Panel Saw Plans?

[_Tony]

I'm finding myself needing help in my shop when it comes to cutting down large sheets of plywood etc. on my TS. Well my helper (my wife) isn't always available. So I figured a panel saw would be ideal. Has anyone here made one? Do you have plans that you can share? I figured I could dedicate my Skill saw to it. Any brainstorming on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony





---------------------------
"An honest man's pillow is
his peace of mind."

[deathwish2]

>I'm finding myself needing help in my shop when it comes to
>cutting down large sheets of plywood etc. on my TS. Well my
>helper (my wife) isn't always available. So I figured a
>panel saw would be ideal. Has anyone here made one? Do you
>have plans that you can share? I figured I could dedicate my
>Skill saw to it. Any brainstorming on this would be greatly
>appreciated.

After a quick google search, I found that Rockler has plans/parts to build your own, plus a couple others. I can't vouch for any of them, but the AOL guy's looks interesting.

http://members.aol.com/toolplan/sawplan.htm

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/findprod.cfm?&DID=6&sku=5311

http://store.yahoo.com/woodsmithstore/panelsawkit.html

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''

[Danial]

I don't have room for a panel saw right now but . . . I was looking through ShopNotes at Rockler a few months ago. Stumbled upon some plans that seems pretty reasonable to make so I picked them up for future reference. Check out Shop Notes Issue 4.

Dan

[_Tony]

Thanks. I usually use Google. I guess that side of my brain is out fishing today.

Tony




---------------------------
"An honest man's pillow is
his peace of mind."

[ASLNROX]

Dan,

I really like the ShopNotes version, although I have not built it yet. I built the ShopNotes rolling wood cart and the panel cutter simply bolts to the sheet goods side of the cart. Very slick. So far, I have built the cart and when I move into my next garage (shop) I will decide if I have the room to make use of the panel cutter.

Blessings,
--Mark

Visit my shop at:

<http://home.earthlink.net/~maspaulding/>

[_Tony]

Thanks a bunch. I just ordered SN for 2 years and I also ordered back issue #4. Just what I need... another subscription. This little hobby is getting expensive. :P

Tony




---------------------------
"An honest man's pillow is
his peace of mind."

[jmackay]

Before you spend $300 to $500 to build your own panel saw (or $800 to $15000 to buy one), take a look at [link:www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp|this article]. It involves using a folding table along with a circular saw and straightedge.

I built my own version of this contraption, and it works great. When you need to cut a new sheet of plywood or MDF, tilt the table, lean the sheet against the tilted table, and then lift the table and sheet together. Lately, I don't even bother with the tilting. I unload a sheet from my van directly onto the cutting table.

With some careful measuring and a good quality circular saw/blade, you can get great accuracy that is at least as good as the low end panel saws, a a whole lot cheaper. You can find table legs for about $20. Throw in a few 2x4s and an 8-foot and 4-foot straightedge and you have a solution.

I've cut about 50 sheets of 3/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 1/4" 4x8 sheets on my first "sacrificial" 2x4 framework. Not a single miscut. And just about every sheet was done with no assistance from anyone else.

[_Tony]

Jeff,
Thanks for that article. It might be a better way for me to go at it. In a sence that's kind of how I've been going at it already or on my TS. I just got the thought of a panel saw in my head, yet after thinking about it overnight I decided to save the space and tough it out till we move into a three or four stall (garage?) shop. Thanks again, great compromise.
Tony





---------------------------
"An honest man's pillow is
his peace of mind."

[FrankC]

Here is a simple rack to hold the sheet and a easy to make straight edge:

[http://sawdustmaking.com/Sheet%20Rack/rack.htm]
[http://benchnotes.com/Skillsaw%20Guide/skillsaw_cutting_guide_boa.htm]

[litebkt]

Mark or anyone else,

I'm looking to build a rolling wood storage cart for my garage. I'm looking for ideas. I went to the shopsmith site and searched and looked and couldn't find the cart that I think was referenced here.

I have a need to store a few sheets of plywood and maybe 50 to 75 lf of hardwoods at a time. I'd like it on wheels so I can move it in and out of the corner.

I'd appreciate any help for some ideas.

Thanks

Michelle

>
>I really like the ShopNotes version, although I have not
>built it yet. I built the ShopNotes rolling wood cart and
>the panel cutter simply bolts to the sheet goods side of the
>cart. Very slick. So far, I have built the cart and when I
>move into my next garage (shop) I will decide if I have the
>room to make use of the panel cutter.
>
>Blessings,
>--Mark
>
>Visit my shop at:
>
><http://home.earthlink.net/~maspaulding/>

[cracker]

I have one of these and they work really well.
http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PSI&Product_Code=PPS-B&Category_Code=PS
I cut everything on my work table with 2x4's under the plywood
Everette

[ASLNROX]

Michelle,

The cart that I made is from ShopNotes issue #55. On teh jigs page there is a link to ShopNotes. I _think_ is it shopnotes.com. I have an end shot and side shots of the cart I built on my site. The sheet goods side will hold a stack of about 5 full sheets of stock, but usually on mine there are tons of short pieces. It is the bins that REALLY helped clean the clutter up in my shop. Now all the cut-offs have a place to live!

Blessings,
--Mark

Visit my shop at:

<http://home.earthlink.net/~maspaulding/>