Anyone have a rip cut yet?

[Gary roofner]

I checked with my Lowes and they have 8 on order haven't gotten any yet.

[Gary roofner]

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

[BZ]

I haven't seen anyone mention clamping issues... for instance, how would you clamp a 20" x 8' x 1/2" piece of plywood so you can slice it in half long-ways with this jig?  Unless I'm missing something, it looks like that 30" bar is pretty much gonna sweep over the whole thing.  None of the videos on the Kreg site show the guys using clamps to hold the board... in my experience, ply don't really sit there while you cut it, it wants to move.

z

[Paula Geihs]

It is an issue. I have had to have help for every cut I have made. Really like the jig though!

[BZ]

seems like it'd be too much to go wrong, with the saw operator worrying about one hand on the saw and one hand on the jig to keep it up against the board edge, and the board starts sliding....  and having to have someone around to help seems regressive... I loved the idea of not having to measure, but the jig doesn't seem practical now.  thanks for the info....

[John Schaben]

Hi BZ - That seems like it would be a common issue with any type of edge guide attached to a moving tool. When using a router with an edge guide I have one hand on the router and the other on the guide to keep it square. Part of the job setup is to make sure the workpiece is secure and the tool path free from obstructions. Many times I have had to stop the cut and move clamps, just part of the job.

BZ said:

seems like it'd be too much to go wrong, with the saw operator worrying about one hand on the saw and one hand on the jig to keep it up against the board edge, and the board starts sliding....  and having to have someone around to help seems regressive... I loved the idea of not having to measure, but the jig doesn't seem practical now.  thanks for the info....

[Paula Geihs]

Thanks John, I had wondered about using the clamps and moving them.  Until my hands are healed I still have to have help but it's good to know I was thinking right.

John Schaben said:

Hi BZ - That seems like it would be a common issue with any type of edge guide attached to a moving tool. When using with an edge guide I have one hand on the router and the other on the guide to keep it square. Part of the setup is to make sure the workpiece is secure and the tool path free from obstructions. Many times I have had to stop the cut and move clamps, just part of the job.

BZ said:

seems like it'd be too much to go wrong, with the saw operator worrying about one hand on the saw and one hand on the jig to keep it up against the board edge, and the board starts sliding....  and having to have someone around to help seems regressive... I loved the idea of not having to measure, but the jig doesn't seem practical now.  thanks for the info....

[BZ]

In my experience, repeatability such that you can stop a cut, move stuff around, then restart the cut and not leave an "edge" or some other imperfection is rare with this type of portable equipment, so hats off to you for not having a problem with it!  Seems like with the Kreg jig (and I normally love their stuff, so I'm not dinging them just because) you have to trade shortfalls to make it work... either you can clamp it to start the cut, but then have to move the clamps around and try to line up the second half of the cut, or you find some other way to keep the wood still while you make a one-pass cut.  I kinda like the jig recommended early on in the posts, has a clamp built underneath a guide bar, but then, of course, you lose the coolest thing about the Kreg: not having to measure.  Set it and slice away.   Tradeoffs with all of them, I guess.

[Troy Hazel]

i got mine from woodcraft last week!!!

[John Schaben]

Hi BZ - Boy, ya got that right.

I never claimed not to get some imperfection when stopping and starting a cut. Somewhat easier to clean up with a router by climb cutting over it..... Not so easy with a circ saw. I seldom use any saw cut as a finished, visible edge though. Visible edges usually get profiled or banded.

I do like the straight edge gary linked to though, pennstate industries. I've had trouble with two piece systems but the coupling method on that one looks robust enough to keep it ridgid. I wish I had known about it before I bought the 8' version of this thing.  

http://www.ptreeusa.com/edge_clamps.htm

BZ said:

  Tradeoffs with all of them, I guess.

[BZ]

That back-to-back set could actually hold sheet goods while you use the RipCut, since (it appears) no part of it comes up over the edges... might be a factor with thinner sheets.  I didn't realize the other one you (we) mentioned from Pennstate was a two-piece deal... that's probably out for me, too.  I've learned after working a while that tool setup and alignment is huge in quality work, and I don't want to spend all my time babying some wonky or complicated setup just to cut a board.  That frustrates me instead of being fun.  Anyway, happy woodslaying!

z

[Michael Garrett]

I use my festool trak saw and never have any of those problems.

[John Schaben]

Looked at those, looked at my budget, figured out if I bought one, I couldn't afford to buy anything to cut with it.

Michael Garrett said:

I use my festool trak saw and never have any of those problems.