Tracksaw, Bandsaw or Table saw (yet again)

[Mark18PLL]

Sorry to repeat myself, I know i have posted a similar question before but im still struggling with this.

Basically I want to make boxes for storage and various other uses, records etc, small furniture items like tables, ottoman or tv stands. The maximum thickness of material will probably be around 40mm with length and width determined by what it will be used for. I will probably be using either mitre, rabbet or dovetails joints but again will depend on the desired look.

I am working from my garage so space is crucial, I already have a decent track saw, rail and mitre saw but i am finding it very slow to do repeat cuts with the tracks saw, no matter how many times i watch peter millard do it. I am trying to make things quicker as i am all too aware the the longer it takes, the higher the price i would need to charge. I have been considering a bandsaw (Record power sabre 250) or a small table saw like the dewalt (dw7485), I was hoping to just work with what i have but im concerned that the amount of time it takes to cut the wood to size is going to add considerable time. Just to note i would either be able to cut sheet material to manageable sizes with my track saw or i might just get the yard to do it for me.

Thanks in advance
Mark

 

[TheTiddles]

Are you using primarily timber or sheet?

If the former, tablesaw, if the latter, rail saw, unless you can get a tablesaw in that will carry a whole sheet on the slider

Aidan

 

[LBCarpentry]

Yes the only machine that will realistically process sheets and timber quick enough is a panel saw.
As your limited with space I would suggest a track saw matched with an MFT table and a series of jigs and gadgets to help achieve rapid cuts.

A bandsaw just isn’t a clean enough cut for anything.

 

[Mark18PLL]

I think you might have missed my point, i will only break up sheets to get them into more manageable pieces or i might ask them to do this at the wood yard, I then want to be able to make repeat cuts fairly quick. i am just finding the track saw a very slow process to do this.

 

[TheTiddles]

So you’re working mainly in sheet? How many repeat cuts, 2, 20, 200?

Aidan

 

[Mark18PLL]

So you’re working mainly in sheet? How many repeat cuts, 2, 20, 200?

Aidan

Well im working from a garage at home (which i did say) so fitting 200 sheets in might be a problem. The issue i have is basically costing, it doesn't matter if its 2, 20, 200 when i cost how much it is to make i have to take my time into account so making quick repeat cuts will enable me to do it faster and keep my costs down despite the outlay.

Mark

 

[artie]

Well im working from a garage at home (which i did say) so fitting 200 sheets in might be a problem.

Mark

I think Tiddles was referring to the number of cuts rather than sheets.
I have a thread going asking pretty much the same thing.
I usually only rip 8 by 4s in roughly half either 8 by2 or 4 by 4.
I prefer table saw for the former and track saw for the latter.
If I had to cut a 4 by 4 into 20 strips I would prefer the table saw.
If I had to cut a 8 by 4 into 20 8 ft strips I would prefer the table saw.

 

[MusicMan]

A tablesaw is the fastest, the most accurate and has the best finish for numerous repeat cuts. It sounds as if you don't have space for anything like a Wadkin AGS10. The DeWalt does get good reviews, is portable and seems to have an accurate fence, which you need. SunnyBob here raves about his. As you are cutting the sheets down with a tracksaw or at the yard, it should be quite able to handle them.

 

[glenfield2]

I’m strictly an amateur but I do work in a very confined space - a boat. My Dewalt table saw is a great tool - the rack & pinion fence is accurate to a mm and makes repeatable cuts and small size changes easy. Its only limitation is that it has a small table and is therefore not ideal for bigger tasks.
It was an expensive buy for me but its accuracy makes it well worthwhile.
For dealing with larger sheets I use a cheap (Aldi/Sheppach) tracksaw which I generally use outside.
Hope that helps.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

I think Tiddles was referring to the number of cuts rather than sheets.
I have a thread going asking pretty much the same thing.
I usually only rip 8 by 4s in roughly half either 8 by2 or 4 by 4.
I prefer table saw for the former and track saw for the latter.
If I had to cut a 4 by 4 into 20 strips I would prefer the table saw.
If I had to cut a 8 by 4 into 20 8 ft strips I would prefer the table saw.

For me, due to the size of the table on my table saw (480mm x 360mm), I would do both operations with my track saw and parallel guides.

Once setup they are quite fast and certainly take up much less space than a table saw that can cut 2440mm strips off a sheet, or even 1220mm strips.


the only time I would use my table saw is if I just have a few pieces to cut or they are a lot smaller.

 

[RogerS]

As I see it, your issue is repeat accurate cuts with sheet material. Your sentence of 40mm is a red herring...no-one in their right mind would use a track saw to rip down, say, a 4x2 to get something thinner. Apologies if I've misread your sentence.

So how big are the final sheets ? In the absence of a panel saw, the table saw is your best option but depending on the model will determine the maximum final sheet size that you can cut. Probably with your available space or the size of the finished product that might be an issue.

If it was me then, provided the local shed was accurate enough, I'd 'outsource' it to them. Or you could buy pre-cut sheets to your dimensions from the companies on the web that offer this service - albeit pricey (but 'pricey' is relative).

 

[NewbieRaf]

I am very much in the same boat. My shop is a single car garage, our stuff is on the right and my shop equipment is on the left. So I’ve not even got all the space just one wall oh and no power. Watch out for my website/channel for how I got things together, but anyways I cannot recommend a mft enough. For sheets I cut to approx size on insulation board outside the garage then cut to size on the table saw. However as I got more and more fusterates getting everything square (like my shaker doors) I took the plunge for an mft. Now there is a good chance that my Dewalt table saw will be made redundant but we will see. Feel free to PM me if you need more detail

 

[artie]

I would do both operations with my track saw and parallel guides

Any chance of a pic of your set up?

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Any chance of a pic of your set up?

I certainly will show the modifications I’ve made to mine however the same pair are sitting on the workbench in this video


I have three small additions this maybe enough
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/...festool-fs-pa-and-fs-pa-vl/msg97615/#msg97615

 

[craigs]

+1 for the Festool guides, I bought them to rip a sheet of Birch ply into 40mm strips to make a patterned ply top, and although i never got around to it (story of my life) i did test for accuracy and repeatability on cheaper ply and they are indeed very good.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

+1 for the Festool guides, I bought them to rip a sheet of Birch ply into 40mm strips to make a patterned ply top, and although i never got around to it (story of my life) i did test for accuracy and repeatability on cheaper ply and they are indeed very good.

Here are the key additions I made which I’ve found are helpful and can be quickly rotated out of the way if needed.



I’ve always had a reluctance to throwing away possibly useful items and the RAC keys are an example of lateral thinking that is successful.

the Festool equipment is pricey but worth the money for me, the only item I can’t justify is the MFT as my workshop isn’t mobile and the Kapex as again I’m not mobile and it’s not better enough for my pocket.