Portable cutting jig for the parallel guides

[Mark]

Finally figured out how to efficiently use the parallel guides by cobbling together a raised cutting jig that I can use on the MFT. I "think" this has been done before but I finally had the "aha" moment a couple of days ago
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Using some dunnage scabbed from some old crates and some spacers cut from scrap, I created a raised cutting jig that the parallel guides could sit above the table.

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Here you see the guides sitting on the raised table and the MFT clamps used to hold the entire contraption together.

The great part is that I can take the whole thing apart and store it in a compact space until I need it. Since I don't have a dedicated shop, this really forces me to think about how everything can be stowed until the next project, which is a total PIA.

 

[Theshipstore]

Nice setup and I like the portability the best. The parallel guides have always been my source of difficulty in use , this solve a lot of those issues.
Thanks
sal

 

[fidelfs]

Sorry, but I don't get why do you have to do that?

I just let the small part from the parallel guide extension tight to the mft and hanging. (The one for cuts less than the width of the rail)

I even use a single parallel guide to make cross cut (making like a big "T" square) and I let hang the extension. 

What am I missing here? ???

 

[sancho57]

I can understand  using the jig. The difficulty I have with the guide is the guides swing unsupported at the ends of the rails. I have solve this by bracing the guides with something like a piece of ply or some thing of the same thickness of the wood Im cutting. This sort of solves that.

 

[Mark]

@fidelfs ... i could never figure out how to support the guides like your setup and then saw a video by Roger Muller on his cutting table: Video_1_Festool TS 55 Plunge Saw with Parallel Guides for Cutting Plywood ... seeing how the "yokes" as he calls them is allowed to fall through the table but still have all the material supported inspired this idea. I could swear I saw this idea on some thread here but can seem to find it. Rogers's setup though is too large for me to store something like that so breakdown was critical as well as cost.

The next version is to create a breakdown table that I can cut 4x8 sheet goods... same idea but possibly drilling 20mm holes in a 10ft 2x4 and then using spacers and risers in the same system.

does this clarify it?

 

[fshanno]

Excellent!    I've done more or less the same thing with a bunch of horses.  Support running parallel with the arms and perp to the guide is the only way to go with the parallel guides.  For one thing material thickness is not an issue.  Plus, with your setup you can leave the narrow rip extensions on to counter balance the arms and mitigate sag.

My old cutting platform has bitten the dust and I'm going to make a new one based on your idea.  I need to break down full sheets and I have only one MFT which is dedicated to crosscutting so mine will have to be something rigged up on horses. 

Did you experiment with different support spacing? 

 

[peter halle]

Mark,

With the MFT/3 table height at about 36", and then this wonder idea adding at least 4", do you find the final work height to be uncomfortable?

Peter

 

[kev carpenter]

@fidelfs ... i could never figure out how to support the guides like your setup and then saw a video by Roger Muller on his cutting table: Video_1_Festool TS 55 Plunge Saw with Parallel Guides for Cutting Plywood ... seeing how the "yokes" as he calls them is allowed to fall through the table but still have all the material supported inspired this idea. I could swear I saw this idea on some thread here but can seem to find it. Rogers's setup though is too large for me to store something like that so breakdown was critical as well as cost.

The next version is to create a breakdown table that I can cut 4x8 sheet goods... same idea but possibly drilling 20mm holes in a 10ft 2x4 and then using spacers and risers in the same system.

does this clarify it?

good job, i mainly like the right of the truck and cutting, and to be able to make it to your needs and specific height. the less you need to move the more money you can make [thumbs up]

 

[Mark]

I'm kind of a shrimp at 5'-3" and yeah, I guess its a little high but just being able to finally use the parallel guides effectively offset any minor ergonomic issues for me. I'll be honest, it's a pretty crappy setup but as a prototype I can see something rigged for 4x8's. With regard to spacing... I just grabbed what was lying around the floor and had at it. I'm totally guilty of spending way too much time on the process rather than the product. I originally had this confabulated idea of creating a series of 3/4" dado's along a 2x4 set at 12" increments but that turned out to be a doo doo idea, not to mention the work involved cutting all those dados.

As long as your uprights are all relatively the same width the spacers can really be of any width but they have to be relatively parallel.

I just like the down and dirty aspect of this solution and I'm sure there are way more elegant ways to do this. The ability to break it all down into a stack is something I really like as I'm really constrained for space.

 

[TomGadwa1]

This is my portable setup for cutting rails, stiles and face frame pieces. It has stock support and full support of the parallel guide and extension set.

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Here is the setup ready to cut some wood.

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This is the stock holding clamp.

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The support for the right side extension.

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The left hand side stock holder.

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Stock support hold down for right side of jig.

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Nothing to do with this but my MFT sled.

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And one more of the MFT sled.

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The 38 mm pieces that took less than two minutes to safely cut.

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Another view of the cut wood which is oak cut with the new Panther I think blade.

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[TomGadwa1]

To add to this it is made of cheap stuff I had laying about. It is very stable as it is clamped to the MFT table. The stock is held by clamps which also enhance accuracy of the cuts. Stock is supported from underneath by the side stock supports which also provide the clamping ability. The parallel guide set rests upon some 4 by 4 stock with cleats that are milled for a sung fit. All is clamped together for a rigid setup to cut very accurate ripped pieces of material. It only requires eight clamps and as we all now one can never have too many clamps in the shop!

 

[waho6o9]

Good job TomGadwa1!  I like the way everything is clamped down and the way you have the parallel guides secured.  I bet all those ripped pieces have close to zero variations.