How to Accurately Layout Cut Lines on Sheet Goods

[Patrick Cox]

Hello,
I just purchased a TS55 track saw and an MFT3 table.  I am comfortable with cutting on the table but I could use some help in laying out cut lines when my piece is larger than the table.  For example, I need to cut off a 21" wide panel off of a sheet of plywood.  What is the best way to ensure I get a line that is 21" from the edge and parallel to the entire edge I am measuring from?  I know I can measure and mark 21" in two spots and connect those spots with the cut line on the track, but I feel like there must be some sort of jig or other technique I should use to ensure my cut line is parallel to the edge I am measuring from.

Thanks for your help as I am new to woodworking!

 

[copcarcollector]

[member=61142]Patrick Cox[/member]

If you are doing this a lot, you might want to investigate the Festool Parallel Guides, or one of the other brand similar tools. Also, make sure that you use your rail to cut a fresh edge on the sheet goods first, then all of your subsequent cuts should be parallel to that new edge...

If you are using the two pencil mark method, make sure to note which is your "keeper" piece, and plop the rail down accordingly. Doing it backwards you may end up with a different measurement than you thought... not sure how I know that!
https://www.festoolproducts.com/Festool-P00108-Parallel-Guide-Set-For-Guide-Rail-S-p/57000023.htm

 

[Holmz]

I use the marking method and lay the track down and clamp it, and recheck the measurement with a tape. Usually on an old foldable table.

...  I am comfortable with cutting on the table but I could use some help in laying out cut lines when my piece is larger than the table. 
...

Size matters... [cool]
You need a larger table.
The back of a truck... The ground... Whatever...

I use the two foldable tables, sometimes with half the board on each one if I am going down the centre.

 

[waho6o9]

I rip about a half inch off the factory edge and mark both ends and set a middle

block against the rail mid point to alleviate lateral distortions.  Works for me!

View attachment 1

 

[nclemmons]

John Lucas was one of the earliest Festool Owners Group contributors.  He passed away but his content and tips lives on at www.woodshopdemos.com

A great tip from John about cutting panels accurately was to use two straight edge razor blades.  Using your tape measure, measure the length from each edge you need to cut, press the razors into the wood and then slide the guide rail to the razor blades on each end.  Remove the blades and make your cut.

You certainly can go down the path of the parallel guides - Festool, Seneca or others.  But two razor blades is a great way to start and extremely accurate.  Easy to transport and store too!

neil

 

[JimD]

When I have to mark and cut to the marks, I use a 0.5mm mechanical pencil.  For little measurements, I use an incra rule with holes for the 0.5m lead.  That is very accurate but only works for smaller measurements.  The pictures are for my track setting jigs.  I don't like cutting to marks.  With my table saw I set the fence.  With the CMS and RAS I try to use stops.  With my track saw I use a track setting jig. 

 

[ear3]

Rip the factory edge on the long side, and then with a square you trust (ideal for this situation is one of the larger Woodpeckers precision squares, but if you have a framing square or T square that you're sure of, these will work), cross cut one of the ends square to that side.  Now measure from the long side at either end, put razor blades in the pencil marks and register the splinterguard against them.  The resulting piece will have three square sides.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/square-cuts/

Parallel guides I think are only called for if you're batching material.  Not that you shouldn't get them, but it will take you longer to set them up and make a test cut to be certain than simply using a tape measure.

For measuring on sheet goods, I actually like using one of the Woodpeckers rules with a hook stop at the end:
http://www.woodpeck.com/woodworkingrules.html

Lol, I just found one of the first threads I started containing a similar set of questions about marking and layout -- there's a good picture included of the razor blade method:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/ts75-101-question/

 

[MrToolJunkie]

I think that the Incra gauges with the holes that allow perfect dimension lines are key. I will rip a clean edge, then use the Incra to strike a line the exact dimension I need referencing off of the cut edge and lay the track down so that it is perfectly aligned with that line. I clamp the rail down on all critical cuts. If I need to make repeat cuts I use the parallel guides, but instead of relying on the little scales and getting the pointer just perfect, I set the stops to the rail and material that is already set to the cut line. The result is perfectly parallel cuts, exact dimension and repeatable. I used to use the scales on the stops and while I have mine adjusted to the saw, I could be 1 mm off or so relying only on the scales. With this method I get perfect results. I also use a stop-rule on some cuts to ensure the rail is parallel to an edge and the right dimension.

 

[demographic]

When marking out sheet goods I usually put three marks along the length of the cut.
That way if one of them is marked to the wrong size ( don't know about everyone else but I'm not infallible just yet) I can see it instantly as the marks don't line up.
It helps eliminate one of the basic errors that we all make.

 

[Cheese]

Most times I use an Incra or Woodpeckers T-rule or T-square with a .5 mm or .7 mm lead pencil.

If it's really critical I'll pull out the Starrett combination square and hang one edge off of the ply and use the end of the blade to position the Festool rail. That way you're going from hard stop (the ply edge), to hard stop (the Starrett blade contacts the rail strip). No more trying to eyeball the rail strip on the marked lines. Great for repetitive cuts because it eliminates the eyeball and the parallax error.

 

[rst]

I used a metal working combination square for anything under 15" but have since bought Woodpeckers rules and stops.  I measure to the aluminum edge rather the splinter guard...I have my 55 and 75 set so that both cut at 3mm off the aluminum.

 

[Holmz]

With the 3^2 +4^2 = 5^2 rule one does not even need a square.

And if the sheet on the diagonals is the same then that usually mean both ends are square.

Just lay the track down and rip it up.