Shop-built Panel Saws

[Wayne Cannon]

I would appreciate your recommendations and experiences with shop-built panel saws, plans, and issues?

I want to retire my sliding table. I have PSI's "Portable Panel Saw" (a ball-bearing saw carriage that rides 5' and 9' saw guides made of 2" aluminum angle stock atop a 1/4" ply guide/platform) that work quites well -- to the point that I have trouble believing that the Festool setup could be that much better to justify its higher price (although I keep hearing awfully good reports, so it's tempting).

However, the reduced setup time and (hopefully) the ability to make repeatable final cuts with a stop make me lean towards building a panel saw. I like the plans I've seen from Rockler/Popular Woodworking for a panel saw with a wood material frame and a saw carriage and guide frame out of heavy aluminum stock extrusions, brackets, and hardware.

I can't justify the $2K-$4K for a commercial panel saw; although the hours to build one probably cost quite a bit more were I not retired.

Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with this particular panel saw plan? Or with any other? How about Saw Trax? Can I expect to get accuracy for finished sizes (e.g., 1/32") with one?

[Joe Chritz]

1/32 should be attainable but I wouldn't really consider that accurate for case goods.

Lots will depend on what you want to do. If it is just for knocking down boards to run on the table saw it will do great. If you are looking to make square panels from it I don't think the accuracy would be satisfactory.

However, I imagine that the raw accuracy would be a function of how well and careful it is assembled.

Joe

[Joe Jensen]

I used to be a Festool disbeliever. I now own one for breaking down large sheets. I think the reason it's very close to what a scoring saw delivers is the rubber strip that presses against the wood right where the blade exits the wood. I get essentially zero chipping with all sheet goods. I think this strip makes it more effective than a slider that doesn't have a scoring blade.

If you don't need edge banding ready sheet goods, I think a panel saw would be fine, and I don't think the commercial ones would deliver any more than a shop built saw.

Having said all that, if I had the space, I'd have a large slider with a scoring blade. Might not have a wife anymore but I'm not sure that would matter to me

[Ben Cadotte]

The Milwaukee panel saw can be had from Amazon for $900 when they run Milwaukee specials. It does not have the wider frame but can easilly be "customized" or the extensions purchased. I considered the Home built one. Then found a good one used (didn't buy it though). I am still looking for one just priorities keep getting in the way. I figured to build a shop made one looking at $500 or so if you get a new saw. So I think I would rather start with the small Milwaukee and go from there.

As for home made ones, there is a newer version somewhere where the saw carriage slides for rips vs. pulling the panel. Would take up 1/2 the space as the other homebuilt, or purchased saws. Can't remember which magazine had the newer version though.

[Dave Burris]

Shopnotes #88 has plans for a panel saw that looks to be pretty nice. I have thought about building on for myself but I need to spend the money on other tools like a planer.

[Prashun Patel]

U might consider the Eurekazone system. It's quite a bit 'cheaper' and every bit as accurate. It's also quite a bit more versatile than a panel saw. Frankly I don't see that a p-saw gives much time saved vis-a-vis a circsaw+guided system; the hardest part is hoisting the sheet into place on either. But the cutting is a breeze on either.

[Dave Burris]

Is this the ez smart system?

[Mike Goetzke]

Here's how I cut my panels up now - after I got too chicken/smart to try to manhandle it on my TS anymore:



I don't need to lift the sheets anymore. I slide them from my Suburban onto the rack deep in the garage then when needed slide them onto my panel cutting system (EZ-Smart system).

I originally bought the system to size the panels close and then finish to size on my TS but have found the system to be very accurate and don't need to re-cut them on the TS.

Mike

[Tom Veatch]

Shopnotes #88 has plans for a panel saw that looks to be pretty nice. I have thought about building on for myself but I need to spend the money on other tools like a planer.

I built the Shop Notes #4 version and am generally pleased with it, but don't like the fixed blade position for rip cuts - have the slide the sheet past the blade which means a minimum of 16 feet of wall space plus handling room to make a full rip cut - nor the fact that when I built it I didn't modify it to get an extra foot of height to handle 5x5 Baltic Birch. Also, I don't think the carriage/saw arrangement is quite stable enough to make finish cuts. I think most of the flexibility is in the frame of the circular saw that I'm using. Whatever the reason, I generally add 3/32 - 1/8" for rough cuts and make the finish cut with the table saw. Hopefully the #88 version and a heavier, sturdier circular saw will give better repeatability.

My neighbor has been casting lustful eyes at the one I have so I'm giving serious consideration to replacing it with the #88 version and passing the #4 version on to him. Already started filling the hardware bill of materials.

Now as soon as I finish the current order from SWMBO for 6 bookcases ...

[Tom Veatch]

...As for home made ones, there is a newer version somewhere where the saw carriage slides for rips vs. pulling the panel. Would take up 1/2 the space as the other homebuilt, or purchased saws. Can't remember which magazine had the newer version though.

Shop Notes Issue 88

[Dave Burris]

The main reason I was thinking about the #88 panel saw was my major lack of floor space. In your opinion, do you think a panel saw ( in general any ) would be worth the time as opposed to some kind of setup/breakdown center like the EZ Start?

[Brian Backner]

I'm in the process of building the SN #88 panel saw as I have a large kitchen full of cabinets to build. As my table saw is in the basement, I decided a panel saw to break down the plywood for final dimensioning before lumping it down the bulkhead made a lot of sense.

As mentioned above, I intend to make my version a foot taller so it can handle 5'x5' baltic birch plywood as well.

The plan is to build it so it can be hinged from the garage ceiling so it can be folded up and out of the way when not it use. To ensure that the frame will be stiff enough to handle such a non-fixed installation, the frame will be made from bolted together uni-strut. While individual pieces of strut can be flexed, it takes quite a bit of pressure; when bolted together, they will easily support my weight (235#) without discernible deflection.

One of the things I discovered early on is that 1/2-13 bolt heads cannot be manipulated inside the "U" of the strut - there's not enough room to get either a socket or even an open end wrench onto it. I ended up using socket head cap screws instead. This works just fine as long as you have hex key sockets for your ratchet. Interestingly, the nylon-insert locknuts I'm using are small enough to allow use of even a box wrench within the strut channel - go figure.

If bolting proves to be inadequate, I'll tack weld the 49-odd attachment points between the vertical and horizontal frame members. I will use 2x3's or even 2x4's for the sacrificial strips on which the plywood will rest and be cut.

Just remember that welding galvanized steel (which it virtually the only way steel strut is available) releases some seriously nasty fumes and requires a positive air pressure welding mask!

Brian

[Wayne Cannon]

I saw the EZ-Smart system advertised, but couldn't make out very well how it works. Would you mind describing it a bit?

[jim oakes]

The shop notes 88 looks great, ideal for 10" of space, might get complicated to build. I wonder how accurate it is and does it stay true and flat?

Here's how I made my simple and cheap panel saw. Picture a 5' high by 10' long table saw table tilted up against the wall.The "fence" is fixed an inch or two off the floor. The saw slides up or down and locks in a track.The blade is always parallel to the fence (the saw base doesn't swivel) Rips are easy. It's harder to crosscut say 1' or less off a full sheet because you have 7' above the blade, but I jamb a wedge in the kerf for this. It is still way more accurate and easier than balancing on a table saw and pushing into the fence. After all gravity is pushing the panel down to the fence at all times.
I get + or - 1/64" or better accuracy everytime since I built it 5 years ago. I used a good solid (no bearing wobble) saw like the Porter Cable 324 and $50 in plywood and aluminum for a great $170 panel saw. You need about 18' of space to rip 8' panels and 9' ceilings to crosscut,but it works great.

[Tom Veatch]

... In your opinion, do you think a panel saw ( in general any ) would be worth the time as opposed to some kind of setup/breakdown center like the EZ Start?

Panel saw if you have the floor/wall space to accommodate it. I admit that I'm not familar with the EZ Start so I can't make any comparison. My pre-panel saw breakdown technique involved a couple of sawhorses, 3 or 4 2x4s, and a straight edge.

By the time I cleared the floor space, set up the horses and 2x4s, wrestled the sheet of ply on top of all of it, readjusted the supports, marked the cut, lined up the straight edge, etc., etc., I was tired, supper was cold, and my enthusiasm for the project had mostly disappeared. Then, it all had to be cleared and put away to regain the floor space.

Someone in a previous post alluded to there being no difference in time requirements. I don't find that to be the case. I don't think I'd want to be without a panel saw now that I've got one - homemade as it is.