The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: noobofthecentury on March 21, 2008, 02:50:09 am
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Hi I am making mini control panel (not too mini, but they are 11 by 7 inches) and 3 inches tall.
I am using MDF 1/2 inch thick.
The cutting tool I am using is a Handsaw (brand: stanley)
Often I need to cut small pieces. and most of the time, it does not come up really straight.
is it possible to use handsaw and do straight cuts?
does everyone uses power mitter saw?
and can any1 recommend me something to make straight cuts?
If I do going to need a mitter saw, can I get good one for under 100 bucks?, where? thx.
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The cutting tool I am using is a Handsaw (brand: stanley)
Often I need to cut small pieces. and most of the time, it does not come up really straight.
is it possible to use handsaw and do straight cuts?
What, how do you get to Carnegie Hall? PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! :laugh2:
Seriously, make sure your saw is very sharp, and start off at a low angle to the piece. The lower you get it, the straighter the cut. Once your saw is buried in the piece, it will follow the cut better. Also oversize you piece by a hair, and sand or plane it to final shape.
Personally I like the Japanese pull saws. I get more control, and they tend to be sharper.
does everyone uses power mitter saw?
and can any1 recommend me something to make straight cuts?
If I do going to need a mitter saw, can I get good one for under 100 bucks?, where? thx.
For something so small, you don't need a power saw, but it helps. Look on ebay, your local pawn shop or tool repair place. You can purchase a hand miter guage inexpensivly and that might get you where you want to go. You might consider a small tablesaw (benchsaw) which is more versatile than a mitresaw.
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For something that small I use my compound mitre saw - it makes PERFECT cuts - I love it. When I use a handsaw to cut things like that I always use a mitre box to guide the blade. Cut it a hair oversized and sand to final length. :cheers:
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Miter saws are mainly used for cutting lumber to size - 2x4's and such.
You can get a compound miter saw for about $100, but it will be a 10", and only has a cutting range of about 6".
12" sliding miter saws can cut stock up to about 12" wide, but they are super expensive.
What you mainly need is a quality jigsaw, or a decent circular saw.
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I am using MDF 1/2 inch thick.
The cutting tool I am using is a Handsaw (brand: stanley)
Often I need to cut small pieces. and most of the time, it does not come up really straight.
is it possible to use handsaw and do straight cuts?
OK, here's more than you wanted to know on the subject of hand saws, from someone who is a hand tool snob...
The first thing to realize is that sharpness has little to do with whether your saw cuts straight. The primary factors are how the teeth are filed (rip cut, versus cross cut) and how they are "set". Of these, "set" is the most important factor. While it may look like the teeth of a saw are all even with the blade, this isn't actually the case. The teeth are actually bent sideways by a slight amount. Usually, the bends alternate: one tooth is bent left, the next is bent right, and so on. The teeth are bent this way so that the saw cuts a kerf that is slightly wider than the blade; if the teeth were all lined up with the blade, the kerf would be exactly as wide as the blade and it would soon become very difficult to move the blade because it would be constantly rubbing on the wood. The problem is that if the teeth aren't all bent the same amount, the saw will tend to wander to one direction or the other. Once the saw wanders off the cut line, it will be difficult or impossible to get it back on track.
The second thing to realize is that most hand saws are designed to cut solid wood. They are very well suited to this task and even a complete newbie can achieve good results with a good saw. Simplifying greatly, the reason for this is that the saw is designed to sort of work with the properties of the wood to make the job easier. Unfortunately, MDF doesn't have anything in common with solid wood. The result is that cutting a straight line in MDF will be more difficult than in real wood.
Finally, realize that you can't buy a decent Western-style hand saw for less than $80-100. In particular, anything you get a Lowe's, Home Depot, Menard's, or Ace Hardware will be a complete piece of junk. The teeth will be set inconsistently and will probably be sharpened for a compromise between rip cuts and cross cuts... which means that it will suck equally for both types of cuts. Because of the poor set, it will be very difficult to make a cheap saw like this cut straight.
If you need an inexpensive hand saw that will work well, go to your local woodworking store (Woodcraft, Rockler, etc) and buy a Japanese-style saw (e.g. a ryoba or dozuki). These saws have very thin blades, at large number of teeth, and cut on the pull stroke rather than the push stroke. You can get a decent one for $30-40. I find that these saws are much easier to use than a Western-style saw that cuts on the push stroke. In particular, I find it much easier to get the cut started using a Japanese-style saw. If you're only going to buy one saw, I would recommend a "ryoba". This type of saw has a bamboo handle and cutting teeth on both sides of the blade. One side is designed for rip cuts, the other for cross cuts. Generally, the side with fewer teeth is used for rip cuts. In some cases, though, both sides are sharpened for cross cutting; one just makes finer cuts than the other.
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I decided to buy
Delta SM100M Shopmaster 13 Amp 10-Inch Compound Miter saw"
Tools & Hardware; $99.00
I think I need this, not for the control panel only
but to make stuff on the future around the house.
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I decided to buy
Delta SM100M Shopmaster 13 Amp 10-Inch Compound Miter saw"
Tools & Hardware; $99.00
I think I need this, not for the control panel only
but to make stuff on the future around the house.
Be aware that Delta's "Shopmaster" line of tools is their bottom-end stuff in terms of quality. Seriously: I've paid more for a hand saw! If you're going to buy a miter saw, I'd suggest buying one with a 12" blade. They're not much more expensive than a 10" model and you get quite a bit more cutting capacity. The Delta 12" TwinLaser compound miter saw that I own is one of my best tools...
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will I be able to cut a 1feet by 1 feet 3/4 MDF/plywood straight/45 degree with it?
I already ordered it days ago =(
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will I be able to cut a 1feet by 1 feet 3/4 MDF/plywood straight/45 degree with it?
I already ordered it days ago =(
No. It has a 10" blade, and the most you can cross-cut is about 6-8". With the blade turned 45 degrees, the width you can cut goes down. Add a bevel angle to the mix and you're looking at around 4-5".
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will I be able to cut a 1feet by 1 feet 3/4 MDF/plywood straight/45 degree with it?
I already ordered it days ago =(
You won't be able to cut a 1 foot by 1 foot board with any non-sliding miter saw! If you want to cut a board this wide in one pass, you'll probably need a 10" sliding compound miter saw (SCMS). Or a cheap circular saw and a sawboard...