Setting gauges for track saws

[Steve Maskery]

After our discussion of the relative merits of cutting sheet goods like MDF on a Tablesaw (TS) v using a Track Saw (TS), I thought I'd post details of my setup and why I prefer the TS

So from now on, TS means Track Saw, OK?

This is all assuming that I have to cut pieces off a full, or at least a large, sheet. If my original blank is too narrow to support my track, then there is no problem with cutting it on the tablesaw, of course.

I have two setting gauges, one for cutting strips narrower than my track (anything from 0 up to 300mm) and another for pieces over 200mm. They both register the track from the reference edge of the workpiece, but for the narrower pieces it registers in the channel, with the cut edge towards the reference edge (so that the piece cut off is the bit I want), whereas for wider pieces the back edge of the track registers against the end of the setting gauge, which means that the track sits on the piece I want to keep.

They both take into account the width of the track and the thickness of the saw kerf.

They both have a scale stuck to them. The long one, however, does not start at 0, it starts at about 170, because that is how wide the track is. So if I want to cut a piece 1000mm long, I set the head to 1000, which is actually only 830mm from the end. But as the track is 170mm wide, the end result is that the cut takes place 1000mm from the reference edge.

The smaller one is slightly different in that the end has a T-piece on it which sits nicely in the channel.

In use, I set the width I want and use the setting gauge to position the track. I check both ends, of course. The anti-slip strips underneath means I don't need to clamp the track, but there is nothing to stop you if you want belt and braces.

To calibrate the gauges I start before I have attached the scales. Set the track to cut, say 250mm, approximately. Make the cut and measure what has actually been cut, say 248mm. Then, without loosening off the head, I slide the scale underneath the cursor until it reads 248mm. The scale is taped in place, the head removed and the scale stuck down properly.

The screw holes in the cursor are slightly elongated so that, should the scale move slightly whilst I am attaching it, I can nudge the line over a bit either way to make up for it.

It's easy, quick and cheap to make, and I would rather move a saw that weighs a few pounds than a full sheet of MDF that weighs a ton.

 

[Nelsun]

Oh goodie, a topic close to my heart \/

The ones I have attach to the rail via the "rear" t-slot and have lengths of Incra track that stick out the back for rips wider than the track or slide in underneath for narrow cuts.

I learned not to trust the scales which I meticulously set in the Incra tracks... but didn't stick down well enough so they'd move tiny amounts #-o Instead, I use a good stiff ruler with a stop on it. You set the stop on the ruler to the desired measurement you want the keeper to be, flip it upside down and slide it in under the track until the ruler stop hits the blade-side edge of the rail. Then you position one gauge over the ruler and set the gauge stop against the end of the ruler. You then use the gauge you've just set to calibrate the other one (by inverting one against the other). If I get a chance I'll add some pics as the above likely doesn't make immediate sense.

I can see some folks *cough* MikeJhn *cough* :lol: thinking "that sounds like a load of old faff that'd take seconds to set up on a table saw" and they're partly right. On the flip side, it takes about a minute to setup but afterwards you can repeatedly and very accurately march your way across a sheet in to time. All without the joy of getting a heavy sheet of whatever on to, and across, a table saw. For the spacily challenged out there it's also a real boon not needing infeed and outfeed room too.

 

[Chris152]

You need to start marketing these, Steve.

 

[Steve Maskery]

You need to start marketing these, Steve.

LOL! I've been "marketing" these, with very modest success, for the last ten years! Well, the plans for the long one, anyway. It was on my very first DVD. But every time I mention it in response to a post I get accused of peddling.
e
The one for narrower cuts came along afterwards and I've never filmed that.
I have all the kit to start filming again, but I have another big project on the go which needs to be finished before I can get going again (hall, stairs, landing and new kitchen, fitter having called it off 2 weeks before it was due to start. Where on earth do I find a good kitchen fitter at 18 days notice?). But when I do, I shall probably redo this on, to include the T-end on the long one. It has advantages over a plain end.

My DVDs may have been historic in their day, but they are now most definitely historical. At least they weren't published on Betamax.

 

[Adam9453]

Great tips Steve.
I’ve looked at the setting gauges for my tracksaw a number of times but i always find I can’t justify buying them when I can just use either a combination square to position the track for narrow cuts or a cut length of wood (i.e. rod) for longer cuts. For the most part though I do many different cuts using the tracksaw so I just often end up using the trusted steel rule or square and mark the cut with a very sharp pencil. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who think track saws are not very accurate and they often don’t realise you need to keep an eye on the sacrificial strip as it needs shifting and recutting to maintain its accurate position relative to the blade. If I change the blade I always recut the strip to maintain its accuracy.
Hopefully this topic helps those new to the world of tracksaws, or inspires them to make their own track for use with their run of the mill circular saw

 

[Doug B]

I bought one of these Woodpecker rule clamps from Peter Sefton which fits my 12”, 24” & 36” steel rules & makes repeat cuts with the tracksaw a breeze

 

[Nelsun]

Some pics of how I go about making wide and narrow rips with the TS. Credit goes to someone on the FOG.

These are the bits that make the magic happen. Left to right are: guide rail attachment, narrow rip gauge and wide rip gauge.

For wide or narrow rips I set a ruler with a rule-stop to the dimension I'm after. This could be done with a strip of scrap and a block sticking to it.

The ruler is then flipped over and slid under the track until the rule-stop hits the rail strip. You need to keep your strips in good order as they are what you're referencing against. No biggy.

The gauge is then slid over the ruler and its gauge-stop is butted up against the end of the ruler.

The matching gauge is then set using the first one as a reference. This only works when the gauge tracks are of identical length but it ensures both gauges are as near identically set as possible.

Gauges in place and ready to go.

I'll not go through setting up for narrow rips as it's near enough identical to the above. I only have the one pair of rail attachment thingies so I have to swap them between the wide and narrow gauges as needed. Here's how it looks underneath once it's ready.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Handy jig Steve, but a big improvement would be to have two of them joined by a rod so you can set both ends of the rail simultaneously, as when you move one end the other end inevitably moves too, so you end up with a bit of toing and froing.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Nelsun - Nice but a bit spendy for my liking.
Woodmonkey - You are right. But you don't really need to join them. Just have another blank one (no ruler), set it to the same length by mating it up to the master, and use one in each hand.

 

[deema]

I personally don’t fully understand the argument about lifting the panel onto the table Saw versus taking the track Saw to the work. Every time I’ve seen a tracksaw being used the panel has been ‘lifted’ onto some form or table.......which could just as easily have been a table Saw. The pictures show Steve with the panel lifted into a table / tressels!

The primary advantages I’ve come across with a tracksaw is that you can take it out of the workshop and it’s a lot smaller than a full sliding table panel saw.

They both have their place, and both can produce accurate results.

Nice useful jig Steve.

 

[Nelsun]

Nelsun - Nice but a bit spendy for my liking.

Yep, not cheap. I only cried once (after paying for them) though.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, you can knock something similar together quite cheaply. Pete Millard to the rescue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idAfnNIQ5H4.

Deema: I don't think the lifting of the sheet is the thing. Rather, it's the moving the sheet over the tool compared to moving the tool over the sheet that's the big difference.

 

[stuartpaul]

I personally don’t fully understand the argument about lifting the panel onto the table Saw versus taking the track Saw to the work. Every time I’ve seen a tracksaw being used the panel has been ‘lifted’ onto some form or table.......which could just as easily have been a table Saw. The pictures show Steve with the panel lifted into a table / tressels!

The primary advantages I’ve come across with a tracksaw is that you can take it out of the workshop and it’s a lot smaller than a full sliding table panel saw.

They both have their place, and both can produce accurate results.

Nice useful jig Steve.

I guess the difference is between lifting the panel onto a table and lifting the panel onto a saw and then carefully guiding it through the saw to give the accurate cut you want. Also assuming you have 8 foot plus before and after the blade! I've got a decent sized table saw and a decent sized workshop but I'd struggle to put 8 foot panels through the saw.

I made a couple of Steve's jigs a few years ago and when using the TS they're invaluable and make life much, much easier at a few pence per jig