how to proceed while cutting ply, 4x t30

[osse]

Hello, just wondering how you experienced builders proceed when cutting out the parts, I'm going to build 4x t30 27" wide, I'm building from 5x5 foot sheets and I have 10 of them. Right now I have painted all the cuts on the sheets and put most of the panels side by side, for example 4x of panel one and panel 2 on one sheet(don't really remember exactly the order but we pretty much optimized each sheet), and so forth.

But when actually building and cutting this seems rather messy as I will have to change sheets for different cuts all the time, rather than using one sheet at the time and cutting the panels in assembly order directly?

How do you guys do it?

Thanks!

[LelandCrooks]

If this is your first build, cut out one, build it. Seriously. Then cut the multiple sheets. I rip up the ply 1/4 to 1/2 oversize, then recut everything, one panel at a time on the tablesaw. That way the fence is set once, all the pieces that size are identical. It also allows squaring the panels in case we got a little off with the guide and circular saw. I check every piece for square sides to use before truing to size on the table saw. That 30 seconds with a square saves enormous amounts of time later.

[doncolga]

I wouldn't say I'm experienced, but I have built four boxes, two T30's and two OT12's. I did not have a table saw, only a circular saw and it was just fine. I built both my Tubas as Leland suggested...cut one and build one. I ripped my 5x5's to my desired width, then I did rough cuts of all the panel lengths (about 4" extra length for wiggle room, recuts...). Then I did detail measurements, cuts, and assembly panel by panel in order per plans, and both turned out very well. I tried to do the OT's at the same time...it was OK, but I should have done one first, then the other, even though it's alot more time consuming. One thing this whole experience taught me was patience. If I had a table saw, I likely would have cut all the panel widths, the rough cut all the panels. On four, that would same some time, but I'd still suggest building the first one by itself as Leland says.

[el_ingeniero]

When I began my T39s, I went to a buddy's house and we ripped the ply for the T39s down straightaway. 4 sheets were turned into 8 sides, and 6 more sheets were cut into 22.5"x60" strips. Anything left over from that more than 5" wide was cut up into 22.5" wide strips as well. I figured I needed 190" of 22.5" stock for each T39, and I ended up with well over 820".

[jcmbowman]

If this is your first build, cut out one, build it. Seriously. Then cut the multiple sheets. I rip up the ply 1/4 to 1/2 oversize, then recut everything, one panel at a time on the tablesaw. That way the fence is set once, all the pieces that size are identical. It also allows squaring the panels in case we got a little off with the guide and circular saw. I check every piece for square sides to use before truing to size on the table saw. That 30 seconds with a square saves enormous amounts of time later.

+1000.

The only thing worse than making a rookie mistake is making a rookie mistake x4.

[Gregory East]

Do not assume the ply you bought is actually truely square! I was going nuts for awhile trying to cut square panels out of less than stellar ply and couldn't see how I'd messed up until I put the square on the factory corners.

[Harley]

If this is your first build, cut out one, build it.

+100