Ripping 4'x8' WITHOUT buying more rails!

[EitanS]

I think the FOG is pretty clear on the topic of ripping 8' lengths- the 118" is ideal, the 106" works, as does 2 55" joined w/ connectors.

I am in the camp of owning the 55" that came w/ saw + the 42" with the MFT. I don't own rail connectors at this point, and the longer rails are definitely not in the budget right now, nor can I justify b/c I don't work with sheet goods that often.

Question: is it worth it to even try to join the 55+42 to get a longer cut, or just reposition the 55" for two cuts? Or is there some other magical strategy I haven't thought of?

THANKS!

 

[TOOLTOWN]

You could put 4 marks on the ply instead of just two.  Let's say .5 foot in, 3.5 feet, 4.5 feet, 7.5 feet.

Cut from 0 to 4 feet using the first 2 marks, then the second 4 feet using the other two marks (Using the 55" rail)

Ken

 

[Greg M]

I bought a 75", connectors and a Betterley SLC23.  The SCL23 gives you perfect alignment every time with no effort at all.  The 75" rail makes cutting the width of ply much easier and 130" is much easier than 110" for cutting the full length of a piece of ply.

 

[Stone Message]

When I used to be desperately poor (as opposed to just plain poor now) I used to use a long piece of aluminium "U" shape extrusion as a straight edge for cutting sheets down. Just set it up with the aluminium clamped in place and then run the edge of the sole plate of the saw against the aluminium straight edge to make the cut.

I know that it is not a guide rail but you said that you only cut down sheets from time to time so it might be one compromise solution.

Failing that, sell something that is in the attic and get the longer rail.

Peter

 

[elfick]

You could put 4 marks on the ply instead of just two.  Let's say .5 foot in, 3.5 feet, 4.5 feet, 7.5 feet.

Cut from 0 to 4 feet using the first 2 marks, then the second 4 feet using the other two marks (Using the 55" rail)

Ken

You should be able to get away with 3 marks, one one each edge and one dead center. The first cut will end up being your "mark" for the second cut.

 

[bkharman]

Can you afford about $129 + 30 bucks for some Incra T-Tracks?  If you get the Precision Dogs Parallel Guides, you can move the rail with them to get a very straight rip.  I have done this several times and the key is (of course) making sure the side you are using to reference, is truly straight.

http://precisiondogs.us/products/precision-parallel-guides-v11

Also, the method [member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member] mentioned most definitely works!

Cheers.  Bryan.

 

[johnleve]

Two things I have done that have worked:

1.  Align guide rail, clamp straight edge behind it, this allows you the ability to move the guide rail down the cut and it keeps it in position.

2.  Align guide rail, make cut, move it down about half the length of the rail and align it to your line.  With the saw off run it on the guide rail down the kerf of the already cut section.  I think that helps align the rail just a little better.  Continue the process until you are at the end.

I think the first method is better but the second works in a pinch.  Registering 1/2 the rail to the already cut portion does make a difference in my experience.

 

[AIPDX]

As you pointed out, 55" and 42" rails are not sufficient to cut 4x8 in one pass along its length. 55+42 = 97, and one might think that this is sufficient for an 96" long cut. However, since the saw must sit on the rail both when the blade starts cutting and when it exits the cut, one has to have some 6-8" inches of overhanging rail on both ends of the sheet. Therefore, you have to have two 55" rails to handle 4x8 sheets.

The only strategy I can think about how to cut 8+ feet without sufficiently long rails is to draw a straight line and the reposition a 55" rail along this line to make the cut in two passes. It takes a little more time and might not be quite as accurate, but it works.

Your other strategy is to join the rails you have, eyeball the line from one end of the cut to the other and cut almost the whole length, and then move the rail using the cut as your guide and then cut the rest.

None of these is perfect but you can use either until you have an opportunity to get another rail.

 

[JeromeM]

Agreed on the Betterley SLC23

I've got 2x800 1x1010 & 1x1400 rails 2 sets of connectors and the Betterley SLC23.

The Betterley Makes making up a perfect long rail easy. If I get another it will be a 2424 to expand my LR32 system. I do quite often rip 2440 sheets but not often enough to want a 3000 rail as the ones I've got with the betterly are good.

 

[eddomak]

Can you afford about $129 + 30 bucks for some Incra T-Tracks?  If you get the Precision Dogs Parallel Guides, you can move the rail with them to get a very straight rip.  I have done this several times and the key is (of course) making sure the side you are using to reference, is truly straight.

http://precisiondogs.us/products/precision-parallel-guides-v11

This was also the solution I was going to suggest in that it gives you another part of the system that can be useful (parallel guides). But if budget was the original consideration, then this solution would be more expensive that just getting another 55 inch rail (even a holey (sic) one).

 

[Brent Taylor]

I still use my 1/4 " plywood rip guide you can add a rail for the runner as the aluminum rails use,  cheap and easy.

 

[gsidwall]

I have done this with the 55" guide by making three marks, one at each end, and one in the middle. I make the first cut from  near end to the middle, going as far as I can. I then move the track to align with the far end mark and the middle one. Then I gently lower the unpowered saw into the kerf at the middle (adjusting guide slightly if needed), rocking it back and forth unpowered until I get the guide nicely aligned with the first cut before I make the second. I usually check the track alignment with the far end mark, with the blade down in the kerf, before I start to cut. Sometimes it's easier if you do this with four marks and two moves - depends on how easy it is to  move around the work.

 

[Nick C]

Buy a 1x4. Plane one edge true. Use this as your edge guide. Compensating for the offset will add a few seconds to the job. but that's the only downside.

 

[flair woodworks]

Buy a 1x4. Plane one edge true. Use this as your edge guide. Compensating for the offset will add a few seconds to the job. but that's the only downside.

You also lose the splinter guard attached to the underside of the rail.

 

[sancho57]

As already been said , do it the old fashion way use a straight edge.

 

[Mike B]

I can relate to the hassles of breaking down sheet goods with marks, joining rails and using other straight edges. Over the years I've used them all.
However as someone who only recently finally got hold of a 3000mm rail I have to say the experience is sublime and worth every penny.

 

[fshanno]

It's only $50 for a generic 55" guide that will work with Festool. 

 

[EitanS]

Tried ripping w/ repositioning guide with blade in already cut section, worked ok. Then read posts and pulled an 8' straight (enough) piece of wood from the pile to reference rail, which worked just fine. Thanks for tips.

 

[roblg3]

Depending on the width of the rip one can grip the sole of the saw at the appropriate distance and us the clamped point to guide the saw.  You can NOT straight line rip anything this way, but it's similar to a table saw rip.  It's NOT the safest way to work.

 

[Mr Heavy]

as hinted at earlier...

Clamp a piece of ply with a good edge in place, offset,  so that you can slide the BACK edge of your short rail along the edge of it. Make first cut, slide the rail to its next position, ease the riving knife into the kerf and away you go. Repeat as necessary.

The factory edge of ply will be good enough and your short rail can overhang the end of your stock as required.
Unless you're doing a LOT of long cuts, this is the best of all possible worlds - you get the splinter guard, the accuracy, the length you need and virtually no additional expenditure.

Anyone who argues this isn't accurate really ought to take up a different hobby.

All you need to do is work the offset out, which should be easy enough to measure (I can't remember it offhand) though of course you can just reference it off the properly-positioned guide and extrapolate if you're a no-measure type of guy.

Cheap enough for ya? – Even _I_ can afford this (barely).