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Table or Circular saw for cutting 16" from 4x8

12K views 79 replies 9 participants last post by  yummy mummy 
#1 · (Edited)
When doing the closet, I need to cut a 16" x 96" from a 4x8 3/4 plywood....

as this is a big piece of wood from a big piece of wood... I am figuring whether I should use a circular saw or table saw to make the cut.... knowing that table saw can do a better straight cut... but such a big/heavy piece to move along table saw would be difficult... circular saw is easy to manipulate but may not be able to make an as good straight cut as table saw...

anyone can share which is the best way to do it or any tips in achieveing the best result... thanks...

although I am doing everything myself so far... but considering ask my wife to help on this one, ask her to hold the big piece on one end when we going through the table saw thing... it noise/dust will sure scare a hell out of her though...

also once the piece is cut, I know I need to sand it and prime it then paint over it(white), now these are the questions:

- can I prime it with the left over primer which I use to prime the drywall, or need to use different type of primer for wood.

- when I sand, do I sand the surface or I only need to sand the edge

- after sanding, do I put drywall mud on the edge to hide those wood texture or do I put drywall mud all over before priming

thanks for answering these additional questions, as you probably figure... this is my first time doing furnitures stuff... (If I don't count those unofficial ones in the past)... want to do everything right...
 
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#2 ·
When doing the closet, I need to cut a 16" x 96" from a 4x8 3/4 plywood....

as this is a big piece of wood from a big piece of wood... I am figuring whether I should use a circular saw or table saw to make the cut.... knowing that table saw can do a better straight cut... but such a big/heavy piece to move along table saw would be difficult... circular saw is easy to manipulate but may not be able to make an as good straight cut as table saw...

anyone can share which is the best way to do it or any tips in achieveing the best result... thanks...

although I am doing everything myself so far... but considering ask my wife to help on this one, ask her to hold the big piece on one end when we going through the table saw thing... it noise/dust will sure scare a hell out of her though...
Its just as easy to make a straight cut with a circular saw in my opinion. I have a straight piece of aluminum about 2 inches wide by 8 feet long and about 1/4" thick. I simply clamp the metal on top of the 4X8 sheet exactly 1.5 inches(this is the distance on the saw from the outside of the quide to the blade) from the line I need to cut and then just run the circular guide along the piece of metal all the way down. Just as straight as a table saw in my opinion.

All you need is two clamps and something rigid, 8 feet long, and straight. A piece of wood would work too.
 
#3 ·
Its just as easy to make a straight cut with a circular saw in my opinion. I have a straight piece of aluminum about 2 inches wide by 8 feet long and about 1/4" thick. I simply clamp the metal on top of the 4X8 sheet exactly 1.5 inches(this is the distance on the saw from the outside of the quide to the blade) from the line I need to cut and then just run the circular guide along the piece of metal all the way down. Just as straight as a table saw in my opinion.

All you need is two clamps and something rigid, 8 feet long, and straight. A piece of wood would work too.

I would agree with you if I could use the circular saw guide, but the guide is only good for 10" , and I need 16" ... that means I cannot use the guide and have to do it bare eye/hand which is a bit concern me... and I am thinking you have to go nonstop 8' while running the saw which also tough, as once you stop and start again, the edge will show somthing I believe...
 
#5 ·
Oops, those numbers arent correct. the 16 inches should be measure to the blade, not the guide. The black thing labeled guide is meant to be the 8 foot piece of metal that is clamped down on the 4X8 sheet of wood. The side of the circular saw just runs along the edge of the metal guide. Its very simple.

And yes, you would need to cut a continuous 8 foot cut. How did you expect to do it with the table saw?
 
#6 · (Edited)
thanks a lot, what a inspiration... that prove it is always good to ask... so I guess you mean to create a manual guide of thing instead of using those metal thing which come with the saw... I see.. wonder how come I couldn't figure that out... I guess I don't necessary use a metal guide, I can in fact use a 2x4 as guide as well as long as I cah clamp th thing onto the wood.... for your other question table saw, stop and restart is not that big a issue as table saw handle that much better.... but I agree with you I am going to use the circular saw...

now please someone answer my painting question...
 
#7 ·
A 2x4 might not be as straight as you want it and the small imperfections and wood surface might cause your circular saw to hang up or move unevenly.

They also make reasonable priced guides that clamp to your circular saw that will cut up to about 24" wide from plywood. I got one at sears a few years ago that works fine.

Can't answer your paint questions but obviously you should choose plywood suitable for painting.
 
#8 ·
You just clamp a straight edge to the work and run the saw against it.
You do not use drywall mud on plywood in preparation for painting. You sand it and prime it with a primer made for wood. If you do not want to see the plies telegraph through the primer, veneer it first.
And you NEVER let your wife help you manuver a 4x8 sheet of anything on a table saw unless you want to spend some quality time in the Emergency room.
Ron
 
#9 ·
thank you guys, I did it this morning... I did use a 2x4 as a guide which I see it is pretty straight or straight enough for me... I draw the line first and find the 2x4 is kind of fall onto the line to ensure it being straight... the cut goes smoothly.... I would think it is rahter difficult to find a steel metal guide 8' long and I don't want to buy it either...I didn't use drywall mud... I did sand a bit... but then I just use the leftover drywall primer to paint it.. as I don't want to purchase another can of primer thinking they probably about the same... so you probably now know I am not a prefectionist.... anyway... it seems ok... afterall... it just a for a closet... don't want to kill myself for it....thanks again everyone...
 
#11 ·
Just attach a thin strip of wood trim to the edges, and sand it flush to the surface of the plywood. You can use glue and brad nails, or some biscuits, or a tongue and groove arrangement to hold it in place. For painted work, bondo wood filler also works very well to obscure edges of plywood, or fill voids and grain in the surface. It's very quick to apply, easy to sand, quick drying.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Thanks, Natehanson, just to confirm, I guess you mean this

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-71932/Detail

not those tooth-paste type wood filler which is a pain to apply

Can I get this from HD as I don't recall seeing them before... I suppose the are easy to apply like using a paint bush kind of stuff....

cutting thin wood strip...etc. is kind of too much work... don't mind doing that if I am building a desk... but for a closet shelf... kind of too much work.. rather than leave it alone... but that wood filler if easy to do I wouldn't mind doing that...

that
 
#16 · (Edited)
Hi Yummy Mummy,

I am in the process of making the closet, will show you when it done... I didn't bother to show the old one for comparison as just too lazy to take picture... when I doing so much handy work thing... digital thing become high tech thing for me and I am kind of not used to it although I am working as a computer person as my job ... but when I went home... I am a different person....

anyway... I found out yesterday... I should have use Maple wood rather than Plywood... so I refund the plywood and scrap one piece for future use... Maple wood is so much nicer... I now even want to stain it rahter than white paint it... gee ... things do get change when you start doing it... now I care about the edge cover as I don't want it to look bad at any angle... I am going to HD at lunch hour to check it out.... just Don't use Plywood.... use Maple.... for everything.... fyi... ply wood cost $30 bucks... maple cost $55 buckss... but the quality/look is 10 fold... buy the 4x8 one... cost much less from any angle you look at them than those smaller pieces...

re-read NataHanson post (obviously he is an experienced guy)... I need to do solid edging as well as I am staining it... Do I need a router kind of stuff do generate this solid edging stuff... or do they sell ready made one for 3/4" thickness.... thanks....
 
#17 ·
You can get iron-on maple edge banding. It is very thin (probably about 1/32") and sold in rolls at a woodworking store. That would be easiest, however, it's not always as durable as it should be, and can be chipped or worn off.

Lumber yards sell solid maple boards (3/4" thick) which you can rip down to 1/4" wide strips, and glue/brad-nail them onto your edges, sanding them flush to the surface of the plywood. These will be more durable, but not perfect. Best would be to use a router or tablesaw to create a tongue on the plywood edge, and saw a groove into the back of your maple edging. Then glue them together. This would be the strongest edging.

Nate
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hi Nate,

Thanks again... gee.. you really knows a lot... may be it is basic information... but to me who know nothing... it is a lot of information...

Just went off HD... I bought the bongo filler you are talking about though yesterday(although they don't call it that way)... but now you mentioned this iron-on maple edging stuff... may be I need to check it out again may be refund this guy.... I have no idea where the lumber yard are in my area and the tonque and gloove is probably wait too much that I can handle as I have no idea how to use router or what exactly it is "yet"...

so between this "bongo" stuff and "iron-on" stuff... which will produce a better result or they are about the same... and consider I am doing staining.. does it has any effect which way should go ...

also, I bought a can of pre-stain, a can of stain, and a can of poly... is this pre-stain stuff really necessary or it is a waste of money stuff, it said it will let the stain distributed evently....etc...

thanks a lot

for whoever may be interested... I spent 242 bucks so far... I think I made the right decision to DIY... for one they sure wouldn't give you maple wood....probably MFD like all those book shelfs you get from IKEA...
 
#19 ·
If you are painting, the bondo will be better than the iron-on banding, which could chip, and is more work.

If you want to stain, you can't use bondo. It is grey, and will look horrible if you stain it. The iron on banding will be best. You'll need to use a razor, chisel, handplane, or specific edge-band trimming tool to cut it flush to the plywood. Make sure you are cutting in the direction that the grain is pointing away from you, so it doesn't tear the edge-banding. (For example, if the grain is going //////// you cut >>> left to right on the top, and <<<right to left on the bottom.)

I'm not sure what this "pre-stain" is that you're talking about. Maybe it's a sanding sealer? That's basically a thin finish (often shellac or thinned poly, I think), which you apply, then sand lightly. It is good for getting a smoother finish. I don't know about staining over it. Personally I don't use oil pigment stains (which is what minwax type products are) because they produce a very muddy finish on the wood, and collect in the pores of the wood. So I can't tell you much about how to apply them. I would think that you could apply them over a sealer, but they will not stain very darkly. I use water stains, which are much more forgiving and very natural looking. You can get them at a woodworking store. To use those, first wipe the unfinished wood with a wet cloth, allow it to dry, and then lightly sand off the wood fibers which will be raised by the moisture. Then wipe on the water stain with a foam brush. If it is uneven, or there are runs, just wipe it with a nearly dry cloth. The stain will dry in an hour or less, and you can then coat with any finish that is not water-based.
 
#20 · (Edited)
thanks again... here is the story then

the bongo stuff I got they don't call it bongo but something like wood filler etc.etc. and is labelled as stainable/sandable

the pre-stain stuff I got is from MiniMax and they said help the wood to absorb the stain evenly, not the sealer/sanding stuff you are talking about

and I bought the oil based stuff only as the store staff said it looks better than water based....

gee don't know if I did it all wrong... but since I alread bought it, I am going to scrafice a small piece or two pieces to try them out all these things...

gee this closet thing taking me longer... hope my wife wont bug me saying no closet for a week or two stuff... at least she can still take her bath...
 
#21 ·
Wood filler usually doesn't harden, and can't be sanded. Bondo is a polyester resin based filler that sets up in about an hour to a hard sandable finish.

I doubt home depot has water stains. They may have water-based finishes (with stain in them), but I'm talking about powdered dyes that you add water to, and they disolve in it. The problem with oil pigments is that they are not disolved in the finish, they're just pieces of color junk that are suspended in the mineral spirits, and they get smeared onto your workpiece. They don't dye the wood, they just sit on top of it to give it color.
 
#22 ·
now you scare me... should I refund all the stuff and go to BanjaminMoore to try my luck at least they got better reputation on paints may be stain stuff as well...

the wood filler stuff they said hardened and sand...in a couple of hours etc and with light wood color etc.etc.... gee... that one I am going to try as if it works, safe me a lot of headache...

regarding oil stain color etc... are there someone out there has other opinion as well.. not that I don't trust Nate... just always help to hear more opinion...

for sure HD don't got that dye thing mix with water... all they sell is ready made cans stuff which u can use right away.... gee this painting stuff seems getting complicated if I need to mix with water like mixing thinset....

thanks for spending time to explain to me... Nate... may you tell me a little bit about your wood working background as you seems knows a lot...
 
#23 ·
I'm a designer and builder of high-end custom furniture. I went to the "Furniture Institute of Massachusetts" for 2 years, studying with Philip C. Lowe.

If you want more wood-finishing options, i wouldn't go to Benjamin Moore. I'd go to a woodworking store. Around here it would be a Woodcraft or Rockler store. Woodworker's Supply is a good online resource.
 
#25 ·
update

used the HD stuff... they are fine... stain is easy to apply... the wood filler stuff on edge is good enough for my purpose... they are very similar to do tapping on drywall.. the pre-stain stuff I really not sure if they have any purpose , but used them anyway ...

my wife is already bugging me saying taking too long... got to finsh the basic skelaton today or tommorrow...

not much to ask today seems I kind of got everything figure out by now...
 
#29 ·
Actually I do have a question:

While using the oil base stain, the instruction says wipe off the excess with a clean cloth... and said don't wait until it dry out before wipping out the excess... that leads me to a question: how long I should wait before wipping out the excess normally... I know different weather has a different answer... but just approx... do I wipe them off in 1 minutes, 2 minutes, 10 minutes. 15 minutes... as I worried about it got dry out so I kind of wipping them off 2 to 3 minutes after last night... I don't know if I should wait longer as looks like a lot of them come out... I guess it doesn't harm as I might waste some stains and need to apply more layers... but if I have a ball-park wait time it would help...

thanks...
 
#31 · (Edited)
People, I really need help this time...

last night go back try to apply poly... couldn't make it work... I think the HD guy screw me.... that's what I come up to... don't ask HD people question.. they could harm you. Here is the story:

I ask them what tool to use to apply Poly, I was thinking to buy a foam bush... this guy, looks so experience, instead ask me to buy stain pad which is for applying stain.... I then asked him do I need to wipe out excess... he said, Oh ! yes... so basically he kind of tell me the way to apply Poly is identical to applying stain... and back home try that... it is a mess...

anyway... I hope I can reapply Poly to make the surface looks good again using foam bush... the instruction on the Veterphane oil base poly doesn't say it need to sand between layer... as I don't have foam bush on hand, I tried to use a regular brush last night, find out there is tiny small particle left ... I wonder this is normal or not... I am a bit worry when I soak the stain pad onto the can (using the HD method), some of the stain particles drop into the can making the poly a mixture of poly and stains ...anyway... I will search the web see the proper way of doing it....

thanks if you can help ...
 
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