Perfect Cutouts

[LelandCrooks]

This technique works for the larger cutouts such as in the Titan access panels.

You need a table saw sled. Mark your cutout, extend the lines to the end of the board. Crank your blade all the way up. Lay the board to be cut on the sled next to the blade. Slide it forward/back until the cut farthest from you is even with the intersecting line. Be aware that you cannot cut to the edge, because of the curved blade. Crank the blade down. Without moving the sled slide the board over until your line is centered in the cut of the sled, allowing for the kerf. Safety glasses, firm pressure on the board, turn on the saw and crank the blade up through the cut, to it's full height. Watch your fingers, you're not supposed to run the blade that high. Push the sled through to the end of the cut, stopping just shy of the intersection.

Repeat for all 4 sides. Finish the cuts with a jigsaw. Square, perfect cutouts, really fast.

[fender3x]

1++

I tried this last night, and it worked perfectly--and fast. I made a slight variation in that I did not use my sled. I just used the fence. First I marked the center point of the blade on the fence. Then I positioned the panel so the blade would emerge from the center of where I wanted the cut in the panel. Then I just moved it back and forth a little to get the cut close (but not too close) to the ends. finished the little end bits with a jig saw. Probably took me 15 min including marking everything. BIG props to Sr. Crooks!

[mchildree]

Has anyone tried this on a cutout with angled edges, as in the mid-horn cutouts on an Omni?

[telecast]

Has anyone tried this on a cutout with angled edges, as in the mid-horn cutouts on an Omni?

You can't do a plunge cut with an angled blade. You'd have to introduce the material to the blade at the same angle.

[mchildree]

Maybe I'm missing something... The Omni 15 plans appear to advise the use of a circular saw to do the beveled plunge cuts for the mid horn cutouts. Why is this possible, and not the table saw method? In either case, the plywood is stationary, and the blade introduced into the wood at an angle. Have I misread the plans?

My question stems from a case of the jitters, I guess. Never had really good luck doing plunge cuts with a handheld circular saw, and I'm at the point where those pristine front panels are due for some cutting....

Maybe I need to figure out how to use a guideboard to make these cuts.

[telecast]

I should said "it's very difficult to get an accurate cut when plunging with an angled blade."

I don't have a set of Omni plans, so I can't answer your question. Is it perhaps because the saw is set at a 90 deg angle to the cut itself? You can do a plunge cut like that.

The biggest problem would be making very certain you have perfect allignment prior to plunging. The easiest way to accomplish it on a table saw would be to set the wood at an angle with shims and bring the saw straight through the cut. If the angle is too sharp and the wood must lay flat on the table, practice first.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Maybe I'm missing something... The Omni 15 plans appear to advise the use of a circular saw to do the beveled plunge cuts for the mid horn cutouts. Why is this possible, and not the table saw method?

Doing angled cutouts on a table saw isn't impossible, but it's a lot easier with a circular saw. You don't need to use a guideboard, but you do need to perfect the technique on scrapwood before doing it for real.

[mchildree]

Thanks for your replies, guys. I suspected there was no magic bullet and you confirmed it...darn it!