Easy to Make Plywood Cutting Table

This is the DIY plywood or sheet goods cutting table I made. Makes cutting plywood easy. I made it some years back based on an article in Fine Woodworking Magazine. August 2000. It is made to support a sheet of plywood while it is being cut down to size with a circular saw. It is made of four 8 foot long 2×4 pieces of lumber and a pair of banquet table legs you can get at amazon.com (affiliate links) 29″BLK FOLDING TABLE LEG (Ebco Tools APF-B)The folding legs make it easy to store when not in use.

This table is sacrificial. This means you actually cut through the plywood into the table. Not too deep! Clamp the sheet of plywood down to the table so it is supported on both sides of the cut. Then use an edge guide to run a circular saw along. The table is 7 feet long, 35″ wide and 31″ tall. You can also use it as a table by putting a piece of plywood on it. I use it as a painting table too. Works great with the Kreg KMA2675 Kreg Rip-Cut.  See my review here.

Plywood Cutting Table
Cutting Table
Plywood Cutting table folded
Cutting table folded

Cut seven- 31 7/8″ pieces for the cross members. By cutting this length, you can get 3 pieces out of each 8 foot length. For the seven foot sides, either use 2x2s or split one of the 2x4s lengthwise. Put cross members at each end and one in the center. Put a cross member 15″ in from each end. This will be the leg support. The remaining two cross members will be the leg lock supports. You will have to determine the position of this by experimenting. Temporarily screw or clamp it until you make sure the legs fold down all the way and lock vertically too. I messed up on this and had to reposition the board. The leg locks hinge towards the top. You pull down on them to lock them. Also make sure you offset the legs a little, so when they fold closed, they do not hit each other.

This table is not a full 4’x8′ like a sheet of plywood, because you only need to support where you are cutting. Use the cross members and sides to clamp to. By keeping the table smaller you can move and store it easier.

Using the Gerber EAB for 8 Years

This is a review of the Gerber EAB Lite razor knife. I love the Gerber EAB Folding Pocket Knife. Gerber 31-000345 E.A.B. Lite Pocket Knife, Fine Edge (amazon affiliate links) It is a great everyday carry knife.

I have carried it in my pocket every day for 8 years, because I would miss it if it was not there. I have carried a pocket knife of some sort since I was 12 years old. Back then it was a Boy Scout knife. In those days you could carry a pocket knife to school and no one thought anything about it. “Be prepared” was the motto. Now it is “Be afraid”

Gerber EAB closed

The reason I switched from a regular knife to a razor type knife is because I like a razor sharp blade. I can sharpen a regular knife very sharp, but it loses its edge quickly when using it on everyday things like cardboard. Cardboard and paper are really abrasive. Not to mention when you use it on tape, it gets all gummy. On the EAB, when your blade gets dull and nasty, just flip the blade over. Talking about blades, when you need to buy new ones, make sure you get ones that are not too long. If they are, the blade will stick out past the metal body of the knife when closed. It could easily cut you leg while in your pocket. The Irwin ones I have a picture posted of, are the right length and do seem to stay sharp longer.Irwin 2084200 Blue Blade Bi-Metal Utility Blade, 20-Pack

Gerber EAB Open

The one thing I do miss about a regular knife, is the ability to use its blade as a wedge. An example would be opening up a crack wider by inserting the knife edge and wedging it wider. A razor edge can not do that. If they added a flat blade screw driver to it, the EAB would be complete. It does come with belt clip I never use. Maybe Gerber could make a substitution.

Overall The Gerber EAB is a great everyday carry knife. I haven’t had one wear out in 8 years. I have lost one and given them as gifts. The one I have is the “lite” version. I guess this is because it has some grooves cut into it, trimming away grams of weight. I think it looks more cool than the regular version. Cool factor thumbs up! I would by it again in a heartbeat.

First Post

Hi!

This is my first post on my new site. Hope to share “Do it yourself” hints and tips with the public at large. This is a sharing site, because I sure do not have all the answers. I love it when I get tips and am always searching the internet for them.

Isn’t it wonderful that we live in a time where answers are just a click away. To be truthful, much of the info on the web has to be taken with a “grain of salt”. But ideas to do something better often pop up seemingly out of nowhere. I find it works best if you can’t figure out a way to do something, let it go for awhile and the answer will magically pop into your head.