How does everyone cut wood for boxes?

[diegoclass2010]

table saw all the way... if your wood isn't squared that's your problem, what i like to do in those cases make my piece 1/4 bigger from both sides and then trim the side i haven't made a cut. also have the table saw free of debris. A good tip that was passed down from my woodshoop teacher to keep a fence straight was to pump the feance twice meaning set your cut then release the fence and set it again double check to see if you still have the right measurement.

measure once cut twice? lmao. measure twice cut once. i am not fucking around with an 80 lb sheet of 3/4 mdf on a table saw. Most people do not have table saws like schools and lumber yards have and it is almost impossible to cut full sheets. Even with a big table mdf is way too heavy and cumbersome for one person to try cutting on a table.

where did i say to measure once cut twice? i just said to set your cut release the fence and set it again, recheck to see if your measurement was still the same then cut. an your right if your going to be working with a big sheet i can see where it could get difficult for one person. for that i would ask for help at least two people 3 would be best. non the less i will still take a table saw over a circular saw any day of the week

[Soccerballzs]

I have a Panel Saw an a 5 horse Delta Table Saw with a 52 inch Bisemeyer Fence. Also have router table and various horsepower rotors. A good cut is only good as the blade on the saw. By a high quality blade. A 10 inch high quality blade will cost $100.00 plus. A good circular saw blade will cost $40.00.

[csshakka]

table saw all the way... if your wood isn't squared that's your problem, what i like to do in those cases make my piece 1/4 bigger from both sides and then trim the side i haven't made a cut. also have the table saw free of debris. A good tip that was passed down from my woodshoop teacher to keep a fence straight was to pump the feance twice meaning set your cut then release the fence and set it again double check to see if you still have the right measurement.

Good tip, I'll have to try this. Might also try to find an aftermarket fence that fits mine too. The one that came with my table saw isn't the greatest.

So seems like there isn't any magic method I'm missing out on haha. For all those using a circular saw + clamp method, might be worth it to rig together something like this. It works great for me and it eliminates having to add your desired cut length + clearance to circular saw blade every time. But yeah, usually I have the guys at Home Depot just rip the full sheet into pieces that are easier to work with (if I need a 33" cut, have them cut to 34" then I can clean up, etc). Or if I don't have them do that, just use the popular clamp + circ saw and cut down to desired size + 1 inch then clean up on table saw. Too bad I don't have a panel saw

[hispls]

Home depot around here has a big arse saw. Buy the wood and rattle off my cutsheet specs to the donkey working the saw that day. If you plan right, even if you get some off cuts you can finish a box with just a router from there.

I also have an 8 foot guide that clamps onto a sheet to keep the circular saw straight, but I get a lot of mileage out of the router.

[P4killer_]

Home dept and lowes etc around herr wont cut mdf no more. .

[biscuitownz]

A nice Milwaukee circular saw and a jigsaw. I have a table saw but I have way more control with a circular saw. I need to invest for a router though.

[csshakka]

Home dept and lowes etc around herr wont cut mdf no more. .

Really? How come? Mdf dust maybe?

[Pasta Prime]

Two words: Track Saw!

Now I don't have a factory made track saw but i made my own with MDF. I cut a 3/4" groove in a 4' and 8' section of MDF with my router and I mounted a piece of UHMW to my circular saw base and made my first cut on my track pieces. Now all i have to do it make two marks on the sheet I'm cutting, line up the track to those marks and run my saw down one handed, Perfect cuts every time. Don't forget to account for blade width though.

i'll try and get some pics next time I use it.

I also have a table saw built into an 8' table that doubles as my work bench.

Here is a factory made track saw:

There are some how to's on youtube but I like my method.

Here is part of my table. You can see the mdf in the back that has the grooves cut out in the track saw guides i made.

[Smoove]

I cut all my wood using ginsu.

[BoomZoom808]

I prefer the Karate chop ki ai!