My uncle told me to always use a chalk line for long cuts, even on a table saw.

I thought it was overkill until I botched a 10-foot rip on some expensive walnut. Anyone have a different method for keeping those long cuts straight?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_anderson8d agoMost Upvoted

Ever try a laser guide on your saw fence? I've found that plus a chalk line is basically cheat mode for perfect cuts.

taylor.reese8d ago

My buddy Mark borrowed a laser guide for his table saw last summer. He spent a whole Saturday setting it up in his garage, totally convinced it was the answer. He made one cut, looked at the line, and then spent twenty minutes trying to figure out if the laser or his fence was out of square. He went back to his old combo square and muttered about "too many moving parts" for a week. Some tools just add more steps than they save, you know?

torres.thea8d ago

Oh man, that's the dream setup right there... I just use a speed square and a sharp pencil like a caveman.