Ripping sheet goods

[bnaboatbuilder]

That's a perfectly good plan. Cut a 3-4" strip at least and use the cut edge only. Factory edges aren't good.

You can also use the cams on your saw to do the job too. Video link further up.

I was wondering about aligning guide rails myself today. I have the standard 1400mm guide rail and was looking at getting another 1400mm LR32 guide rail since I recently picked up an OF 1400.

I have read a lot of where guys were using levels to align. Well, I don't have a level, nor do I have any other use for one, so I was wondering: Is it possible to just run a crosscut along the 4' side of a sheet of ply and then use your fresh cut to align? Basically using it as you would a level?

 

[buckeyeguy]

That's a perfectly good plan. Cut a 3-4" strip at least and use the cut edge only. Factory edges aren't good.

You can also use the cams on your saw to do the job too. Video link further up.

I watched that video, but would question the accuracy of it. I have never actually joined guide rails before, so my doubt comes out of pure thinking and no real world experience.

If I used the base of my saw, my length of alignment is fairly short. Would that short length of reference be long enough over 2800mm of rail? But then again, that method is just slightly shorter than the Betterley straight-line connector.

 

[rst]

I used a 72" piece of 8020 2012 extrusion I got from their EBay store (closed for holiday's...was going to check price) for years before buying the 118" rail.  Last piece I bought was $20 ish + shipping...I never bought just one piece, I've literally bought thousands of $ material from them over the years.