Extension handle for TS saw

[James Watriss]

4 foot wide panels are just a bit wide for me to cut easily. 5 foot baltic birch, likewise.

How about a modified, or modifiable TS saw, with a simple stick handle that came back about a foot or two, with a trigger built in. Make the saw so that the plunge can be locked down once it's running, and use the stick handle to push the saw the width of the panel.

 

[nickao]

Yeah but on the off chance you got kick back for some reason I am not so sure how safe that would be.

 

[Frank-Jan]

Maybe you need something like this: this

 

[James Watriss]

That Mafell saw is pretty cool... but I think on an American job site that guy would be called a lot of bad names that are variations on "lazy worker."

I get the risk with kickbacks, but I bet if the handle were attached in a reasonably solid way, it would be a viable way to do work... If hte connection were solid, you'd still be able to contain any kickback.

 

[Frank-Jan]

It's an interesting idea, but I think the problem lies in the being able to lock down the plunge at a fixed depth. Mafell does sell saws that can be fixed at a certain depth (so they can be used as a regular circular saw aswell), but they have a swinging guard like a regular circular saw aswell (it rests on the rail when used in rail-guidded cutting.)

I've been thinking of ordering such an attachment for my makita collated screwgun, so I can screw down underlayment standing up; we've had those guns for about 8 years, but haven't got round to get that attachment.

 

[James Watriss]

So, I'm now thinking about a set of parallel arms that come back, with a handle attached to them, that basically mimics the controls of the saw, including the pivot lock switch, the trigger, and the ability to tilt forward. That way, you can fully operate the saw from maybe 2 feet back, and the concept of a fully user friendly horizontal panel saw will be realized, without the need to crawl on top of the thing for those last few inches...

This is the only problem with festool holding its value... I can't find a cheap one on ebay to butcher up as a prototype. 

 

[MarkF]

I'm having difficulty understanding the issue here unless you're really short.  The worse case scenario I see is you have 4ft. to reach to cross cut an 8ft. piece of plywood if you stand at one end.  I just turn the sheet around to have the short side between me and the rail and walk the saw down the guide rail.  If I'm crosscutting (standing at one edge) and I have to stop midway through and switch posiitions it's no big deal.  Cut the first 2.5 ft feet and the saw stays on the rail.  Back the saw up a few inches and finish cutting the remaining 2 feet pulling the saw.  I'm 6' 2" with 34" sleeves...not in the Andre` the Giant class by any means.  Please enlighten me if I'm not seeing the obvious ;D

 

[nickao]

Well I think for doing the operation over and over and over is where something like this would make a difference, not making one cut a day, but hundreds.

And yes you are taller than most as the average height in the us is 5' 9" to 5' 10" and you definitely could cross cut across my high tables where I have to stand on a step stool.

 

[James Watriss]

That's pretty much the point. Ideally, I'd like to be able to do simple cutting operations without having to walk around the table or reposition the plywood... a) it wastes time, b) not all shops are so big, and for smaller shops, this may mean even more time, stepping over ankle-turners and around hoses/cords and c) spinning the board around introduces the possibility for error. An extension handle would mean that I (at 5'9") would be able to crosscut 4 x 8 (or worse, 5 x 5) sheets with teh same ease with which I now cut across a 2' panel.

 

[MarkF]

I can see now why you would want this.  Have you considered rigging up a panel saw type support mounted to the wall for your workpiece?  Clamp the saw guide to your workpiece and cut.  Easy to do with a few 2X4s and scrap 3/4" ply.  Can be mounted to a cart too: http://www.plansnow.com/dn3106c.html

 

[James Watriss]

I have considered this. In essence, I think it's more work, and more material handling. I also think that horizontal cuts will bind down on the blade at some point, an that a horizontal arrangement makes more sense.

Take a long look at Steve Jones' Cutting TableSteve Jones' cutting table. The more I looked at it, the more sense it made. The plywood, as delivered in the stack, is moved in a horizontal position to the cutting table, and the small pieces are then shuttled off. No heavy lifting required, no need to do any serious manipulation of any kind. Slide on, cut, slide off. In addition, the ability to simply spin the pieces in situ, is much easier than trying to position them in a vertical saw, in my humble opinion.

Really, this is the reason for the extended handle... I think it would make setups like these more usable.