LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

Rather than include finishing/sanding gear (worth another topic or two at least) how to you process material stock into Laser compatible sized bits?

Do you only buy stock from your suppliers already cut to bed size?

Do you buy it stripped to width so you can cut blanks with the Laser with a horizontal cut (my current preferred option)?

Do you buy full sheets and cut to size and what gear do you use to break it down?

The stack below was cut as a single cut with a Tungsten tipped Circular Saw. Carefully measured (twice!) then set up a guide for the saw to run against. Circa $200 AUD worth of Ply, my supplier wanted $3/sheet to cut it so this stack would have run to nearly $50 AUD. In this case the sheet blanks are 4'x2' nominal and stripped like this I can dock them to length with the Laser if needed from now on.

I have looked at small band saws but most of the throats have very limited widths and the larger ones take up way to much floor space. The other option I have looked at is a semi portable table saw as shown below but I am still not sure if it would do a better job for it's $500+ AUD price tag. This can be used on saw horses then hung on a wall or stored when not in use.

I buy rough lumber, joint, plane, re-saw, plane again and then run through a drum sander for final dimension.

Ignoring thickness for a moment (I wish I had a planer...) I just use whatever saw is handy to rough-cut the material to fit the laser. Sabre saw, circular saw, or table saw. Occasionally the chop saw. I wouldn't buy a table saw just for this; buy a table saw only if you need a table saw for other stuff.

The key (for me) is "rough cut". The laser can do the final dimensional cut.

Unless you are going into production I would do a good circ saw and guide.

any cutting you do yourself will need :
- tools (of good quality)
- space (handling 2.44x1.22m panels is not that easy)
- accuracy (=time = money)
- cleaning (dust, scraps)

unless you are already working with wood, i think this will more costly to do it yourself than to find a seller that has everything to do it cheaper and with more accuracy.

buying wood with cutting to size is not very expansive, especially if you plan correctly (reusing the same lengths, reducing material loss) (and you find a supplier which can do this with "industrial" tools)

for example i buy 3mm MDF, the m2 is around 3€, the panel is 2.44x1.22m, i want to cut that into 12 subpanels of 58cm x 40cm to optimize my machine size.

when the supplier does the cut, each subpanel is around 1€ (so, 12€ instead of 9€ for raw panel without cutting). there is absolutely no way i can save this 3€ by cutting myself. just for the transport, i can pick the small panels in my small car, i can't even dream of putting a large one in my car! and cutting accurately the 12 sub panels would take me around half an hour, better case.

would i own a wood workshop, it would be different, i could have a delivery of a LOT of panels, stock and cut at will with precision stationary saw in no time. sadly this is not the case, so i'm happy to have someone do the cuts accurately for a modest fee.

Agree with all the points on dust mess etc. In my case it will be done outside or under a large verandah I have so the mess isn't much of an issue with wood at least, acrylic is a different matter and so far I have been getting pre sliced from my suppliers. I struggle to get a 2.4x1.2 sheet into my shack on edge let alone work on it

Part of the reason for looking at a different saw is I have done a few jobs this year already that would have been much faster and more accurate (less finishing after cutting) done with better tools. The other option I have looked at is one of these to simplify and make more accurate cuts.



I also have a fairly large job coming up in making a cover for my CNC Router. To get this done commercially by a cabinet maker would easily run to a few hundred $. So on the cost side of it it is fairly easy to justify it to myself that and I have no SWMBO or Kids to support

My friends would laugh it they thought I was giving advice on "woodworking". Nevertheless, I'd skip the Track Saw. Run your circular saw against a straightedge. With a little care, (and a sharp blade), you'll be fine.

If you're interested in getting some tools, I suggest you have a look at the YouTube site for "Woodworking for Mere Mortals" [WMM]. I think he does a great job of giving practical advice for those of us who have a basic interest in woodworking. You don't need a billion-dollar cabinet saw to do a few projects. And he points out that there's no rule that says all your tools have to be the same color (brand). The only downside for you is that WMM is based here in the USA, so he measures in inches, and he refers to stores and brands that are available in the USA.

Take note of his video on breaking down sheets of plywood to a manageable size.

There is some good points to a track saw over just a straight edge. My fairly fine Tungsten saw blade doesn't have much set so it goes where you point it rather wandering off but it does mark the top sheet where the Saw base runs across the surface (I used a scrap MDF sheet on the ply job above). Other than that a lump of decent size Aluminium as a guide works fine.

I went an had a physical look at some home sized table saws yesterday and without extra outriggers or rollers managing a complete sheet or sheets solo would likely be a pain. Saw weight sub 3kg - sheet/stack weight 20-25kg.

Relevant video describing most of the options https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfyWDp9uRes

Considering some of the options a bit more maybe a home brew saw carrier on guided wheels (3D printer rollers $2-3 each) might be better again. Use a lump of slotted Aluminium as the rail. The Rail is easy to make modular so maybe two sections for cross or sheet length runs.

Sketchbook is out to stimulate the remaining brain cells

I purchase most of my material in 4'x8' or 2'x4' and use various saws to cut to rough laser size. My plan is to retire in a few years so I have built a pretty good tool list in my shop. Includes a 10" table saw with 4'x7' saw table, a 10" radial arm saw, 12" chop saw with 2'x8' table, band saw, 2 scroll saws (cuts down on blade type change most of time), 4 trim routers (each with different blades to save time), 1 router table, circular saw used with 4' homemade quick guide and a sabre saw. Then throw in 2 drill press's, 1-6" belt sander, 1-1" belt sander, 2-4" belt sanders, 4 palm sanders (all sanders with different grit), 1-18" drum sander with feed tables, 1-6" joiner, and other stuff. I put in a 4" dust collection system to all of them. My table saw extension table has a 3'x4' sanding table built into the end of it that slides back under the table. I do not have a plainer, YET. I do quite a bit of stuff using tree log slices and spend a lot of time sanding before going to the laser. My acrylic I have cut into 1'x4' when I purchase a full sheet because I found a place in Houston for a very reasonable price. I then cut it down with the table saw, radial arm saw or chop saw. I LIKE tools.
Now I just need more time to use it all more often. I also have stock pilled about 750 boards (not board feet) from 12" in length to 16' from old wood fence boards to 100 year old barn wood, all washed, dried and stacked and waiting to get used. Also, I have all the same type stuff (plasma cutter, torch, etc.) for metal, not to mention things like powder coating and painting. Lots of homemade templates for multiple job pieces.

Just got in from a 700km trip that included a visit to a very very dangerous place I walked out with a bottle of glue and six router bits and a very very empty wallet without getting a track and or saw ....

Their recommendation was Bora over the happy snap of the Kreg gear below. They stock both and it isn't really a price issue just a better functionality in their opinion and in the flesh looked good and also has a router attachment. Fairly settled on a Track/Saw arrangement of some sort and I am going to build a Manual Router Table with T Track and guides with an option insert for a small circular saw for occasional use and keeping it small in the stored space needed.

My Hand Plane collection seems to be worth a few K AUD based on this pricing Lots of Japanese Saws/Chisel and other goodies to send me broke in future too.