Hello Everyone,
I have some trim work ahead of me, and no table saw. I want, or should say need to rip about 3/4″ off of a 1 x 6 pirce of poplar. Is this possible with a circular saw?…safely?
Or do I need to Borrow/rent/Buy=) a table saw.
What are my options here?
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http://www.eurekazone.com
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26
It can be done quite safely. The easiest way is to use a rip guide on the circular saw like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000222W8/qid=1145713592/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-2297973-4026562?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=hi&v=glance&n=228013
I would set it up so the saw is riding on the larger piece rather than hanging over the edge. You can even protect the face of the wood with some masking tape.
Another way is to use a straight edge (which will do a slightly better job). I have an aluminum one that cost about $20.00, but you could use just about anything straight. Of course, the circular saw does leave blade marks along the edge that require more sanding to remove than if you used a table saw, but usually when I'm making these types of cuts a little imperfection doesn't matter.
Oh, and I always wear safety glasses when cutting with a circular saw.
-Don
Yesterday I ripped over 50 feet off of one edge of 2X6 ... it's a bit of a pain but you DEFINITELY don't need a table saw to do a very fine job. My own boards turned out absolutely perfect. As stated above, you need some kind of absolutely straight edge that is just high enough to 'ride' the outside edge of the saw base against. I use 5 ft. long metal holddown straps .. but most folks wouldn't just happen to have them around. But they're long and only about 3/16's of an inch thick and they're PERFECTLY straight and strong ... stiff. They're easy to quickly clamp into place on the face of the board to be cut and the saw rides along their edge without friction or catch. My point is that you need SOMETHING like this ... even a thin but known-to-be-perfectly-straight board that you can clamp down. I've done this quite a bit and if you have ANY natural sense of 'how things work' you'll be able to do it with good results. And I don't believe you need one of those guides .... even though it would be less fuss.
Terry
> Yesterday I ripped over 50 feet off of one edge of 2X6 Where the h@ll did you find a 50 foot 2x6???
At my yard they're in the row next to the plywood shed, where they keep the 8' x 24' sheets.
Piece of 3/4" ply, 3' straight piece of 1X, and two sawhorses. Center your saw on the ply, screw (or bolt) it to the ply with the heads countersunk, start it up, plunge the saw, lock it, turn it off, flip it upside down on the horses, and clamp the 1x to the ply for a fence. Takes about as much time to make a saw guide out of a piece of 1/4" MDF and a piece of ply, and you can rip all day long.
....who holds the trigger?[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
Mr Duktape, or Ms. Cabeltye.
Or Gumby Springclamp.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
tagline comments are temporarily suspended due to Percostte
Lots of good ways to skin this cat.
Rip fence with circ saw ($20 or less and very handy to own) works pretty darn good on rips up to 6" or so.
Use a straight edge and clamps. Can be store bought (again $20 or so) or a piece of straight angle iron, a rip from the 'factory edge' of a piece of ply, or I even use a long level clamped down in a pinch.
If you've got a spare sheet of plywood around you can make a 'shoot board' as well. I make one up a couple times of year on site when I need to make a few accurate rips and don't feel like dragging the table saw out. These work really well to. I just made one up last Thursday to rip down 4 sheets of MDO to 11 7/8" to use as rake soffits. If you need help, I can talk you through that one too.
Lots of good ways to skin this cat.
Here is another one.
click the image to see the video.
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You mean you have a chance to buy a tool and you're wondering if you can avoid it?????? Sounds like you've been on the wagon too long ;-)
Seriously, though, if you've only got one piece, then the circ saw would be the more cost effective way to go (using one of the techniques already mentioned). If you've got several hundred feet, spring for the tablesaw and don't look back...
"Is this possible with a circular saw?...safely?"
yes.
and firebird still needs to know who's gonna pull the trigger ...
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Just hold your fingers on the table and shut your eyes. Let the saw do the work.
If you have to ask this question, you probably don't have enough experience with a saw to be working alone.
blue
Yes there are a number of was to rip with a circular saw as described in this forum. IMHO if you are graduating to finish work you will not regret picking up a portable table saw. Even a cheap one will do the ripping you want, and will save setup time and agravation.
I have quiet often pulled out the old adjustable scratch stock, scribed a line then focused on the rip more intently than usual, I'd say with a little plane work to get out the saw marks you can get very acceptable dimensional stock.
You can toe nail a piece of equal thickness along side to help stabilize the saw foot.
But you do have to know how to use a plane.
I agree with Blue on this one. If you gotta ask this question, you need either a good book or the owners manual from the saw or better yet a person smarter than the saw to show you.
Some if not all us here do it second nature from yrs. of doing it every which way from Sunday.
Ripping can be full of suprises, warped stock, wrong blade, and my favorite stepping on yer cord. All can result in unwanted finger shortening. Much more so than a simple cross cut.
I think Diesel needs to hire him and show him the bigfoot..that'll get his learning exp. off on a good foot...hmm, I better rephrase that. A good start. (G)
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
tagline comments are temporarily suspended due to Percostte
Thanks guys for all your good advice. I was away for the weekend and am just now reading all of these. I asked because I am always cornered in many projects due to not being able to rip stock. I have found a lumber yard that will rip it down for you but sometimes you need to keep tweaking the width of something till you get it right and those trips can be time consuming. Also, the dude who does the rips for me is starting to look like he wants to put me on the saw =). I will eventually buy a table saw when I can afford it.I am going to borrow a table saw from my cousin. I started to look at other ways of doing it and just diddn't feel comfortable with it. Not saying any advice is not good, maybe just beyond my skill level with dangerous tools. As much as I appreciate the McGyveresque way of doing things some have mentioned, I am just not comfortable enough around this stuff yet.Thanks again
Andrew
While it's good to know your limits Andrew, don't think for a second that you're taking a step back on the "danger scale" by using a table saw. They're probably the source of more carpenter injuries than anything else. Just be cautious, is all I'm saying.View Image
Thanks, I do realize that. I've been hanging around here long enough now to realize that table saws are a very dangerous tool. I always take my time, and realize taht complacency can be VERY dangerous."Oh, this is the worst-looking hat I ever saw. What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, it looks good on you though."
Well, ripping with a shooting board or straight edge is a helleva lot more comfortable for someone in your position than trying it on a tablesaw.If you are goingt to use a tablesaw - then make sure you have a ripping (24th) or combo blade - it'll make all the difference in the world.For you, the best equipment would be a good circular saw with a decent blade and a straightedge or shooting board - you'll be able to do what you want easily and stay in control at all times. The shooting board is a very simple concept - not at all McGyveresque or complex.You can find decent Makita or Porter Cable or Milwaukee circ saws on Ebay for $45-65 every day.Good luck,Julian
One other option... I see you listed as being in the NE. If perchance you're in CT, come on over to my shop, be glad to help you out or give you some tutorials on using either a TS or the SmartGuide (my preferred weapon for what you're doing).
PaulB
Paul,
I am in Boston, unfortunatly. That is a very generous offer. If I am ever going to be in your area for work or whatever, I'll send you an Email.
Andrew
For a safer way to go than a table saw, look to the first two responses to your question.
-- J.S.
"I agree with Blue on this one. If you gotta ask this question, you need either a good book or the owners manual from the saw or better yet a person smarter than the saw to show you."I agree as well. I have been considering taking classes in Boston on the weekends at a well known carpentry school. Class is 900 smakers though. Best part is they include lots of shop time. Would be good for me, as I do love this stuff, and I don't think my intrest in this will fade ever.
North Bennett Street school?
Oh man, if I ever had the time or the money I'd go there and take their cabinet/furniture making program. I believe it's a full 8 semesters. Great school, if that's where you're talking about.View Image
Thats the place. I live right down the street. I walk by every day. I figure maybe when I finish fixing my apartment I'll be bored on the weekends (I can't sit still), and signing up for a saturday class wwill be just what I need. Plus, when I'm done buying tile and doors and crown molding, I will have some extra cash. I was going to take a general class that deals with working with large shop tools and general carpentry. They also have a furniture class wich covers all the different dovetail joints and cabinets etc .BTW, sorry about the stupid tagline, I keep meaning to delete that