Jon Toebbe
06-11-2005, 10:51 AM
While waiting for the movers to arrive (they've somehow gotten lost three times this morning), I thought I'd dash out a quick review of Dino's EZ Smart guide. Mostly I'll simply point you to prior glowing reviews and say "ditto."
The rail is well machined and sturdy, connecting two section for long rips is secure and straightforward. The zero-clearance inserts coupled with a new Freud Diablo combo-blade produced the nicest, chip-free cuts I've ever seen produced by a circular saw. I knocked together my Smart Table with a quarter sheet of birch plywood, folding legs and some 1x4s from the BORG and immediately fell in love with the versatility -- clamps, measuring/marking tools, diagrams, etc. on the tabletop, workpiece and rail on the 1x4s and my CS perched on the edge of the table between cuts.
The highest praise I can give the EZ System is that it has increased my speed and accuracy by an order of magnitude. As I mentioned, we're moving cross-country today. Before we left, my wife needed me to construct four archeological screens and a plywood triangular prism.* Time was of the essence, and we were right in the middle of selling our home, touching up the paint, selling our couches, tying up various loose ends in Atlanta. With the help of the EZ, I managed to get everything done -- quickly and far more accurately than I could have done "free hand."
Once we get to Denver, I'll be able to work at a more sane pace and really push the envelope of its accuracy building shop cabinets, a lathe stand/rolling cabinet and a workbench. Pictures and (no doubt) frantic questions to follow. :P
My only complaint with the EZ is setting up repetitive crosscuts. It's pure genius for sheet goods, but dimensioning parts is slightly tedious. The accuracy was okay -- it just took a while to measure/mark the line, align and clamp the guide and cut. A CMS with adjustable stop would have been much faster. That said, I'm very interested to see Dino's latest idea...
Sorry about the lack of photos, but like I mentioned -- we were in a hurry. The screens were being loaded into the car for delivery as I finished screwing them together. In any event, thanks Dino, for bringing such a great product to market, and thanks to all you Creekers who helped convince me to give the EZ a try.
Cheers,
Jon
* An odd wish-list? Yes. She was involved in a curriculum development project for a summer science program. One unit is a mock archeological dig -- guess who got to bury the "artifacts?" :rolleyes: The other was on using simple machines. The triangular box will do double duty: something heavy to lift with a block and tackle, and an appropriately sized fulcrum for a 1st class lever.
The rail is well machined and sturdy, connecting two section for long rips is secure and straightforward. The zero-clearance inserts coupled with a new Freud Diablo combo-blade produced the nicest, chip-free cuts I've ever seen produced by a circular saw. I knocked together my Smart Table with a quarter sheet of birch plywood, folding legs and some 1x4s from the BORG and immediately fell in love with the versatility -- clamps, measuring/marking tools, diagrams, etc. on the tabletop, workpiece and rail on the 1x4s and my CS perched on the edge of the table between cuts.
The highest praise I can give the EZ System is that it has increased my speed and accuracy by an order of magnitude. As I mentioned, we're moving cross-country today. Before we left, my wife needed me to construct four archeological screens and a plywood triangular prism.* Time was of the essence, and we were right in the middle of selling our home, touching up the paint, selling our couches, tying up various loose ends in Atlanta. With the help of the EZ, I managed to get everything done -- quickly and far more accurately than I could have done "free hand."
Once we get to Denver, I'll be able to work at a more sane pace and really push the envelope of its accuracy building shop cabinets, a lathe stand/rolling cabinet and a workbench. Pictures and (no doubt) frantic questions to follow. :P
My only complaint with the EZ is setting up repetitive crosscuts. It's pure genius for sheet goods, but dimensioning parts is slightly tedious. The accuracy was okay -- it just took a while to measure/mark the line, align and clamp the guide and cut. A CMS with adjustable stop would have been much faster. That said, I'm very interested to see Dino's latest idea...
Sorry about the lack of photos, but like I mentioned -- we were in a hurry. The screens were being loaded into the car for delivery as I finished screwing them together. In any event, thanks Dino, for bringing such a great product to market, and thanks to all you Creekers who helped convince me to give the EZ a try.
Cheers,
Jon
* An odd wish-list? Yes. She was involved in a curriculum development project for a summer science program. One unit is a mock archeological dig -- guess who got to bury the "artifacts?" :rolleyes: The other was on using simple machines. The triangular box will do double duty: something heavy to lift with a block and tackle, and an appropriately sized fulcrum for a 1st class lever.