What's your experience with Lowe's Cutting?

[dudeogo]

Title says it all. My table saw is really too small for some of the larger pieces of my box and I sure don't trust myself to do them with a circular saw. Is Lowe's fairly accurate about cutting pieces?

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[Beentown]

With what they use it is hard to screw it up.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[garychoffmann 10+ year member]

I believe their tolerance is +/- a quarter inch. Also depends on the calibration of their panel saw. I have seen an 8 foot rip deviate by 3/4 of an inch. I've seen 2 foot rips deviate by 3/16.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Trust me they will still screw it up... When my truck was down I had a 2 12 box to build so I had them make some cuts so I could fit them in my car. Was not happy when I got home.

Pick up a cheap circular saw.

 

[bgowdy 5,000+ posts]

ours lowes cutting here is terrible.... you would be better off using a hand saw

 

[kcr357 10+ year member]

No

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

Lowes and HD are going to be within a quarter of an inch which isn't precise enough for a box. They use rip cutting blades and don't change them too frequently. Also not every employee has the same skill level at operating it. On top of that, the quality of wood is terrible especially during the winter when the air is super dry plus the boards are shipped in with banding so tight they are warped from the get go. The boards at the Home Depot I work at are all warped to shit. Don't waste your time at one of these stores, instead buy your wood from your local lumber shop. They have the abililty to make more precise cuts and the quality and service is much better than a big box retailer.

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

not too shabby. Definitely workable. Cheap too.

 

[shredder2]

IDK what's local to you OP... but find somewhere similar to this...

https://www.woodworkerssource.com/shop/category/wood_of_the_month_domestic.html

If you can't cut your own materials a specialty retailer is your best bet.

 

[Jeffro83]

Just use a skill saw even if you have to set up a guide will still be better than having someone else do it for you most anybody with a little bit of wood working experience can cut straight enough with a skill saw to build a speaker box

 

[dudeogo]

Just use a skill saw even if you have to set up a guide will still be better than having someone else do it for you most anybody with a little bit of wood working experience can cut straight enough with a skill saw to build a speaker box

I've used a circular saw for all of my other builds and just wasn't happy with the outcome. I have a guide we got at Christmas time so I'll try that and I guess I'm Dusting off the truck to go get wood lol

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I've had them go either way. As often as not you find someone who is competent with a saw and if you stress to him the importance of precision and throw him 10$ you'll get accurate.

Otherwise if you plan right and have a router and/or belt sander you can typically work around a quarter inch of incompetence.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Ask them if the saw is square or not. Just get the big pieces cut there slightly bigger than you need or managable to carry and cut the rest yourself at home. Never trust what HD or Lowes has.

 

[JohnKuthe]

I believe their tolerance is +/- a quarter inch. Also depends on the calibration of their panel saw. I have seen an 8 foot rip deviate by 3/4 of an inch. I've seen 2 foot rips deviate by 3/16.

How many long rips have you witnessed? I'm mean aside from flatulence. ;-)

John Kuthe...

 

[aeroportspwn 10+ year member]

I'd cut the wood myself if it were me. Just get a cheap circular saw, if you take your time and put the wood on a sturdy surface it will come out fine. Just don't be in a RUSH RUSH RUSH or you're gonna be off on some of the cuts. I get it, some people cant cut for crap and they have slight gaps on every piece they cut out. I guess if you cut the wood yourself and it comes out like crap, just make another trip back to lowes or home depot and stock up on some liquid nails to fill up dem holes lol.

Here is a cheap saw that is ok for the price. https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/circular-saws/7-14-in-12-amp-heavy-duty-circular-saw-with-laser-guide-system-63290.html