Parallel Guides and Way to Make Square Panels

[woodshopdemos]

I have had the Festool Parallel Guide Set for about a month and have a few words. First, I love the new product. It has the Festool design,engineering quality we like to see. There's a "but" here. But, it is for rip cuts - as the literature says. For example, I always make a long cut on a 4' x 8' sheet. Historically, I use the two ruler approach with my cut down rulers. Great method-- it works. To use the new guides, I would be attaching one at both ends. That is one cumbersome setup...so much so  I haven't tried it. But more importantly, the parallel guides will give you parallel cuts and I don't want all parallel cuts. I could end up with a parallelogram and that doesn't make square furniture/cabinets. So in my shop I have an SOP, all cuts going the long direction will use the cut down rulers and cuts going the other direction will use one of the Festool Parallel Guides. Take a look at the update to my site and see if this makes more sense. Bottom line: it works.

and, yes, that is the Festool Gecko used along with one of the guides.

http://www.woodshopdemos.com

 

[nickao]

It makes total sense.

Unless the ply is perfectly square at all 4 corners(length perpendicular to width) to begin with you WILL get a parallelogram just cutting each side parallel to its opposite side.

You basically will get the same shape you started with albeit smaller, unless you square off the corners first, which is a hassle.

Your approach would work for me if I used that system.

Does that Gecko stick to the MDF?  I thought it only sticks to glass.

 

[Frank-Jan]

Thanks for the tutorial John.
I've been doing it that way to, but instead of using the parallel guides as a straightedge, I use them for the first rip cuts (instead of the rulers). And then use the mft/ scms (which depends on the width) for the perpendicular ones (both sides, to eliminate the parrallellogram issue). Using the PA's as a straightedge might be a good solution for crosscuts just too wide for the mft, instead of moving the hinge to the longer rail, and using the long side of th mft (which I haven't tried yet)

Do those gecko clamps attach to/detach from the rails easily?
I thought they would be nice to have on a few occasions, but I always thought of them to be a bit expensive for what they are. I do glazing aswell, so I have several of the suction carry devices, I think I'll try them on the stuff I cut regularly with the ts55, and see if the geckos will be usefull to me. (I'v used them before to position heavy and wide natural stone thesholds, where the suction time is limited aswell)

 

[Bob Marino]

John,

Once again; thanks!

Bob

 

[Per Swenson]

Why we like this guy.
Mr Lucas that is......
Is his ability to state the facts in a clear and definitive way.
Thank you, John.

Per

 

[woodshopdemos]

Does that Gecko stick to the MDF? 

Nick, No to MDF but it is so substantial and has a large non-skid base it does a fne job working MDF. It does hold white melamine, It is an OK accessory. If you look at Elena using it, the Gecko gives you a nice handle to lower the guide rail to the mark.

 

[woodshopdemos]

    Do those gecko clamps attach to/detach from the rails easily?

Thewy come on and off very easily. 2 screws tighten when you place on the guide rail. It makes is ewasy to slide up or down on the guide rail...depending on who is using it and size of panel.

 

[woodshopdemos]

Why we like this guy.
Mr Lucas that is......
Is his ability to state the facts in a clear and definitive way.
Thank you, John.

Per

I am blushing. I have learned a lot from Per from one short visit here and reading his answers here.  Two weeks ago when I was setting up the Kreg jig on the Kapex workstations, I always kept in mind Per's statement "I just take a panel or piec of wood to the MFT and make the cut. I know it will be square -- I set it up that way."  There is lot said in that short statement. There is nothing quite like it when you can take a sheet of anything and ease it into the fence and make the cut and know that it is square - no need to check with the engineers square,,,that was already done. It is a great method to adopt.