Plywood is difficult to cut on the table saw? Let's fix that... 

Love these videos. I watch them about once a year to refresh safety and adjust bad habits I might have picked up.

Comprehensive coverage of details delivered with strong speaking skills makes for an excellent lesson. Thank you.

Thanks James. Very valuable series! Several years ago I bought two "single roller" pedestal stands to use as supports for my out feed. I don't recommend them to anyone now. I discovered that unless they are aligned PERFECTLY, they will actually try to pull your plywood into or away from the rip fence. My next out feed stands will have multiple roller "balls". No more rollers tubes for me.

Thanks James, some good safety reminders. I keep an 80 tooth blade in the shop that is only used for sheet work, it produces wonderful clean edges no matter the orientation of the surface grain. Several years ago, I made two edge guides (full sheet and half sheet) out of some scrap OSB so I could accurately break large sheets down before working them on the table saw. The saw guide is positioned so that each of my favourite circular saws has its own edge. Works well and cost nothing. My shop rule is if it is difficult or unwieldy to handle, stop and rethink the process. Safety cannot be practiced retroactively. Thanks for sharing, this is an awesome place to learn.

You are a real professional in your delivery of instructions, easy to understand. you seem sincere in wanting to help others to improve their woodworking skills.

I am newbie to woodworking. This table saw series is very informative, useful and practical. Thank you.

I am new to wood working and I just watched all five of your table saw videos 👍👍👍 thank you for taking the time to do these awesome videos. I learned a hell of a lot and I am so freakin thankful that I have had no accidents! Seriously I have been doing everything wrong! Now I have some sense of safety! Again I just wanna say thank you.

Your safety tips are greatly appreciated even for an Senior.

I have a couple of used industrial panel saws. Problems SOLVED!

In a future addition to this series, Would appreciate seeing your approach to a table saw tune- up ... realigning the blade, fence, 90° stop, etc. It's great that you discuss & show the 'why' as well as the 'how'.

Great series for the beginning woodworker and even an experienced woodworker!!! Love the content on this channel!!!

Hey James, thanks for putting this table saw series together. I've done a lot of work on my old table saw that, on reflection, I'm glad I still have all 10 fingers. That was by pure dumb luck not any measure of skill. I watched all 5 of these videos back-to-back and will continue to subscribe to your channel for more woodworking tips. I did move halfway across the country recently so I sold all of my large equipment before moving with the intention of building a dedicated shop and purchasing higher quality tools. So, I'll be looking for some tool tips and buyers guides here soon.

Another excellent video! Something you may want to discuss in another video is how to avoid burn marks that can occur from 1-2 second stops as you need to reposition your hands to feed plywood or other longer material. That's always been a challenge for me.

I want to thank you for your safety tutoring. I'm new to wood working and love my fingers!!

Just getting into woodworking and had my first go at breaking down plywood on the table saw. Figured it would be easy. Square fence plus square sheet equals square cuts. Yeah… not so much! You pros all make this stuff look so easy 😂

All I have is a small jobsites table saw so it's next to impossible to cut sheet goods accurately. Best tool purchase I've made in years was a track saw. I can get cleaner cuts than the factory edge. Next to zero tear out on even 1/8 in plywood cutting against the grain. I originally bought it because we had a huge remodel and there were about 50 doors that needed the bottoms trimmed. That track saw literally paid for itself before lunch the first day with the amount of time it saved me vs using my circular saw and a straight edge. And the best part is, I can break it down and throw it in my back seat every day.

Hi Just wanted to thank you for the fabulous videos. I really enjoy them all. Keep them coming.

I buy most plywood I use I get at Lowe’s or Home Depot. They give you one free cut So since most projects ( not all) use less then 24” wide pieces I always get them ripped in half. Makes a huge difference in the shop. Thanks for all your tips 😎👍

I love that cart that allows you to go from the truck to table saw. That should be in every ones shop that cuts up plywood on regular basis. I have also seen this clamp like thing that grabs the top of the sheet. That way if need be you could handle the sheet goods with one hand making it a lot less awkward.

Straight forward down to earth honest information. I appreciate it. Thanks and, yes, I've subscribed and rang the bell. Going back now to binge watch your series from the beginning.

Great video, cutting plywood is something I always struggle with. Although I m slowly getting better, and I think a better blade might help me also

Someone needs to repair that cord on the circular saw! Good series!!! Rather than using OSB beneath the plywood to break it down, I like the idea I learned from Steve Ramsey: Use a board of construction foam, which is light and easy to manipulate.

Thanks, a very useful series with excellent naration.

This was a great series. Lots of good info: helpful tips and safety reminders. Thanks for putting it together.

Love Stumpy always my go to for "how to's and questions I may have addressed! "

You transmit honesty in your videos. Although you probably get a cut (pun intended) from the promo code on the blades, I value your time and effort you put in the videos, I know you would not recommend a product that you don't stand behind just for the sake of the $.

I agree it is challenging to cut plywood. But I don't have that problem anymore I just raise the scoring blade and use the slider on my kf700s

I have used many different blades over the years, some good, some not so good but in the end I have found Forest blades to be the very best. They are not cheap but in the end you get what you pay for. Also, I send them back to Forest for resharpening which is also worth it.

Subbed because of this (the first one of yours I've seen) video.

Hi James. Too bad it's not possible to leave multiple thumb ups, this series is definitely worth periodic review. Thanks again for sharing

Many thanks! Great series, professionally and calmly presented.

What a great series for tips!!!

Thank you for all your great videos. I have learned a lot.

Just wanted to add "clean blades" - I don't have the link to your vid on cleaning, but, I CAN say that the Simple Green HD ( it's purple of course) works like nothing I have ever seen before. For a large batch of blades to clean, I get my trusty 5gal bucket lid and pour in some of the Simple green at full concentration, for a single blade I have a spray bottle of 50/50 mix ( both of these concentrations are way more concentrated than the mixology listed on the side of the bottle) but this stuff, even at 50/50 dilution cleans the pitch off almost instantly - spray on and use the brass toothbrush to brush clean - no effort. At full strength it even cleans off the smeared paint and any other evidence of usage from the body of the blade. This stuff works so fast it almost takes longer to change the blade on the saw than it does to clean it. ( you could even just clean the blade you are installing and run it through some scrap to dry it off - no rinsing required ) Right after having the right tooth count/profile and a sharp blade, having it clean just makes it cut better. Thanks again, love your channel

Thank-you for your videos. Since I recently bought a table saw I've watched them several times. Today I was cross-cutting 14 x 70 inch plywood down to 14 x 64.5. Since I'd violate the rule of "length on fence > distance from fence to blade", I tried to use a mitre gauge. However it was hard to keep the board flush with the gauge block because the board was so long. Is this an example where the table saw isn't the tool for the job?

Thanks Much. So glad I found your channel!

This is an excellent quality video. I will definitely be watching your entire series and subscribing.

great video, thank you!

I have been cutting sheet goods and solid wood on a table saw all my life, today is my 68th birthday. I found as I grew older moving heavy sheets of plywood and other sheet materials out of my truck and into the shop and on to the saw a challenge. I made the task easier for unloading and setting the sheet , ready to cut. Many different ways to do this . I use a drywall cart to get the sheets into my shop and found a tool that is rarely seen to lift the sheet on the saw. It is named the leg up. It consists of a hinged leg with a hok on the end of the leg and it bolts (clamps) on the edge on the table or the end of the fence so you wheel the drywall cart alongside the saw and take the end of the sheet and rest it in the hok then set the opposite edge of the sheet on the ground and pull the drywall cart out of the way. Standing at the back end of the sheet of plywood you merely tip the sheet up on the table saw top and the hook is long enough to place the sheet just shy of the blade so you can shift the sheet back and forth to move it out of the hook on the leg where it drops back down, ready for the next sheet and cut away. Just a different method to manuver sheet goods into the shop and up on the saw table.

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind, I could use some ideas for use of a table saw while seated. I am in the process of expanding my workshop. In the past, I'd always just gotten really creative with lumber selection and use of a miter saw for home construction projects, limiting myself to 4 and 8 inch construction lumber. But, I've reached a limit to what I can do with a miter saw, and using a circular saw in a wheelchair is not safe for me at least. So, if you have anything that comes to mind, it would be appreciated.

I'm always learning something new from you and I do appreciate it!

Love these videos! Thank you so much for sharing!

Love you stuff! Hate the 30 min informercials Tube puts on at the end.

For me, I handle big sheets by going to just the circular saw with a guide clamped to the wood, and cut it into more manageable chunks first - I have found it near impossible to keep it straight on the fence.

“Handles to make lifting and carrying large sheets easier” also known in the trade as a framing hammer. Hook the claw under the bottom edge of the sheet to lift it and steady the top edge with your other hand and away you go.

Thanks for the excellent video James. Great tips!

Great video. I've never owned a Table Saw and your series is very informative for a beginner like me. Not sure on which one to purchase. I think a portable table saw might be right for me. Clearly, you're an expert. Do you have any recommendations ? Thanks for your reply.

as always Thank you for your advice!

Very informative really helpful

Good series, thanks!

James - I've posted a few questions already, but I have one more. It seems that the danger of kickback with a circular saw is inherent because the blade is spinning towards you at 4,000 to 5,000 rpm so naturally anything that comes in contact with this blade could be thrown back at a very high velocity. I had a 3-inch x 24-inch piece of plywood that I wanted to cut into two, 1-inch strips and I decided to just use my small circular saw for these - but it wasn't easy. I've watched all of your safety videos, but I was wondering if you could comment on the things that you can do, especially with smaller pieces of wood to prevent kickback. I now know that rule #1 is to never use the fence to do a crosscut with a wide piece of wood but are there other rules to follow? Thinking about this, what I probably should have done is make a long, thin push block for thin pieces like this.

For weekend warriors and those not totally serious about becoming a good, safe woodworker, a track saw and miter saw is the way to go. In the hands of an experienced carpenter a table saw is relatively safe, for a newb a table saw is fraught with danger.

Thank you for a very comprehensive table saw series - I just love them and your other videos. Made me a subscriber

Have the big box store cut them when picked up. Most are free

To avoid veneer tearout on plywood use a good sharp marking knife to mark your cut lines, and take two or three passes with the knife to get the line good and deep. If the surface veneer is already deeply scored on the cut line, it's a lot more difficult for it to tear out.

Don't know why I just saw this video...in any case, it's great (as usual) but this time you forgot the most important part: table up, circle down. Tear out will definitely occur with any plywood even with an 80 tooth blade, if you want the plywood to be on the "bad" side, cut the plywood face UP on the table saw, and face DOWN if using a circular or miter saw. There, I feel better now.

great video!

Do you have more details on how to cross cut full size panels? I always seem to have issues with that so I end up using my circular saw out of frustration

My bench is the same height as my saw and works as an out feed table

In an extreme pinch, an ironing board can sometimes serve as out-feed support, if one doesn't have anything else.

Why do you push the material passed the blade after they’ve broken free already?

You also could put a weight on top of the plywood so it will not flip up.

Great video.Question not related to the video. What is the make and model on your band saw?

In my experience, relying on the factory edge of sheet goods to be straight is a big mistake.

Sliding tables saws are the safest for all plywood cuts!

Please recommend a plywood cutting blade (cabinets) for my DEWALT DWE7485 8-1/4 in. table saw. Thanks!

I don't see a place to enter the coupon code for the blade.

Yea I dont know... Ridge Carbide 80T (minus 10% off coupon) is $140 shipped to California, whereas the Forrest 70T is $133 shipped from Acme Tools. Think Id rather just stick with Forrest.

What are your thoughts for doing these cuts with a track saw, as opposed to a table saw?

LOL I really want to keep my fingers where they belong. HAHAHA good one.

How do you cut a square block of wood that is taller than your blade?

What about scoring the plywood for a cleaner cut?

3:13 that cord doesn't look very safe.

I just have the guy at the home depot break it down because I can't fit a full sheet of plywood in my hatchback.

I let the wood supplier cut it to my specs, at no extra cost! But I am in a country where labor is cheap, which brings its disadvantages as well.

No mdf in my shop its the law

Buy a sliding table saw it a scoring blade!

Спасибо. Я не успеваю быстро понимать. Сделайте пожалуйста титры на русском языке. 😊👍

Encore!

DON'T ever rely on the factory edges to be either straight or square. Use something like a track saw to straighten one edge and then work off of that edge that you now know is straight. As just one example, every one out of 13 sheets of birch plywood I used last week was out of straight 3/32" on all of the long edges: one edge curved inward and the other edge curved outward.

James, I love your entire table saw series. As a veteran joiner with over 40 years of experience, I was still able to find useful tips and have encouraged my own students/apprentices to watch them. These videos are some of your, and the industry's, best work. They will definitely help to prevent injuries, improve safety, and improve quality on many projects for woodworkers of all generations. Thanks for all your hard work my friend!

When you use this link to visit our sponsor, you support us► Ridge Carbide (Use coupon code SNWJ10): goo.gl/z8TP0k 80-Tooth blade for plywood and fine crosscuts (Use coupon code SNWJ10): goo.gl/LWqqRK Subscribe (free) to Stumpy Nubs Woodworking Journal e-Magazine► www.stumpynubs.com/subscribe.html

I so enjoy these tutorials. I am still learning, and I love having someone take the time to explain things in a straight forward fashion. James, you do NOT talk down to me, or others. You give lots of information, and frequently give seemingly simple info that many woodworkers who did not grow up with a Dad or mentor who was handy just don't know! Please keep up this kind of video. You give me info I need without treating me like an idiot!

This is amazing series man. I watched this 5 times back to back and you really do great job of explaining things very simple. May be you might want to do a 5 part series for routers, miter saw and planer

I’m relatively new to woodworking and I just came across your channel. Been binge-watching your many excellent episodes (and obviously subscribed). I appreciate your thorough, easy to follow approach, while at the same time not being condescending. So many experts always seem like they’re talking down to you. Much appreciated. Hope you keep up the excellent work.

Stumpy is the best Woodworking channel on RU-vid. Why not many more subscribers?

This is still easily the best woodworking channel on youtube. I appreciate the constant growth and reminders for safe and accurate cuts on my tablesaw and other equipment.

Great video. Video quality for this channel has gotten better and better. Cant wait for more videos. Great job again Mr. Stumpy.

The final video lived up to the preceding 4 in giving great advice on safety and getting good results. My work shop is on 10' by 8' and mostly used for turning but a table saw is amongst my armoury and is used. If I need to have sheets cut down I always get the timber yard I buy my sheet goods from to do it, at a cost, and also leave "room" for me to finish it off. Once again a great series. Cheers, Huw

Great tips Stumpy, table saw is a confusing one, lots more thinking involved with setups and safety practices 👍

Since James is continuing to produce valuable content for beginning woodworkers and even experienced woodworkers, his audience will continue to grow rapidly. Or at least, I hope that is the case. He is my main "go to guy" when I am researching best methods to do a bunch of things. Some of the early content creators seem to have burned out and are now "calling it in" with less and less effort in their videos or they have opted to put their focus into online schools for a subscription fee (and there is nothing wrong with that - I subscribe to a couple) but Stumpy is continuing to come up with the things we need to know. My hope is that he is doing really well financially and therefore will be motivated to continue exactly what he is doing. He is the one content creator I follow where I always watch any video he releases.

I rip or cross cut plywood with a straight edge and a circular saw on a sheet of foam to insulation board to rough working size pieces. Then move to the table saw to the true panel to final dimensions. I also tend to use a sled which makes things glide thru the blade with ease. On fine veneer I often use a razor knife on the layout line and use a zero clearance inset in the table top to minimize tear out on the underside. If my shop was more than a garage I would have out feed tables on three sides.

Alwase good info here. Thought I'd mention using some painter's tape on your cut line can also limit the tear out on the top veneer. A good blade, and painter's tape, will produce a sweet clean cut. Just throwing it out there.

Yep, I'm going down the Stumpy Nubs rabbit hole. Hahaha. Love your videos, not just for the content, but for the professional way they're made. Excellent in all categories.

Thank you, this is a awesome series. I learned a lot of things that are overlooked especially set up. Take Care.

Getting a track saw changed my life. I originally did it when I lost shop space to fit a table saw. But even after solving that problem, I still find that the track saw is a huge improvement to how I work. First off, it generally allows a single person to easily break down a 4'x8' sheet of plywood without struggling, and is better than anything I've seen short of a sliding table saw. There's no need for rough cuts, as a good track saw with the right blade will produce accurate finish quality cuts every time. But what really surprised me is how much more efficient a track saw is than using a table saw. Admittedly the projects I do rarely require cutting a lot of pieces to the same dimension, where setting a table saw fence or sled up once would enable repeated efficient cuts. For one off cuts, I lay out my cut on the plywood, slap down the track, and cut. No clamping required, no worries about muscling a large panel onto the table saw and keeping tight against the fence. It's enabled me to be much faster in my work. And now that I'm an old fart (and getting more so every day), I appreciate the reduced physical effort required.

Hey James, just finished part 5 of your five part series on the use of a table saw. I've learned so much from these videos and I really appreciate your time and effort in producing these excellent, professional tutorials.

Thank you! I am an electrician trying to set up my ~20 year old Craftsman 315 to be safer and make better cuts for some personal projects. I have really enjoyed while learning a lot. Classic example of having no idea how much I didn't know.

Hi, thanks for the great videos. I recently bought an old contractor saw (Delta 34-410 knock off) because ripping sheets of plywood was basically impossible on my itty bitty saw. Most of my work needs rectangles with sides between 14 and 26 inches long made from 15mm Baltic Birch with the odd 48" panel. With your help, I have set up the saw and learned that I was using my miter gauge wrong. which explains the all missles my old saw fired past me. I think I will probably upgrade my blade as well. The new saw has a 60T general-purpose DeWalt on it right now. I might have an old 80T Freud Diablo kicking around that I used to use for cutting moldings in my chop saw...but I'm thinking that maybe I should just bite the bullet and put one your recommended blades on this saw, so that I can just leave it there and cut panels for years without worry. Anyhow, mostly writing to let you know that the 80T blade link in your description no longer works but also wanted to thank you.

I have the small Dewalt DWE7485 portable table saw. It has the 8 1/4" blade. Does anyone know of a fine tooth replacement blade in that size? Thanks