Woodworkers - Stand Question
- Thread starter gt93pony
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damonbrodie
New member
Depends on what saws you have available. Table saw would be best, but after that clamping a straightedge to the piece and put he circular saw against that as a guide to keep it straight. You are right free hand would be a mess.
salty joe
Active member
To cut a hole in plywood, my first choice would be a clamped straight edge and circular saw. Table saws are great, I use mine all the time but when I need precision I prefer clamped guides and my circle saw.
I just have a regular contractor table saw, not the big honking stationary table saw you'd see in a cabinet shop with huge table and super fence.
Trust me, with a little care you can be precise and accurate with a circle saw and clamped edge.
mneville277
New member
My usual go-to in this case would be a plunge router with a guide (or frame clamped to the workpiece) and a 1/16" or 1/8" spiral upcut bit. Depending on whether you wanted to use the removed material for a door and your choice of hinges will determine the width. Multiple passes in 1/8" steps leaves a clean line.
Not a fan of using a table saw or circular saw for this type of cut. You have to factor in the depth of cut and the radius of the blade to prevent cutting too far, then you have to finish the ends of the cut as the bottom (for a table saw) or top (circular saw) of your cut could be 1/4" to 3/4" longer than the reverse depending on the thickness of your material.
Your jigsaw could also be just fine depending on the care you take. Using the proper blade and a clamped-on guide or straightedge, if you let the tool do the work and you just guide it there, your cuts can be just as clean as any other method.
Not a fan of using a table saw or circular saw for this type of cut. You have to factor in the depth of cut and the radius of the blade to prevent cutting too far, then you have to finish the ends of the cut as the bottom (for a table saw) or top (circular saw) of your cut could be 1/4" to 3/4" longer than the reverse depending on the thickness of your material.
Your jigsaw could also be just fine depending on the care you take. Using the proper blade and a clamped-on guide or straightedge, if you let the tool do the work and you just guide it there, your cuts can be just as clean as any other method.
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+1, that's what I do also, but depending on Ply it could be tough so go slow.
Router table could also be of assistance.
A good jigsaw will let you do this. Most folks don't appreciate what a nice jig saw can accomplish - I didn't. As for me, I'd have no problems doing this with my jig saw. I'd set up a guides and be done with it. With the right blade you don't need pilot holes or anything complicated.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2416181
Post #8 and 9. I free handed this cut, but for door openings I'd do the same thing but use a straight edge and clamps. You can get blades that don't splinter the wood and make precise cuts.
However, most folks find it easier to do with a router. If you have a spiral bit use that along with some guides to keep straight lines. You'd have to make multiple passes I'm sure if you are using 3/4" ply.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2416181
Post #8 and 9. I free handed this cut, but for door openings I'd do the same thing but use a straight edge and clamps. You can get blades that don't splinter the wood and make precise cuts.
However, most folks find it easier to do with a router. If you have a spiral bit use that along with some guides to keep straight lines. You'd have to make multiple passes I'm sure if you are using 3/4" ply.
In the picture below, I free-handed it with a circle saw. Well, most of the cut anyway.
I penciled an outline, repeatably checked it to make sure everything was square and even on both sides.
Then I used a circle saw to free-hand the majority of each side. It was easy to do. I didn't actually "sit" the saw on the board. I just held it (and the safty-chamber-thing "up") and moved the blade along the pencil line.
I stopped before I got to each corner though. Like mneville277 said, you have to, or you will have a "gouge" going past your corner.
I then used a jig saw to finish each cut. Was pretty simple.
I will say, I didn't have to be exact dead on, since the doors I made are bigger than the window...
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I penciled an outline, repeatably checked it to make sure everything was square and even on both sides.
Then I used a circle saw to free-hand the majority of each side. It was easy to do. I didn't actually "sit" the saw on the board. I just held it (and the safty-chamber-thing "up") and moved the blade along the pencil line.
I stopped before I got to each corner though. Like mneville277 said, you have to, or you will have a "gouge" going past your corner.
I then used a jig saw to finish each cut. Was pretty simple.
I will say, I didn't have to be exact dead on, since the doors I made are bigger than the window...
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salty joe
Active member
A jigsaw could work, not my favorite tool for a straight cut though. No doubt, a plunge router will yield a finer edge. I usually only get mine out for cutting a sink opening in a wooden counter top or making cabinet doors or joinery, which is only occasionally. I should probably use it more and master the router.
If you do use a circular saw, I'd keep the foot of the saw flat against your work and hold the saw with both hands and let the safety slide as intended. Wear safety glasses.
More than one way to skin a cat. Good luck!
If you do use a circular saw, I'd keep the foot of the saw flat against your work and hold the saw with both hands and let the safety slide as intended. Wear safety glasses.
More than one way to skin a cat. Good luck!
sleepydoc
Team RC
It depends on how nice you want it to look (and what kind of doors you will have covering the opening. For a straight cut, a guide with either a router or a circular saw would be best. As others have said, you can use a jig saw as well. The blade can wander a bit, but that usually isn't an issue with straight cuts.
The router will cause less tear out on the the cross-grain cuts, followed by the circular saw and then the jig saw. You can reduce the tear out by scoring the surface with a utility knife before making the cut. If you use a circular saw, you'll have to finish up the corners with a different saw (hand or jig,) that may make the appearance less uniform.
What kind of doors were you planning on having? If the doors are going to cover the opening, it's less of an issue if the cut's not perfect.
The router will cause less tear out on the the cross-grain cuts, followed by the circular saw and then the jig saw. You can reduce the tear out by scoring the surface with a utility knife before making the cut. If you use a circular saw, you'll have to finish up the corners with a different saw (hand or jig,) that may make the appearance less uniform.
What kind of doors were you planning on having? If the doors are going to cover the opening, it's less of an issue if the cut's not perfect.
I've made splinter free straight cuts with proper jig saw blade and guide. I'd put a well setup jig saw vs a circular saw any day for this type of accurate cut.
Most folks' experience with jig saw is a cheap one. A good one is a precision instrument and with a track/straight edge can make true and straight cuts. Really.
Most folks' experience with jig saw is a cheap one. A good one is a precision instrument and with a track/straight edge can make true and straight cuts. Really.
EvenFurther
New member
I used a circular saw on a clamped guide.
A GOOD jig saw or hand saw is the most appropriate tool for this. Setting up a circular saw to do this neatly and safely is a complete waste of time. A router is not a bad second choice, but it's still much more fussing than is necessary. With either of those methods, you're still going to have to do some cleaning up (probably with a jig saw or hand saw).
I've cut perfect-fitting dovetail joints with a good (Bosch 1582) jig saw. Smooth, straight cuts are no problem at all with a decent machine.
I've cut perfect-fitting dovetail joints with a good (Bosch 1582) jig saw. Smooth, straight cuts are no problem at all with a decent machine.
