No table saw? Build a $15 Sawboard for your small budget project!

[DrewKaree]

I guess it's time to "DO" something around here.

Firstly, for anyone who fears making straight cuts, CAN'T make straight cuts, or would like to know they ARE making straight cuts, you need a sawboard.

What is a sawboard, you ask?  Glad you did, as this is gonna turn into the cheapest way for you to get picture perfect cuts straight as an arrow WITHOUT the need for a table saw.  I've GOT a table saw, and have access to 3 others if need be, and I'd bet the biggest stumbling block for most folks is "I can't do that, I don't have a table saw and I can't cut a straight line if my life depended on it".

I received an 18v cordless saw as a present a while back, and figured I'd make up a sawboard for it to get me started.  These also work great for a router, in case you're wondering how to keep that thing steady.

I'm gonna make 3 different sizes.  A 4' one, 2' one, and 1' one.  That should handle just about anything you need to cut straight.  Every single plan I've EVER seen for these things (and really, you don't need a "plan" to build these) credits this "invention" to http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm so I am too. 

[DrewKaree]

Firstly, you'll want to head off to the hardware store to pick up your sawboard materials.  You'll need the following:

¹/₂"-³/₄" sheet goods for your ripping edge.  MDF is preferred, as the factory does an EXCELLENT job of cutting these to be quite useful for this purpose.  DOES NOT matter what thickness you choose, if you want to save some money, go with the thinner stock.  My local hardware store has 2'x4' panels, so I'll be picking up 2 of these to make all 3 sizes of sawboards.  (I've already cut the MDF and didn't think to take pics, so I'll give you the pics of the base I'm gonna cut tomorrow).

For the base, you'll want to use ¹/₈"-¹/₂" sheet goods.  This can be WHATEVER you can find - hardboard, MDF, OSB, plywood....just DON'T waste your money buying some birch or oak plywood.  After you've used this for a while, you'll realize it's money foolishly spent.

I've used ³/₄" MDF for my ripping guide, and I'll be using ¹/₂" plywood for the base.  I just like the "substance" it gives.

You do NOT have to be precise with the cuts you are making when reducing your sheet goods to useable pieces to build your sawboard.  You will clean those cuts up afterwards, and that's what makes this such a useful and easy to build piece of equipment.  No matter how inept you think you are, I'm positive you can build one of these.

Some pictures of what we will be doing

*edit*
I had previously said pay no attention to the dimensions.  Scratch that.  For the piece you're going to be using for the bottom of your sawboard (the piece labeled "Sawboard base"), make that piece 14-16".  The excess room is to make sure your saw body can clear the clamps.  Make the top piece (the piece labeled "Guide Ripper") 6-8".

[DrewKaree]

I'll assume you're using the same size sheet goods as I am (2'x4') and if you aren't, you're on your own.  If you can't figure it out, put down the saw and beg your local carpenter to build this for you

You'll want to cut 2 pieces lengthwise.  One should be 6-8" (the Guide Ripper), the other should be 14-16" (the Sawboard Base).  These measurements SHOULD allow clearance of the clamps by the saw body so you don't hit them and eff up your cut.  At this point in time, IT DOES NOT MATTER if your circular saw cuts have more waves than a beauty pageant winner in a parade, we'll remedy that soon enough.

Looking at the second picture above, you'll notice you are going to affix the smaller piece to the larger piece.  That pic says to make it flush on 3 sides...pfft.  Scratch that, just slap it FAIRLY parallel and even-ish on the 3rd side. 

YOU DO WANT THE FACTORY EDGE ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR SAWBOARD!

The wavy edge you sawed should be the one you're using to match up with the outer edge of the base - we'll clean that up later. 

Affix the ripping guide (smaller piece) to the base (larger piece) as directed, and screw/glue the two pieces together.  ALL SCREWS MUST BE SUNK BELOW THE SURFACE SO AS NOT TO SCRATCH ANY FUTURE PROJECTS!  (countersinking is nice, but not vital.  Also, make sure you don't sink the screws TOO deep and you end up with mysterious scratches on something because you've got a screw point sticking up.

The final picture up there shows what it should look like when we're all done.  I'll post pics tomorrow-ish showing you how to get to that point.

[DrewKaree]

The rest of the material left after making your first 2 cuts will be used to make a second sawboard, and out of that second sawboard, I will cut it into a 2' length, and a 1' length.  The rest can be used for whatever you wish.  These 3 sawboards should allow me to make whatever cuts I need to make.

In order to use these, DO NOT think you will be able to hold them in place.  Get yourself 2 clamps (at the very least you should need these during the project you're building a sawboard for).  2 spring clamps should work ok.  Resist the urge to make the ripping guide less than 6" wide.  You'll need that material to give yourself someplace to affix those clamps!  Total cost of 3 sawboards and clamps to hold 'em should come to ~$15-25.  You can't even RENT a table saw for that cheap!

I'll explain how to finish these off along with the pics of how mine looks, as well as how to "neaten up" all the wavy cuts you're about to banish from your projects.  Norm Abrams, eat our shorts! 

[M3talhead]

'Bout time you started contributing to this community...

Nice tip, BTW.

[DrewKaree]

'Bout time you started contributing to this community...

Nice tip, BTW.

If you weren't hangin' out in EE all the time, you'd see the other stuff

[M3talhead]

'Bout time you started contributing to this community...

Nice tip, BTW.

If you weren't hangin' out in EE all the time, you'd see the other stuff

Oh yeah, well your dumb!

[DrewKaree]

Oh yeah, well your dumb!

Nuh-UH!  You are! 

* DrewKaree mutters something about glue, sticking, and bouncing

OK, here's my MDF sheet cut.  2 pieces to be used as rip guides.  Notice the fact that one is wider than the other?  I'm gonna show you the drastic miscalculations that you can get away with, as well as how "off" these things can be and STILL turn out right.

On the first pic, I've labeled the edge I DON'T want to use as my guide so I don't forget and have all my cuts end up all effed up.  Go ahead and laugh.  Just make sure to reply in this thread that it was the right thing to do when you screw it up and think to yourself "so THAT'S why he labeled the side he cut as the scrap side!"

The second pic shows the difference in widths I cut these at.  I did this purposely.  I actually have a big "guide clamp" that I used to cut these, but the reason I tend to often turn to my sawboards is that the clamp, with just the wrong amount of pressure on it, can and will tend to bow the piece or come off the workpiece, plus I have to do a lot more ciphering with the numbers and such, and I don't like taking my shoes off just to add some numbers.  What ends up happening is that I miss that it's not actually ON the workpiece and the shoe of the saw slides under it, making it a nice straight cut leading into a nice big gouge that isn't worth fixing.

For this demonstration I used it because I didn't have to do any measuring, just get kinda close to half.  I'll show the guide clamp in another pic....and I was extra careful to make sure it stayed down while I sawed this panel in half.

p.s. in case you need to know, the lighter area on that MDF is from the reflection in a mirror next to that...didn't realize it was there

[DrewKaree]

OK, after losing the entire post I had typed in due to my friggen picture not being web-friendly-ized, I wanna say that having to refresh or hit the back arrow IS sometimes needed for something OTHER than your session timing out

In the picture below, you'll see the usual culprits.  That is the saw that I am making these sawboards for.  For the love of Pete, do yourself a favor.  Make a new sawboard for whatever tool you want to use one for, and then write the name of that tool on the ripping guide part of your sawboard.  No sense in cutting down a larger one to make it work for a smaller tool's baseplate.  I priced out hardboard today in ¹/₈" - $2 and some change.  ¹/₄" - $3 and some change.  I'm amending my price range above accordingly.  You can make a new sawboard for $5 and some change, plus a bit of your time. 

I prefer to make my sawboards with some "substance" to 'em, so I don't like the thinner materials (I think they flex too much and may warp easily), but to each his own.  Try the thinner stuff, if you like it, great.  If not, you're out a few bucks.  Pack a lunch for work tomorrow and you'll be back to even

You may notice the cleverly disguised guide clamp and ask why I don't just use that instead of going through all this hassle of making a sawboard.  Stop getting ahead of the process.  I'll explain it soon enough if you haven't cheated and read ahead yet. 

That guide clamp is accurate for "eyeballin' use", but not really practical for more than ONE cut and I even question setting it up.  It seemed like a STELLAR tool idea when I bought it long ago, but as you can see by the new look of it, you quickly learn that it's an exercise in frustration to use one of those things as a guide for your saw.  It CAN be done, and I DO use it for that purpose, but this here sawboard is the hot ticket.

[DrewKaree]

In this pic, you'll see WHY that guide clamp is a pain in the ass

Every time you set that thing up, if you HAVE to be precise, you MUST measure from your cut line over to where you need to set up your guide clamp.  This means measuring your cutline, then adding the measurement of your saw's shoe to that masurement, marking THAT line and clamping the guide down, or trying to "lightly clamp" the guide down and moving it enough for your cut.  You can see how quickly measuring several times EXTRA for each cut can get annoying and the additional chances for error you are introducing into your project, and then multiply it by each cut you have to make.  Not so with the sawboard.  You'll see why when this is done, or perhaps you can already see why. 

Have I mentioned that you align the guide clamp for EVERY cut?  EVERY ONE?

Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, here's something to warm your hearts and pockets.  Click here to check out Festool's cutting guide.  Same idea, same method, machined out of metal and a manufacturer's label slapped on it.  
*edit*
They seem to have discontinued these.  The price was in the $300 range, and evidently there seems to be too many folks with more sense than money

Remember, you can build a sawboard for $5.  The saw IS included with Festool's system, but compared to a sawboard, I think you've gotta have more money than sense to buy that setup. 

If you are the owner of more money than sense, I'm willing to offer my services and build you a custom sawboard up to 8' long for half the Festool's price   Remember, it will be CUSTOM!  OOOOOOOOO!  AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!  I'll even fire up the woodburner and customize it with your name, address, or whatever else you want on it too!

[DrewKaree]

Now I'm making this out of MDF, and for those of you making your cab out of MDF, you should already know (and if not, this is your reminder) that you should be drilling pilot holes for your screws.  For that nice smooth finish, you'll want to countersink your pilot holes and then fill in the indentation with putty, spackle, or whatever (use toothpaste for all I care....your cab will have that minty-fresh flavor! ). 

Whenever you drill a pilot hole, try to match the drill bit to the screw you're using.  Hold the drill bit to the screw (or vice-versa).  The drill bit should be the same thickness as the shank of the screw, but NOT as wide as the threads.  This is a piss-poor picture, but here's a reasonably close idea of what I'm talking about.

[DrewKaree]

Use the screw to set the depth of the drill bit if you don't have a stop collar for your drill bits.  Just hold it up to the bit.  In some woods, you want the pilot hole to be a tad longer than the screw itself, in others, just match it up reasonably close.

Like so:

[DrewKaree]

Lastly, countersink.  There are several different kinds.  If you only have one drill, you might want to pick up an all-in-one pilot/countersink/screw combination.  These will have a holder that you chuck into your drill, pull on a collar (like an air hose fitting) and insert the combination "bit" with whatever side you need, the pilot/countersink side, or the screwdriver bit side.  When doing LOTS of holes needing countersinking, these save a tremendous amount of time.  The first picture below shows such a combination.  The piece on the far left is the holder, and one of the bits is shown next to it.  Usually they come with one bit, but the kit shown comes with several.  The green line represents where it'll chuck into the holder.  The yellow arrow shows the drill/countersink side of the bit, and the red arrow shows the phillips bit (which can be changed out for whatever type of screw you're using) which you'd undo the collar, flip the bit, and drive the screw into the material.  The second picture shows what just a drill bit/countersink combination looks like, and is essentially what's being pointed to by the yellow arrow in that washed out did-the-best-I-could-to-make-it-visible picture.

I have several drills, so I have a "dedicated" countersink bit that I'll put in one drill, and have another drill with the bit I need to do the pilot holes.  The dedicated countersink is shown in the third picture.  Whatever works for you, but seriously, if you only have a single drill, spend your money wisely and get the combination setup.  It'll cost about $10-15, whereas the other two will cost about $6-10.  After doing half a dozen or so holes and having to remove the drill bit, chuck the countersink, tighten it up, remove it, etc, you'll be tempted to skip this step.  Don't. 

The fourth picture shows what a pilot hole and countersink should look like when finished.  Precision is nice, but not necessary.  Countersink enough that the screw head will be below the surface of the wood.  With practice, patience, or both, you'll get the "feel" for what the right depth is.  Remember, too little at first is easy to fix.  Too much just makes the job harder on yourself.  Slow, test the screw head in your countersunk hole.  When the head of the screw can be placed inside, you've gone deep enough.

[DrewKaree]

Use some glue and screws to keep the ripping guide and base together, just use glue, just use screws....WHATEVER.  It's YOUR decision to make, and the only way you'll ever learn what method is acceptable to YOU is to give it a shot.  I've thrown some Gorilla Glue on here and screwed it together.  Gorilla Glue expands like crazy, so I threw the screws in there BEFORE it dries to help act as clamps and keep everything together.  The only thing to remember is if you have glue squeeze out, clean it up right away, and very thoroughly.  A glob of dried glue can affect your sawboard, so tidy up if you glue.

I told you earlier that you don't have to be precise with your initial measurements, that a good "eyeballin" is good enough at this point.  To demonstrate just how determined a fool you have to be in order to screw this up, I'm REALLY setting this thing up out of wack.  It's nice to match up the 3 sides as close as possible, but I'm going to be demonstrating that it's not VITAL to get them dead-nuts even. 

I think you'd be able to tell just how much of an angle I'm fastening these together at even if you were drunk.  I'll be posting more pics when I finish this up, for now, here's the cockeyed example that should tell you if a dolt like me can't eff this up, you should be giving this a try too

[Bones]

A decent bloke would have posted this before I started my cabinet and trashed a plethora of wood due to crooked cuts.

[DrewKaree]

A decent bloke would have posted this before I started my cabinet and trashed a plethora of wood due to crooked cuts.

I think you've explained me quite well.

Does this mean I no longer have to take my pants off and run through the streets to be considered "indecent"?

I've got all those angles to cut on that CP I showed you, so I figured I'd use this nice toy my lovely wife decided to allow into our home.  All those friggen angles are bound to catch the cord and/or turn my corded saw into a cordless version

What else did you have problems with?  I need some ideas for a new project designed to make you smack your forehead ala Homer.  DOH!

[Bones]

What else did you have problems with?

[DrewKaree]

What else did you have problems with?  I need some ideas for a new project designed to make you smack your forehead ala Homer.  DOH!

Well right now I am painting and not really getting the results I was hoping for so perhaps if you could write a painting guide in about 4 weeks that would be just sthooper..... 

Find an HVLP sprayer.  Around November I'll let you know how to get good results with it.  All these things will be useful for you on your second project.  You know you ARE going to have a second project, yes?

[Bones]

You know you ARE going to have a second project, yes?

Affirmative. I got the bug.

[wj2k3]

I believe a decent bloke did post this already!

Certainly not as accurate and thorough as DK though.

[Witchboard]

Or, the links in this topic posted last year. 

[Bones]

I believe a decent bloke did post this already!

Or, the links in this topic posted last year.

Ummm... Thanks guys, I always appreciate my errors being brought to everyones attention. Hey, can you two smell petrol?

[patrickl]

I'm pretty sure I read this at least a year ago too. From that suggestion I made one too, but I guess I suck so much that even with the sawboard I manage to f*ck up. Sometimes I cut a tiny bit into the sawboard (I guess I let the machine wobble a bit)

[Timoe]

How do you use htis thing?

[babydickonboard]

just made my sawboard/guide, and it works out great!   Very simple desighn, and saves so much time compared to clamping a guide down, adjusting, clamping, repeat.......  thanks for the post!

[DrewKaree]

How do you use this thing?

Well, after completing it, mark the line you need to cut, put your sawboard down so that the edge of it lines up right on that mark.  No need to do any more measuring, double-checking, nothing.  Set it down, clamp it in place, and run your saw down the sawboard.  I'll blather on in depth about it when I get to that point, hopefully tomorrow.  If that doesn't describe it well enough, check the link in the first post in this thread.  They've got it all laid out.  I'm just documenting the making of mine so as to morph this into completing a CP in the very near future, hence the "to be continued".

I figured if Pixelhugger could inflate the thread views by showing you drawrings, I'd start it out and follow his lead  

[teef two]

That's so simple and obvious it almost makes me want to cry!

[Pixelhugger]

I figured if Pixelhugger could inflate the thread views by showing you drawrings, I'd start it out and follow his lead

Hehehe...

[Pixelhugger]

BTW thanks for putting all this together Drew. Your router comment has me thinking....

[Setabs]

Can we make this a sticky.  I think it is a very helpful tip that alot of people w/ no wood working skills and a small budget could use in any project.  Thanks Drew

[tommy]

'Bout time you started contributing to this community...

Nice tip, BTW.

If you weren't hangin' out in EE all the time, you'd see the other stuff

He said contributing not contaminating. 

[DrewKaree]

just made my sawboard/guide, and it works out great!   Very simple desighn, and saves so much time compared to clamping a guide down, adjusting, clamping, repeat.......  thanks for the post!

I must admit to sticking to the "old codger" ways and acknowledging it works while still sticking with my "measure, mark a line, measure again, clamp a guide, measure yet again, cut, measure, curse, curse, curse, curse, measure a new piece, start again" method.  This works way easier and gets less frowns when kids are around.

Can we make this a sticky.  I think it is a very helpful tip that alot of people w/ no wood working skills and a small budget could use in any project.  Thanks Drew

THAT is a good suggestion for a thread title.  Gonna change it shortly to reflect just that feeling, and you're welcome. 

BTW thanks for putting all this together Drew. Your router comment has me thinking....

Same to you.  Your purdy project isn't gonna be able to utilize this much what with all those curved cuts, but there's a reason you're the thread view king of projects.  This'll work best if you've got one of those routers with a "one flat side" base.  Someone once said their round base wasn't equal on all sides, but I've never actually measured it, I've just rested on the "I'm pretty sure he's wrong on that point" theory.  Throw a string around the shank in your unplugged router and run it around the base to make sure.

[DrewKaree]

OK.  I'm gonna post these in order of being taken and edit this as I go.

You should have a single wide piece of wood on top of which should be fastened a thinner piece of wood.  Your cuts may be a touch wavy, and this is just to neaten up the backside of your guide.  This step DOES NOT have to be done, I'm just doing it because I was showing how drastic the misalignment can be and still end up with a serviceable and perfectly fine sawboard, and my example REQUIRES straightening out the back (non-business) end of it.

I'm gonna use my trusty piece of angle iron, but you can use a 2x4 or whatever esle you have lying around, or just cut it to make the backside match up.

I've clamped my angle iron on the "table" of the sawboard and just a tad offset from the factory edge my saw will ride on.  This is to take into account for the width of my saw's shoe (base), so this can be eyeballed or measured (if you're REALLY anal ) to give you the distance to keep the angle iron/2x4/whatever away from your factory edge.  Just be sure to use something that will be taller than the additional piece of wood your saw will be resting on. 

After clamping it into place, keeping the saw base against that "edge", run it down the backside of your sawboard.  This'll give your backside a reasonably tidy appearance if you so desire.

[DrewKaree]

This is just a shot to demonstrate what I'm talking about above.  See the offset of the angle iron from the factory side?  All I'm essentially doing is matching the two back edges for beautification purposes.  If you've cut your pieces reasonably straight and subscribe to the Stingray "do as little as possible to achieve the desired results" theory, then skip it.  Seriously.  Don't make this harder on yourself than it needs to be.  I promise this will work if the back edges were left the way my original setup was glued/screwed together

[DrewKaree]

Here's the money shot

This almost perfectly demonstrates how this will work.

To finish up the sawboard, you will now run the shoe of your saw along the factory edge of your thinner piece to trim your sawboard to the dimension of the tool. 

Your sawboard is now perfectly set to create a straight edge when used with that tool.  The entire length of the sawboard is now cut to be able to give you a straight edge to use to press your saw base against to keep your saw cut straight, and the offset from the side of the saw base to the blade is now automagically figured out for you.

All that remains to be done when you need to cut a straight edge on your material, such as for a CP, is to mark the line you need.  Clamp your sawboard so that the edge you just cut rests on that line.  Run your saw along your sawboard.  VIOLA!  A nice straight cut along your line that only requires you to measure your original line accurately. 

[DrewKaree]

Here you see the back half of my sawboard after it was cut.  Both the top piece and the bottom piece are now evenly matched, and you can still see the angle the two pieces were fastened at.  I'll clean this up later, but at this point, you are done with yours.

I feel the need to be more precise than the above description for those who will inevitably point this out   When you place your sawboard on the line you wish to cut, anything that is visible to you will be considered the "waste" pieces.  If you have to have your cut INCLUDE your pencil line, you'll need to place the sawboard ON that line so that it is not visible.  Usually, most folks want that line to be the cutoff point, so would put the sawboard so that the edge of it rests ON the line.  This way, when the cut is made, it removes the pencil line, and is at the proper measurement.  This is to some a trivial detail, but for others, is vital.  You can tell who these people are, as they'll undoubtedly be carrying a micrometer and several other obscure measuring devices in their pocket protectors, perhaps necessitating another pocket protector for pencils and the like    

[Boz]

Find an HVLP sprayer.

Drew, a search for one of these resulted in quite a few products that were *WICKED* expensive. I did find one link to a conversion gun for about a buck-n-a-half. Will this suffice for your recommendation?

http://www.gleempaint.com/hvcongunnew.html

[Boz]

Please don't tell me I'm the only one here with folders of downloaded project example pictures from other people's projects! I actually STILL refer to some of the Robotron 3000 pics I d-loaded from Zappers site...in the late 90's.

Nope! You are not alone. Although... I must say that your's is the largest of the archives I have saved. I've been through it several times.  I'm waiting for Bones to hurry up and get his done so I can add it to the list of great cabinet ideas. Of course, his will likely be larger than yours... err... zip file I mean. 

[DrewKaree]

Find an HVLP sprayer.

Drew, a search for one of these resulted in quite a few products that were *WICKED* expensive. I did find one link to a conversion gun for about a buck-n-a-half. Will this suffice for your recommendation?

http://www.gleempaint.com/hvcongunnew.html

Yeah, those work, but I'm almost positive.....wait, firstly, do you live in the States, or overseas (from me)?  While you reply, I'm on Google looking for the one I saw that includes the turbine and whatnot...OR, alternatively, it's loud as hell, but the Wagner HVLP will work for this purpose and it's full price is only about $60 bones.

[DrewKaree]

OK, this ain't the one I just saw, and Menards had them on sale for $50 but they don't have a "store" online, just a place to buy gift cards and replica cars

Here's one that's SIMILAR to what I saw, but this is more expensive than the one I saw.  Here's the link to the one I'm picturing.

http://www.bimart.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=601903



For an even wider selection, here's harbor freight's selection of HVLP's, and their prices are cheap enough on these to warrant "testing" 'em out.  Halfway down that page they've got a $50 version that may work quite well.  If you've got a compressor though, just pick up an HVLP gun....no sense in fiddling with stuff you have to have MORE room to store it in.

http://order.harborfreight.com/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp

I seem to remember Campbell Hausfeld selling a cheap-ish $200 version with a turbine and everything, but can't find anything other than the "pro-model" versions they have now.