I built myself a panel cutter almost 20 years ago, and I still use it not infrequently... At least, when I can maneuver through my workshop to get to my table saw. At the time, I made it using three-quarter inch plywood. It's fairly cumbersome, and I wouldn't make it that way again, were I to make another one. I also used a spine of oak as the guide fitting into the miter slot of the table. Surprisingly, the oak spine has remained true. I did cut a dado in the bottom of the panel cutter to accept this spine of oak, which I glued and countersunk screws to fasten. I suppose this has helped to maintain its integrity throughout the years of use. Were I to build another, I'd probably use some other material, as Dale suggests.
--Barry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dale Leavens Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 9:37 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] using a table saw. What you need Robert is a panel cutting jig however on a table that small even such a jig would be difficult. A panel cutting jig uses a thin piece of material, Luan plywood or good quality tempered hardboard would do particularly the smooth side down. You attach a fence along one edge which will become the rear edge to hold the material against as you cut it. You attach a guide to the bottom surface, to fit into the miter slot of the saw. I have some 3 quarter by 3 eighth poly I purchased from Lee Valley for exactly this purpose. You could use hardwood or even steel or aluminium bar. You could use two and extend the fence right across the saw as well as the sheet panel and even make it large enough to have another rail across the leading edge so you would have the additional balance and accuracy of a guide running in each miter slot on the table. So long as you don't raise the blade high enough to cut right through the fence members that would work well. The trick is to be sure that the fence on the panel is precisely at right angles to the guides in the slots on the table. As you push through the saw it will cut a track through the panel first time through and this may be helpful to you in locating exactly where the saw will cut as you lay up your work. Because the entire panel guide goes through the saw with your work carrying it through, the board will not get caught up or twist or any of those nasties. For a one-off job this is likely more than you want to do but it is something you might like to consider as an investment in the future. I have to replace the one I made several years ago, I did not use good enough materials, one of those "in a hurry" bang up jobs for a particular project. A little later I intend to build myself a kick-ass router table and will want a good panel cutting guide for that project so I will probably take a bit of time and fashion a really good one then. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert J. Moore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 4:07 AM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] using a table saw. > John > This is a small table and the widest board that I could cut using your > suggestion is maybe 8 inches at best and this board is over 11 inches > wide and 8 feet long. > > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > Various List Members At The Following Address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.7/436 - Release Date: 1/09/2006 > > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
