Cutting tool dilemma

Chris Evans001

Forum Member
Hi all,

So I am just about to begin fitting a new plywood floor into our van, and thinking ahead to how I am going to cut nice crisp lines in both the sheet material for the floor, but also the sheet material for the rest of the furniture in the conversion.

I have decided that I need to purchase a tool for cutting the sheets, I have a reasonable range of tools available to me (jigsaw, handsaws, Dremel, discutters, mitre blocks etc etc), but nothing it seems, suitable for the job.

I am torn between buying a table saw and a circular saw and would appreciate other people experience of this.
It is of course quite feasible that I might need both eventually!

Whichever tool I buy first, I must be able to cut good mitres with it.

What is your go to tool for cutting sheets?

Cheers in advance

Chris
 

Garywrench

You ideally need a track saw - or a circular saw with a seperate track suck as the Kreg one, plus a table saw. I’m nearly done on my van and I’ve done it all with the Kreg track with a Ryobi cordless circular saw (brushless one) but the times I’ve cried out for a table saw, plenty on Facebook Marketplace , really need a fine tooth blade for it though. I’ve not cut any mitres with the track, only small mitres on my chop saw.
Gary
 
Millie Master

Millie Master

Forum Member
Chris; for cutting the floor sheets (where I used 12mm marine plywood) I used a hand held circular saw along with a clamped on guide. I know some people swear blind that a plunge saw is best, but this method worked just as well for me as it always has and without the expense of buying yet another tool, which leaves some dosh left over for all the adhesives.

When cutting the wall boards, I did exactly the same as above but then when cutting the more intricate cuts I used either a jig saw or, and my favourite and most accurate was my beloved Bosche multitool fitted with one of the many blades I have for it.

My main wall boards were made using general quality 6mm plywood which I then faced with 4mm oak faced lightweight ply or for the ceiling, Morlands vinyl faced ply.

Good luck Chris, and please keep us all informed about how you are getting on.

Phil
 

voyager

Forum Member
If cutting furniture board using a jig saw then try using a blade for steel as they tend to have a finer tooth and will leave a clean edge. Also, set the jig saw to give a straight up and down cut rather than use the pendulum or orbital setting as this may leave a rough edge.
 
LibertyHall

LibertyHall

Forum Member
We used circular saw jigsaw with a clamp on guide when needed as above, and we also changed to a finer blade. Above all enjoy the build time!!
 

Deleted member 4404

To prevent tear out, clamp a thin sacrificial piece of timber to the face surface before cutting.
I use a plunge saw and track for long cuts and my table saw is also used for ripping down cls for battens, framework etc
 

Misterg

A plunge / track saw is ideal for what you want. You would need rollers and a lot of space to cut full sheets of ply with a small table saw.

I started with a circular saw and a straightedge and didn’t really see why that would be much different to a track saw - then I bought one fron Lidl. A track saw is *much* quicker, cuts very accurately and gives a lovely straight, clean edge. Out of the choices of track saw, circular saw, or small table saw, I would go for the track saw every time for sheet work.

Not sure what mitres you mean - the track saw will cut decent bevels, but if you want good mitres, then get a mitre saw. I have a ‘cheap’ sliding compound mitre saw which is probably one of my most used tools.
 
n brown

n brown

Forum Member
straight cuts - track saw
curve cuts - jigsaw with reverse cut blades. these only cut on the downstroke and make it easy to follow the pencil line and any splintering is on the back of the cut.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Top