oldman_pottering Posted June 9 Report Share Posted June 9 For the life of me I can't make things square ! I need help before I make any more sawdust I ran this mdf sheet across the jointer to get a square edge, I then used that edge against the rip fence of the TS to give me two parallel edges ( or so I thought) The left hand side of the bottom photo is the edge I ran across the jointer , the top photo shows the differences between both edges using the square from either edge I have no clue what I'm doing wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldman_pottering Posted June 10 Author Report Share Posted June 10 Update : I just walked out and figured I would check the diagonals and they are spot on, I'm more confused than ever now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Von Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 You trust your square? And do you trust how you're aligning it to the edge of the MDF? With a piece this big, I've certainly made mistakes trying to hold a square flush along an edge while trying to trace a line with my third hand. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 Do you have a long straight edge to check the edge you jointed? I’ve never thought MDF a good candidate for that process. I’d rather rig a straight line rip on a table saw, or rig a track for a circ saw. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldman_pottering Posted June 10 Author Report Share Posted June 10 On 6/10/2024 at 10:12 AM, Von said: You trust your square? And do you trust how you're aligning it to the edge of the MDF? With a piece this big, I've certainly made mistakes trying to hold a square flush along an edge while trying to trace a line with my third hand. Von, you are spot on ! I don't know why I didn't think to check the square before, my newest square which I thought was neat because it has this angled plastic piece mounted to it so it rests against the edge of the material instead of trying to have to hold it flush is secured with grub screws and this piece has moved ! I just did the square check and both mine are out ! I feel like a dumbass not even thinking about this first 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Von Posted June 10 Popular Post Report Share Posted June 10 Glad I could help. Been there.... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 @oldman_pottering After many years of similar frustrations, and learning that my squares were not, indeed, square, i got a square from a premium manufacturer that's supposed to be guaranteed square within a gazillionth of an inch or something. And that helped immensely as i now have a true reference square that i can count on both for machine setup and layout tasks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 On 6/9/2024 at 9:31 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said: And that helped immensely as i now have a true reference square that i can count on both for machine setup and layout tasks. https://www.woodpeck.com/woodpeckers-26-and-18-precision-woodworking-squares.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpZWzBhC0ARIsACvjWRNFiDewgFpz6-dQ8zk1_oT1h6BmXdtTK4l4XgrNUBDZmDcRjGS_X7kaAk7VEALw_wcB A link to well made and high price squares. https://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Miter_5000_p/miter5000.htm An incra 5000 mitre that will cross cut panels 24" wide repeatable and accurate for the least money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldman_pottering Posted June 10 Author Report Share Posted June 10 On 6/10/2024 at 10:23 AM, Tpt life said: Do you have a long straight edge to check the edge you jointed? I’ve never thought MDF a good candidate for that process. I’d rather rig a straight line rip on a table saw, or rig a track for a circ saw. I guess I used the jointer because I have no idea what I'm doing. I do have a straight rip jig for the TS but this piece was too big..........................but I also have a straight rip guide thingy that clamps to the workpiece for use with the circ saw After using this gizmo and checking with my unsquare squares I thought this process was garbage too but now I know better On 6/10/2024 at 11:10 AM, Von said: Glad I could help. Been there.... thanks again On 6/10/2024 at 11:31 AM, Ron Swanson Jr. said: @oldman_pottering After many years of similar frustrations, and learning that my squares were not, indeed, square, i got a square from a premium manufacturer that's supposed to be guaranteed square within a gazillionth of an inch or something. And that helped immensely as i now have a true reference square that i can count on both for machine setup and layout tasks. I have since checked a local supplier for Woodpeckers squares but the cost is out of my league at the moment, I will try to get something in the intermediate range On 6/10/2024 at 11:36 AM, curlyoak said: https://www.woodpeck.com/woodpeckers-26-and-18-precision-woodworking-squares.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpZWzBhC0ARIsACvjWRNFiDewgFpz6-dQ8zk1_oT1h6BmXdtTK4l4XgrNUBDZmDcRjGS_X7kaAk7VEALw_wcB A link to well made and high price squares. https://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Miter_5000_p/miter5000.htm An incra 5000 mitre that will cross cut panels 24" wide repeatable and accurate for the least money. Thank you, I do have the Incra miter express but my trouble is having a straightedge to begin with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 @oldman_potteringsome other things to check: Is your jointer fence square to the tables? Is your tablesaw rip fence parallel to the blade? Your tablesaw miter gauge/crosscut sled etc has already been mentioned but I'm in the camp that it should be square to the miter slot. . Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Von Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 On 6/10/2024 at 4:39 AM, oldman_pottering said: I have since checked a local supplier for Woodpeckers squares but the cost is out of my league at the moment, I will try to get something in the intermediate range FWIW, I don't own any Woodpeckers, so may just not know what I'm missing but I bought some mid-range rulers (Pinnacle from Woodcraft, don't know how that translates to your side of the globe) and found them much better than what I had previously from the local big box stores such that I'm content for now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldman_pottering Posted June 10 Author Report Share Posted June 10 On 6/10/2024 at 9:11 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said: @oldman_potteringsome other things to check: Is your jointer fence square to the tables? Is your tablesaw rip fence parallel to the blade? Your tablesaw miter gauge/crosscut sled etc has already been mentioned but I'm in the camp that it should be square to the miter slot. . Good luck yes, all these are set correctly thank you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted June 11 Report Share Posted June 11 Let us know how this goes for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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