Cutting & Handling Plywood in a One-Person Shop
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- Опубликовано: 10 май 2024
- Handling and cutting a full sheet of plywood -- or any sheet material -- can be a challenge in a one-person shop. To make your woodworking life a little easier, Nick has developed four simple fixtures and combined them in a ingenious system for managing sheet materials. Used together, these shop-built tools allow you to move, position, and make amazingly accurate cuts in plywood, particleboard, and other sheet goods.
And because we know you will be asking, Nick's co-star in this video is Bella, our shop-dog-in-training. She's a one-year-old short-haired "red" border collie/kelpie cross, and a handful.
Plans for these incredibly useful jigs and fixtures, including measurements in both inches and millimeters, can be found at the Workshop Companion General Store at workshopcompanionstore.com/pr... .
0:00 Intro
2:48 The Grid
4:06 The Carrier
5:23 Loading Arms
7:00 The Saw Guide
To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more, see: / workshopcompanion
Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: workshopcompanionstore.com/
Pick up one of Nick’s books FREE just for visiting!
For our non-English-speaking viewers: Closed captions can be set to any language. Click on “CC” (Closed Captions) at the bottom of the screen to turn them on. Click on the gear (Settings) and a menu appears. Click on “Subtitles/CC” and another menu will appear. Click on “Auto Translate” and a menu of languages will appear. Click on the language you want for the closed captions and you will be returned to the video -- closed captions will appear in the language you have chosen. If these captions cover up some of the action, place the cursor over the captions, press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the captions to where you want them on your screen. Release the mouse buttons and they’ll stay there.
Para nuestros espectadores que no hablan inglés: los subtítulos se pueden configurar en cualquier idioma. Haga clic en "CC" (Subtítulos) en la parte inferior de la pantalla para activarlos. Haga clic en el engranaje (Configuración) y aparecerá un menú. Haga clic en "Subtítulos/CC" y aparecerá otro menú. Haga clic en "Traducir automáticamente" y aparecerá un menú de idiomas. Haga clic en el idioma que desea para los subtítulos y volverá al video; los subtítulos aparecerán en el idioma que haya elegido. Si estos subtítulos cubren parte de la acción, coloque el cursor sobre los subtítulos, presione y mantenga presionado el botón izquierdo del mouse, luego arrastre los subtítulos a donde quiera que estén en su pantalla. Suelte los botones del mouse y permanecerán allí.
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And thank you so much for your time and interest!
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Man it feels like he should have been on TV for the last 30 years. Such a great orator, concise but not robotic or monotonous. Also clearly a very talented craftsman. Thank you for all the great videos.
Agree!
Ditto!
Is he speaking from memory or reading off script?
I agree!
No joke. If this was on my local PBS station I wouldn't be surprised in the least.
To be honest I think this man is the Bob Ross of woodworking. Such calmness and good/funny explaining, it's a joy to watch.
I second that! Great charisma!
An excellent explanation, useful tips. Thanks 😊
Yessir I Agree
I see it or like bill nye the science guy
Yeah man, I'm a minute in and like, yup, I'll subscribe, this guy is a dude
Do I need this? No. Was this still one of the most entertaining videos I’ve seen on RUclips in a while? Absolutely. I could watch this guy and his dogs all day long.
Thanks for the kind words -- from Bella and me.
The best part of this man's videos is that he talks explaining the details, rather than playing crap music.
I put some crap music in the videos but turn the volume down to where you can hardly hear it. I just want it to add some ambience so the video doesn't feel stagnant.
AS a 64 year old woman I am truly grateful for these instructions. I will need them to create my own frame and door design as well as try to manage installing it myself without help. Wish me luck. Thank you kindly for the common-sense.
Something we're experimenting with that you might like to try: Add a set of small casters to the bottom of the plywood-carrying jig.
you are never going to do this....
@@AsTheWheelsTurn
😂 Hahaha
Calm, cool, and collected. So glad there are woodworkers out there that don't feel they have to scream at the camera or be overly boisterous. I can learn more from a person like this than some of those channels that seem to need a flashy gimmick. It is like having your favorite uncle teaching you. Keep it up.
You are so interesting to listen to. No fuss, no muss, this is how it's done. Thanks for being there for us.
A talented, well-spoken man. My mind is completely blown.
That hammer twirl at the end sealed the deal for me.
Indeed, I have to know how he does it?🤔😂
I have never been so entertained while learning. The writing is brilliant. The delivery perfect.
I love how he talks about the terrible "standardized size" of plywood. I hadn't considered a different size. But certainly 4 feet x 8 feet is a horrible idea. haha. I can't actually get to my plywood to use it for anything because it's almost impossible to move around once you put it away in the corner of a storage building.
I had no intention to watch this video, but once I started it, I had to watch all of it. What a pleasure.
Thanks.
My wife tells me that I have one big smile for the whole time I watching these videos.
Hi, I'm from Costa Rica. I'm 35 yo and I find this whole channel more worthy of my time than a Social Network. Thank you so much!
Most welcome, and thanks for the kind words.
I trust any man who treats his puppy that well.
Just finished making all four of these ingenious tools and they work exactly as advertised! Thank you for the great video!
Most welcome.
Like most great ideas, the loading arms are so simple and yet so effective. Genius !
This is possibly the best woodworking video I’ve seen to date. Packed with fantastic wisdom. Thanks so much for creating it. Can’t wait to make these jigs. Subscribed!!
Thanks for your kind words...and welcome!
This- sometimes simple, repeatable designs are truly most functional
This project has absolutely saved me from abandoning cabinet-making. In my fifties and bulling around 3/4 4'x8' ply was getting to be near dangerous. I've done the insulation board on the garage floor and again, fifty-something-year-old knees and back...that gets old really fast. Do yourself a favor. MAKE THIS. You will not regret it once. I wish I had made this years ago. Thank you Nick!
Most welcome. And I know exactly what you mean. All my body parts are way past warranty, with the exception of the knee and ankle I had to replace. I'm convinced the make these sheets bigger, heavier, and less cooperative every year.
These 12.16 minutes have saved my back ... Thank you genuinely!!
Most welcome genuinely.
Learning from a master. Genius. Thanks for making such informative and clever jigs
Most welcome.
I absolutely love the fact you got your dog entertained and never skipped a beat in the video. Great ideas here... good job.
Bella and I thank you.
@@WorkshopCompanion Bella's name should be Sawdust since she is probably covered with it most of the time :)
@@Hank254 Bella has a very tight coat, like most kelpies. All it takes is a quick shake to get completely clean. Not once has my wife complained about Bella tracking sawdust into the house -- wish I could same the same for myself.
@@WorkshopCompanion Lol, great video by the way. I usually work by myself too and you gave some really good tips. Thank you.
Love the loading arms idea. I have a couple commercial sawhorses with slots for 2x4s already but those loading arms are a game changer
Hear! Hear! The loading arms are very clever, Nick. I'll be sharing this with some experienced woodworkers and our collective backs thank you!
Thanks. Over the years, I have bunged up more fingers getting the plywood to the cutting grid than I ever did getting the plywood from the lumberyard to the shop. This is my "last mile" solution.
Yup that's a great thing.
Yeah - the loading arms are a game-changing idea. The radius cut where the cross member and the lifting arm pivot is the key. Its simple little details like this that make me look in the mirror and say "why didn't you think of that?"
I agree with everybody, the loading arms are genius and an actual grid. I've been using an "X" laid on top of saw horses for a long time, but getting that plywood on top of the "X" on top of saw horses can be physically problematic. It can go dysfunctional in a split second.
Man. Im glad i found you. So nice to get tips for the regular guy who dosent have a million dollars worth of fancy tools. Thank you.
Most welcome.
I'm glad this popped up in my feed, instant sub. I'm a tradesman that ended up in a wheelchair. After building myself a new kitchen from my chair and struggling with my sheets I've been brainstorming on how to make it easier because I sure as hell ain't giving up. I think a bench like yours is just what I need. Also a carrier/dolly type thing. Thanks for the ideas.
Most welcome...and good luck.
An apparently talented carpenter having his dog in the shop is priceless! Semper Fi
Bella says to tell you oorah.
@@WorkshopCompanion OOHRAH! Semper Fi
I could watch these videos all day.
So I acquired the plans for this build. I would consider myself an amateur woodworker. I liked the idea because he’s right, I’m a tall healthy fellow and yet handling plywood by myself is difficult. Not only is this build functional, but it was a lot of fun to do as well. It took me a bit to figure out the “double bevel”, but once I found I was missing a page to the instructions all went well. I did most of the cutting on my mitre saw, I love my mitre saw. It looked like a good idea and I now know it is a good idea.
Thanks for this comment. I'm a noob and the only tool I really have going right now is my mitre saw. I was wondering if I'd be able to put this together. Off to buy the plans now. Thanks.
I would of loved to have be an apprentice under your calm and clear direction. I agree with others you are the Bob Ross of woodworking.
A pleasure watching and learning whilst still having fun with the dog. Well done sir!
Thanks for the kind words.
Genius sheet handling! I love working with softwood ply. Good tips thanks so much for this 👍🏽
Most welcome.
You and your team are an absolute delight to watch and I love everything you put out. You are a master craftsman and hold so much knowledge and we appreciate you sharing it.
Most welcome.
I love those loading arms. Learned to make a saw horse grid and cutting guide about 40 years ago on commercial trim sites, using them since. Love your showing others.
That's brilliant. I absolutely hate dealing with plywood because it so cumbersome. I love how he's come up with a whole system to deal with several plywood handling/cutting challenges. It not just a cutting platform.
Nice work, Nick! I wish I'd found this video a year and a half ago. I built a big double-oven cabinet and could have put all these excellent ideas to good use.
I have a similar bench set up for site working, but the tilting arm addition makes this so much easier perfectly explained and executed 👍
I do own a track saw and I have been cutting on the floor with two pieces of foam underneath.But not anymore I absolutely love your set up. Thanks for the great advice
He is indeed Bob Ross of woodworking with an addition to Bob Ross .. "Explaining the Why's properly"! I'm grateful we have teachers like him.
Please show a detailed video about your entire workshop and how you set it up and planned it and why it is the way it is - I think your workshop is fantastic from a first impression. Thank you.
This was wonderful. I've been looking for ways to work with sheet goods more effectively and this is awesome!
This guy is a joy to watch. Funny, gathered, right to the point. Love him!
As someone in their 40s I very much understand your jigs. There's a long from you and all the way down to the floor. Also - smart thinking
this man is hands down, the man!
No, the genius part is that you make fantastic videos like this for us all to learn from! 👍😀
I made many circular saw guide rails. As an addition, make a little chamfer on the small top board factory side at the bottom. This will really help with the sawdust capture between the guide and the circular saw. Nice video!!
Outstanding teacher! Clear, concise and friendly.
Thanks for saying.
As an engineer (67 yo), I love your ingenuity... and your attention to detail... yes, the cutting guide only works (accurately) if you use the same saw blade. I love to work by myself and am always coming up with tools that allow me to handle large sheets of plywood and drywall. I'm perfectly happy to trade time for ease... if it takes longer but is easier on my body, that's a great trade. Those loading arms are pure genius... simple and effective... we call that an elegant solution, in engineering. And... a great video... very well presented.
Thanks for the kind words.
Even though I have a track saw, I will certainly be making a carrier and possibly the grid as well. Extremely useful tips as always
Likewise here 😉
You are an amazing presenter! Not only was the video informative, but it was an absolute pleasure to listen to you. You just got a new subscriber!
Thanks...and welcome!
Love that table and the loading arms. Genius! 👌
Thank you as you taught me two new things that I'm going to employ. The sheet pivoting device and hammer twirling.
NIck, so happy to see your making videos again, I have watched a lot of the Shopsmith Videos you have made over the years. I agree Nick is an ICON
Absolutely love the teaching techniques in each and every video.
What up SkigMan🙃
This is 1 of my best videos on the subject.
Thank you very much for starting all the way from the scratch, of setting up the grid.
It is exactly what I have been looking for.
Most welcome.
Every second of this video is _genius_ . woodworkers never fail to impress with their ingenuity
Wow, as a former cabinet maker and now a hobbyist, this was excellent! Love the ease of handling 4x8 and the precision cutting jig. Bravo!
I have read so many of these replies I can only concur that this man is one of the most loved on utube who is master craftsman he's a brilliant presenter and innovator. Thank you very much Nick
Finally got around to build these four jigs, and I wish I had done so earlier! As a one man band, this makes a huge difference. Thank you, Nick!
Most welcome.
Brilliant!
I was a little worried about installing the blade after reading a couple of reviews. But it was amazingly easy. Took about 1 minute. Works great ruclips.net/user/postUgkxjpBI8OOeUXib_iT7UomCrQ-uauwZJ62c . Cuts easily and is perfect for pocket cuts I needed to make for replacing some old deck boards.
That plywood handling kit you have developed is fabulous. At the moment I get sheet materials cut to size, but not all suppliers will do that.
You are the best teacher I've ever listened to. Thank you young man.
Nick has a great knack of only saying what needs to be said. I found this clip easy and uncomplicated to follow
Awesome video and ideas!
I absolutely love your teaching style. Your channel is way under appreciated.
I appreciate you saying that, but you folks express an outstanding amount of appreciation. That's what keeps us going -- we appreciate your appreciation. I do hope you appreciate that...;-)
@@WorkshopCompanion I appreciate your response :)
@@WorkshopCompanion what is the story on the propeller ? It can't be for an airplane because the wide flat spot to bolt it to the crank flange is 90 degrees off the normal orientation.
@@myotherusername9224 The propeller is a working replica of the props on a 1903 Wright Flyer. I have built replicas of 18 pioneer aircraft for various museums around the world, 9 of them airworthy. The propeller behind me in the vids was used to repeat the Wright's first powered flight on December 17, 1903. We provided all the flying footage for the PBS documentary, "Kitty Hawk, A Journey of Invention."
@@WorkshopCompanion I stand corrected, and thank you for the favor of your reply. have you presented anything at Oshkosh? I know your products and lecture/demonstrations would be a HUGE hit with EAAers building wood airframes.
Thanks! This is pure gold! That loading arm is a thing of beauty!
It takes a mad genius to solve a mad genius problem! WOW!
Brilliant as always, Nick! I watch every one of your videos and always learn something or get a great new idea. Even when I plan to do (or have already done) something differently, your videos are always inspirational and educational. If a novice woodworker asked my advice on becoming a better woodworker, I would tell them, “Go to RUclips and watch every video by the Workshop Companion.” Looking forward to your next one!
P.S. I LOVED your co-star! I got many chuckles at your interactions. Please don’t hesitate to prominently feature him/her in future videos. Adorable!
Her. Bella. Just turned 1 year old. She's a short-haired border collie.
Simply genius! And just what I needed to see, as a single woman of a certain age and a small workshop I do struggle with cutting big boards as I renovate my house. This will help so much! Best I get making a jig :-) Thank you!
Glad to have been of help.
Excellent site. God, what would we all do without RUclips? We have all these great talented people sharing their ideas. It’s a wonderful world.
Loved listening to this guy so calm and clear.
My "workbench" is a removable top on my trailer. The carrying sling and a (removable - in my case) loading arm facility would make life a lot more pleasant. Many Thanks for the inspiration, I`ll see what I can come up with.
This is incredibly helpful advice, especially for a novice like me. Considering my small shop is located in the basement, I was wondering whether I need to always ask my neighbor for help when I need to get some sheets in my shop. Also, as a Euro based fellow woodworker, I greatly appreciate (as always) that you reference any measures in centimeters as well!
Thank you very much for all of this.
PS: I dig the Dante reference on top of the Flammables cabinet ;)
Most welcome. Or should I say, molto gradito.
I've been a hobby woodworker a long time but it still occurs to me I could learn a lot watching you in your shop for a day
That might be true during the 15 minutes each day that Travis and I talk woodworking. The rest of the day is given over to scripts, video editing, sound problems, lighting problems, retakes, and throwing a Frisbee for Bella.
@@WorkshopCompanion lol...ok, I'll just subscribe and look at your Companion books
The faces on the shop drawers are beautiful.
Wonderful lesson. Love the charisma for the trade.
Thanks. Every now and then you find a poplar board with a strong contrast between heartwood and sapwood, and this can be used to striking effect.
Great content, easy to follow along, a excellent instructor. Thank you and keep it coming!
Most welcome. Will do.
What took me so long to find this guy???!! Excellent teaching skills-
What a godsend! I am so excited by the thought of being able to do this solo in my garage workshop!
Glad to have been of help.
I've been watching a lot of RUclips woodworking videos since I entered my retirement years. Yours are at the top of the usefulness scale! This video was particularly useful. In the past, I've cut my 4x8 plywood sheets sitting on scrap wood on the floor of my garage (my knees don't appreciate that, anymore). The grid, cradle, and loading arms (ESPECIALLY the loading arms) are an absolute Godsend. I can't thank you enough for this (and your other videos. Not only useful, they are an absolute joy to watch. Great content, well organized and delivered. Thanks!
Thank you for the kind words.
This idea/concept for the sawhorses was called a "cutting grid" and original by this woodworker, NICK ENGLER many years ago. Awesome design Nick! I've built several sets. I have the old article in a pdf.
11:51 it says the PRESENTER is Nick Engler😂
A good many of you good folks have asked me how to make the unique sawhorses I show with this cutting grid. So I did that, and went you one better. For those of you who don't yet have the well-equipped workshop that Travis and I are blessed with, I show how to make them with nothing more than a circular saw, a hand-held drill, and a few hand tools. If you like what you see here, take a look at ruclips.net/video/NhAP-b0FCqg/видео.html .
Thanks Nick. You are amazing! 👍😊❤️
Genius of carpenter ,great man.
Awesome! I love the simplicity, but genius at the same time, I will certainly give this a go!
As a former teacher, I find your methods of putting your message across excellent!
By the way I can't remember if I have thanked you in the past? But thank you for adding the metric measurements for those of us not based in North America.
Kind regards
Rob 🇳🇿
We are keenly aware that we fractionophiles are a dwindling minority posting on a global medium. Thanks for mentioning.
Just how good can a teacher be?
My God this guy is pure gold. Very cool video, he is clear, competent, funny, and pleasant to listen to. Love seeing his love of animals.
Awesome! This contraption is a piece of art.
Many of my projects were delayed until someone comes home to help my lift a sheet onto my cutting table. Loading arms are so simple and absolutely a back saver… and pure genius! I’m going to build a set for my cutting table. Never thought of building loading arms, always tried slide a sheet as close as possible and hoped saw horse’s would not move (which happened more times than not) resulting in a heavy pile of lumber to sort and try again or wait for help. I’m glad I found your video for this great shop jig and will not longer have too break my back or wait for assistance to start my wood working projects. Super videos with great teaching style and you have gained another grateful subscriber.
Thanks for the kind words...and welcome!
As documentary cameraman on all my life i was always surprised at the nervousness of people in front of the camera, who were only being asked to do their job which they do meticulously everyday, Nick has overcome this and he's a very very pleasant person to listen to, who's love of carpentry and the product in which you uses which is wood comes across abundantly, the camera work and the sound quality is absolutely brilliant, the editing good too, I would like to see a few more close-ups I find that the videos , The lighting is good and the presentation is excellent The way he handles the audience is brilliant and I especially love the dog It makes me laugh so much because although you know what's coming, it still makes you laugh. I find the modern woodworking carpenter to be off-putting by the adoption of trying to be a comedian in front of the camera usually the camera work is inferior and so is the method of teaching is inferior.. Keep up the good work Nick and your crew, my next job is to construct those saw horses, brilliant how do I get the plans.
Thanks for all those kind words. We really do try to keep the production clean and professional; I believe the days when a RUclips creator could hold up his iPhone and babble at it are over. Like television in the twentieth century, the YT audience will begin to gravitate towards higher and higher production values. Fortunately, Travis is a brilliant editor and can supply them. And I've got Bella to lean on -- whatever I lack as an actor/narrator, she makes up for in canine spontaneity. You can find the plans for the cutting grid at: workshopcompanionstore.com/products/handling-and-cutting-plywood-plan
Amazing Genius. Protect this man at all costs!
Great idea. Really well thought out obviously through necessity. So thanks for passing that on to us who don't have this experience. Thanks from Australia.
Howdy Nick. First time I've seen your channel, and I like it! You've earned my subscription. I made both an eight foot and a four foot saw guide a few years ago, and like you mentioned..., I'm too old to manhandle a full sheet of plywood by myself thru my table saw. (I got the idea for the guides from my nephew's Festool saw guide). Oh, to be young again and able to afford those high $$ tools! Necessity being the Mother-of-Invention, however, it's guys as old as you and me who invent things like your saw table shown in the video and the guides. Keep up the good work while I watch some of your other videos.... BTW, I'm using a Rockwell Commercial worm drive saw. I think it's older than I am, takes you and I both to lift it, but you can pull the trigger, saw non-stop for days and it's not even getting warm! (Also have a Rockwell Shaper I inherited from my Dad that I KNOW is older than I am (75). They don't make them like they used to)!
Thanks for sharing.
@@WorkshopCompanion Nick; 1st time here to your channel I love the arms you created for your saw horse Thanks for sharing I look forward to hear from you by for now Ken God-bless
Your video certainly illustrates the concept of "work smarter, not harder". I've always considered myself fortunate to be able to manipulate sheets by sheer determination, but as I get older that's not working so well anymore. Many thanks for some gr8 ideas.
This is a great example on how youtube (and someone with a great idea) can help millions of people.
Having now reached the age where 4x8 sheets of plywood aren't something I can swing around with ease, I watched this video. I liked the content and delivery so much I watched three more. That led me to decide I needed plans for the Celtic egg.
On your website, I discovered 1) the plans were both reasonably priced and VERY well done, and 2) there were several others project plans I couldn't live without... along with a helpful (and free) bandsaw blade chart, all for immediate download (that worked perfectly.)
Thanks for the great work and supporting website. One request: please don't publish anything really cool until September: it's going to take me all summer to complete these 4 projects! (jk).
This is one of my favorite channels and I learn so much from these videos. The knock down saw horses are great and the tilting panel carrier is simple brilliant! Now if I can only find a reasonable way to transport a 4x8 sheet with my suv which doesn't have a proper roof rack I'll be good to go! Well, I suppose I should get myself a proper roof rack, huh?
I made one with 2x4's just used it today to bring home 2-4x8x3/4 sheets of plywood. Basically just an H shape (with 2 crossbars instead of one) notched out where the factory roof rack intersects the 2x4. Then lash it down in 4 places with some straps I bought at home Depot. Works like a charm. I tie every thing onto the rack with a 50 foot length of rope. Just don't get too crazy with the weight. Look up the specs for your car mine holds a couple hundred pounds so I look up the weight of what I'm buying and make multiple trips if required.
@@scottl8373 Thanks Scott, that's good advise. I envisioned and sketched out making one with 1.5 -2" aluminum angle iron to keep the weight down, with swing down arms and drawer slides to grab and load a panel, but the cost would have been prohibitive.
Note the since the saw horses knock down, you can take the step up to the lumber store and make a couple of cuts in the parking lot, just enuf to load into your car :)
@@mariascrivanich3254 I like it, i like it!
Amaaaaaaazing! 🎉
The board carrier and swing arms are genius!
Thanks.
And your attention to important details is very much appreciated. You are a very effective instrucrtor.
Thanks. We try.
You sir are a dang genius!!!
First class presentation, with first class ideas, designed to make life much easier.
Thanks.
I've been following you for over 30 years. You just keep getting better.
Absolutely best part of owning a Shopsmith 😂
Thank you for offering your ingenuity in such an affordable set of plans! I am short and don't have the wingspan or strength to handle 3/4" plywood sheets. This I can handle, and I love the "knock-down" for storage on the sawhorses and grid. Fantastic!
Thanks for saying.
You have some of the best videos on RUclips! Thanks!!!
Most welcome.