliding table saw makes life a lot easier when it comes to sheet cutting.
As has already been suggested, seeking outside assistance can be cost and time saving.

Originally Posted by auscab

I saw this the other day and thought it looked pretty good for cutting sheet stuff.

Cutting & Handling Plywood in a One-Person Shop - YouTube

I've a trestle exactly like this for the trailer.

It dismantles to get it out of the way, but mantled (hehe) it clicks over the edges of the trailer top. I carry sheets home easily with it.

Straps hold everything in place for the drive.

I can also leave the sheets on the trailer and do the preliminary cuts on it too.

Next I need a battery circular saw

If you're doing a once off ask the vendor of your sheet goods to cut them for you? Depending on number of cuts some will happily do it for you for free if its simple cuts, some charge $1 per cut.

If you're doing this regularly consider making a permanent bench, i've made one before that was fairly inexpensive using framing pine, it had two teirs for storing full sheets as well as a mdf cutting surface on top.

The best thing about the bench is it keeps your boards flat, and also also easy to move boards about, eg i would slide a sheet out rest it on something, i had one of those cheap roller stands. place the opposite end onto the surface of the bench and slide it onto the bench for breaking down with a track saw. Involves next to no lifting and definitely saved my back.

Originally Posted by grapeseed

I'm going to get stuck into making my own cabinet carcasses out of 2400x1200 whiteboard sheets. I've got an ancient table saw but it really doesn't seem to be the right tool for the job, especially me working on my own. Putting big sheets through it is just scary. I'm thinking it would have to be more sensible to use a circular saw..(?)

So I suppose I could clamp a straight piece of timber to my whiteboard to break it down with the circular saw. I see on YouTube some blokes using a fancier version of this...I believe they're called a "straight edge guide"?. Seem to be a lot better than messing around with clamps. Does anyone here use one? Are they any good?

Before a suggestion can be adequately made I'd me asking what are you making? Knowing that is the only way to answer.

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

…what are you making?

He’s making cabinet carcasses.

I made all my kitchen and bathroom cabinets the same way Graeme did. Had all the pieces cut and edge banded by Allboard Distributors. Then biscuit jointed them together.