Simple Track Saw

[Eddie_T]

I am pondering making this track saw jig. Basically my immediate need is to cut drawer box sides and ends and bottoms from scrap wood. I have a RAS but that requires one straight edge before ripping plus ripping is not the easiest task with sheet goods or scrap. This jig seems like it would be ready for use w/o the setup required for the RAS plus I like to work outside where sawdust is not a problem. I have tried guides and clamped on fences and I usually manage to mess up at least one cut. This jig appears to solve that problem.

 

[Flyover]

Yeah I don't know why or how, but somehow clamping on a guide never gets me a straight cut. Maybe it's my crappy hand-me-down circular saw? It does have a sorta wobbly table...

 

[Eddie_T]

The same guy has a later version showing how to make the jig without using a table saw (and leaving substrate edges for clamping). I am looking through my scrap material and measuring my little circular saw. I am on my way toward a build of this jig.

 

[Eddie_T]

I chose an available piece of whiteboard for the base of my track saw jig. It will give me greater depth of cut but may have created a problem for me. I will need to glue the guide strips in place and turn it over before using brads or nails. I don't know if the melamine like surface will present a problem or not.

 

[Eddie_T]

I have the first guide strip in place. I scuffed the whiteboard and following Weldbond glue instructions put on a coat of water-thinned glue as a primer. When it dried I glued and clamped the MDF guide in place then maybe an hour later turned it over and used a brad nailer to shoot 5/8" brads through the whiteboard into the guide strip between the clamps then removing clamps and shooting a few more brads.

The next guide is not going to be as easy as it needs to be fitted to the saw plate. At the present the whiteboard is about twice as wide as as needed. I may trim it closer to size and if I can clamp the ends for a proper dry fit try doing it wet working my way from one clamp to the other, adding clamps as I go. Then adding brads an hour or so later.

 

[Eddie_T]

A useful hack if using a straight edge and a portable circular saw is to cut a wood or hardboard spacer and keep it to avoid measuring base-plate to cut line. Just set the spacer to the cut line and set the straight edge behind it. Remove the spacer and you're ready to saw. Put a splash of bright paint on it and label it or it will just look like another wood scrap.

I know of one person who made a 4' wooden square to use for reducing sheet goods before moving to table saw or RAS for final cuts.

 

[Eddie_T]

In considering a level surface for using the saw track jig I have researched a number of forums and YouTube videos. Years ago I found a luan slab hollow core closet door at the recycling station before the powers that be disallowed such. I put steel folding legs on it and used it for several years as a saw table and even for washing 2'x6' Andersen window screens. When the luan gave up after several years I replaced it with a 2x4x70" spine with two 32" 2x4 half lapped cross pieces. That has worked well for 20 years or so.

Now that I will be doing some track sawing and drawer box assembly I need more surface. One tip I picked up on was to buy a cheap masonite slab hollow core door and use foam insulation board as a sacrificial layer. I may do one better and use a cardboard layer to protect the foam. I only take about a 1/8" or less saw kerf divot so that should work out well plus I will have a nice surface for assembly. I will check Habitat for a used door and proceed when/if one becomes available (even luan). I can always improvise for the current project if no door is available.