How To Cut 48 Sheets Of Plywood On A Table Saw: Easy Tips And Tricks
Anyone who has tried to cut a sheet of plywood on a table saw knows that it can be a daunting task. You could end up with a piece that is not the right shape or size if you aren’t careful.
In short, to cut a 48 sheet of plywood on a table saw, youll need to use a saw blade thats at least 20 cm in diameter. Next, measure your cut line and mark it. Start the saw, and then feed the plywood in slowly, following the marked line. Turn off the saw when you are done.
This blog post will explain how to ensure that your cuts are precise every time. We also offer some safety and efficiency tips when sawing.
How To Cut 48 Sheet Of Plywood On Table Saw Step By Step
Here are some steps to follow when cutting plywood sheets with a table saw:
Step 1 – Take Your Measurements
The first step to cutting plywood on a table saw is making accurate measurements. You might end up with a plywood piece that is not the right size if you don’t measure accurately. Once the cut has been made, it is impossible to undo!
So before you make any cuts, measure twice and triple-check your measurements. You dont have to use a tape measure for this step. In fact, the board itself can be used as a straight edge for making other measurements.
So if youre cutting a piece thats 1.2 m long and 20 cm wide, you would make your final cut at 41 cm.
If your plywood edge isn’t smooth enough for you to use as a reference point, it can be placed against a fence or stop block to make sure that you get an exact measurement before you start cutting. The trick here is to keep things aligned correctly while youre sawing.
Step 2: Attach Stops
The best way to keep things lined up is by attaching stops along both sides of the fence on your table saw. This will allow you to keep accurate measurements when you are cutting.
Make L or T shapes from 2x4s. Attach them to the fence on both ends if you don’t have stops. When making your cut, the saws blade should stop right at the edge of the longest piece of material on your board.
Step 3 – Use Feather Boards
Feather boards are an invaluable tool for table saws. Feather boards keep your stock securely pressed against the fence to prevent any variations in measurement that could occur while moving materials around on a tablesaw.
Feather boards reduce kickback so they’re a great option if you are starting with rough-cut plywood. Use one on each side of your saw, making sure theyre attached securely.
Step 4: Use A Push Stick
A push stick is the best way to move materials around the table saw. But youll need to make sure its well-suited for your job. A push stick should be at least 13 cm wide and have a small notch cut out of one side to allow clearance for the blade.
Use your push stick against the fence, not directly into the blade.
After pushing your stock through the entire length of your board, remove any extra material from the board and lift it off the table saw. An auxiliary fence 8 inches in length can be added to protect your workpiece.
Step 5: Use A Good Quality Blade
There are many types of table saw blades. However, it is best to use high-quality carbide-tipped blades when cutting plywood. These blades are much more durable than conventional steel blades and can be used for lots of applications.
They last longer so you won’t need to replace them as often. The blade’s size is also important.
It all depends on the thickness of your material. If youre using inch stock, use a 22-tooth fine finish blade (18 teeth per inch). Use a 24-tooth fine finishing blade (16 teeth per in) for inch stock. The higher the tooth count, the finer the cut.
Step 6: Attach Your Workpiece
Once you have your measurements and stop in place, attach plywood to table saw fence with clamps or screws. Then tighten down any feather boards that are attached.
This will ensure that when you start cutting, everything stays in place securely. It is safer to have one feather board per side of your board, and then tighten them all at once.
Make sure that they are facing away from the blade. Once things are starting to get really close to being cut (about 8 cm away), you can start tightening down all of your feather boards at once.
If the material starts to move around while youre sawing, its a good time to quickly get things lined up again before proceeding with the cutting.
Step 7: Cut
Once everything is tightened up on the table saw, turn on the saw and lower your blade towards your workpiece. Once the stock has come into contact, push it through the blade until it reaches its backside.
Then stop! After a few seconds, you can continue pushing until both pieces have been completely cut in half.
The chances of the second piece coming out perfectly straight are high that nothing was moved during this cut.
After you’ve made the first cut, you can start splitting it again. This time, ensure that your material is aligned so it crosses the blade at a 45 degree angle.
After making the second cut, there should be four equal pieces of plywood remaining attached to what used to be one single piece of plywood.
Safety Precautions:
Here are some safety tips to follow:
- When using power tools, it is important to use the appropriate protective gear. This includes wearing safety goggles, hearing protection, and gloves to avoid any injury or splintering!
- Also, ensure that the blade of your table saw is sharp. Dull blades will result in more force being needed to complete this cut.
- If necessary, replace it with a new one before attempting this process again! Youll find the spare blade nearby the machine itself.
- Never attempt this process without locking down your workpiece.
- There are two simple ways of doing this: clamping your material directly into place using clamps or temporary fixtures or placing screws beside both lines that mark where you need to cut. Both of these will make your job much safer and easier!
How To Cut Plywood With A Table Saw
- To keep materials in place during cutting, use feather boards or pushsticks.
- Do not use scrap lumber for push sticks because the end grain will catch the blade and kick it back at you.
- Using a sacrificial board beneath your workpiece will prevent splintering if theres any risk of your material snapping during this process. This should be used only as an emergency. It doesn’t always work.
- When marking out where you want to cut your material, make sure to use a guide as well as a sharp blade. The duller blades tend to break the wood rather than allowing it to be cut cleanly. This is why they should always be replaced.
Conclusion
Here’s how I cut 48 sheets of plywood using a table saw. After discussing safety precautions, we moved on to the cutting steps.
While the first method is quicker, it is slower and more precise. Whichever method you choose, be sure to take your time and use caution when operating the saw.
