# Squaring plywood panels



## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

Can anyone help provide some tips for getting accurate square plywood panels cut for cabinet sides, backs, etc. It seems to take me forever to get perfectly square panels cut from a 4x8' sheet of plywood. I have been rough cutting my pieces with a circular saw and then using straight edge to get them trimmed square. Next, I have been using the first panel as a template and using a flush trim bit with my router to create a duplicate. There has got to be an easier way. My table saw is a relatively small 10" Craftsman with not a lot of table space.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

Shane


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Shane
You can make a Panel Saw but they are not cheap to make or buy.
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=panel+saw&hl=en&btnG=Search+Froogle

It's always been hard for one man to take on a 4' x 8' plywood,but the next best thing is to use a jig like the snapshot below ▼
http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2505
http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2506
http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2507
just clamp it in place and cut the panels and they will come out SQ. and true every time.
I should note *** The saw drops in the slot on the clamp so it can't move off the cut.( It will cut true)

Once you get the 4 x 8 plywood down in size it's can be put it on the table saw to make your rip cuts or use your panel cutting jig on the table saw. 
(panel cutting jigs are quick and easy to make )
They use the slot in the table saw to keep the panel true when you cut it.

Bj


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Another way is to purchase plans and build a table surround for your saw. This is basicly a larger stand which supports your saw and material. I believe you will find plans at Shopnotes.com You can also purchase a ready made stand from the Rousseau company. Either way you increase the capacity of your small table saw. To get the best results build a saw sled; this is a panel with a guide strip on the bottom which follows your miter slot. You most likely have seen this panel cutting sled on the NYW. Plans are available from Popular Woodworking.


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

I have thought about making a panel sled for my table saw, however, I have a craftsman that has awful miter slots. They are almost like a "T slot" and have small notches every couple of inches to keep the miter slides from lifting. It makes retro-fitting other miter slide jigs difficult. I am thinking of cutting the notches off if the miter slot is the same size as standard slots.

Thanks for the info guys.


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

Bob,

I can't quite figue out the jig in your photos. It appears to be just a straight edge to me. How does the saw portion of the jig ride along the straight edge?

Shane


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Shane
It's a L shape alum stock, it hooks in the channel of the quick clamp.
You don't need to hold it down just a light push on the saw and it will track true.
The 1/16" carb.bit saw blade will give you a clean cut with almost no rip outs on plywood.
-----------------
Look real close at the black bracket in the snapshot
http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2505
part of the ( L ) bracket is deep inside the slot,about 1/32" from the bottom of the slot I used the MDF stock to set the depth of the lock in part of the L.

Just a side NOTE***I made one for the router also and it works great for Dado's and anything that you want to use it on.
http://www.routerforums.com/showthread.php?t=2634


Just a note about the Craftsman Table Saw.
When you make a Panel cutting jig you need to make a T-slot that will fit the saw table, I have the same saw and I will post a snapshot if you want to take a look at it.
It's two part T-Slot fixture and it works great in the saw table.

Just ask and I will post a snapshot. 

Bj


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Shane

Here are some snapshots how to make a panel cutting jig for the Craftsman table saw.


Hope they help you

Bj


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

You could also make the guide strip from a piece of hardwood by cutting a strip 1/2 x 5/8" and removing 1/16x 1/4" deep from each side on your router table. UHMW is the ideal material since it is "self lubricating" but HDPE would work well too.


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

You're the Best Bob! I can't believe that you have the same saw. I have been scratching my head over this for months. Thank you so much. I plan to make one this weekend.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You're Welcome Shane

Post a picture or two after you make it this weekend.

NoTE ***Besure to put your plywood blade in the saw b/4 you start.
Plus use your zero insert plate in the saw top.
If you don't have one just remove the one from the saw and use the plastic you have left over to make 2 1/2' X 10" long insert,you will need a rubber gromett under the back side on the insert and a 3/16" steel washer under the front one.(the grommet will compress down and hold the plate in place)
You will also need to put a rabbit on 3 sides on the insert 1/4" wide 3/16" deep ,this will let the insert set right in the hole.(on the alum.tabs )
Place it in the saw table screw it down and move the blade up ( with care) now you have one.
Make two or three at the same time,they are nice to have on hand.
The 1st one I made (in the snapshot ) told me the saw blade was off a bit so I did fix that now the blade cuts true,that's hard to see in the Fac.insert because it's so wide of a slot.

60/80 tooth Blade
This will cut the plastic a bit cleaner and when you cut the panel sled 
it will be just right when you cut the plywood for the panels.
Then it's set for dead on cuts and you can add a stop block on the right end side then you can cut them all the same size.

In the snapshot you will see my combo blade in place don't use yours,see notes.

One more NOTE about the table saw, I didn't care for the chip bag under the table so I took it off and put in a plastic flower pot ,hahahahaha I know,you know that it has a plastic part to hook the bag on to under the table saw, I found a plastic flower pot that was just the right size,for two bucks and some black paint and 4 screws, it looks like a fac.part,I put in a hole to hold the app. and the vac hose now all the chips get put into the vac system bag.
see snapshots how to put one in your Craftsman Saw.

Have a good one
Bj


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Shane, your best bet is to buy the right tool for the job. You'll get different answers from different people as to what the right tool is and you still have to be able to afford the tool, have room for the tool, and it should be as versatile as possible to get the most for your money. I have a shop full of floor mounted tools as well as power hand tools and the like but the newest tool I have that's getting lots of use is...
http://www.eurekazone.com/ The EZ Smart guide system will do everything you've described faster, easier, and far safer than any table saw in the world and combined with the right accessories it will do a lot more than what you need. I have no financial interest in the EZ Smart but I wish I did. I see a lot of people on the various forums with problems just like yours and they don't have all of the standard tools, or the tools they do have aren't quite up to par. The EZ Smart Cabinet Maker system will allow you to easily cut up all of your panels perfectly square and all ready to assemble in just minutes without having to carry the panels around from the back to the front of table saw. Just check out the link I posted and you'll be surprised. There is a huge archive of photos showing many different applications and techniques and quite a few great videos. The videos aren't the fastest download but they're not too bad and they're worth it. There's a link on the Eureka Zone home page for the EZ Smart forum. You should check it out. Dino, the owner and inventor of the EZ Smart, is on there just about every day and the forum is full of great people willing to give lots of advice and helpful suggestions. You'll see a lot of claims made on the EZ Smart website and from what I've seen they're all true. It's far cheaper than getting any quality table saw or panel saw and for most applications, it's better. The EZ Smart won't do everything a table saw will, such as dados, but I prefer to use a router for dados whenever I can anyway. The EZ Smart has an attachment for that too and it's very versatile. Sorry for the hardcore sales pitch but, as you can tell, I'm very enthusiastic about this product and just about everyone who buys one loves it too.

Bruce


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

Now you've really got me going. I cannot figure out how to make the zero clearance insert either. My saw has a square insert and all of the zero clearance inserts on the market for Craftsman are oval. It also has uneven screw holes so I would have to rabbet out space for them and I just figured it would be too difficult to get the thing to lay in the slot flush with the table. I'll have to read back through your reply to see if I can figure your method out. I must have a slightly different saw than you because minde doesn't have the dust collection.

Thanks again!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Shane
Hold on for a bit and I will take a snapshot of both items.

Bj


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Shane

Here you go this should help. 


Bj


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

ShaneB said:


> Can anyone help provide some tips for getting accurate square plywood panels cut for cabinet sides, backs, etc. It seems to take me forever to get perfectly square panels cut from a 4x8' sheet of plywood. I have been rough cutting my pieces with a circular saw and then using straight edge to get them trimmed square. Next, I have been using the first panel as a template and using a flush trim bit with my router to create a duplicate. There has got to be an easier way. My table saw is a relatively small 10" Craftsman with not a lot of table space.
> 
> Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> Shane


Are you wanting to only cut these on a table saw or with a circular saw? Also, are you using the "factory" edge as a guide? 

Even though factories make these cuts, don't always rely on them for being "true" and square. Find the center of your sheet, measure from center point to each corner. You might be surprised to what you will find.

Bob and Mike have giving you some very good idea's to work with. I lean more with the panel saw system. As Mike listed, Shopnotes, Woodsmith and I believe a few other woodworking mags will carry such plans on their web sites. You will find that if you decide to make your own panel saw, it's cheaper if you build it yourself.
Just to touch up on what Mike had stated earlier, SUPPORT!! What you decide on what to make and use to cut plywood, make sure you have plenty of support. If you can clamp down your work piece, do it. 
Just my $0.02 worth.


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

Benny,

I checked out the EZ system and it definitely looks and sounds great. The website is completely confusing though. there are so many different products that I can't even tell how it differs from a straight edge (I realize that it must be different). What EZ system equipment would I need to accomplish square repeatable panels for cabinets? Your enthusiasm is great. It seems that everyone who touches this thing gets the bug from the sound of that forum!


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

ShaneB said:


> Benny,
> 
> I checked out the EZ system and it definitely looks and sounds great. The website is completely confusing though. there are so many different products that I can't even tell how it differs from a straight edge (I realize that it must be different). What EZ system equipment would I need to accomplish square repeatable panels for cabinets? Your enthusiasm is great. It seems that everyone who touches this thing gets the bug from the sound of that forum!


Hi Shane, I agree that the website could be better set up because there's just so much info there. The products are all part of the EZ Smart guide rail system. The heart of the system is the guide rails and, other than length, they're all the same. For a guided circular saw there's a base that you either screw or double stick tape to the bottom of you right-blade circular saw. It differs from a straight edge because the base rides on, and is partially locked onto a ridge on top of the rail. And the edges of the guide rail has some ingenious plastic inserts that you place exactly on your cut line. They also prevent virtually all chip out on the left side of the cut. With a straight edge you have to space the guide away from the cut to account for the distance between the saw base and the edge of the blade. This allows for error. With the EZ Smart you just position the plastic edge right on your marks and cut. The cut is dead on with no calculating other than when you decide where you want your cut to be. But even better is the repeaters and the square that attach to the guide. There's a lot of detail to these, more than I'll go into here but basically the square automatically squares the guide rail to the workpiece and the repeaters are adjustable to allow for multiple cuts the exact same width without ever marking your workpiece as many times as you can push your saw with your arm. With the repeaters you can either cut with the rail on top of the, "Keeper side" or on top of the, "Waste side". This is possible because they are adjustable for the width of the blade. This might sound very vague and confusing if you're just reading it here but if you spend some time on the website, looking at the pics or watching the videos you'll get a better idea of how it works. Also, because of the special inserts that go into the bottom of the EZ saw base you'll not only get chip-free cuts on the left side of the cut but also on the right side of the cut. This is possible whether you're cutting with the saw on or off of the guide rail. There is also a product called the SRK and it allows you to attach your router to the guide rail. I don't have one but from what I've seen it's really a very handy and useful addition. The applications that Dino and the rest of the gang have come up with are amazing. You can also attach a hand held power planer to the SRK and there are other applications for other tools for the EZ system too. This system of tools isn't cheap and flimsy in any way. Everything is very solid and well engineered. The guide rails are double walled and when two or more are connected together they are dead-on straight and absolutely don't flex at all. Very high quality and heavy duty. I've never seen a post anywhere where someone complained about the quality, or really, complained about any other part of the system. 

I really recommend spending a little more time carefully looking over the website. The forum is absolutely full of people willing, (and probably more qualified than me) to answer your questions no matter how basic they are. There are experts on there and there are people who have never owned one so everyone is welcome. Also, Dino is usually very willing to take your phone calls and answer any questions you have for as long as it takes. I've called him twice and both times he answered the phone and both times it was me that ended up ending the conversation. He was very willing to talk about it as long as was necessary. Dino is from Greece and has a pretty thick accent but he's not too hard to understand. He's a very experienced carpenter and woodworker and he's even been known to leave his shop in NJ and drive to see a customer he'd never met just to help him out with a project. The absolute BEST customer service you'll ever find.

If you have any more specific questions you should either call Dino or check out the EZ forum or feel free to contact me privately via private message or via email. [email protected]

Bruce


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

Thanks so much Bruce. Does the squaring device and the repeaters come with the guide rails and base or are they sold separately? Sorry for all of the questions, but you seem to have the answers!

Shane


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

ShaneB said:


> Thanks so much Bruce. Does the squaring device and the repeaters come with the guide rails and base or are they sold separately? Sorry for all of the questions, but you seem to have the answers!
> 
> Shane


No problem at all, Shane. Glad to help. The basic EZ setup comes with two 50" rails and the connectors to join them, a base plate for the saw, and two clamps that slide in a groove under the rails. These clamps work extremely well and if you were to upgrade the clamps they will even clamp an extremely narrow piece of wood. I don't have the specs in front of me but I believe they'll clamp a piece as thin as 3/8" or something close to that. Then you could rip a piece off of that super thin piece so thin you can read through it. There is an example of Dino doing just that in the photo gallery. Try doing that safely on any table saw! And your hand never comes anywhere near the blade and there's no danger of a kickback. 

The square and the repeaters don't come with the basic setup but they can either be purchased separately or as part of another package. I'd recommend the, "Cabinet makers" package because it comes with one square and one repeater. You'll have to check the website though because I'm doing this from memory. There are several different packages available depending on what your needs are and if you're not sure what you want, or if what you want isn't listed you can call Dino and he'll be happy to walk you through what you need. Honestly, he won't try to sell you more than you need and if you're not happy with it he'll gladly take it back. In fact, he even will loan out the tools for you to try out for free and I think he even will set up a payment schedule if necessary. If I were reading this for the first time I'd think it sounds too good to be true and that he's just a high-pressure salesman. But it's not too good to be true and he's the real thing.
Buying directly from Eureka Zone, (Dino's company) will work fine and I think he might be having a sale going on right now for EZ Smart Forum members but it might have ended. Hartville tool, Amazon, Ebay and others also sell the basic system but I don't know if you can get the square or repeaters from anyone else other than the Eureka Zone website. 

Feel free to ask anymore questions. You might have to contact me off line via private email because I may be getting banned from this forum. I hope not but it's not looking too promising.

Bruce
[email protected]


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## Hermit (May 17, 2005)

ShaneB,
Check out http://eurekazone.com. They have a great system for cutting plywood. Check out the Smart Square/Fence attachment for the guide rails. Also click on the link for the Saw Mill Creek forum to find out what others think of EZ Smart Guide System.


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Hermit said:


> ShaneB,
> Check out http://eurekazone.com. They have a great system for cutting plywood. Check out the Smart Square/Fence attachment for the guide rails. Also click on the link for the Saw Mill Creek forum to find out what others think of EZ Smart Guide System.


Hmmm...I'm guessing Mr. Hermit isn't reading any of Shane's or my posts regarding the EZ Smart.  But take this as another vote to go the EZ Smart route instead of the table saw. As you could guess, I'm in complete agreement with Hermit. :sold: 

Bruce


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

This is an interesting system. It sure seems like an elegant solution for those on a tight budget or with space restrictions. Much less expensive and more versitile than Festool's similar product. In europe they prefer "sliding table" saws. Proof there is more than one way to skin a cat. Good post!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Bruce

I guess I just don't get it,,...
Why would you want to buy some Alum.parts (very high price extruded Alum.jigs) to cut wood into size when the table saw is ready to go with a quick set up and snap of the power switch .
It looks like it would take much more time to set it up than it would take to make the cut not to say anything of the room it would take to lay it out.
Like Bob and Rick say all the time make it simple.

Bj


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Bob,

I'm not sure what material the guide is made out of has to do with it and I don't think that the EZ Smart is, "Very high price". The OP has already indicated that the table saw he has isn't really up to the task. Buying one that is will cost far more than the EZ Smart. The EZ Smart is made out of double walled extruded aluminum that is very durable and well engineered. It's not going to wear out under normal use. 

I'm guessing you haven't really taken the time to examine the EZ Smart website to see what the advantages are over a table saw. I'm not going to go into great detail but I'll point out the main points. With a TS there's always a risk of kickback or cutting your fingers or worse. It's not hard to let the wood shift during a cut and mess up the edge of a workpiece. With the EZ Smart a kickback is impossible. It's nearly impossible to cut your fingers. The workpiece is clamped to the guide and the saw can't move on the guide so it's very difficult to mess up a cut. Safety is a huge, undeniable issue with the table saw. It's a very small issue with the EZ Smart. Another issue is when moving around large plywood panels they are heavy and sometimes difficult to move around and you have to deal with moving 2 pieces after every single cut. With the EZ Smart you handle the sheet one time to put it onto a cut table. You then only have to move the guide system around and that's very easy. You then only have the final cut pieces to move at the end, not every cut from the front to the back of the saw. Ever hurt your back moving wood? I have, and I also blew out a hernia once. Not fun. With a table saw, moving even a half sheet of plywood over the blade requires some effort and if you don't have an outfeed table, or if you TS is smaller it's very difficult and the cuts aren't always as planned. With the EZ Smart, the sheet just sits on the table and you don't have to move it to make the cut. The cut is always exactly where it's planned and it's nearly impossible to do it any other way. There are videos on the EZ website showing Dino, the owner/inventor actually trying to screw up a cut to cause a kickback. He's holding the workpiece in his hand waving it all around over his head and everywhere while making the cut. The cut isn't clean but he couldn't make the saw kick back no mater how he tried. How's that for safety? 

As far as taking time to set up, if you have a worktable set up you set the wood on the table, place the guide where you want the cut and make the cut. With the Cabinet Makers system you don't even have to mark your workpiece. You set the repeater to the length you want, set the guide rail on the wood and it aligns itself with the built in square. Make the cut and slide the rail over and make as many of that size as you want. The repeater serves the same function as a rip fence on a table saw except you can also adjust for the blade kerf and make the, "Keeper piece" either the left or right side of the cut. Try that with a table saw. A table saw takes up a lot of room, right? Add an outfeed table and it's even worse. Got a sliding table saw? That's even bigger. To rip an 8' long sheet you need at least 18' to account for the length of the wood times two including a couple of feet for the operator. For the same cut on the EZ Smart you need only about 10' or less. The EZ table sets up and folds down very easily and is very compact. Setting up the guide doesn't take me any more time than setting up my rip fence and infeed/outfeed support. I have to then walk back and forth around the TS with every cut and mover the wood every time.

Starting to see where the EZ is faster? Safer? Just as accurate if not more so? Way, way cheaper? The fine details on everything I've said and more are all available on the EZ website. What I have invested in my EZ Smart and my top-of-the-line circular saw is less than half of what I spent on my General Int. contractor saw and I really didn't need to spend even half of what I did on my Hilti 267 circular saw. I just wanted all of the bells and whistles. There's already at least one guy on the EZ forum who's sold his table saw and does everything with the EZ Smart. The EZ Smart also allows for the use of a router, planer, jigsaw, chainsaw, and more tools yet to come. With the router it's much like a manual CNC machine. I don't have it but the photos and videos are very impressive. 

I don't plan to get rid of my tablesaw yet or my router table or my jointer or planer or any other tools. The EZ won't do everything and it's not the best tool for every job, obviously. I don't have all of the accessories for the EZ system yet either. But as time goes on and I have some extra money I'll be using my TS even less than I do now. Why? For the reasons I've listed above. Safer, faster, easier on my back, more accurate for most cuts. How much more simple do you want? I guess this ended up a lot longer than I planned but I only scratched the surface as to the benefits. If you are really curious about the system and not just trying to knock it I suggest you check it out on the website and on the EZ forum. This is a system that's far more versatile than a homemade guide and a circular saw or even any table saw. and even if you bought every possible accessory for the EZ Smart system and all of the hand held power tools to go with them you wouldn't pay what you would for a good cabinet saw. :sold: 

Bruce




bobj3 said:


> Bruce
> 
> I guess I just don't get it,,...
> Why would you want to buy some Alum.parts (very high price extruded Alum.jigs) to cut wood into size when the table saw is ready to go with a quick set up and snap of the power switch .
> ...


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## ShaneB (Sep 4, 2005)

I can see the EZ system being great for large sheet goods where the table saw is cumbersome and somewhat dangerous. I also find it difficult to keep the panel from pulling away from the fence, thus giving me out of square cuts. I'm not completely sold on spending the extra cash yet, but it is enticing!


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Hi Shane, While the EZ is great for large sheet goods it's also great for working with smaller pieces of solid or plywood. One of the most dangerous things to do on a table saw is rip narrow pieces of wood. This is something that's very easy and safe with the EZ system, especially when using the better version of the EZ clamps. With shorter rails, crosscuts on pieces that would normally be done on a TS with a miter guage can be done with the EZ Smart. Depending upon the application it won't necessarily be faster or easier than with a TS but for some applications it looks easier and faster. 

For edge jointing it's hard to beat the EZ. I have an 8" jointer and I do use it to straighten mildly crooked board edges. But if it looks like I'm going to be making more than a few passes it can be tricky with the jointer. Then I use the EZ. So far nobody has come up with a very practical method to face joint a board with the EZ but I did see a video that Dino made using his router where he did flatten the face of a board. It's one of those situations where it can do the job but not necessarily the best tool for the job. 

I don't have the SRK for the EZ but it allows you to attach a router to the rails. There are numerous applications for this already and on the EZ forum I hear about new ones coming up every week. With the proper table set up it's a great way to do mortise and tenons. It's also great for dados or rabbets. They're working on different edge routing applications too including panel raising and lock miter joints. There are many more than I can list.

My point overall being that you can do a lot more with the EZ than just work with large sheet goods. But for sheet goods, short of using a computer controlled panel saw, I don't believe there's **ANY** better way to break them down and cut them to the exact final demensions at the same time. 

Dino has a very interesting challenge on his website to anyone, using *any* tool or combination of tools, to do a certain specified cutting task better than the EZ Smart. He offers his Fiat Spider to anyone that can best him. It's been available for quite a while but I don't really remember the specific details. Nobody has beaten his invention yet. 

If cost is the only factor holding you back Dino might be able to set you up with a special deal. He does allow you to make payments. I personally don't want to go that route because I like to pay cash but it's a tempting offer. He loans any of the EZ tools to use for 30 days and the only thing you have to pay is shipping to your door. If you're not happy with it he'll take it back and even pay the return shipping. Good luck with your decision, Shane. I hope I've helped. Obviously this info I've been providing isn't just for you or I'd be doing this via PM. I just feel so strongly about these tools and I wish someone had told me about them years ago. Oh yeah, they weren't available too many years ago.  

Bruce


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Bruce

I did check out the web site many times, I just don't like it and I do love tools.
It sounds like you are sold on it and that's good.
I guess that's why I drive a Ford and you may drive a Chev.
Looks like a giant erector set made out of Alum.with all kinds knobs, I'm not knocking it BUT I would not put my money on the counter for it...when I can make one that works as good or better...  

Have a good one

Bj


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## Hermit (May 17, 2005)

ShaneB said:


> I can see the EZ system being great for large sheet goods where the table saw is cumbersome and somewhat dangerous. I also find it difficult to keep the panel from pulling away from the fence, thus giving me out of square cuts. I'm not completely sold on spending the extra cash yet, but it is enticing!


Buy the system. Dino will give you 30 days to try it out. If you don't like it, return it for full refund. I think he will even pay the return shipping. Give him a call to find out for sure.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

I was out of town for most of this discussion but one thing I didn't see mentioned is that most places that sell plywood also cut plywood. Back when I had only a small car to go shopping with I made use of this a lot and I still might... just haven't done much work with big sheets of plygoods lately. Some of the places have a limit of 3 cuts but if they are not to busy they don't seem to mind a few more then that without charging you. (In fact I know a person who would get them to do almost the whole project for him.)

Next I went to Amazon and they have a special going on "for a limited time" so the 100" system is $20 less. Don't know how long that will last. They also have some customer comments that you can read.

A other options might be some thing like the the panel system at PSI:
http://www.pennstateind.com

or any of several other companies that sell simular things. For any of these systems you will need a high quality saw and better blades to do the job if don't already have them.... so the cost doesn't necessary end with system.

If you're interested I can give you some simple tips for using the table saw to cut up panels that you might not have thought of...... 

BTW I also found the web site hard to figure out too....... and no I will not be ordering one anytime soon.

Ed


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## xblade (Sep 11, 2006)

*xblade*



ShaneB said:


> Can anyone help provide some tips for getting accurate square plywood panels cut for cabinet sides, backs, etc. It seems to take me forever to get perfectly square panels cut from a 4x8' sheet of plywood. I have been rough cutting my pieces with a circular saw and then using straight edge to get them trimmed square. Next, I have been using the first panel as a template and using a flush trim bit with my router to create a duplicate. There has got to be an easier way. My table saw is a relatively small 10" Craftsman with not a lot of table space.
> 
> Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> Shane


Shane , what I do is this, make a L shaped straight cutting for a skill saw , making sure it is square and put small marks on the plywood , clamp it in place , then cut, 2 cuts per panel at the finished size .
Roger


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

I’m with Bj on this. Also you lose dept of cut and if you are trying to rip a piece that’s only 2 or 3 inch wide and whatever length, it’s impossible to clamp that wide guide to it.
That includes any system guide that’s wider than the piece. 
With a table saw you can run a piece as narrow as 1 inch with care.


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## berry (Oct 17, 2005)

I purchased the EZ Guide Smart System late in the summer for a kitchen make over project. As a Shopsmith owner cutting large sheet goods has always been a challenge. For years I've cut plywood with a stright edge clamped to the stock and a circular saw. (Even getting a full size sheet of stock into my 12' x 13' shop would be a struggle). But I heard lots of good stuff about this system and thought I'd give it a go. I sure solves all the problems about using a simple stright edge. Clamps never get in the way and I don't have to compensate for the distance from the guide to the blade any longer and chip-out is pretty much a thing of the past. But as someone mentioned there are always different ways to 'skin the cat'.


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## Gilbear (Dec 13, 2005)

OK, one more thought from a person lacking a table saw (but I'll get one some day when my workshop grows up a little) ... it seems to me that way back when, this started out as a question about cutting large panels out of ply material rather than cutting narrow strips, so ... I make careful, squared-up layout lines on my plywood - always check diagonals - rough cut them to within 1/8" with my old beat-up circular saw and a straight edge guide like what's been discussed - and then use a flush trim spiral bit with a self clamping straight edge (like the Rockler ones) as a guide to get it right on - never had a problem - very accurate ... clamping guide and flush trim bit works well for facing hardwood for panel glue-ups too (I'm jointer deficient as well). I know it's one more step (albeit a quick one) - but it works well for me ... however, if this is actually a thread that's a selling tool for the EZ guide syatem, then just kindly disregard this post!


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## graywolf (Oct 15, 2006)

A cheap solution is a drywall square and a couple of c-clamps to hold it in place. Just use the square to mark a square edge, move it over the offset of your circular saw and clamp it in place. Use the clamped square as a guide for the saw. Works as a router guide as well.

If you have a lot of panels to do, one of the solutions mentioned by others is probably the way to go, but for only a few...


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## old folks (Dec 7, 2006)

Shane,
Get yourself a Accu rip...
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=00925980000&vertical=Sears&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Really easy to attach to circular saw and very very easy to use ! Perfect square cuts everytime !


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Another method is to take a piece of 1/4" Masonite (12" x 48") and attach a strip of 1 x 2" x 48" hardwood 5 inches from one edge. Set your router on the narrow side and make a pass and you have an exact cutting guide for your router. On the wider side make the cut with your circular saw and voila! Two precision cutting guides for next to nothing. Or you could go spend a bunch of money for the same result.


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## Gilbear (Dec 13, 2005)

aniceone2hold said:


> Another method is to take a piece of 1/4" Masonite (12" x 48") and attach a strip of 1 x 2" x 48" hardwood 5 inches from one edge. Set your router on the narrow side and make a pass and you have an exact cutting guide for your router. On the wider side make the cut with your circular saw and voila! Two precision cutting guides for next to nothing. Or you could go spend a bunch of money for the same result.


Absolutely agree with Mike - I've done the identical thing and use it all the time - couldn't be easier - just line up the edge with your layout line and cut - no adding, subtracting or measuring offsets - word of caution though - for the saw side,if you change blades, you need to make a new guide to be right on - for the router side, it's only good for whatever bit you made it with. Also, if your base has a flat side, always use the same flat edge - if round, unless your bit is perfectly centered, always use the same edge - I put a tape mark on my base so I'll remember.


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## dan_public (Jun 15, 2006)

A recent issue of Taunton's Fine Homebuilding (about two back I think) did a review of guide rails. Festool was rated Best Overall. Hartville Tool's "Red-Line Cutting Guide" (http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10833) was rated Best Value. 

I use Festool tools and love them - very high quality, reliable, great dust collection, and work as a system. If I didn't have Festool and wanted a guide rail, I'd jump on the Red Line.

Regards,

Dan.

p.s., I've seen posts on other forums about the EZ system. I evaluated them before choosing Festool. They have a decent system, but their hyper-agressive guerilla marketing tactics turned me off - long winded posts, in-your-face tactics, slamming other products, over-blown claims, etc.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

*Reference angle*



bobj3 said:


> Shane
> 
> Here you go this should help.
> 
> ...


Bob,

What did you use as a reference angle, to ensure 90*?


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

BigJimAK said:


> Bob,
> 
> What did you use as a reference angle, to ensure 90*?


Never mind..  Now that I have the full thread rather than a single post, the answer is obvious!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim

I used the miter slots  once the blade is setup to run true to the slots your set to make one..

=========



BigJimAK said:


> Bob,
> 
> What did you use as a reference angle, to ensure 90*?


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks Jim

For bringing this thread back into play.
This is exactly the situation I have...

I have a GMC benchtop TS with 3/8" t track slots

James

ps thanks also BJ for providing the solution


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

jw2170 said:


> Thanks Jim
> 
> For bringing this thread back into play.
> This is exactly the situation I have...
> ...


Glad to be of assistance, James...

I really like your design, BJ...

I'm starting to think about a cross-cut sled for my new Uni... and with 13" of table in front of the blade, it doesn't seem to make sense to make one less than 48" wide since I can get about 20 if I let my gauge overhang. Feedback????

I them got the brilliant idea that, since I'm fully endorsing the jig approach to routing (as per Bob and Rick, not per some who use it exclusively in lieu of the table), I thought it'd make sense to price some UHMW by the sheet as an alternative to using MDF for jigs I think I'll be using regularly. You know, perhaps a sheet of 1/4" and 1/2", saving money by buying it in volume? I figured there was a big mark-up for them cutting down sheets, like there is in plywood.

Well, I was wrong.. A 4'x10' sheet of 1/4" was $320 and 1/2" $670. That's $16.75 / square foot vs. buying 12"x12" pieces from www.smallparts.com at $9.00 each. Somehow I don't see myself spending almost a thousand dollars on two pieces of UHMW plastic.

Online it was nearly as high, and higher after freight.

If it just me?? What do others use?


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## davcefai (Aug 3, 2009)

This works for me:

1. Cut the first panel a little oversize with a circular saw.
2. Select the best long edge and hand plane it smooth.
3. Use a try square to mark the next edge at right angles to the first.
4. If you have more than 1mm to trim off used an electric hand plane to get close to the line.
5. Mark and plane the other two sides.

Use this as a template to mark up other identical boards and plane them to size the same way.

The thing to watch most is that you do not tilt the plane to one side or the other. Keep checking your work. If you find that you are tilting the plane experiment with altering your distance from the board.


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## Cassandra (Mar 15, 2006)

Hi

David's method is very similar to the one I use. Like him, I use the circular saw to do the "rough" cut, leaving about 1/16 inch. Then using a carpenter's sqaure and a good straight edge, I cut and route the adjacent side square and true. Works well for me.

Similar to David's suggestion of the hand plane, one needs to avoid tilting the router.

Cassandra


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

I would like to add that some of your problems may be related to how your table saw is set up.

First, make sure the wings are even/level with the rest of the table.

It is very easy to get good cuts as long as your saw blade is horizontal to the guides, the blade is perpendicular to the table top, and the fence is equidistant from the blade.

Next, check the blade to make sure it is designed for the type of work you are doing and that it is not warped. Make sure it is well supported. An aftemarket stabalizer is always worth the few bucks it cost.

Lastly, proper support for the infeed and outfeed sides of the table are also well worthwhile buying or building.

As others have said, a good All In One Clamp, a quality framing square, and a template for your circular saw and you should get more than adequate accuracy to take to your table saw now that you have given it a tune up.

I know this is basic stuff and most of you guys know this but for those who are new to woodworking, this may help.

I agree with some of the others. I see no reason to spend more money for this solution than the basics I listed, which one should have anyway.


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## charimon (Apr 8, 2009)

The simple answer is a Festool TS55 and rail. It is not the cheapest answer but it is the best one for quickly and accurately breaking down sheetgoods with out buying a sliding rail saw.
Craig


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