THANK YOU for this! Every video I watch lately, the creator talks about the super simple project, and then goes into their fully kitted out $200,000 sponsored shop with every power tool on earth 🤦🏻♂️ Glad I found your channel!! Great for most of us who aren’t pros and don’t have a hundred grand to drop on tools.
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes I found the same at first, really frustrating when you want to make things! Although my list of tools is growing, I always try and suggest alternate tools that can be used in cases viewer doesn’t have them :) Thanks for the kind words, have an awesome day!
Like most brits, I don't have a 'shop' (workshop) - I have some tools and a couple of workmates in my garage that I get out (on the drive, or under the cover of the up and over garage door) when I need to do some work... A few years back I saw a vid about the jig you explain in your video - it was a total game changer for me... Keep hammering it home! Schools don't teach 'woodwork' any more, and they never did hand power tools anyway. Making stuff instead of buying stuff is *not that difficult*!
Thanks! It’s certainly a helpful jig isn’t it! I feel your pain with the getting tools out on the drive - everything I have is on wheels for that exact reason 😂 Thanks for the kind words, have an awesome day :)
Nice video, Alex. Another material that’s really good for a diy track is laminate flooring. I used some spare lengths to build something very similar but with the benefit of being half the weight of the plywood option. It’s also nice and thin, giving you a bit more depth to play with on the cut.
If only youtube had been around 20 years ago! Brings back memories of cupboard building - measuring out the plate distance and clamping down a fence on every cut - I clearly wasn’t thinking laterally enough! Will be using this for sure (slightly cheaper than going full Festool)
@@skewwhiff9423 I’ve done the plate measure plenty of times before I came across this too! Haha. Festool would be the dream one day though! Thanks for the comment.
This looks good! My Dad - who was a home carpenter all his life - made all our home furniture back when I was a kid, using only hand tools. Including some amazingly precise dovetail joints. The first (and only, for ages) power tool he had was an electric drill. (It terrified me as a little kid, because it made a horrible noise and spat out angry blue sparks.) That was back in the 60s. Now I'm building out a van, with the help of a baby Makita circular saw, a jigsaw, and a drill. Plus some hand tools. And I've learned the. hard way that sometimes accuracy is not so important - but sometimes it is! In particular, for making drawers or other things that slide on parallel tracks. I've just finished cutting out a series of drawer sections, using a clamped-on straight edge as a guide. Which has eventually worked, at least for rip cuts - but it's a real pain, and not so easy to be accurate for the cross-cuts. I knew there would have to be an old school way to get a good square on a piece of plywood - but most of the videos about this on YT do their demos with a table saw or something even fancier like a plunge saw. So my next project is to make a jig like this - and then I'll go and put it to use.
That’s awesome! The van build sounds epic, are you documenting it anywhere? Good luck with it all and I hope the jig comes in handy! I’ve used 3/4” Ply here because it’s what I has but tbh I reckon 1/2” would be better!
@@Greyotterstudio My circular saw is a baby Makita (100mm/3.5 in) with a maximum depth cut of 25mm, so I invested in a half sheet of 7mm ply from Bunnings (I live in Australia) and a combination square - a wonderful tool I had never heard of before I started searching for ways to do accurate square cuts without a table saw. I also mounted the track on a base (something I learned from another channel), which is a mixed blessing - it makes it easy to do square cuts, but I discovered that without having the track/guide resting directly on the workpiece, you get massive tearout. (I'm using good quality 6mm ply to make lightweight drawers and shelves at this point - not Baltic birch, but something that was recommended by my local plywood specialist as an Aussie equivalent.) I managed by using a sacrificial thin piece on top of the workpiece to wedge it firmly against the track, and as long as I do this, I get great results - beautiful straight, clean cuts, nicely square. I'm thinking that a piece of wood attached crossways to the underside at one end might be a good solution instead of having it raised above the base, to allow the track to rest directly on the workpiece and square it up easily, without having to use up all my old scrap ply as sacrificial strips!
When I occasionally need a table saw on job sites I tote around a tiny table saw I made with an extra damaged circular saw I had. It is incredibly easy to transport and serves all my needs for trim work.
I could kiss you right now! This is the easiest to understand video on how to make a circular saw jig for beginners, and I finally feel ready to make one and get started without a table saw. Thank you!!
Glad you think it might be helpful! Maybe don’t use 3/4” think plywood for the fence though, in hindsight I think a slightly thinner one would’ve been better!
No worries about the drill. I made this jig over a year ago. I used 1/4-inch (5.4 mm) plywood for the base and a straight length of 1/2-inch poplar glued on the the plywood. It served me well since. If I had to make a new one, I think I'd use the factory edge of a half-inch sheet of plywood just to really be accurate. One thing I did was lightly sand the working edge to round the sharp edges being careful not to change its dimensions.
That sounds very similar to what I built and it has served me quite well. Mine is getting splintered enough now that I would opt for a different material next time. Have thought about making an 8 ft guide but do so far have done so few of them it has not been worth my time.
I had an old cheap 4 foot level that has a machined surface, that the bubbles fell out of. I drilled some holes in the middle for screws, screwed it to the plywood, then ran my circ saw down the level as the straight edge.
To prevent splinter rip out from the circular saw, apply strong masking tape to the cut or/and score a line across the grain at the cut point that breaks the fibres on a cross grain cut. Thanks for posting.
Alternatively, if you e got some scrap offcuts of the same thickness, you can screw three lengths together to form a C shape or mouth shape. Then after starting your cut, you can slide that over your cut to hold it in place. I saw this tip on another RUclips video recently, and it has come in handy on several occasions!
I’ve gotten away without a table saw for my wood working business as a beginner for like 2 years. That’s only cause I got all my lumber dimensioned at the mill. Circular saw and miter saw were the main saws I used
My track saw is a 18v circular saw and a 2.4 level and clamps😂. Just built a load of shaker panelling with it, don’t have to have the fancy tools to do the job, oh I’m trade worker in the uk by the way.
Nice! Also nice to see a comment agreeing you don’t need fancy tools to get a job done, had a couple of irate tradesmen today seeming to think I was telling them how to do their job by posting a video to help beginners 🤷♂️ Have a great day dude.
Great video thanks, why not secure the factory edge piece before the second cut, hence reducing the amount of cuts needed? (just a thought) keep 'em coming and stay lucky!
Great video - I've watched a few about these types of jigs and this one was really easy to follow, thank you! I need to build one of these - my circular saw gets left on it's cleat most of the time and there's definitely not enough room in my shed to rip anything big down on the table saw!
Thanks mate - don't get me wrong it's not a permanent solution to a table saw or track saw but in a pinch it works and I definitely find myself reaching for it alot! As you've already got a table saw this will probably help for breaking down sheet goods to manageable sizes!
I did this years ago before I bought my table saw. Yes, it works. But there is a still a big difference in using this as opposed to a table saw. It really starts to shine when you make several cuts that are the same dimension. Repeatable cuts. Great video.
@@FinallyMe78 good point about the repeatable cuts, I hadn’t thought of that. Although like you said, I still think it’s a great option for those who’s budget cant quite extend to a table saw just yet :) thank you for your comment and sharing your view.
@@Greyotterstudio yeah, when friends ask me what tools to get first, I also say circular saw. It is cheap and very versatile. But if you are serious, eventually you will want a table saw. I borrowed table saws for years.
I've got some 12mm scraps laying around that may be ok. I think that's around 1/2 inch? I'm not too sure, haha! With the price of materials at the moment, I can at least have a practice run, I think!
It really depends on what you are making. I've built thousands of projects in my home shop and use a table saw for nearly every one of them. If you are working with sheet goods OK, but I've made several hundred picture frames. Try cutting a rabbet in the back or accurately mitering the ends of a profiled piece of wood with a circular saw. I've also made several hundred small boxes with mitered and keyed or box joint corners. No way.
Good point, thank you for sharing it. This isn’t supposed to be a permanent/complete solution but like I said in the video, if you can’t afford some of the bigger tools yet, it’s a good option :) thank you for your comment.
Actually I could see doing so now that I have seen the jig made in the video. Maybe make an angle jig for this one or make a jig that attaches and supports the depth adjustment better to pull those methods off. As long as the accurate straight cut becomes feasible with it the rest will fall into place with some ingenuity.
@@byhammerandhand actually I was just talking to someone else I know and they simply use a standard speed square for any of this. For long runs you speed square and then tac on a temporary straight board 🤷♂️ who knew it was that much more simple
Thank you so much for this video. This is exactly what I needed. I've done a few small projects around the house and now looking to build pull out shelves for our kitchen cabinets. What size circular saw should a beginner start with? I've been getting by with a 10" miter saw but I'm tired of going to lowes/home depot for big cuts.
A very watchable video mate. I make smaller ones for cross cutting on site with a further piece of wood screwed at 90 degrees underneath to but up against the work piece. Great for cutting rafters and floor joists. Just a couple of suggestions, use the fence to make the first cut to keep your board square and then screw the strip straight onto the board and make your Final Cut. No wood wasted.
Great video Alex. For what it's worth the drill was cheating and I want to see you screw those in with the circular saw please. lol. Really handy jig and well explained.
I use the table saw mainly for ripping trims etc. I have a track saw, but it’s difficult to set up on a piece thinner than the track. The reg circ saw is the most versatile. Be lost without it.
You could easily afford the Aldi Tracksaw that I purchased as a result of 10 minute workshops review. Cheap in price but not in quality. Amazing. I’ve built this jig you have here for my Evolution and it’s great as well. Currently considering buying that table saw that you have. It looks great. Cheers.
Maybe so - I’ll have to keep my eye on the middle isle! To be fair the table saw is good quality for the money, I have a review of it on my channel if you’d like some further info and a link of where you can find it. Although @sumeray has also done a comparison of 4 budget(ish) table saws recently that’s worth checking out too!
I usually measure once -then lock the blade of a slide square or marking gauge to transfer the length. I also often cut a quick pattern from a piece of thin scrap (or even nice cardboard) for angles. In fact I’ve been using cardboard to back up chop saw cuts and prevent blowout, especially on less critical work.
Built several of these today. One for the skill saw and another for the router I use 1/4 Mdf. They are great out in the field. Its the original track saw. They aren't replacing my Delta Unisaw though.
Would be curious to see the version you made for the router! Is it the exact same and you just run the plate along it? Thanks for your comment, have an awesome day!
@Greyotterstudio Youre most welcome. It is the same style and yes I just run the plate against it. Only difference is I use 1/4 mdf for the top board as well as the sled part. Glue the guide board down and pin it with the 23ga micro pinner using 3/8 nails. Works like a dream. Have a great day!.
Ive been a full time chipie for years . I pretty much use my skilly for everything. I dont need rails i can cut perfectly straight. Learn that just get good. Cut scrap over and over until its effortless to you. I dont need a mitre saw i just run it along my square . I tench out joints with it . If its more than 1mm i dont need a plane . Skill saw is life . I literally barely use anything else i cant be bothered to fetch it and set it up. I reckon i do 90% of my work with my skilly , my impackt , my hikoki pin gun and the context of my belt. Ad a jigsaw and a multi tool i build an entire house
@@Greyotterstudio when I show people i say these things are crucial for extreme accuracy with a skill saw. 1st of all ware safety glasses and stare directly at the blade ignore the sight. Left side saw for right handed people you need direct view of the blade . When using the fence mark your rip. Start your cut free hand cutting into the waist. Then slide on the fence lock it in and finish the cut. When trenching out hold the saw push it down to the mark you made and lock the depth . Make all cross cuts and mitre cuts running it along your speed square. Allways depth set accurately to stop guard binding.
Fine if you're making straight cuts in sheet goods. A decent tracksaw however can plunge, has depth stop accurate to the millimetre and can make bevel cuts. Add an MFT and some jigs and a tracksaw can cross cut and rip almost anything and be accurate enough to do real joinery. Doesn't have to be a Festool either!
I’ll have to look for some track saw joinery videos - they sound interesting! You’re right it doesn’t have to be festool - I believe evolution just came out with one? Although I’ve not watched any of the reviews on it yet, thanks for the comment.
Once I cut new door at the bottom to fit old frame, I just clamped straight wood piece as guide(but first I cut some scrap to measure saw plate cut width to offset my guide piece from line I need to cut). It also works, but for me it still cut was wrong then I noticed the blade was not very parallel to the plate. So it also one might double check if a saw need some hammer saw holder for fine alignment :D
I don't think the drill is cheating, after all it wasn't another saw This jig is exactly what I needed. I'm moving to the country on november and I'll have to build my shop before i can start even thinking of buying a table and track saws are surprisingly expensive and rare down here This jig is gonna so helpful to build my shop, quincho and shed!! I'll be put to do good work 💪🏻🪚 Mucho éxito con el canal!👍🏽
Thanks for the video. Where do you get your plywood? - it seems to be very good quality - is it Baltic Birch? The stuff I get from builders' yards is really poor quality. Ordering on the internet is difficult because they only supply 8ft x 4ft panels, and often have a minimum quantity. So I would be grateful for your suggestions. Thanks.
Hi, I’m afraid that’s probably a trick of the camera! It’s just hardwood plywood from wickes, and to be honest the quality is pretty poor. Wish I could be more help!
Hi Alex, based on this one video, I have liked, subscribed AND dinged the dinger. You are very 'matter of fact' with no frills and fusses in this video. Plus, I pay for YT Premium so another thing I like is you don't have 'in video' adverts. 'Today's video is sponsored by.......' I Hate that. Cheers, Norm. 😊
Hi, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m really glad you enjoyed it and the style it was presented in. I’m always open to ways to improve so please do say if there’s anything you don’t like/think could be done better. I don’t do “in video adverts” but I must admit I have done one or two tool reviews and can’t promise I won’t necessarily again! Thanks for subscribing and have a great day :)
My cheap(ish) track saw £90 from Screwfix is my favourite cutting tool if I have the space to use it and access to 230v power. Failing that, my cordless circular saw with its edge guide makes a decent substitute.
@@lambd5578 a point to make it’s only a Union Jack 🇬🇧 when at sea all other times it’s just the Union flag. Sorry for being a ‘smart arse’ it just that one gets so few opportunities!! Bob England
@@BobMuir100 I think that's not right, Bob, Union Jack was indeed used by the Admiralty preferentially back in time, but both Union Jack or Union Flag names are nowadays accepted when used both at sea or land. I'm not British, I could be wrong, but I'd swear I read about it at the Flag Institute site 😳
Definitely don't need a table saw. I was like you when I started watching YT videos a few years back when all I owned was a drill and hammer. I thought I'd need a table saw. But the more I watched, the more I became convinced that the safest alternative was a track saw. I got one and never looked back. It took another almost two years before I invested in a circular saw ( the mitre saw came first) . The circular saw and track saw are my most commonly used tools. The circular saw the most used, followed by my track saw and then mitre saw.
I used to clamp a 4ft level to sheets with the distance from the blade to the edge of the saw base added on, and then cut. Then I made one of these with some 6mm ply and a piece of metal stud track screwed to it. The metal helps it slide nice, just have to round off the sharp edges or you'll bleed yourself really good.
You can get a locking fence that lays flat with locking clamps system I got one in Aus $30 or 15 quid it's a game changer and it is sturdy and accurate 🐊
Problem is any slight hand movement away from base guide will skew your cut.Its fine jig for general purpose but I doubt for fine woodworking where precision is important.
Like this method a heck of a lot more than buying a track saw. Don't worry about the 1 tool thing. Anyone who owns a circular saw should absolutely have a power drill.
Hey thanks for your comment! You’re right, they’re super helpful, but they’re also expensive! I waited two years to buy my first one :) hence this video!
What I find (nor specifically just your video) kind of funny about "oh noes, you need an expensive tracksaw" videos is of course they show the picture of a Festool. And then grab a battery Dewalt circ saw or similar, that costs significantly more than a cheep and cheerful Parkside (or similar, maybe evolution) tracksaw + a decent length rail from evolution. Given it is not faulty right out of the box is - imo - better than a circular saw and these style of guides. Get a good blade, and off you go. Easy millimeter level depth adjustment. You can plunge it safely, if you are doing kitchen for example. Easy straight cuts right where you put your rail. Now I'm cutting sheet metal with my not so expensive tracksaw. With a Bosch metal cutting blade, not the default one of course. 😂 Nice and easy cuts! Depth adjustment is really useful, since I just dropped two layers of cardboard on my workbench under the sheet metal, and the saw cuts thru the metal, without touching the workbench!
Fair point about the expensive dewalt - although I got mine 2nd hand for much less then even a cheap tracksaw would of cost me, and before this one I had an ultra cheap macallister one - but you make a good point that perhaps we all point at festool without considering the cheaper options! Thank you for sharing your view.
Another item they seem to have an abundant supply of in the US is that pink insulation foam. I'm assuming since they use it as a cutting surface, that it's really cheap. I assume by "saw horses" you mean "pair of kitchen chairs" or "wheelie bin" right? 😏
I bet you were glad the jigsaw didn't win! I have just bought a cheap Evolution circular saw (F165CCSL - £60!) because I have such difficulty breaking down sheet goods.
Hah you’re not wrong! Although maybe I’ll try a one tool build with it in the future just to see! £60 is a great price! If it’s corded too they tend to be pretty powerful so hopefully you’ll be breaking down sheet goods in no time!
Flat on the floor isn't the safest way to cut sheet goods. This technique is safer and means you can work accurately in a lot less space. Stand the sheet on end/edge up against something solid so the intended cut is horizontal. Clamp a sacrificial batten vertically along each of the rear edges of the board using two clamps per batten, one either side of the cut. Fix your straight edge to the front of the board to guide the saw and make the cut with the blade just protruding. This leaves the battens intact and the two pieces of board still perfectly aligned to each other. There is zero chance of the blade getting pinched. Far less chance of a blade strike as your weight won't be bending the board. You're working at a more comfortable height and not needing to shuffle around on your knees. Make multiple cuts with the same set up. Simply remove the top piece leaving the battens in position, reposition the upper clamps and the straight edge and repeat.
That looks like a very nice area to live in. What does your gammon neighbour across the road think about you using noisy power tools outside all the time. My neighbours always bollock me for it.
My neighbours are lovely to be fair - they’ve never said anything yet and I’m pretty careful to only use it in “reasonable” hours then I’ll switch to hand tools if it’s late. It also probably helps that I often give them things I make 😂
First cut. Better to use the combination square to mark off two equidistant lines from the straight edge and connect them to form the line rather than using the relatively short square and then extrapolating the line with the level. Say a 1mm error at the end of the 30mm square would then translate to 4mm across the 1200mm plywood.
Rather then using a couple of pieces of wood to place the sheet on that you wish to cut, that you try 'Soft Foam Exercise Floor Mats' - available from £15 - which'll give you 16 sq ft (1.5 sq m). Using these means that the entire sheet can be supported.
Been debating whether a table saw or a mitre saw or a circular saw should be my next tool… circular saw it is then! and this jig will definitely be on my things to make list thanks 👍
They're all great saws for different reasons, I guess just weigh up what the type of projects you want to make and which tool will be the most suitable. This definitely isn't a perfect solution - but I managed two years of woodworking without a table saw using this :) Good luck with whatever you choose and I hope your project turns out awesome! Feel free to DM me a pic on Instagram when it's done :) Thanks for the comment, have a great day!
They are certainly a versatile tool, and I love mine. But I couldn’t afford one for nearly two years, and I figure there’s probably plenty of people out there like me, so thought this could help them. Thanks for your comment, have an epic day.
I would love to see you cut very long planks to size with a hand saw. I bet it will not be very precise like on a table saw. And precise dados, which are not ripped by the saw.
I imagine it just depends on what project you're making, if you're doing longer planks you would still need to build an infeed/outfeed table for a jobsite table saw as it would be too small on it's own. But you're probably right, although no tool is suitable for every job, which is why there are so many different types, this jig helped me when I couldn't afford a table saw, and for the projects I was making, it suited just fine. With regards to the dados though, I'm afraid I've never needed to cut one on a table saw, I've always done them by hand, with a chisel and an old school router plane. Different strokes for different folks I guess! But thank you for sharing your view.
Surely, if you have to measure and clamp your *new tool* to the workpiece, you could equally just measure and clamp a fence - and not lose the thickness of the tool's base??? Or am I missing something?
I guess you could, for me it’s more about knowing it will cut a perfectly straight line once secured down - and the wider base/weight stops it from slipping as much as some thinner fences. All down to personal preference though I guess!
Nice job mate but wait your telling me a just blew 300 on that new table saw for nothing? I dont believe it 😮😂😂 i do have track saw but dont have the track for it didn't come with mine and it ain't cheap for will get it eventually. Hope your good mate catch up soon!🏴👍
@@Greyotterstudio I got gifted the Bosch year or so ago for bit work did with a company in Glasgow. They sent me the battery plunge saw and batteries and chargers etc but no track!😬🤔 But Bosch I believe only fits it's own track or festool or maffel and none them are cheap. Though there is debate it may fit Makita need try it 👍🏴
Fair enough, I must admit I find my bandsaw less intimidating then my table saw too! Although all tools are dangerous if not used correctlly/with respect. Thank you for your comment
100 true I love my jigsaw and bandsaw. It's not an opinion it's physics, table saws are dangerous by design, numbers don't lie and that tool has far and away the most serious accidents under its belt. The worst part is, you see it all the time in 70 year old men who have been woodworking for 40 years, they make one slip in judgment, only one, and end up losing two fingers or worse. Then there's the hidden danger of tension in would you might not know about. If that piece of wood and blade binds because of it it's going to launch a missile at you, multiple terrible injuries from this. There are many videos of pieces of wood going through the wall of a garage out into the yard that demonstrate the power of that rotating blade. Also the curve of the table saw is twice that of a jigsaw bandsaw meaning twice as much dust and waste of wood.
Very fair point! With power tools I’m happy using sawhorses and some plywood - when I use my hand tools it has to be my big workbench or else I’m stuffed!
Glue! Yes…modern wood adhesives are immensely strong, but YT channels are obsessed with “screw and glue” for everything…I wonder if the R&D guys at Titebond think “Why do we even bother?”. Yours is as good as the many similar on YT, but I wood say a little heavy on the waste wood. The length to be trimmed off need only be 1/2” past the blade cut line. Tip: Add some non slip tape or sanding discs to the underside. Bonus tip: the unused back side can be purposed into a router jig…
I’m confused…why worry so about making the glued on fence perpendicular to the end of the board? When you cut off the extra edge material, that cut makes the fence parallel to,the fence. Why worry about it being perpendicular to the end?
The reason I do it for my jig is I then know that if I line the end of the board up with exactly with whatever edge I want to cut - the cut is not just straight, but square too! It’s a personal thing that saves me time :). Thanks for commenting.
There is another cost . . . the amount of space for storing all workshop tools. More so where a person has multiple interests . . . why not include metalwork at the same time? Ideally I would like to fit *the workshop* into the space of a single garage (or smaller) with overflow concrete slab outside
@@Greyotterstudio I am focused on packing tools into as small a space as possible 🙂 Single Tool Project -- You could have picked up a rock to hammer the nail in . . . glue is also okay
1st timer here and yes I did enjoy your build and I for one will be building one! Sorry but No you may not be excused for your use of two power tools…..far to convenient if you ask me! So yes you do owe us a one power tool build. lol Also please don’t point at me down the lens, rather rude!! Bob England
That’s a good option! But I already had the saw in this video and using some plywood I had laying around was cheaper then going out and buying a new saw and track to go with it. If I didn’t already have a circular saw I’d 100% go with your idea though.
I’m not sure I agree, certainly for some, but depending on the projects you do a table saw isn’t always necessary. Thank you for sharing your view though.
@@Greyotterstudio 0:49 Quote - Don't need every tool to "get started in woodworking". If you buy the right circular saw, some have the ability to use them on a track, so you can make your track with that feature. I know bosch and Makita both have them.
Great video; especially the Red-tail Hawk call when showing the Bald Eagle/American flag @1:41 It's so wrong and beautifully represents how wrong Americans are since that's used 95% of the time in commercials, movies, etc. 🤣
@@Greyotterstudio No worries! It's just funny to us that our Bald Eagle symbol is often exaggerated visually to look tougher and less goofy, an addition to its cacophonic water-gurgling call being swiped to a better-sounding call 😆That's America for you . . .
Seems to be a useful jig. You conveniently did not show how you started your cut using your jig. I imagine that problem is not there if you cut something where your jig is a certain amount longer. Nice video.
They terrify me still now and I've had mine since April. But then I try to maintain a healthy fear of all my power tools to be as a safe as possible. Bandsaws are AWESOME - probably my favourite machine in my shop.
THANK YOU for this! Every video I watch lately, the creator talks about the super simple project, and then goes into their fully kitted out $200,000 sponsored shop with every power tool on earth 🤦🏻♂️
Glad I found your channel!! Great for most of us who aren’t pros and don’t have a hundred grand to drop on tools.
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes I found the same at first, really frustrating when you want to make things!
Although my list of tools is growing, I always try and suggest alternate tools that can be used in cases viewer doesn’t have them :)
Thanks for the kind words, have an awesome day!
Like most brits, I don't have a 'shop' (workshop) - I have some tools and a couple of workmates in my garage that I get out (on the drive, or under the cover of the up and over garage door) when I need to do some work... A few years back I saw a vid about the jig you explain in your video - it was a total game changer for me...
Keep hammering it home! Schools don't teach 'woodwork' any more, and they never did hand power tools anyway. Making stuff instead of buying stuff is *not that difficult*!
Thanks! It’s certainly a helpful jig isn’t it! I feel your pain with the getting tools out on the drive - everything I have is on wheels for that exact reason 😂
Thanks for the kind words, have an awesome day :)
Nice video, Alex.
Another material that’s really good for a diy track is laminate flooring. I used some spare lengths to build something very similar but with the benefit of being half the weight of the plywood option. It’s also nice and thin, giving you a bit more depth to play with on the cut.
Great idea - but the base of the saw glides along really nicely too!
If only youtube had been around 20 years ago! Brings back memories of cupboard building - measuring out the plate distance and clamping down a fence on every cut - I clearly wasn’t thinking laterally enough! Will be using this for sure (slightly cheaper than going full Festool)
@@skewwhiff9423 I’ve done the plate measure plenty of times before I came across this too! Haha. Festool would be the dream one day though! Thanks for the comment.
This looks good!
My Dad - who was a home carpenter all his life - made all our home furniture back when I was a kid, using only hand tools. Including some amazingly precise dovetail joints. The first (and only, for ages) power tool he had was an electric drill. (It terrified me as a little kid, because it made a horrible noise and spat out angry blue sparks.) That was back in the 60s.
Now I'm building out a van, with the help of a baby Makita circular saw, a jigsaw, and a drill. Plus some hand tools.
And I've learned the. hard way that sometimes accuracy is not so important - but sometimes it is!
In particular, for making drawers or other things that slide on parallel tracks.
I've just finished cutting out a series of drawer sections, using a clamped-on straight edge as a guide. Which has eventually worked, at least for rip cuts - but it's a real pain, and not so easy to be accurate for the cross-cuts.
I knew there would have to be an old school way to get a good square on a piece of plywood - but most of the videos about this on YT do their demos with a table saw or something even fancier like a plunge saw.
So my next project is to make a jig like this - and then I'll go and put it to use.
That’s awesome! The van build sounds epic, are you documenting it anywhere? Good luck with it all and I hope the jig comes in handy! I’ve used 3/4” Ply here because it’s what I has but tbh I reckon 1/2” would be better!
@@Greyotterstudio My circular saw is a baby Makita (100mm/3.5 in) with a maximum depth cut of 25mm, so I invested in a half sheet of 7mm ply from Bunnings (I live in Australia) and a combination square - a wonderful tool I had never heard of before I started searching for ways to do accurate square cuts without a table saw. I also mounted the track on a base (something I learned from another channel), which is a mixed blessing - it makes it easy to do square cuts, but I discovered that without having the track/guide resting directly on the workpiece, you get massive tearout. (I'm using good quality 6mm ply to make lightweight drawers and shelves at this point - not Baltic birch, but something that was recommended by my local plywood specialist as an Aussie equivalent.)
I managed by using a sacrificial thin piece on top of the workpiece to wedge it firmly against the track, and as long as I do this, I get great results - beautiful straight, clean cuts, nicely square.
I'm thinking that a piece of wood attached crossways to the underside at one end might be a good solution instead of having it raised above the base, to allow the track to rest directly on the workpiece and square it up easily, without having to use up all my old scrap ply as sacrificial strips!
When I occasionally need a table saw on job sites I tote around a tiny table saw I made with an extra damaged circular saw I had.
It is incredibly easy to transport and serves all my needs for trim work.
That’s cool, I’ve not seen a circular saw turned into a table saw before!
I could kiss you right now! This is the easiest to understand video on how to make a circular saw jig for beginners, and I finally feel ready to make one and get started without a table saw. Thank you!!
Glad you think it might be helpful! Maybe don’t use 3/4” think plywood for the fence though, in hindsight I think a slightly thinner one would’ve been better!
No worries about the drill. I made this jig over a year ago. I used 1/4-inch (5.4 mm) plywood for the base and a straight length of 1/2-inch poplar glued on the the plywood. It served me well since. If I had to make a new one, I think I'd use the factory edge of a half-inch sheet of plywood just to really be accurate. One thing I did was lightly sand the working edge to round the sharp edges being careful not to change its dimensions.
That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing!
That sounds very similar to what I built and it has served me quite well. Mine is getting splintered enough now that I would opt for a different material next time. Have thought about making an 8 ft guide but do so far have done so few of them it has not been worth my time.
Buying a table saw was one of the best investments I ever made as a hobby woodworker. Invaluable
That’s awesome! I honestly don’t use mine as much as I thought I would, but it’s super handy when I do use it!
Very helpful video. I'm sure you've helped a boat load of folks who have no space/desire for a table saw.
Thanks - that was my aim, really glad it’s come across in that manner :)
Have seen a lot of build videos for this kind of jig. Really like the style & pace of this one. Easy to follow and just long enough.
Thank you for the kind words :), glad you liked it!
I had an old cheap 4 foot level that has a machined surface, that the bubbles fell out of. I drilled some holes in the middle for screws, screwed it to the plywood, then ran my circ saw down the level as the straight edge.
That sounds awesome!
To prevent splinter rip out from the circular saw, apply strong masking tape to the cut or/and score a line across the grain at the cut point that breaks the fibres on a cross grain cut. Thanks for posting.
That's a great tip, thank you for sharing it!
Alternatively, if you e got some scrap offcuts of the same thickness, you can screw three lengths together to form a C shape or mouth shape. Then after starting your cut, you can slide that over your cut to hold it in place. I saw this tip on another RUclips video recently, and it has come in handy on several occasions!
I’ve gotten away without a table saw for my wood working business as a beginner for like 2 years. That’s only cause I got all my lumber dimensioned at the mill. Circular saw and miter saw were the main saws I used
That’s a good workaround! I don’t have a local mill sadly, so I had to use handplanes, which was a good learning experience (and workout! 😂)
My track saw is a 18v circular saw and a 2.4 level and clamps😂. Just built a load of shaker panelling with it, don’t have to have the fancy tools to do the job, oh I’m trade worker in the uk by the way.
Nice! Also nice to see a comment agreeing you don’t need fancy tools to get a job done, had a couple of irate tradesmen today seeming to think I was telling them how to do their job by posting a video to help beginners 🤷♂️
Have a great day dude.
Great video thanks, why not secure the factory edge piece before the second cut, hence reducing the amount of cuts needed? (just a thought) keep 'em coming and stay lucky!
That’s a brilliant idea Paul - why on earth didn’t I think of that! Thanks for the comment.
Great video - I've watched a few about these types of jigs and this one was really easy to follow, thank you! I need to build one of these - my circular saw gets left on it's cleat most of the time and there's definitely not enough room in my shed to rip anything big down on the table saw!
Thanks mate - don't get me wrong it's not a permanent solution to a table saw or track saw but in a pinch it works and I definitely find myself reaching for it alot!
As you've already got a table saw this will probably help for breaking down sheet goods to manageable sizes!
I did this years ago before I bought my table saw. Yes, it works. But there is a still a big difference in using this as opposed to a table saw. It really starts to shine when you make several cuts that are the same dimension. Repeatable cuts. Great video.
@@FinallyMe78 good point about the repeatable cuts, I hadn’t thought of that. Although like you said, I still think it’s a great option for those who’s budget cant quite extend to a table saw just yet :) thank you for your comment and sharing your view.
@@Greyotterstudio yeah, when friends ask me what tools to get first, I also say circular saw. It is cheap and very versatile. But if you are serious, eventually you will want a table saw. I borrowed table saws for years.
Great video Alex. I built a similar jig some years ago so I don’t have to buy a track saw. They are great jigs that say a load of money. 👍
Thanks mate. They really are, and so cheap to make a new one when they’re knackered!
Gotta build one, myself. Great tutorial!!
Maybe use 1/2” or less for the fence if you do, I’ve found the 3/4” to be a little thick!
I've got some 12mm scraps laying around that may be ok. I think that's around 1/2 inch? I'm not too sure, haha! With the price of materials at the moment, I can at least have a practice run, I think!
It really depends on what you are making. I've built thousands of projects in my home shop and use a table saw for nearly every one of them. If you are working with sheet goods OK, but I've made several hundred picture frames. Try cutting a rabbet in the back or accurately mitering the ends of a profiled piece of wood with a circular saw. I've also made several hundred small boxes with mitered and keyed or box joint corners. No way.
Good point, thank you for sharing it. This isn’t supposed to be a permanent/complete solution but like I said in the video, if you can’t afford some of the bigger tools yet, it’s a good option :) thank you for your comment.
Actually I could see doing so now that I have seen the jig made in the video. Maybe make an angle jig for this one or make a jig that attaches and supports the depth adjustment better to pull those methods off. As long as the accurate straight cut becomes feasible with it the rest will fall into place with some ingenuity.
@@byhammerandhand actually I was just talking to someone else I know and they simply use a standard speed square for any of this. For long runs you speed square and then tac on a temporary straight board 🤷♂️ who knew it was that much more simple
A lot of us use routers for cutting grooves etc. For profiled wood I use my compund mitre saw
Thank you so much for this video. This is exactly what I needed. I've done a few small projects around the house and now looking to build pull out shelves for our kitchen cabinets. What size circular saw should a beginner start with? I've been getting by with a 10" miter saw but I'm tired of going to lowes/home depot for big cuts.
That’s awesome! Glad you’re enjoying woodworking! I just had a small corded one as my first one and it worked great!
Thank you for adding the bird screech when referring to American, very respectful
Anytime 🫡
Lol get real
A very watchable video mate. I make smaller ones for cross cutting on site with a further piece of wood screwed at 90 degrees underneath to but up against the work piece. Great for cutting rafters and floor joists. Just a couple of suggestions, use the fence to make the first cut to keep your board square and then screw the strip straight onto the board and make your Final Cut. No wood wasted.
Great suggestions, thank you for sharing them.
Great video Alex. For what it's worth the drill was cheating and I want to see you screw those in with the circular saw please. lol. Really handy jig and well explained.
Haha thanks Mark, I wonder if I can will them to screw themselves in with the power of my mind?
Thank you for this video. Looks like a great jig/template thingie. I need to make one. Subscribed.
Thanks very much! It won’t solve everything, but it’s an excellent temporary solution!
Amazing channel make it grow more and more, con grats from Nicaragua.
Thanks so much for the kind words!
Great tutorial and so simple to follow thanks for sharing and a great video keep up the excellent work
Thank you! Glad you liked it
Thank you for demonstrating this simple project. I really appreciate it.
Glad you found it useful, thank you for the kind words!
Great stuff. Simple and clean. Thanks
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Made one years ago and very useful. Great video. Good luck with your RUclips channel. 🇨🇦💝🙏👍
Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words!
I use the table saw mainly for ripping trims etc. I have a track saw, but it’s difficult to set up on a piece thinner than the track. The reg circ saw is the most versatile. Be lost without it.
Couldn’t agree more. Cheers for sharing 🫡
You could easily afford the Aldi Tracksaw that I purchased as a result of 10 minute workshops review. Cheap in price but not in quality. Amazing.
I’ve built this jig you have here for my Evolution and it’s great as well.
Currently considering buying that table saw that you have. It looks great.
Cheers.
Maybe so - I’ll have to keep my eye on the middle isle! To be fair the table saw is good quality for the money, I have a review of it on my channel if you’d like some further info and a link of where you can find it. Although @sumeray has also done a comparison of 4 budget(ish) table saws recently that’s worth checking out too!
I usually measure once -then lock the blade of a slide square or marking gauge to transfer the length. I also often cut a quick pattern from a piece of thin scrap (or even nice cardboard) for angles. In fact I’ve been using cardboard to back up chop saw cuts and prevent blowout, especially on less critical work.
That’s a really good tip, thank you for sharing it.
Built several of these today. One for the skill saw and another for the router I use 1/4 Mdf. They are great out in the field. Its the original track saw. They aren't replacing my Delta Unisaw though.
Would be curious to see the version you made for the router! Is it the exact same and you just run the plate along it?
Thanks for your comment, have an awesome day!
@Greyotterstudio Youre most welcome. It is the same style and yes I just run the plate against it. Only difference is I use 1/4 mdf for the top board as well as the sled part. Glue the guide board down and pin it with the 23ga micro pinner using 3/8 nails. Works like a dream. Have a great day!.
NICE !, thx pal as THIS will Help Me BIG TIME, Kudo's
Glad you found it useful!
Great, well explained project. Subscribed, liked.
Thank you!
Ive been a full time chipie for years . I pretty much use my skilly for everything. I dont need rails i can cut perfectly straight. Learn that just get good. Cut scrap over and over until its effortless to you.
I dont need a mitre saw i just run it along my square . I tench out joints with it . If its more than 1mm i dont need a plane . Skill saw is life . I literally barely use anything else i cant be bothered to fetch it and set it up.
I reckon i do 90% of my work with my skilly , my impackt , my hikoki pin gun and the context of my belt.
Ad a jigsaw and a multi tool i build an entire house
That's epic! I hope to one day be as talented as you with a circular saw!
@@Greyotterstudio when I show people i say these things are crucial for extreme accuracy with a skill saw.
1st of all ware safety glasses and stare directly at the blade ignore the sight. Left side saw for right handed people you need direct view of the blade .
When using the fence mark your rip. Start your cut free hand cutting into the waist. Then slide on the fence lock it in and finish the cut.
When trenching out hold the saw push it down to the mark you made and lock the depth .
Make all cross cuts and mitre cuts running it along your speed square. Allways depth set accurately to stop guard binding.
Fine if you're making straight cuts in sheet goods. A decent tracksaw however can plunge, has depth stop accurate to the millimetre and can make bevel cuts. Add an MFT and some jigs and a tracksaw can cross cut and rip almost anything and be accurate enough to do real joinery. Doesn't have to be a Festool either!
I’ll have to look for some track saw joinery videos - they sound interesting! You’re right it doesn’t have to be festool - I believe evolution just came out with one? Although I’ve not watched any of the reviews on it yet, thanks for the comment.
Once I cut new door at the bottom to fit old frame, I just clamped straight wood piece as guide(but first I cut some scrap to measure saw plate cut width to offset my guide piece from line I need to cut). It also works, but for me it still cut was wrong then I noticed the blade was not very parallel to the plate. So it also one might double check if a saw need some hammer saw holder for fine alignment :D
Oh dear! I have done the same with my jigsaw before don’t worry 😂
Love the flag in the background!
Thanks! It’s my neighbours but it adds a cool touch doesn’t it!
Great beginner friendly tutorial mate. Nice work 💪
Cheers pal
I don't think the drill is cheating, after all it wasn't another saw
This jig is exactly what I needed. I'm moving to the country on november and I'll have to build my shop before i can start even thinking of buying a table and track saws are surprisingly expensive and rare down here
This jig is gonna so helpful to build my shop, quincho and shed!! I'll be put to do good work 💪🏻🪚
Mucho éxito con el canal!👍🏽
Muchas gracias y bueuna suerte con tu taller! 👍
Thanks for the video. Where do you get your plywood? - it seems to be very good quality - is it Baltic Birch? The stuff I get from builders' yards is really poor quality. Ordering on the internet is difficult because they only supply 8ft x 4ft panels, and often have a minimum quantity. So I would be grateful for your suggestions. Thanks.
Hi,
I’m afraid that’s probably a trick of the camera! It’s just hardwood plywood from wickes, and to be honest the quality is pretty poor. Wish I could be more help!
A good saying for you about checking your work is
"Check twice...Worry once"
Nice video
That's a great phrase! Thanks for the kind words.
Hi Alex, based on this one video, I have liked, subscribed AND dinged the dinger. You are very 'matter of fact' with no frills and fusses in this video. Plus, I pay for YT Premium so another thing I like is you don't have 'in video' adverts. 'Today's video is sponsored by.......' I Hate that. Cheers, Norm. 😊
Hi, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m really glad you enjoyed it and the style it was presented in. I’m always open to ways to improve so please do say if there’s anything you don’t like/think could be done better. I don’t do “in video adverts” but I must admit I have done one or two tool reviews and can’t promise I won’t necessarily again! Thanks for subscribing and have a great day :)
My cheap(ish) track saw £90 from Screwfix is my favourite cutting tool if I have the space to use it and access to 230v power.
Failing that, my cordless circular saw with its edge guide makes a decent substitute.
I haven’t had chance to try the Screwfix version but it sounds like it holds up ok!
Liking the Union Jack buddy.
Great channel as well.
Thanks pal 🫡 cheers for watching.
@@lambd5578 a point to make it’s only a Union Jack 🇬🇧 when at sea all other times it’s just the Union flag. Sorry for being a ‘smart arse’ it just that one gets so few opportunities!!
Bob
England
@@BobMuir100
I think that's not right, Bob, Union Jack was indeed used by the Admiralty preferentially back in time, but both Union Jack or Union Flag names are nowadays accepted when used both at sea or land.
I'm not British, I could be wrong, but I'd swear I read about it at the Flag Institute site 😳
This is perfect
Glad you liked it!
Another UK content creator. Nice job mate. I'll check out the other content too.
Thank you, I appreciate the kind words.
I used a Vee-notched spreader to spread silicone on the bottom of my track, it grips as good as any commercial track...
😎👍☘🍻
Great idea!! Thanks for sharing
Definitely don't need a table saw. I was like you when I started watching YT videos a few years back when all I owned was a drill and hammer. I thought I'd need a table saw. But the more I watched, the more I became convinced that the safest alternative was a track saw. I got one and never looked back. It took another almost two years before I invested in a circular saw ( the mitre saw came first) . The circular saw and track saw are my most commonly used tools. The circular saw the most used, followed by my track saw and then mitre saw.
Brilliant, thank you for sharing. What type of projects are your most common out of interest?
I used to clamp a 4ft level to sheets with the distance from the blade to the edge of the saw base added on, and then cut. Then I made one of these with some 6mm ply and a piece of metal stud track screwed to it. The metal helps it slide nice, just have to round off the sharp edges or you'll bleed yourself really good.
The metal wont expand and contact like wood does either! Thank you for sharing
You can get a locking fence that lays flat with locking clamps system I got one in Aus $30 or 15 quid it's a game changer and it is sturdy and accurate 🐊
That sounds brilliant! I’ve not seen one like that before.
works great in winter when it's pissing down lol
In England you need to avoid the rainy season - January 1 until December 31
Hahaha so true
Gotta love that British weather!
A table saw is hard to beat.
It’s true. But this can serve well till people can afford one :)
Very clever! Cheers.
Thank you!
Very good. Subbed
Thank you!
Problem is any slight hand movement away from base guide will skew your cut.Its fine jig for general purpose but I doubt for fine woodworking where precision is important.
True - but that’s also true of any cut I suppose, if you don’t put enough downward and lateral pressure on a table saw the cut can skew too.
Great thoughts, nice video!
thank you!
What type of fence is that in your yard?
Some sort of strange pre-fab concrete thing - it was here when we moved in!
Like this method a heck of a lot more than buying a track saw. Don't worry about the 1 tool thing. Anyone who owns a circular saw should absolutely have a power drill.
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful
😎
👍
There is a reason why you want a table saw for other operations other than ripping although pipping is one thing a TS does really, really well.
Hey thanks for your comment! You’re right, they’re super helpful, but they’re also expensive! I waited two years to buy my first one :) hence this video!
What I find (nor specifically just your video) kind of funny about "oh noes, you need an expensive tracksaw" videos is of course they show the picture of a Festool.
And then grab a battery Dewalt circ saw or similar, that costs significantly more than a cheep and cheerful Parkside (or similar, maybe evolution) tracksaw + a decent length rail from evolution.
Given it is not faulty right out of the box is - imo - better than a circular saw and these style of guides. Get a good blade, and off you go. Easy millimeter level depth adjustment. You can plunge it safely, if you are doing kitchen for example. Easy straight cuts right where you put your rail.
Now I'm cutting sheet metal with my not so expensive tracksaw. With a Bosch metal cutting blade, not the default one of course. 😂 Nice and easy cuts! Depth adjustment is really useful, since I just dropped two layers of cardboard on my workbench under the sheet metal, and the saw cuts thru the metal, without touching the workbench!
Fair point about the expensive dewalt - although I got mine 2nd hand for much less then even a cheap tracksaw would of cost me, and before this one I had an ultra cheap macallister one - but you make a good point that perhaps we all point at festool without considering the cheaper options! Thank you for sharing your view.
Nice video, thank you. You could also use the b and a 5 cuts for free to get these prices super accurate. Cheers.
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
Another item they seem to have an abundant supply of in the US is that pink insulation foam. I'm assuming since they use it as a cutting surface, that it's really cheap.
I assume by "saw horses" you mean "pair of kitchen chairs" or "wheelie bin" right? 😏
Improvise, adapt, overcome! 😂
You're forgiven for using the power drill. Even a hammer can be considered as a second tool in this build!
Thank you for your forgiveness, glad you enjoyed the video
I bet you were glad the jigsaw didn't win!
I have just bought a cheap Evolution circular saw (F165CCSL - £60!) because I have such difficulty breaking down sheet goods.
Hah you’re not wrong! Although maybe I’ll try a one tool build with it in the future just to see! £60 is a great price! If it’s corded too they tend to be pretty powerful so hopefully you’ll be breaking down sheet goods in no time!
very nice.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
Great video, subbed.
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it!
What about mini circular for diy
What do you mean?
Very helpful, thanks 👍
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Flat on the floor isn't the safest way to cut sheet goods. This technique is safer and means you can work accurately in a lot less space.
Stand the sheet on end/edge up against something solid so the intended cut is horizontal.
Clamp a sacrificial batten vertically along each of the rear edges of the board using two clamps per batten, one either side of the cut.
Fix your straight edge to the front of the board to guide the saw and make the cut with the blade just protruding. This leaves the battens intact and the two pieces of board still perfectly aligned to each other.
There is zero chance of the blade getting pinched.
Far less chance of a blade strike as your weight won't be bending the board.
You're working at a more comfortable height and not needing to shuffle around on your knees.
Make multiple cuts with the same set up. Simply remove the top piece leaving the battens in position, reposition the upper clamps and the straight edge and repeat.
This is an awesome way of cutting, thank you for sharing it.
liked and subbed. Nice job!
Thanks very much!
Technically the clamps are tools too so.... just kidding, very helpful tutorial I will definitely be making a fence like this soon.
Hah you’ve got me there! Thanks for the comment.
i don't even concider a drill driver, of impact gun a tool anymore, it's simply become a body part, that i think i was born with, lol
Haha I know the feeling!
The tool I was born with has a dull edge but but parts material remarkably well
i mark every single piece top , front face, left or right, if i don't i get totally lost ast to where the parts sit
Me too, so easy to get lost, especially on bigger projects!
That looks like a very nice area to live in. What does your gammon neighbour across the road think about you using noisy power tools outside all the time. My neighbours always bollock me for it.
My neighbours are lovely to be fair - they’ve never said anything yet and I’m pretty careful to only use it in “reasonable” hours then I’ll switch to hand tools if it’s late. It also probably helps that I often give them things I make 😂
First cut. Better to use the combination square to mark off two equidistant lines from the straight edge and connect them to form the line rather than using the relatively short square and then extrapolating the line with the level. Say a 1mm error at the end of the 30mm square would then translate to 4mm across the 1200mm plywood.
What a great point, thank you for sharing it!
Mark each end and then use a chalk line
Great tips, thanks
@@David.M. Glad you liked it!
Rather then using a couple of pieces of wood to place the sheet on that you wish to cut, that you try 'Soft Foam Exercise Floor Mats' - available from £15 - which'll give you 16 sq ft (1.5 sq m). Using these means that the entire sheet can be supported.
That’s a great idea thank you!
Great advice and as for the drill, you cant put screws in with a circular saw, a drill is a must anyway. More Content please, enjoy your films!
Thank you for being reasonable about my treacherous drill use 😂 glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and the comment :)
Been debating whether a table saw or a mitre saw or a circular saw should be my next tool… circular saw it is then! and this jig will definitely be on my things to make list thanks 👍
They're all great saws for different reasons, I guess just weigh up what the type of projects you want to make and which tool will be the most suitable.
This definitely isn't a perfect solution - but I managed two years of woodworking without a table saw using this :)
Good luck with whatever you choose and I hope your project turns out awesome! Feel free to DM me a pic on Instagram when it's done :)
Thanks for the comment, have a great day!
a table saw is invaluable to woodworking. you can do almost anything needed in woodworking with it.
They are certainly a versatile tool, and I love mine. But I couldn’t afford one for nearly two years, and I figure there’s probably plenty of people out there like me, so thought this could help them.
Thanks for your comment, have an epic day.
I would love to see you cut very long planks to size with a hand saw. I bet it will not be very precise like on a table saw. And precise dados, which are not ripped by the saw.
I imagine it just depends on what project you're making, if you're doing longer planks you would still need to build an infeed/outfeed table for a jobsite table saw as it would be too small on it's own. But you're probably right, although no tool is suitable for every job, which is why there are so many different types, this jig helped me when I couldn't afford a table saw, and for the projects I was making, it suited just fine.
With regards to the dados though, I'm afraid I've never needed to cut one on a table saw, I've always done them by hand, with a chisel and an old school router plane.
Different strokes for different folks I guess! But thank you for sharing your view.
the 1 power tool would def be a drill. Japanese saws cut quick and clean, just can't imagine having to hand screw everything vs hand sawing.
Hand screwing would be horrendous I agree, pull saws are lovely, although I’m not the best at cutting straight with them I must admit
Surely, if you have to measure and clamp your *new tool* to the workpiece, you could equally just measure and clamp a fence - and not lose the thickness of the tool's base??? Or am I missing something?
I guess you could, for me it’s more about knowing it will cut a perfectly straight line once secured down - and the wider base/weight stops it from slipping as much as some thinner fences. All down to personal preference though I guess!
Nice job mate but wait your telling me a just blew 300 on that new table saw for nothing? I dont believe it 😮😂😂 i do have track saw but dont have the track for it didn't come with mine and it ain't cheap for will get it eventually. Hope your good mate catch up soon!🏴👍
Thanks pal - which brand of track saw did you go with?
@@Greyotterstudio I got gifted the Bosch year or so ago for bit work did with a company in Glasgow. They sent me the battery plunge saw and batteries and chargers etc but no track!😬🤔 But Bosch I believe only fits it's own track or festool or maffel and none them are cheap. Though there is debate it may fit Makita need try it 👍🏴
Personally, I lean toward a jig saw for a hand operated tool and a band saw for a free standing cutting machine. Table saws are dangerous.
Fair enough, I must admit I find my bandsaw less intimidating then my table saw too! Although all tools are dangerous if not used correctlly/with respect. Thank you for your comment
100 true I love my jigsaw and bandsaw. It's not an opinion it's physics, table saws are dangerous by design, numbers don't lie and that tool has far and away the most serious accidents under its belt.
The worst part is, you see it all the time in 70 year old men who have been woodworking for 40 years, they make one slip in judgment, only one, and end up losing two fingers or worse.
Then there's the hidden danger of tension in would you might not know about. If that piece of wood and blade binds because of it it's going to launch a missile at you, multiple terrible injuries from this. There are many videos of pieces of wood going through the wall of a garage out into the yard that demonstrate the power of that rotating blade.
Also the curve of the table saw is twice that of a jigsaw bandsaw meaning twice as much dust and waste of wood.
For the challenge, I would have said 'my workbench'.
Very fair point! With power tools I’m happy using sawhorses and some plywood - when I use my hand tools it has to be my big workbench or else I’m stuffed!
@@Greyotterstudio One of my favorite professors told me this about making experimental apparatus: "Never use your shirttail as a workbench."
Glue! Yes…modern wood adhesives are immensely strong, but YT channels are obsessed with “screw and glue” for everything…I wonder if the R&D guys at Titebond think “Why do we even bother?”. Yours is as good as the many similar on YT, but I wood say a little heavy on the waste wood. The length to be trimmed off need only be 1/2” past the blade cut line. Tip: Add some non slip tape or sanding discs to the underside. Bonus tip: the unused back side can be purposed into a router jig…
Very good point about the waste wood, and the router jig idea is genius! Thank you for sharing.
I’m confused…why worry so about making the glued on fence perpendicular to the end of the board? When you cut off the extra edge material, that cut makes the fence parallel to,the fence. Why worry about it being perpendicular to the end?
The reason I do it for my jig is I then know that if I line the end of the board up with exactly with whatever edge I want to cut - the cut is not just straight, but square too! It’s a personal thing that saves me time :). Thanks for commenting.
There is another cost . . . the amount of space for storing all workshop tools.
More so where a person has multiple interests . . . why not include metalwork at the same time?
Ideally I would like to fit *the workshop* into the space of a single garage (or smaller) with overflow concrete slab outside
Very good point, i hasn’t even considered that. Versatility of tools you invest in must be super important in that case too! Thank you for sharing.
@@Greyotterstudio I am focused on packing tools into as small a space as possible 🙂
Single Tool Project -- You could have picked up a rock to hammer the nail in . . . glue is also okay
1st timer here and yes I did enjoy your build and I for one will be building one!
Sorry but No you may not be excused for your use of two power tools…..far to convenient if you ask me! So yes you do owe us a one power tool build. lol
Also please don’t point at me down the lens, rather rude!!
Bob
England
Haha well I can only apologise - I’ll make sure to add another one tool build to the list! Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts.
Why not buy a circular saw that's compatible with a track (like Metabo KGS 57 or some Makita or whatever) and buy a track for like €60?
That’s a good option! But I already had the saw in this video and using some plywood I had laying around was cheaper then going out and buying a new saw and track to go with it. If I didn’t already have a circular saw I’d 100% go with your idea though.
"to get started in woodworking" should be part of the title.
I’m not sure I agree, certainly for some, but depending on the projects you do a table saw isn’t always necessary. Thank you for sharing your view though.
@@Greyotterstudio 0:49 Quote - Don't need every tool to "get started in woodworking".
If you buy the right circular saw, some have the ability to use them on a track, so you can make your track with that feature. I know bosch and Makita both have them.
@@24revealer I didn’t know you could buy custom tracks (aside from track saws themselves) how interesting! Thanks for letting me know.
@@Greyotterstudio BOSCH CCS180B, Bosch PROFACTOR 18V STRONG ARM GKS18V-25GCN Cordless 7-1/4 In. Circular Saw, MAKITA XSH08 cordless TRACK COMPATIBLE circular saw
Bosch also has a corded saw.
Great video; especially the Red-tail Hawk call when showing the Bald Eagle/American flag @1:41 It's so wrong and beautifully represents how wrong Americans are since that's used 95% of the time in commercials, movies, etc. 🤣
Hahahahah really? Whoops my bad! I just googled “bald eagle noise” and this is what came up 😂😂
@@Greyotterstudio No worries! It's just funny to us that our Bald Eagle symbol is often exaggerated visually to look tougher and less goofy, an addition to its cacophonic water-gurgling call being swiped to a better-sounding call 😆That's America for you . . .
Seems to be a useful jig. You conveniently did not show how you started your cut using your jig. I imagine that problem is not there if you cut something where your jig is a certain amount longer. Nice video.
Thank you
Table saws scare me. I’m going to try not to get one. Bandsaws can do what a table saw can do right?
They terrify me still now and I've had mine since April. But then I try to maintain a healthy fear of all my power tools to be as a safe as possible. Bandsaws are AWESOME - probably my favourite machine in my shop.