Wood Mag :Rail-guided Circular Saws

[Jerome Hanby]

Just flipped through the newly arrived issue of Wood Magazine. They had a review of rail guided circular saws. The covered Festool, DeWalt, and Makita. The also listed the price for each one. I always assumed that the Festool would the much more expensive model, but the price is right there with the other two. And for another hundred or so, you can get the big Festool saw and the longer rails. Seems like a no brainer.

[Rod Torgeson]

Haven't seen or read the review by Wood magazine yet but I got the system from Peen State a few years back when I was building my cabinets for the house and it works great. I mounted the plate on a dedicated circular saw and have not removed it since. It is very accurate for breaking down sheet plywood. I believe the price at that time from Penn State was a hundred dollars. It comes with a short rail and a long rail. The plate has ball bearings that ride along the rail.

Rod<---in Appleton, WA

[Jerome Hanby]

I've got the same system, just the saw carriage, haven't picked up the router base. I paid about $100 also (from Amazon). It's the best thing since sliced bread for me. I had several weekends of work to do at my folks house and left it there and it's absence paralyzed me at home, I couldn't work up the will to mess with other methods of breaking down sheet goods:D

I can't believe I waited as long as I did to attach the hardboard to the bottom of the rails. Knowing exactly where the blade is going to fall without having to measure is three times as speedy.

Only things that makes me a little envious of the Festool (or similar) system are plunge cut, dust collection, and not having to manipulate the blade guard. Since I break down sheet goods outdoors, dust collection isn't a major issue and so far the other two things aren't worth the money to me.


Haven't seen or read the review by Wood magazine yet but I got the system from Peen State a few years back when I was building my cabinets for the house and it works great. I mounted the plate on a dedicated circular saw and have not removed it since. It is very accurate for breaking down sheet plywood. I believe the price at that time from Penn State was a hundred dollars. It comes with a short rail and a long rail. The plate has ball bearings that ride along the rail.

Rod<---in Appleton, WA