saw guide rail

Hello,

I would like to make some shelves out of a sheet of 8x4 plywood. I realise now that I should have asked the timber yard to cut it for me. I see you can buy metal guide rails that clamp to the wood but most seem to be only 1200mm long, so that's great for cutting across the sheet but not for ripping along it.

There is a 2.5m one available from Axminster for £20. It comes in two halves and the review suggests it might flex a bit at the join in use. Has anyone used this? What did you think?

Does anyone know of any other 2.4m+ guide rails?

I had a search and found a suggestion to use a metal plasterer's feather edge. Has anyone ever tried that? How successful was it?

Or do you just clamp a piece of planed timber to use as a guide? My only worry about that is that I would have to make sure it was not warped before using it, otherwise I wouldn't get a straight cut!

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen
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The only way it would bugger your blade is if you tried running the blade against a metal guide. Any sensible user would run the base plate against the guide. Take a look at

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Sorry for the Yankee content but it conveys the method I use quite well.

Mike

Reply to
MuddyMike

First advice would be to buy a new blade, with finer teeth. I use my middle-size handheld circular saw almost exclusively for initial breakdown of 8x4 sheets (then they go into the cabinet saw or the jigsaw), yet these saws are sold with coarse ripping blades. A plywood blade with finer teeth will give you a much better cut quality. An intermediate crosscut blade is useful too.

How long are your shelves going to be? If you're making the ubiquitous four footers alongside a chimney breast, can you break the sheet down into two 4x4 squares first, then into shelves?

Saw guides are good, but you can make your own or improvise. I often just use a length of Dexion. So long as you guide against the saw's soleplate, and the guide is clear of the motor & handle, then there's no risk of hitting the blade on steel.

The "saw board" (web search) is also a useful gadget you can make for yourself. This improves the edge quality.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

I just look around for a piece of timber long enough, as a guide. I can sight along the edge to see that it is straight. Of course the blade of the saw goes nowhere near the guide. Why would anyone think that it would?

Reply to
Matty F

Seconded, also improves accuracy since you know exactly where the edge is going to be. You'll easily get an 8 foot and a 4 foot one out of a sheet of

9 mm ply.
Reply to
newshound

A length of 6" contiboard is straight, and wide enough for clamps, and thin enough not to reduce depth of cut too much.

Reply to
stuart noble

About 25 years ago I took a new 8 x 4 sheet of 19mm ply and cut off about a

6" wide piece after marking the manufacturer's edge clearly. That edge is as straight as you'll ever need and ply is very dimensionally stable. I've used that ever since as a saw guide - just clamp it on and run the base of the saw against it - no loss of cut depth and the blade is never anywhere near it. Make sure the piece is wide enough that the clamps don't get in the way of the saw body. Make a note of the distance between the edge of the saw base and the blade edge and set the guide that distance from the line you want to cut. If you are cutting to final size use a fine-tooth blade and go slowly; if roughing out for later trimming use a coarser blade. Lay the work with the good face downwards so that the saw is cutting into it for minimal chipping.
Reply to
Norman Billingham

Or cut a piece of ply exactly that size to save you measuring in the future. Label it "circ saw jig" in red ink, and then lose it.

Reply to
stuart noble

Yup, hardly ever use a circ saw without one.

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Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Left over planks of HDF laminate flooring are good for this. If you glue them end-to-end, you can 2.4m of reasonably stable edge for either circular saw or router.

A lapped sawboard is the best thing to use for shorter cuts - really useful.

Reply to
DaveN

Yea,, that is how it was for me too,, you end up with a favorite bit of stuff for cutting straight,,you hang onto it like glue..

This a useful variation I made years ago..

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Square,,?

Handy for all sorts of jobs...

...........................................................................= ..............

Reply to
Rupert Bear

I don't have to worry about the depth of cut. I put the saw directly on the work to be cut, and the left hand edge of the saw runs against the guide. Another problem is that I often have to carry whatever tools I need up a mountain track, and a long saw guide is awkward. Timber can be dropped by helicopter.

Reply to
Matty F

Make yourself a sawboard:

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just drop the edge of the sawboard on the exact spot you want to cut (i.e. no need to fuss with offsets from your guide rail), clamp, and off you go.

There are commercial rail systems for some circular saws - Festool do a

*really* nice one with their plunge saw, only you won't like the price!

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rail is not 2.4m either - but you can buy extras and plug em together)

Reply to
John Rumm

But surely the body of the saw needs to clear the guide. If I were to use a 25mm thick guide, I'd have to raise the body and lose a few mm depth of cut.

Reply to
stuart noble

That depends on the saw. There's plenty of 7mm ply around the hut, so I usually use that.

Reply to
Matty F

Depends on which side of the saw you place the guide...

(in the case of the sawboard you are correct - however 6mm ply is usually thin enough to not touch the saw even at full depth)

Reply to
John Rumm

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