Cutting straight Edge on milled boards

[Kudu63]

Hello, A friend of mine gave me a few oak boards that he had cut/dried and I was wondering on what is the best way to get a straight edge on the first pass through my table saw (2400) ? There are roughly about 8' long and 14" wide. I sort of remember reading somewhere that there is some type of attachment you can put on your TS to hold the board in place. Once cut I will run them through my TP1300 for finishing touches.

[BadgerDave]

Here is one fairly inexpensive tool that will do what you want, http://www.woodjigs.com/jointrclamp.htm

[BHD]

another method is to snap a chalk line on the board and cut it straight by hand with a "skil" type saw,

If you doing a lot one can convert a 300 watt halogen rectangle light into a line light by adding some arms on to it and stretching a wire to make a shadow on the table saw in alignment to the blade of the saw and free hand the chalk lined board through the saw, with the shadow you can do a very good job (I have ran literally hundreds of boards through the saw this way to edge them,)

http://www.carterproducts.com/product_list.asp?cat_id=4

I guess now they have lazier ones as well,

come to think of it some of the cheap laser levels have a splitter that shows a line instead of a dot, and it would probably work as well to fasten it to the ceiling of the shop and positing the saw correctly under it,

I would suggest that you line, the laser or shadow up on the fence when it is up against the blade for alignment.

with the line in alignment to the saw blade and the chalk line on the board it is very easy to guide the board through the blade straight, (no it is not perfect but it is close enough to saw the other edge off using the fence or to joint the board straight

[Pipestone Kid]

If you have a straight board or piece of plywood, tack or screw it to one side of your board (overhanging a little) and run that against your rip fence. VIOLA! a straight edge on the other side. HTH
Jim

[Kudu63]

Thanks for all your responses.