Panel saw

[Bob Huddleston]

Has anyone made a panel saw? Bought one? Am tired of trying to cut four by eights with a circular saw, or, even more dangerous, ripping them on a table saw. Thanks.

[Neil Clemmons]

I use a guided circular saw and find it works very well. Mine happens to be Festool, but there are other alternatives. I find for the times when I need to break down full sheets of plywood it does a very good job and yet does not take a lot of shop space or effort.

If you want to build a panel saw, the current issue of Shopnotes has plans for making one - it looks very well built with a bill of materials list of around $350 plus a circular saw. Issue is Volume 15, Number 88.

Good luck -

Neil

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I built the other style of panel saw that was in Shopnotes about 15 years ago. It's a very clever design and works well. The plans and kit are still available from Shopnotes at http://www.woodsmithstore.com/panelsawkit.html

Over the years, I made a couple of minor improvements, but overall, I'm happy with it. It folds up to fit flat against the wall, and the circular saw can be removed for handheld work if needed. The kit and wood are probably around $275 not including a circular saw. Here's a pic from Shopnotes website...

-Jeff

[glenn bradley]

I envy you guys that cut enough sheet goods to make this an issue. No sarcasm. I really need to spend more time making stuff and less time fixing up the shop. Hey, I've only been here about 9 months, maybe I should give myself a break(?).

[Todd Schwartz]

Jeffrey - giving serious consideration to building this panel saw. Tired of crawling on the floor or embarking the ever elusive teenager. Pulled the old ShopeNotes out last night.

Reading through the plans, I am not sure if I will be able to cut a 5' baltic birch sheet. I assume I will be able to rip it, but do you know if I can also cross cut it.

Also, you mentioned some small modifications - any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks,

Todd

[Matt Meiser]

There was also a recent panel saw build in either Home Shop Machinist or Machinist's Workshop magazine. I bought a copy while travelling because I thought it was interesting--I'll see if I can find it. If I can find my copy I'd be glad to send it to you. Their web site is worthless as there is no index information for recent issues and no information on back issues.

However, I would give serious thought to a guide system. They take up very little storage space when not in use. A panel saw takes up a lot of room. Take a look at the one at a Lowes for example. That's a pretty good sized one, but you still need room on both sides of the carriage for loading/unloading. I'd guess you probably need somewhere close to 12-16' of wall space? The guide systems can also make angled cuts which you can't do with a panel saw and can easily be taken with you to a job site.

[Jim Becker]

I concur that a guided saw system such as the Festool (my choice) or EZ-Smart is the way to go for most folks needing a "panel saw" setup in a small shop setting. That and a sheet of 2" foam insulation makes for an easy to use cutting operation.

[Todd Schwartz]

Thanks Matt - if it is a HomeShop Machinist I can most likely find a copy, there is a side of my family that is into metalworking.

I really am looking for a panel saw - been using the guides and measuring, remeasuring, clamping and cutting. Cutting a 5'x5' sheet down to 1'x2' pieces is a lot of measuring and cutting. Plus, it is time for a new project, I have the room and I will benefit from a panel saw for a long time.

Looks like I will need to pull out issue 88 of ShopNotes as well.

Appreciate all the feedback, keep it coming, that is the cool part of this forum.

Todd

[Grady Cowardin]

I would think the only part that would be hard to come by would be the carriage. The one at HD uses roller bushings aranged around a ring in a nice tight config. They are angled inward around the ring and that is the critical spot for precision. I assume you could also align bearings with their shaft perpendicular to the rails as long as their outer surface stayed flat and true. I don't see why a rail setup could so be used such as the EZ sytem etc. The kit linked calls for electrical conduit, a more complicated setup. If one could find those bushings/bearings the rest seems relatively straightforward to come up with. My new company has a full machine/fab shop out back but I have yet to put it to much use. I am about to rip/cut some 3/4 ply for a router cabinet and hopefully I can get the guys at the borg to cut my sheet to my dimensions before I leave as my cruddy circ saw and basic aluminum guides are the opposite of precise. Would definitely be cool to have a panel saw in the shop, especially seeing how it could be setup to only take up a modicum of space.

[Jim Hoelzel]

I have the small Safety Speed Cut (C-4). I have had a the much bigger H-6, but it really takes up a lot of space. The small C-4 is a very useful tool if you work by yourself with sheet goods. I do not think it will cross cut a 60 in. panel though??? Think it is only 50 in. tall.

I have used the saw/guide systems, and they work very well if you have the space to lay a sheet flat on saw horses.

Jim

[Tyler Purcell]

If you really want a real panel saw, you're going to have to talk to the machinist side of your family and break out a welder. You'll most likely want a machine with an all steel construction and linear bearings. Take a look at home brew cnc machines, there are many designs for making your own linear bearings using angle aluminum. Then, you can use a length of gas pipe for the bearings to run on. Build yourself a swiveling carriage for the bearings to run on so the saw can cut vertically and horizontally.

This will certainly be a serious undertaking if you do go this route, but I would love to see what you come up with.

[frank shic]

Bob, if you just want to break down plywood sheets for later trimming, a vertical panel saw might be useful but if you are looking to get finish cuts, the lower end models (rockler, safety speed cut, sawtrax, milwaukee and powermatic) will not give you the precision required.

[Burt Waddell]

Bob,

I think that it would be a good idea to visit the EZ Smart forum here on Sawmill. Dino recently came out with a bridge system that works great for a horizontal panel saw. I have made one with EZ parts that can handle full sheets of plywood with ease. I've owned two of the saw trax machines and one vertical panel saw and none of them are in the league with the EZ System.

Burt

[Darl Bundren]

I have the EZ Smart, too, and I am happy with it. You should look at both the EZ and Festool systems; both have their avid supporters. Plus, even if you spend $500 on the Festool system, I'd bet it would be cheaper than most panel saws, even those that you build yourself.

And, you'd be up and running in a couple of days (as soon as the delivery guy dropped off the new goodies).

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I agree with Frank. Whether it's homemade, or purchased, they are best used for rough cuts or when precison to 1/16" is adequate.

My homemade saw crosscuts to about 50" which can handle 49" wide melamine sheet goods. I believe Shop Notes has a second version that's very interesting. A person on WoodNet forum posted the newer version about 6 months ago. It looks neat.

For me, the biggest benefit of a panel saw over a guided saw system is that the sheets can be moved around easier by one person because the sheets are handled on edge. There's no fooling with saw horses or trying to raise the sheet to lay flat on the saw horse. This can really torque one's back.

A panel saw also works well for crosscut long boards. It's always square because gravity is always in your favor. Also, the cut offs won't drop on my foot.

However, even though they fold tight against the wall, they require storage which is valuable space for me. Panel saws cannot do angled cuts either.

Lastly, either method is no substitute for a quality tablesaw equipped with a proper blade for those finicky sheetgoods.

-Jeff