Using a Carvex PSC420 to make some drawers

[Tim Brennan]

I have a PSC420 and I'd like to make some drawers on runners for under the bed. Ideally I would use a chop saw and track saw to make them, but all I have is the PSC420.

Is there an accessory that helps it make a square cut? Alternatively I was thinking I could just follow the pencil line and then sand down the edge to make any curvy edges straight(er)...

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Tim,

For simplicity just clamp a straight edge (could be a straight piece of wood) in the right place and use this to guide the saw.

The PSC 420 can produce quite clean cuts (as far as jigsaws go) and so with care it should be okay.

Peter

 

[Acrobat]

I believe there is a thread here on the Fog that show you how to make a T square for accurate cross cuts with the carvex, simple and very effective, it may help you alot

 

[Paul G]

I have a PSC420 and I'd like to make some drawers on runners for under the bed. Ideally I would use a chop saw and track saw to make them, but all I have is the PSC420.

Is there an accessory that helps it make a square cut? Alternatively I was thinking I could just follow the pencil line and then sand down the edge to make any curvy edges straight(er)...

When you say square cut do you mean (1) the cut being square vertically to the surface of the wood being cut or (2) each cut being square to each other? As for 1, use the standard square base and quality blades and you should be fine. As for (2) cut along a straight edge clamped to the work piece and use a framing square to align the next square cut, the framing square might also serve as the straight edge as well for short enough cuts, again use clamps to keep it steady. Use the splinter guard and a quality blade, you'll have some sanding to do especially on the exposed edges, do you at least have a power sander? While it won't be a fine piece of woodwork you can probably make something serviceable.

 

[Tim Brennan]

Thanks guys.

Yes I was more concerned by my ability to follow a pencil line. I have a dts 400 too which may come in handy.

I'll try clamping a piece of wood

 

[Dan Clark]

Thanks guys.

Yes I was more concerned by my ability to follow a pencil line. I have a dts 400 too which may come in handy.

I'll try clamping a piece of wood

Tim,

Clamping a guide board to sheet goods or whatever is a time-honored method for making a straight cut.  It can produce acceptable results IF the material to be cut is smooth and flat, and IF the guide board is straight and smooth, and IF you can successfully hold the saw flush against the guide board for the entire length of the cut.  That's a lot of "ifs".

Before I started using Festool saws and guide rails, I tried that method.  Unsuccessfully.  Perhaps you can do it, but I found that the cut line wandered as I started stretching out for parts of the cut. 

One of the keys to Festool saws is the guide rail.  With the guide rail, a large number of variables are removed.  The cut line is dependent on where you place the guide rail.

For square cuts, I use a Woodpeckers 12" Woodpeckers Carpenter Square.  (The 12" Precision Woodworking Square will work fine too.) One side is placed on the edge of the material and the other side is against the guide rail.  There are other, faster methods for repeated cuts, but this method has served me will for several years.

You may want to consider buying a Festool guide rail and the Carvex Guide Rail Base: http://festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/jigsaws/carvex-bases-and-inserts/guide-rail-base-for-carvex-jigsaw-497303 .  I have a Festool Trion jig saw with the guide rail adapter.  I've used it several times to make rail straight (pardon the pun) cuts.   

Good luck with your project.

Regards,

Dan.

p.s. I've been thinking about a Carvex, but my PS300 (D handle) Trion still works very well.  If I ever buy the Carvex, I'd probably get the accessory kit too. At $200 it's pricey, but all the accessories are in one place and always available.

 

[gkaiseril]

You could make a cutting guide  like many do for a circular saw.

screw a very straight board on to 1/2" Masonite or plywood in from the edge so the Carvex will cut of some of the width. Now saw along the edge of the guide board and cut the under laying stock so that the space from the guide piece to the edge of the under laying stock is the same distance as from the edge of the base plate to the saw blade. You might also want to mark the direction of the saw cut.

You can now align the cut edge to the marked cut line, clamp the guide and cut.

Just make sure you keep the base plate to the guide wood. Not quite as good as the guide rail and optional base, but for short lengths it should be fine. Body position and movement could cause one to pull or push the saw from the guide.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Following a pencilline with a jigsaw never works. As adviced, use a straight edge clamped to the board. And make the cuts nice and slow or you'll increase the chance of blade deflection.

 

[ostwest]

i m sure you can achieve straight cut with jigsaw lower the speed and pendulum action to follow pencil line OR get a sliding square clamp it 3.9 or 4.1 mm of your line(depends which way you cutting) and off you go.
i bought that guide-rail adapter but i tell you its faster with square.
something is wrong with my carvex and for some reason its not doing the guide-rail thingy good. i needed it for 18mm MFC board cutting and it burnt 2 new FSG blades and bent(i know about over tightening of guides so that wasnt that) then i tried 40mm worktop with another new FSG blade - did a nice 4 mil top to bottom difference cut. and i cant send it for repairs because i m using every day...