How do u cut large sheets of ply?

[redelephant]

Is there a better way to cut 4'x8' sheets than laying them on the ground over some 2x4s, clamping on straight guides, and cutting with a handheld circular saw?

Winter is here, and I gotta start cutting indoors in my woodshack, but floor space is slight.

I'd like to build a removable tabletop with spacers or some kind of support for making such cuts. Perhaps even a vertical mounted jig on the wall where I can put a sheet and cut it with my circular saw.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Jazz P Bass]

If you have the space why not invest in a small table saw?
Probably a lot safer.

[redelephant]

Thnx for reply. I have a decent 12 inch table saw, and I can cut smaller sheets with it as well as trim the cuts made with the hand held. But a large 4 x 8' sheet is way too big for it. I dont cut enough to invest in a larger table and want some jig for my hand held circular saw.

[defaced]

Yea, 4x8 is exceedingly unwieldy to cut by yourself on a table saw. Personally I think it's dangerous to cut it at all on a table saw because of the chances of kickback are very high with a piece that big, but that's me.

Recently I ran across "track mounted" circular saws. Basically a special circular saw body mounted to a 4' track. I seem to recall them being expensive though, but they might be worth looking at if only for ideas. You could probably rig up something solid kinda like these:

http://www.rjbaudio.com/misc/Circula...20in%20use.jpg
Maybe take that idea and add another layer of MDF to "capture' the top of the saw fence so the saw can't fall away from the work if you cut with the wood vertical.

http://www.instructables.com/image/F...ght-Cuttin.jpg

[J M Fahey]

When cutting chipboard inside an appartment (God, how the neighbours hated me) , planks larger than yours, 6x8.5 feet, I propped them against the wall, separated by some wooden struts, and cut them roughly into pieces I could handle.
Did not even *try* to make those cuts "definitive", just hand followed a pencil line, the time for precision, squaring, etc., was later, on the table saw.
First raised *one* end, to be able to start from below, cutting somewhat over a foot, then lowered that end so the plank was firmly on the ground and finished cutting upwards. It was the (relatively) safest way.
Rising the full plank would be very unstable or dangerous, raising only one end and cutting just a little starter first, was reasonable.
Do not try to cut definitive parts in that first pass, just split the plank into 3 or 4 useful pieces.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Go over to any lumber, decent cabinet or counter top shop and ask them to rip the sheet to dims you need with their vertical panel saw or table saw...
it will save you lots of time and not cost as much as you think compared to the hassle of using a circular saw! YIKES.
We used to do it for 25 cents a cut when I ran the cabinet shop.
Yeah my table saw has GIGANTIC out feed and side tables but so will theirs.
It's unlikely anyone will do it for that 25 cents now but I bet it will be inexpensive.

[Kazooman]

I like to work with good quality Baltic birch plywood. A better grade than what the big box places like Lowes or Home Depot carry. The lumber yard where I buy the 5' X 5' size sheets charges more for the higher quality stock, but they will do the rip cuts on their saw (like in the picture above) for free. I have also gotten free cuts from them with the usual 4' X 8' ply just by asking nicely. It helps to show up when they are not too busy.

I agree that cutting a 4' X 8' sheet of plywood on a home shop table saw is very dangerous. When I have to do such a cut I do use a circular saw with a good plywood blade. I clamp the sheet to my bench top and support the overhanging piece with sawhorses (I made my set equal to my bench height for just this purpose). I made a simple jig to make the cuts easier to set up. It is just a good straight piece of scrap for a fence glued to a scrap piece of 1/4" ply. When the glue is dry you just clamp the fence part to your bench with the ply overhanging and cut off the excess plywood with your saw and the plywood blade you will use in the future. Now you can align the edge of the jig with the desired cut line without having to measure and compensate for the width of the base on the saw (remember to allow for the width of the saw kerf).

[redelephant]

Thanks for tips folks. Thnx Kazooman, I use that kind of home made guide also, got that tip some years ago.
My main problem is the support to lay the sheet on for cutting.
I have a problem in the way I conduct this hobby. I live a ways from the nearest lumberyard/woodshop, and work too many hours at the job that pays. So I end up doing the stuff I wish I did in the day time during night time. Probably just like most of you other guys.
Some evenings when I know I only have an hour or so left I can't get myself to start a project...Having simpler ways of doing some laborous chores would ease that threshold I think.

Basically I am going to absorb more info from various sites/magazines/books and try to rebuild my woodshack so it is more functional.

[Joe L]

I buy a 2" thick sheet of 4 X 8 insulation, you know, the blue stuff from the big box stores. Throw it on the ground and set your cut to only go a bit through the plywood you are cutting and you can reuse it indefinately.

I have the same problem as you do, a too small shop and a weakness for deals on power tools. In my one car garage I have:

Contractor saw with router table wing
Delta dust collector
Rigid 6" jointer
Delta mid sized drill press
14" band saw
Dewalt 12" dual bevel miter saw
Dewalt planer
Norm's "Garage Workshop Cabinets"
Misc. shelves.

Yes, its tight. I have to pull out half the shop for a days work.

..Joe L

[Steve Conner]

I have a one bedroom apartment. If I want to do any serious woodwork, I have to pay a visit to my parents and do it in their garage.

I'm lucky if I complete one amp per year, and I tend to buy ready-made cabinets or just use an old solid-state amp as a donor.

The blue foam insulation trick is a great one, I'll remember it I'm not sure if that stuff is available in Europe or what it's called. Rigid foam insulation or something.

[J M Fahey]

I have a one bedroom apartment.

When I "went free", meaning away from Dad and Mom (don't ask the geological era) I only could rent a single room apartment.
I did have a "friendly neighbourhood carpenter" close by.
¿Problem solved, you say?
Not quite.
This colorful guy (a Spanish Civil War refugee) lived in a black and white world, no grey for him.
If he cut a piece of wood in , say, up to 5 pieces, he was "selling wood" and charged very little; if he went over that he was "making furniture" with 10x the price, so I asked for the largest cuts first until I saw him frown , said thanks, and finished cutting whatever was needed at home, on the dinner table , with a jig saw , riding along a piece of wood. I did not even have a circular saw .
The good old times.
At least I had hair, lots of it.

[Casey4s]

I have a great table saw, but I seldom cut a full size sheet of lplywood because it is so hard to control by myself. So I often cut the sheet down to a manageable size with a hand saw then get the piece on the table saw. There is more waste somtimes if you aren't careful.

Just a thought...