Table Saw Basics – How to Cut Large Pieces
Table Saw Basics – How to Cut Large Pieces
My preference is to cut full sheets with them set on saw horses and use a circular saw, especially for thicker material. But if I have the space clear and lower my expectations on the quality of the cut, I will do it on the table saw. The important parts are knowing how to hold it as you feed it through and what to watch – the fence – to make sure it stays in contact with it.
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My garden is on a weird slope and when it rains (which it does a lot) it turns into a muddy swamp, so I currently have nowhere I can cut large sheets, and have to either buy smaller sheets, or get them a sheet at a time and pre-cut at the big hardware store, which always works out more expensive. My neighbour has offered me an old semi knackered shed, its walls are in a reasonable state, but it needs a new roof and floor, so the plan is while building a new floor to make it way bigger than I need, to create a flat, decked area in front of the shed, with a retractable cover, just for cutting larger sheets, and once repaired i’ll use the old shed as a wood store, as my two little home workshop areas have zero space as it is, that way I can get larger sheets delivered, store them and cut them at my leisure 🙂
I use the roller stands and they make a huge difference. But nothing beats the track saw except a giant table in a huge shop and a $2000 table saw lol
I might be a super noob for only having 6 months of woodworking under my belt but it feels nice knowing this is exactly how I deal with full sheets lol. Taking wins when I can get em.
I felt like girly girl before watching this video, because I always ask the associate at Home Depot to cut my sheet of MDF in half. I always hated cutting my sheet on the table saw. It just feel so awkward.
I also prefer to pre cut with a skill saw and guide. But remember, the clean cut is on the bottom so good side down.
Track saws are the way to go when breaking down sheet goods. Even a cheap one (Kreg) will do the job. No more out feed tables, wrestling a sheet of 3/4 ply, or making sure you have space in your shop.
Need to ask Santa for some roller stands.
I always break down full sheets on sawhorses.
When I buy full sheets, I lay them in the bed of my pickup and then I slide it directly from my bed of the truck to my table saw easy to handle no issues.
I’m like you… Full sheets almost never make their way into the shop. I cut them as they’re coming off the truck. Just takes up too much room in the shop. Good tips John.
After that lecture about not stopping halfway through to reposition stuff…..
I really like how you explain things in a simple manner. Thanks, very much
What saw is it?
Me too! I love this type of videos, it’s the only training I can get to learn how to safely and properly use my table saw. Thanks!
The way I do it I let the big Box store rip it
That’s exactly my approach. Plus I always have even more crap behind. 😉
Great tips John! Thanks for sharing them with us!💖👍👌😎JP
Anyone ever done a 8x8ft table with miter slots at four and eight ft for feather boards and an external switch? That be crazy and big but pretty nice?
I love a foot on and off switch in line when doing this task, makes it a breeze 🤌
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
sliding table saw…
My preference is to cut full sheets with them set on saw horses and use a circular saw, especially for thicker material. But if I have the space clear and lower my expectations on the quality of the cut, I will do it on the table saw. The important parts are knowing how to hold it as you feed it through and what to watch – the fence – to make sure it stays in contact with it.
Old guy at my local lumberyard cut’s 4×8 stock down by himself. I’ve asked if he wanted help before but, he say’s doing it by himself is safer. You can almost hear his bones creak when he lugs a full sheet of 3/4 MDF onto the saw table. I can and have cut down full sheets plenty of times alone but, usually get the yard to cut them down because they won’t fit inside my 2d Jeep Wrangler. If I need a lot of full sheets I just have them deliver and cut them myself. It’s really not that hard with an out feed table.
Those cabinets take up a huge amount of space in your shop. No telling how many square feet.
Thanks for this. About to make my first large plywood cut. Good on ya John, very useful!
You must have gotten that sheet with the staple at Home Depot.
that’s how I do it. in my family to not use the table saw would be a cop out but then again my father lost a finger to the table saw and so did his father so maybe i should learn to be a chicken and use the skill saw. haha
Sheet goods are way to expensive right now. I just paid $30 for a 24×48 birch ply. All future projects with ply are on hold for a while.
I try to figure out a
good size to pre-cut the sheet and have it ripped at the lumber store. Even if they charge for the cuts, it’s a lot easier than throwing your back out !
I dig the shirt
I did it this way before I knew anything. Now I have the big box store cut it down for me.
Very informative. Thank you.
I did the same cut for the first time a couple of weeks ago on a sheet of OSB using my small dewalt jobsite saw. Now I’m positive that I’ll be using my circular saw next time I have to do one of these. Not worth it for me.
I guess safety was thrown out of the window?
Someone on YT made a nifty attachment to some generic track saw track that made it as simple as drawing your line, placing the track on the line and cutting with a circ saw. Or a couple clamps on a nice straight piece of steel/al. Way to easy to get kickback on the ts for most of us without large infeed.
Sweet T-shirt John! 🤘🏻
Over 1Million YIPPEE!!!!!!! John, well done my friend keep up the great works from 🇬🇧 uk 👌🏼
I like to measure a little fat and then re-cut the smaller work piece to the line using the factory edge against the fence.
Well now I’m wondering why I ever thought I wanted to rip full sheets on a table saw. What was I thinking? I’ll just keep using that old aluminum bleacher bench as a circular saw fence.
Great vid
HI……. Is not good Aida to cut full shit of plywood on table saw it’s happened one time to me so i am lucky because the blade broken…… Thanks for the information
Van Halen shirt…. you are mi idol✌️👍🏻for Wood passion and Music!! Thx a lot for videos, Great Talent! Amazing channel!,,,
Interesting video. Thanks for this. I don’t have a table saw, but intend to get one next year, so this is invaluable.
As a side note, I keep expecting an outro, but there isn’t one. Always throws me 😁
Skillfully done, John.
But there’s so little room for error, it scares me.
I tried to cut an 8 x 4 sheet of 18mm MDF on a table saw once before, never again, I did not feel safe doing it that way so I’ve stuck with sawhorses and a circ saw ever since, much safer for me.
I never knew your shop wasn’t that big. What’s your size of the shop? I see how much you do out of yours and wondering for my future shop. Thanks bud!!
Am I the only one who gets excited when John posts a new video. Always spot on with everything. True enjoyment to watch a genius at work. So informative. Thanks big guy.
Now show us how you crosscut that 2 x 8 board.
I only do it with helper
i was cutting plywood today and my instructor got me to use a 2 by 4 as a guard