Cutting French Cleats

[focusonwood]

Hi All,

I'm a recent owner of my very own garage, and will be converting it into a carpentry workshop.

It's small so I want to make it as flexible as possible rather than permanently secured fixtures, storage or workbenches.

Is there an effective way to cut French cleats from ply board without a table saw?

A circular saw would do a lot of it, but once the board becomes thin it might be tricky.

Thanks,

Graham

 

[Penny]

Hi All,

I'm a recent owner of my very own garage, and will be converting it into a carpentry workshop.

It's small so I want to make it as flexible as possible rather than permanently secured fixtures, storage or workbenches.

Is there an effective way to cut French cleats from ply board without a table saw?

A circular saw would do a lot of it, but once the board becomes thin it might be tricky.

Thanks,

Graham

Unless you are using 18mm ply you will find that it may be too thin to be effective. As to using a circular saw, one you get to the narrow bit, attach another piece of the same width to the end to support the saw.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Graham, welcome to the Forum.

The TS is the best option, but if you don't have one, a tracksaw will also do a good job. As you say, it dos get a bit more problematic once the board starts to get a bit narrow. What to do?

If I were restricted in that way, I'd get a couple of laths and pin the board to them, and then pin another board alongside it to support the saw.

HTH
Steve

EDIT - There you go, two for the price of one

 

[focusonwood]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and like nice tools...especially power tools.

I'm quite tempted to just get a table saw and do it on that.

Thanks,

Graham (aka All the Gear, No Idea)

 

[pcb1962]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and like nice tools...especially power tools.

I'm quite tempted to just get a table saw and do it on that.

Before you rush into buying a table saw, which tbh can be impractical in a small garage, you should look at what a track saw can do for you. Many people have ditched the table saw in favour of a track saw these days. Go on youtube, search for 'ts55' and watch a few videos. (Other track saws are available )

 

[focusonwood]

The track saw is interesting, I can see how it is better than a table saw in certain applications.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Wizard9999]

I have a track saw (Makita) and it is great, I love it. But, my experience is that to get the most out of it (and I suspect for it to be a real alternative to a table saw) you need to pair it to something like an MFT3 which will allow accurate and repeatable positioning for cutting. Now this is a bit theoretical as I have been using my track saw to help build my workshop, however, what I have found is that as I am using it on a rather improvised surface (two saw horses with a piece of scrap OSB attached between them) I struggle to get any precision in terms of repeatability. OK for my purposes in building the workshop, but it wouldn't be a long term solution for anything with a fine tolerance.

I am only just getting to the stage in my workshop build where I can move my table saw in, so I'll bow to the experience of anyone who is better placed to compare the two.

One other thought. As you are in a position where you have the space already, before you make any purchase (table saw or otherwise) I would suggest using some cardboard boxes or similar to mock up how things will sit in your workshop. My experience is that things look very different in the flesh than they do on a computer screen.

Hope that helps,
Terry.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

May I just say what wonderful saw horses they are though Terry

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's dead easy to get accuracy and repeatability with a track saw. every bit as good as a TS, in that respect.

I set my track with a setting gauge:

The setting gauge is calibrated to my track and then it is a case of dialing the size I want, positioning the track with the gauge and cutting. Every single piece is identical.

I also have a similar gauge for use when the piece I want is narrower than the track itself, but that jig was an afterthought, it's not on any of my films.

 

[pcb1962]

It's dead easy to get accuracy and repeatability with a track saw. every bit as good as a TS, in that respect.

I set my track with a setting gauge:

Alternatively you can achieve the same thing by spending another wodge of cash on the Festool parallel guides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7D0yrZY8vU

 

[Wizard9999]

It's dead easy to get accuracy and repeatability with a track saw. every bit as good as a TS, in that respect.

I set my track with a setting gauge:

The setting gauge is calibrated to my track and then it is a case of dialing the size I want, positioning the track with the gauge and cutting. Every single piece is identical.

I also have a similar gauge for use when the piece I want is narrower than the track itself, but that jig was an afterthought, it's not on any of my films.

That's a really helpful tip Steve. But may I ask what you mean by "The setting gauge is calibrated to my track..."? Apologies for the novice questions , but if you don't ask stupid questions you just end up staying stupid :lol: .

Terry.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Indeed.
I once showed my setting gauge to one of the directors at Festool, explaining why I thought it was a good way of positioning the track. Eight months later...
Just sayin'.

Terry - The scale will be different, according to the width of the specific track you own. It works with home-made tracks as well, of course, but the gauge must match the track.

All the details are on WE1. The one for narrow strips is not on that, but I do have a PDF of it and I'm happy to send that out free to anyone who buys the plans for the original one. It works in the same way.

 

[Wizard9999]

Terry - The scale will be different, according to the width of the specific track you own. It works with home-made tracks as well, of course, but the gauge must match the track.

That makes perfect sense now Steve, I just took another look at the picture and note the gauge is setting up the 'back' of the track. Is there a reason for doing it this way and not simply lining up the side that the blade runs up against?

The main problem I find is keeping both ends of the track set to the right place. I can line one end up prefect ly, but when I then position the second end the track does not always pivot on the point where the track meets the other end of the board being cut. Net result the first end I set up moves and has to be reset (at this stage amuse yourself by picturing me running from end to end constant resetting). I guess the answer is I should use the clamps on the underside of the track, but I haven't, though I note in your picture nor do you. Does your gaige also elimiante the problem I describe in sime cunning way?

Terry.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The back is the ref, because that is the piece we want. The narrow jig refs to the other edge becasue that's the piece I want.
Yes, the track can spin a bit, if there is a bulge in the board, I just keep doing it until it is right at both ends, it's no big deal and I need the exercise.

 

[pcb1962]

The main problem I find is keeping both ends of the track set to the right place. I can line one end up prefect ly, but when I then position the second end the track does not always pivot on the point where the track meets the other end of the board being cut. Net result the first end I set up moves and has to be reset (at this stage amuse yourself by picturing me running from end to end constant resetting).

I find the trick is to lift the end of the track very slightly when positioning it at the second mark rather than just try to slide it, that results in far less random movement at the other end. You'll still have to revisit the first mark and check it but 9 times out of 10 it will still be where you put it.
I never use clamps, pay careful attention to the direction in which you're applying force whilst making the cut and the track never moves IME.

 

[Wizard9999]

Oh good, it isn't just me then. I thought it was probably due to (Random Orbital Bob's) dodgy saw horses :lol:

Terry.

P.S. Apologies for thread jacking, but hopefully this will help the OP if he ends up with a track saw.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

[spluttering noises]

dodgy saw horses....I'll have you know those saw horses fought in 2 world wars, kids don't know they're born today etc etc

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

Echoing the above several years ago after a lucrative trip abroad for work, I bought a TS. Knowing what I know now I'd have got the TS55 a lot sooner.

The tip about lifting the track is excellent as you're not pulling against the foam backer.

 

[focusonwood]

Thanks All,

The tips for track saws are great.

The suggestion to lay out the workshop with cardboard boxes is a great idea. At the moment the garage has some dodgy ex-kitchen cabinets that look like they've been there for 30-40 years, those will be removed and I'm going to paint the walls/floor before building workbenches and fitting French cleats.

Laying out the workshop with boxes will help me to figure out whether what I think I need is achievable given the space I have available.

Maybe I'll take a few pics of the workshop as I progress to share with people here...I have a huge list of projects in my head just for kitting out the workshop.

Thanks,

Graham.

 

[GLFaria]

Hi

I don't have a TS.
Here is my solution for a simple ersatz of french cleats (admittedly not very elegant or even very woodworkman like, but does the work rather well).
This one was made from a number of scrap pieces I had at hand. It is suspended on a slat screwed to the wall with spacers to leave a clearance for the cleats.