Best Way to Straight Line?

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JackLeg

New User
Reggie
I have some oak boards that I have planed. The edges are not exactly straight, and I need them to be. I don't have a working jointer. :nah:

What's the best way to get one edge straight so I can then run that edge against my table saw fence and wind up with both edges straight? Is that clear as mud? Thanks in advance!:wsmile:
 

fergy

New User
Fergy
One trick that I use is to screw another board or ripped piece of plywood to top of the board in question, and then run it through the saw with the straight piece against the fence. I tack the ends of the straight piece to the ends of the board being ripped, knowing I'll be trimming the ends later after I run it through the planer.

There are a few variations on this, and some people even make sled-style jigs for this.
 

Mark Gottesman

New User
Mark
You can use the table saw as a jointer.
Install a sacrificial fence. Bring the saw blade up into the sacrificial fence to the height + tooth height of board being jointed and say 1/2 to 2/3 of blade width exposed.
put a space equal to the amount the blade will remove on the fence after the blade.
Run board through till fase is flat and straight.

You could also use a sled with the straight face and attach the board to be jointed to it and run it through. Then clean up face with a handplane.

Both ways will give you a straight edge. Then you can use TS to get a parallel face.

Hope this makes sense.

Or joint with a router using a guide and a ball bearing guide against a straight edge (MDF or plywood factory edge as a guide).
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
Reggie, you should make one of these....less than an hour if you use screws.

Ultra-Precise-Circular-Saw-Router-Jigsaw-Sawzal.jpg
 

Truefire

New User
Chris
You mentioned you had a table saw:
The cheaper, quicker, faster version in my opinion.
(Grab your board, a four foot carpenter's level and head over to your table saw)

1. Position your board on your table saw as you typically would to trim one of the edges
2. Then lay the 4' carpenter's level down on the table saw between the opposing edge of the board and your fence
(This straight edge will accommodate the troughs and crests along that bad edge and allow you to pass both the board and the level alongside your fence as you are trimming the other side of the board. This method works as if the edge on that side of the board were smooth and planed already.)
3. Just be sure the board is held taut against the level and that they are pushed forward as a unit, you want the level to slide along the fence on your saw, not the board sliding against the level, for that would leave you in the same predicament as you are already in - 'sliding an irregular shaped board edge along the fence'.
4.Adjust your fence so the edge you are trimming allows you to remove a small swath or one pass, whichever you prefer until your board is squared and straight along both edges.

Hope my writing format allowed you to envision this in your mind's eye, it really is very simple and you should readily see it whenever you are standing in front of your saw.

Hope it helps you.

Chris
 

Bryan S

Bryan
Corporate Member
I use a jig like Joe pictured to cut down sheet goods with a circular saw. It is a little over 4 ft, but there is no reason you could not make one longer.
 

CDPeters

Master of None
Chris
Anybody remember pinch dogs? I have a piece of 1/2" ply, 8' long and about 8" wide, with another strip on top of it long-wise. The edge that the strip is on is a factory edge and rides along the fence. I just lay the workpiece on top, butted against the strip and set a couple of pinch dogs over the joint where the workpiece butts the strip - place the pinch dogs where there is contact, not a gap. Put a piece of tape over the dogs just in case, then run the rip.

If I weren't such a cheapskate, I'd buy some of those lever clamps and screw 'em to the strip :gar-Bi
Quick and easy - but pretty much a variation on the same theme running in the thread.

C.
 

JackLeg

New User
Reggie
Thanks to all who posted suggestions! :notworthy: I definitely learned a thing or two! I've been doing a variation of Chris' suggestion with the level.

I like Joe's jig suggestion also. Don't do much sheetgood work, but I can see where it would be a great asset!

I'd thought of screwing a straight edged board to the top of one of the boards, so I was "half right!":rotflm:

Thanks again, folks.!!
 

golfdad

Co-director of Outreach
Dirk
Corporate Member
I made a rip sled yrs ago...it is a plywood sled with a fence on one long side....atop the fence is a T-Trak that has a couple hold downs on it...just load a board in it...lock it down and run it through the table saw...edge comes out perfectly straight and takes just a few mins:eek:ccasion1
 

Truefire

New User
Chris
Anybody remember pinch dogs? I have a piece of 1/2" ply, 8' long and about 8" wide, with another strip on top of it long-wise. The edge that the strip is on is a factory edge and rides along the fence. I just lay the workpiece on top, butted against the strip and set a couple of pinch dogs over the joint where the workpiece butts the strip - place the pinch dogs where there is contact, not a gap. Put a piece of tape over the dogs just in case, then run the rip.

If I weren't such a cheapskate, I'd buy some of those lever clamps and screw 'em to the strip :gar-Bi
Quick and easy - but pretty much a variation on the same theme running in the thread.

C.

Chris do you think you could possibly post some photos of what you are describing, i am interested in learning what it is that are talking about.

chris
 

CDPeters

Master of None
Chris
Chris do you think you could possibly post some photos of what you are describing, i am interested in learning what it is that are talking about.

chris

Sure - I have to take a picture though :gar-Bi. Here is what a pinch dog looks like:
162501_0.jpg


Obviously the legs will leave a hole - but here's a trick my theater buddy taught me for fixing nail holes in the stage floor - use a soldering iron (or heat a nail with the torch), place a drop of water in the hole, and touch it for a few seconds with the hot iron. The hole will close right up !

Kinda "old school" - I think soon I will just add some hold-downs to the sled :gar-Bi - that's probably safer anyway.
These days, pinch dogs are mostly only used by timber framers to pull a joint tight while the pin is driven home.

C.
 

Weber

New User
Larry
I use a jig like Joe pictured to cut down sheet goods with a circular saw. It is a little over 4 ft, but there is no reason you could not make one longer.


I'm with you Bryan. I've got a 4 footer and an 8 footer. I built a couple pair of sawhorses 9 foot long that are the same height as the bed of my truck. I slide that heavy 3/4 ply or MDF out of the truck on to the horses, attach my jig, and cut it down to manageable pieces even an old man easily carry. Those long horses are also very handy for putting cabinet doors etc on after spraying.
 
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