How Accurate Are Parallel Guides, Really?

[Ebuwan]

Jobsworth

I have the Woodpecker PG's, and get good results over 8ft, but it will be a little out sometimes like [member=10147]jobsworth[/member] mentions above.

I have been using two 1400's connected, i'm really eyeing the 3000, as one time i noticed VERY VERY slight camming at the connector when i picked the rail up, but that tiny bit over 8ft can be a lot.

I'm really lazy too as i want another pair of PG's, to hook up to another rail for the shorter cross cuts, so fully breaking down a sheet while it's on the 1800 table is done without having to move the sheets on and off multiple times.

 

[misha]

Does someone offer a gauge to set the guide stops?  Rather than depending on my old eyes, it would be easier for me to set a gauge, then set both stops to that.

You can use any scrap of wood wider than the minimum length of the guides. As long as 2 edges are parallel. For example, get a board. Doesn't matter what the dimension is really. Measure it with your favorite measuring tape. Put your track + guides on the board and and square the edge of the track with the edge of the board. Then position parallel guide stops to your measured value and calibrate.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Does someone offer a gauge to set the guide stops?  Rather than depending on my old eyes, it would be easier for me to set a gauge, then set both stops to that.

You can use any scrap of wood wider than the minimum length of the guides. As long as 2 edges are parallel. For example, get a board. Doesn't matter what the dimension is really. Measure it with your favorite measuring tape. Put your track + guides on the board and and square the edge of the track with the edge of the board. Then position parallel guide stops to your measured value and calibrate.

Depending on the condition of the splinter guard.

 

[dashboardpws]

Does someone offer a gauge to set the guide stops?  Rather than depending on my old eyes, it would be easier for me to set a gauge, then set both stops to that.

We offer our Rip Gauge which does exactly this on either side of the blade for settings up to 25.5" (647mm).

 

[darita]

Does someone offer a gauge to set the guide stops?  Rather than depending on my old eyes, it would be easier for me to set a gauge, then set both stops to that.

We offer our Rip Gauge which does exactly this on either side of the blade for settings up to 25.5" (647mm).

Thanks.  I saw this and bought some.  Hopefully, they'll be on the way soon.  Thanks again!

 

[MikkelF]

I have the TSO complete set. Im finding them way to difficult to adjust to be dead-on if it's an odd number like fx. 647 mm. Maybe it's because mine is the metric version... Don't know. What I do know is that I need to stand in the exact same position for each side eyeing the numbers to ensure they are exact same. There is simply too much parallax error otherwise = Far from optimal. It's the only TSO purchase Im not satisfied with. If they updated the stop to be with a "hairline gauge" that lies flat on the number lines similar to Festool Domino that would fix the problem and make it dead-on every time.

 

[Packard]

Snip.The challenge came in with big cross-cuts in ply. Snip.

Spot-on. Rip cuts are not the problem.

The track saw/ circular saw is the tool of choice for crosscutting. I sure wouldn't do it in the way these folks suggested in their video, given the risk of kickback (depending on the cutting width):

To make parallel cuts on the table saw requires that the plywood be kept flush against the fence at all times. 

It is not clear to me from the video which person is putting pressure against the fence.  It should be the man.  But it is easier for the woman. 

If the woman pushes the sheet against the fence, they are OK for the first two thirds of the cut.  That last third becomes risky. 

As the cut comes nearer to the finish line, pressure from the side will trap the spinning blade and cause kickback. I would say that the off-cut piece she is holding is more likely to kick-back.

If all she is doing is supplying support, a free standing roller stand it safer in my opinion. 

I have three of them.  Mostly I use one only to support the sheet on the infeed side. 

I also use them for my track saw.  I load the plywood in my van and then back up to my saw horse setup.  I set two stands up side by side about 1 - 2 inches above the floorboard height of the van.  I then roll it onto the saw horse setup for easy parsing into smaller pieces.

That means that I never have to lift a full sheet of plywood.  I do have to have a cutting pattern sketched out in advance.

In any case, in the instance shown in the video, I would stand off towards the side about 5 - 6 feet from the fence.  I would feed forward, pushing at about a 30 degree angle.  That will guarantee pressure against the fence and feed.  As I approach the end of the cut , I push forward only. 

 

[Michael Kellough]

I have the TSO complete set. Im finding them way to difficult to adjust to be dead-on if it's an odd number like fx. 647 mm. Maybe it's because mine is the metric version... Don't know. What I do know is that I need to stand in the exact same position for each side eyeing the numbers to ensure they are exact same. There is simply too much parallax error otherwise = Far from optimal. It's the only TSO purchase Im not satisfied with. If they updated the stop to be with a "hairline gauge" that lies flat on the number lines similar to Festool Domino that would fix the problem and make it dead-on every time.

I agree, room for improvement here. I’d like to increments to be finer too. As is you just have to be consistent in how you read.