Cutting A Lot Of Plywood

[Scott Coffelt]

I stick built a bar with my GSS system, in about a day and 1/2. I am building my kitchen cabinets with it as well. No need to cut twice, just measure and cut and I am done. No issues with time or repeatability using some simple measuring sticks. I get good clean cuts and edges. Much easier to take from truck to the saw horses. I do use my TS for the drawer material, but the cases themselves are all done via the GSS.

My brand of choice is Festool, but others work as well.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If you had a project which required a lot of plywood to cut what would you use to cut the plywood AND why?

Components of your question that have not been made clear:

Do you mean a machine that I own or a machine that I'd purchase?

And cut to what tolerances?

What does a "lot of plywood" mean?

Table saw - works, but cumbersome with full sheets.

Not if you build the saw inside a larger table ( lots of guys do this) so that you are never struggling to balance it while it's being cut

Add slider to saw - is there an aftermarket big enough to actually work?

Some guys like these things. I've heard they are quickly knocked out of alignment and gamey in use.

Panel saw - expensive, but dedicated to this task.

If you mean a sliding table saw it is not dedicated. Sliders happen to process sheet stock extremely well. But they are far from the most efficient.

Stand up type panel saws come in all flavors from the type they use at the BORG to break down your plywood for you to CNC Gladiators like the Streibig.

Guideded saw system (Festool/EZ) - expensive (Festool), time to set-up.

I've spent too many years clamping boards to plywood to break it down using a hand held circular saw to even consider this option.


If I were going to make a living cutting plywood or MDF and precision and speed were important I'd be looking at a Streibig. http://www.csaw.com/striebig/advant.html
There is nothing that competes with a CNC Streibig when it comes to prtecision and fast panel procesing. .

IF it were merely a domesticated volume that one might undertake to build one's own kitchen or such then I'd use that as an excuse to get a Felder or Hammer sliding saw.

[Dino Makropoulos]

I've spent too many years clamping boards to plywood to break it down using a hand held circular saw to even consider this option.


.

Hi Cliff.
Please, don't take this as another VS this and VS that.
Today's systems are much better than a usual straight edge.
Today's circular saws are very well made.

Here is a video that can help us all understand today's track system.
I know that I'm jumping into a fire but if I don't provide the correct info when the info from the other side is not up to date...it's simply not right.

Here is one of the latest videos that may help more people to be up to date with the ez system and very soon with others.

Cutting panels on the EZ PBB track saws vs tablesaw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwfU...e=channel_page

Cutting tapers on the ez PBB.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LgyejS7A5I

thanks
dino makropoulos
eurekazone

[Dick Sylvan]

#3 Way: Regular tablesaw. I'm not a huge fan of sliders. I've only used two that I thought were worth anything, but still not for what they cost, (out of probably ten or so different saws). One was an Altendorf, and I can't remember the other, but for $20k+ you're better off spending just a bit more on a good panel saw. I've seen used ones go for less than $10k though. I just really hate loading sheets onto a slider, far more so than just using a standard table saw.

I certainly don't like loading plywood onto anything, so what's new. If you think sliders aren't worth anything, then I would scratch my head and wonder if the rest of your comments are worth anything either.

[Jason White]

Don, if you're in Boston you're more than welcome to come over and play with my Festool saw for a bit to see if you like it.

Jason

Jud, thanks for the offer - but the house is in Boston.

I'm in the Navy and was transferred to Virginia last October. We have been unable to sell our house, so my family are still up there while I am down here in Portsmouth. We have been considering a kitchen make-over as it's the only room in the house that we didn't get to. I've already looked into outsourcing and in the area my house is in, it's over $15K for the cabinets alone.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I have about a month to make up my mind...still caught between a GSS, the styrofoam method, and a vertical panel cutter.

Be well,

Doc

[Jason White]

Dino, if you're going to advertise, please don't do it here!

Spend the money and do it someplace else.

Moderators??

Jason

Hi Cliff.
Please, don't take this as another VS this and VS that.
Today's systems are much better than a usual straight edge.
Today's circular saws are very well made.

Here is a video that can help us all understand today's track system.
I know that I'm jumping into a fire but if I don't provide the correct info when the info from the other side is not up to day...it's simply not right.

Here is one of the latest videos that may help more people to be up to date with the ez system and very soon with others.

Cutting panels on the EZ PBB track saws vs tablesaw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwfU...e=channel_page

Cutting tapers on the ez PBB.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LgyejS7A5I

thanks
dino makropoulos
eurekazone

[Dino Makropoulos]

Dino, if you're going to advertise, please don't do it here!

Spend the money and do it someplace else.

Moderators??

Jason

Jason,
People come to the forums for up to date info and new methods.
The reality is that you never know who is who and who they work for.
At least, you know me and I provided real visual info that may help others and future threads.
I deserve the right ( By US LAW and forum fairness ) to post and correct anything that provided wrong info about my tools.

thanks.