Pre-cut?

[newbold]

I have heard/read that lumber yards will cut to spec.

I won't have access to a saw when I'm ready to go on my project and was hoping to use this type of service.

Anybody have any good luck with this?

[Radian]

Millwork is $$$$$ unless you have connections and you have to layout everything to the gnat's gonads based on the actual thickness of the wood going into the project. If it's cut even slightly off spec (or you jacked up the layout), you'll be up a creek and have paid for it. Then there's the access panels and bracing.

You could buy a saw, save a few and be better off in the end, workspace permitting of course.

However, after one or two cabs, most folks use some level of production to produce numbers in fleet after the dimensions are sorted out.

In short, not recommended.

[newbold]

No workshop to cut panels in a 1 room apartment.

Space to clamp/glue/drill, but not cut sheets of plywood.

[Radian]

No workshop to cut panels in a 1 room apartment.

I can appreciate the frustration. I too live in an apartment. Think creatively. If you had your own saw(s), are there any relatives, friends, or other persons that could lend you a small amount of space on an interim basis to cut the wood? Once properly laid out, the act of setting up and cutting the wood takes only a couple hours (conservatively speaking), but you'll need access to the cutting space in stages. (ie. outside panels, inside panels, access cover, baffle, inside panels again, and braces) A portable / folding workbench, the tailgate of a pickup truck, and an extension cord will get you out into the parking lot on a nice day. It also doesn't hurt to enlist the helping hands of a friend when it comes to ripping larger panels, and fitting things together. Food for thought...

[LelandCrooks]

Use a cutlist program to lay out the major rips, that the yard can make in one pass. It will waste more plywood. Give at least 1/2" of play. Have them make a test cut on a scrap laying around and check for square, before they cut your panels. Makes it easier to haul, but you'll still have to cut to fit. Radian is correct that getting it truly cut to size beforehand will be expensive and difficult.

[pwfirst]

No matter what you do you will need a saw. Getting the parts precut still require some trimming and fitting. So save the money, buy a saw and cut them outside some where. You will need a square, a tape measure, and a saw,( circular saw) and a screw diver at minumum to do s a simple build. A friend with tools is better. After you get the tools ask for help in making your cuts, pleanty of help here. Phil

[Charles Warwick]

I also, live in an apartment and while I am lucky enough to have discovered a woodshop nearby that one pays to use per semester, I have also been known to just use a circular saw outside out on the lawn. It works pretty well, I just set up a pair of collapse-able saw horses and set a 2'X4' sheet of plywood across it. Voila, instant workbench.

I would definitely stay away from having a lumber yard do all the cutting. Most of the wood that you will install, as mentioned above, will need to be cut to spec as you install, so you pretty much need to have a saw while assembling.

My neighbors are pretty good about it as long as clean up and don't make too much noise later at night. I usually just have to quit before 9 otherwise I'm always afraid someone will complain!

Good Luck!

[myn]

Despite me having a table saw I choose to use a circular saw and used my driveway with 4 2x4s and a guideboard to make all of my cuts for the THT. This pattern worked out pretty well for me and could easily be adapted for apartment dwellers:

[bgavin]

I make all my accurate cuts with a circular saw, precision caliper and straight edge.
It is very repeatable. And accurate.

[Radian]

+1 My last Table Tuba build was spooky square. All the crosscuts were made with a circular saw and sled. Glue up was a breeze when the panels fit so nicely together.

[Harley]

Old farts like Bruce and me need these on a trestle so we don't stuff our backs for when the War Office requires us to go on a mission

[Radian]

ROFL

[bgavin]

Old farts like Bruce and me need these on a trestle so we don't stuff our backs for when the War Office requires us to go on a mission

Oh yeah... this is the Ugly Work for me. Knee pads are mandatory. So is shade.
I can't do this on a trestle, cuz I have to crawl on the board while I cut it.

If your back gets stuffed, the hanging basket trick works well...

[Harley]

I can't do this on a trestle, cuz I have to crawl on the board while I cut it.

I make my trestles strong enough to enable this

[myn]

I really like being ontop of the wood but not too high to fall off..