how to efficiently rip a bunch of strips with a track saw
- Thread starter Paul G
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.. or Imperial (not Empirical) folks are having to rally to the flag (along with Burma and Liberia) - we'll get the measure of you in the end!Paul G said:
Now back to the subject in hand - thin strips - 25 mm or 0.98425 inches anyone?
Peter
Yes you're right it is correctly spelled Imperial, but here in the US it is US Customary Units which is actually different than Imperial http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_imperial_and_US_customary_measurement_systems.
Going to make a jig this week to cut 1/4 inch strips from a board, or make that 6.35 mm ;D
Going to make a jig this week to cut 1/4 inch strips from a board, or make that 6.35 mm ;D
Kev said:
I agree it is better and ultimately easier once you take the time to understand it. But...
Alot here in the US are used to imperial and if festool wants to grow here it might part of a good strategy to offer a choice like on the TS55r.
For me personally metric has opened my eyes to what a pain imperial can be. No more division just 12345678....easy. Fact is though people are invested in imperial both mentally and monetarily with tools. Not to mention the translations we have to do with materials.
Choices are always a good thing where possible doesn't have to be a battle between the two. We know metric is the better system.
I went metric about 20 years ago, It lasted for 3-4 years. I was dealing with customers, even some well educated scientist/engineers that use metric for work, I had to communicate to them in inches/feet when it came to furniture and cabinet projects. I never had a major conversion error, but came close. For various reason I put my business on hold and really did not do much in the shop for a long time. when I started up again I was thinking in feet/inches again because all my metric stuff dribbled out of my head. 
Right now I'm debating if I want to convert again.
Right now I'm debating if I want to convert again.
farms100 said:I went metric about 20 years ago, It lasted for 3-4 years. I was dealing with customers, even some well educated scientist/engineers that use metric for work, I had to communicate to them in inches/feet when it came to furniture and cabinet projects. I never had a major conversion error, but came close. For various reason I put my business on hold and really did not do much in the shop for a long time. when I started up again I was thinking in feet/inches again because all my metric stuff dribbled out of my head.
Right now I'm debating if I want to convert again.
Reminds me of a story from my uncle, he's an engineer and ordered a countertop that was off by several inches when it arrived. He remeasured the cabinet and his info was spot on, so he calls the maker who comes over and measures the countertop and it was spot on...turns out my uncle was using this antique folding ruler he got at a garage sale that was a different inch (possibly from Sweden), that turned out to be a very expensive garage sale find.
in some cases i've been cutting sized thin strips sort of backward- i retain the offcut as the sized strip to use making the cabinet part.
so for, say 2.5", strips- get a combination square, set the rule to the offcut width, 2.5", then add 2.2mm for the blade kerf [blink], then use this final setting to set the front and rear of the guide rail splinter strip from the edge of the panel.
you could work with pencil marks instead here, but the square to the rail may be faster and better.
the obvious problem here is combining 2.2mm with inches, or to mms for that matter- it's a weird and impractical dimension. if you're in metric, probably just add an even 2mm.
otherwise make a spacer the the same thickness as the kerf to hold against the "handle" of the square to offset that amount against the scale.
this will give fast, repeat or single cuts of reasonable accuracy, assuming your splinter strip is in good shape (somehow mine are often screwed up..)
alter your work flow to cut thin pieces from the panel FIRST, so that you always know you have a large surface to put the rail on, and cut any larger pieces later in the process.
so for, say 2.5", strips- get a combination square, set the rule to the offcut width, 2.5", then add 2.2mm for the blade kerf [blink], then use this final setting to set the front and rear of the guide rail splinter strip from the edge of the panel.
you could work with pencil marks instead here, but the square to the rail may be faster and better.
the obvious problem here is combining 2.2mm with inches, or to mms for that matter- it's a weird and impractical dimension. if you're in metric, probably just add an even 2mm.
otherwise make a spacer the the same thickness as the kerf to hold against the "handle" of the square to offset that amount against the scale.
this will give fast, repeat or single cuts of reasonable accuracy, assuming your splinter strip is in good shape (somehow mine are often screwed up..)
alter your work flow to cut thin pieces from the panel FIRST, so that you always know you have a large surface to put the rail on, and cut any larger pieces later in the process.
panelchat said:
I do it the same way - but I measure from the edge of the panel to the metal edge of the track - just above the splinter strip
5/32's works for me and since my combination square is in 32's, all I have to do is to count 5 lines past my finished measurement ie 2 1/2" plus 5 lines...
markorjack
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- 37
The US isn't the #1 world economy, the countries that rank above you use the metric systemPaul G said:
Genuine question, not trying to stir up the dust, why does the US still use imperial, given that there are only 3 countries in the world to do so?
Given that the world is a much smaller place these days due to the internet, fast freight etc, it really is unfathomable that everyone doesn't use the metric standard.
It also works the other way, sometimes I have wanted to buy something from the US but haven't because of the antiquated measuring system.
Although I wasn't alive when the imperial system was introduced into Australia, I do occasionally use it.
However the metric system really is so much easier.
For some reason the imperial system is still in use here, for example pipe sizing depending on the use.
Electrical conduit is sold in mm, plumbing fittings are a mix which can be irritating.
markorjack said:The US isn't the #1 world economy, the countries that rank above you use the metric systemPaul G said:
Either you don't know the facts or are making a joke that I don't get.
markorjack said:
Why does the US still use Imperial? It's like asking why do they still speak Chinese in China. It is what it is. Anecdotally, around here the two major hardware stores are Home Depot and Lowes. The other day I decided to see if either sold any metric tape measures. There was none at Home Depot and Lowes had one where metric was secondary on the underside and you wouldn't have known it from the package description. That's it, 1 tape with metric among the multiple dozens of models of tapes and various brands sold between both stores. Online, I'm seeing Home Depot offers 4 that include metric, Lowes has none listed in the title of the tapes. I asked the guy in charge of the tool area at Lowes if he ever gets requests for metric devices and in all his years I was his first. It is what it is. Some politician can't change it, and certainly one tool company can't change it.
Paul,
Strange you mentioned that. I was at HD the other day and was killing time looking at tape measures and the only one I saw was a Stanley that had both. Strangely I also saw a 25' tape with engineer's scale - 1/10 of a ft only. I really wonder how many of those they will sell.
Peter
Strange you mentioned that. I was at HD the other day and was killing time looking at tape measures and the only one I saw was a Stanley that had both. Strangely I also saw a 25' tape with engineer's scale - 1/10 of a ft only. I really wonder how many of those they will sell.
Peter
markorjack
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- 37
I wasn't really making a joke, and if you look at GDP, you guys are still in the top 2, I was really basing the ranking on currency value and on that basis even little old Australia is doing pretty wellPaul G said:markorjack said:The US isn't the #1 world economy, the countries that rank above you use the metric systemPaul G said:
Either you don't know the facts or are making a joke that I don't get.
markorjack said:
Why does the US still use Imperial? It's like asking why do they still speak Chinese in China. It is what it is. Anecdotally, around here the two major hardware stores are Home Depot and Lowes. The other day I decided to see if either sold any metric tape measures. There was none at Home Depot and Lowes had one where metric was secondary on the underside and you wouldn't have known it from the package description. That's it, 1 tape with metric among the multiple dozens of models of tapes and various brands sold between both stores. Online, I'm seeing Home Depot offers 4 that include metric, Lowes has none listed in the title of the tapes. I asked the guy in charge of the tool area at Lowes if he ever gets requests for metric devices and in all his years I was his first. It is what it is. Some politician can't change it, and certainly one tool company can't change it.
I still don't get why you guys don't change to metric.
You said "Some politician can't change it" but that is what has happened in most other countries.
From the outside looking in, and what we see in our ever reliable (?) media, it does seem that the US struggles with change.
Not to turn this into a chest puffing contest though
I hope you find a good way to rip thin strips with a track saw
Paul G said:
They stole your thread with the endless spinning around the block discussion of Imperial versus Metric. Beg and plead all you want, the two camps never seem to abate on this issue once started. I feel for ya. [unsure]
Good luck getting more info on your narrow stock query! [wink]
[smile]
markorjack said:I still don't get why you guys don't change to metric.
You said "Some politician can't change it" but that is what has happened in most other countries.
From the outside looking in, and what we see in our ever reliable (?) media, it does seem that the US struggles with change.
Not to turn this into a chest puffing contest though
The full answer to this is highly political and opinionated and beyond the scope of both this thread or the forum at large. It's funny, I simply asked if the Festool parallel guides are available in Imperial and it's devolved into America bashing. Seems to me there's more going on here than just a style of ruler.
