Strait cut last few inches on rip cut

[Scotty Gadlin]

Hello everyone, 

I was wondering if anyone had tips or advice on how to get a strait cut during the last few inches of the rip cut.  It seems that once the aluminum guide rail passes the end of the sheet you are cutting it cases some instability and you have to basically free hand.  Any tips?

[Ken Darga]

 ''keep it straight"---

slow down near the end of your cut,

and ''inch'-it'' thru to completion.

Release the trigger on the saw---

allow the blade to come to a complete stop---

lift the saw from the material.

  Make some practice cuts, on scrap material or sheet goods---

making narrow strips cuts.

  After making a few cuts, you'll get the hand of it.

[James Waller]

In the past when I need to cut down a sheet of plywood, I will get the store to cut it for me and then I can use a straight-edge guide and my circular saw to cut it to final width. Nowadays I still have the store cut it for me and I will use my table-saw to cut it to final dimensions.

If you cutting "pieces" from the sheet, then just cut close to your final cut and then use one of the methods above to achieve final cut.

Now if you need to cut off a piece from a sheet and are using either pieces from the cut, you could cut halfway from one end of the sheet and then finish cut from the other side.

If you are worry about tear-out, you could use some 2x4"s either on some sawhorses or on the ground and cut the sheet. Just adjust saw to cut just below the sheet so that the cut in the 2x4 will be less than ¼".

Or you could clamp (or screw) a long piece of board below the sheet using 2 clamps and making sure they are out of the way of the cut and saw.

[James Waller]

Have you looked at a Kreg Rip Cut?

Kreg Rip Cut

[Ken Darga]

The subject matter, is the ''rip cut'' tool.

James Waller said:

Have you looked at a Kreg Rip Cut?

Kreg Rip Cut

[Scotty Gadlin]

Yes I am using the rip cut.  I will try some more practice, I just want to make sure to get the whole cut square.  I cut down boards using this method  but with the rip cut

[George Kaiser]

More support under the panel being cut. You can have the guide go beyond the end the end of the panel. Also not not use a lot of force to keep the saw tight to the guide. Make sure the blade is tight and parallel t the guide at the front of the blade and back of the blade.

[Gary roofner]

I ripped a 16' piece of trex decking from 5.5 to 3 .75 dead on by using the scale on the tool. Love the ease of set up narrow cut like that works everytime only when you exceed 12". Just set a couple 2" x 6" a 1/2 " appart set the cut line on the trex between 1/2' gapp between the 2" x 6" and made the cut with the jig on top of the deck.

Here is a new jig I just bought it's highly rated cut an 8' pywood with clamping. You could cut 4' the short way or long. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PPS-2.html

In my opion you cannot make a jig as rugged and light as this jig its almost a $100 with taxes its on sale now Amazon sells it for $145. Its $79 plus shipping. When assembled it's 116". It's got an excellent clamping system probably one of the best. Right now nothing in  this price range. nearest in price is EZ system probably $300.

[James Waller]

OOPS!!!   LOL....I thought he meant the cut itself, not the tool. Thanks Ken and I see in his next post he did mean the "Kreg Rip Cut".

Ken Darga said:

The subject matter, is the ''rip cut'' tool.

James Waller said:

Have you looked at a Kreg Rip Cut?

Kreg Rip Cut

[Gary roofner]

My comment I see is abigious about the price amazon sell for $145 on sell but manufacture sells for $79 + shipping about $100 penn state manfacturing follow the link in my post. So if you need to rip over24" this jig is very good not as user friendly but more capacity and excellent clamping.
 
Gary roofner said:

I ripped a 16' piece of trex decking from 5.5 to 3 .75 dead on by using the scale on the tool. Love the ease of set up narrow cut like that works everytime only when you exceed 12". Just set a couple 2" x 6" a 1/2 " appart set the cut line on the trex between 1/2' gapp between the 2" x 6" and made the cut with the jig on top of the deck.

Here is a new jig I just bought it's highly rated cut an 8' pywood with clamping. You could cut 4' the short way or long. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PPS-2.html

In my opion you cannot make a jig as rugged and light as this jig its almost a $100 with taxes its on sale now Amazon sells it for $145. Its $79 plus shipping. When assembled it's 116". It's got an excellent clamping system probably one of the best. Right now nothing in  this price range. nearest in price is EZ system probably $300.

[Scotty Gadlin]

thanks for the advice, still having same problem, once the ruler (guide rail) passes the board it wants to dip down causing trouble with keeping the edge aligned.  It tends to go down to the right, like a fulcrum effect.  

[Ken Darga]

Scotty,

The cutting practice, shown in the photo, 

has been in practice for many years,

with success.

Have you tried this approach?

  There are a variety of straight-edge clamps, on todays market, to accomplish a straight cut.

[Scotty Gadlin]

Yes I have done it that way, I bought the kreg rip cut so I did not have to spend time measuring, it is verry accurate, but I have little confidence in getting a true strait cut the last few inches.  Perhaps I will try and put scrap material so that the guide rail can rest on it as I finish the cut.  I really need a better setup.