New Woodpeckers One Time Tool (OTT) - Track Saw Square

[Ben Rivel]

Just got the email today: LINK (http://www.woodpeck.com/tracksquare.html?_bta_tid=3.AIdT.CFzu1A.FrXz.AZv0h g..As5RDg.b..l.BtDZ.n...dfo6VQ&_bta_c=9njkhqimn8tni90gvlau1pteatnoz)

https://www.woodpeck.com/media/main_tracksquare_2.jpg

Ordinarily I find Woodpeckers OTTs to be overpriced solutions looking for problems, but this one is actually an issue I know a lot of folks out there have and Im considering placing an order for one. Sadly as with all first time Woodpecker OTTs there is no way to know if itll work well as its never been done before.

Im wondering how well it will hold square once set and how much play there will be with the bar in the track slot.

Anyway, what do you guys think? FWIW Ill be using this with a DeWalt track saw system. I am not a Festool guy nor will I be switching anytime soon.

[Doug Garson]

WOW, $99 US! I can't help but think you could make one out of scrap plywood and a piece of hardwood for the slot and a couple of nuts and bolts in under an hour. I agree the Woodpeckers OTTs look well made and functional but often way over priced and simple enough that a shop made version would make more economic sense.

[George Bokros]

I am considering getting one also. My only reservation is have a EurekaZone tracksaw and they do not say if it fits that track. Thinking about calling them to discuss.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

For the materials and craftsmanship it is definitely worth the money. I could see buying it if used frequently or for income. Not to mention no one has come up with a commercial version of this that is well liked (including Festool)- I wonder if this will work as advertised.

However, I already have a nice Woodpeckers framing square that does the same thing. Just need to "re-set-up" for every cut.

As for the OTTs, some are odd and (quite) expensive, but all are kind of cool (even if a little strange). I get their model: they obviously will not sell enough of these to justify keeping in stock. Inventory costs money. Nobody is forced to buy them. But I have indulged on some of the measuring stuff.

[Paul F Franklin]

I have the Dewalt track saw as well. I've just been using a large framing square to serve this function, but it is a bit of fumbling because of the anti-slip strips on the back of the track. I can see where this would speed things up if you had a lot of cuts. But as Doug said...would be pretty easy to duplicate, especially since you have to manually square it to the track anyway. I may try that route.

[Ben Rivel]

WOW, $99 US! I can't help but think you could make one out of scrap plywood and a piece of hardwood for the slot and a couple of nuts and bolts in under an hour. I agree the Woodpeckers OTTs look well made and functional but often way over priced and simple enough that a shop made version would make more economic sense.
The fact that something like this could be very easily made is a valid point. It really is just a flat piece of stock with a miter bar like deal bolted to it. But Im kinda in the "likes to buy prebuilt, metal jigs/fixtures/accessories camp". Still, I have to agree, this product is $115 shipped and that does (as always is the case with Woodpeckers) seem overpriced for what is probably just a big piece of aluminum with a few holes cut out of it, even if it is a thick piece with some rubber coating on it and an aluminum bar bolted to it.

[Bryan Lisowski]

If you have the Festool track saw, they already make this gadget, it's called the angle unit and is actually wait for it, cheaper than the OTT by $1.

[John Sanford]

Looks like another good idea and execution. For those saying "well, it seems mighty pricey for what it is, I could just make one", this is true. The question I'd have for you is this: why haven't you made one before?

Perhaps because you didn't think of it? If so, how much is rewarding someone else for their original inspiration and product development worth?

[Jim German]

Perhaps because you didn't think of it? If so, how much is rewarding someone else for their original inspiration and product development worth?

If you're going to do that, you should reward the first person who came up with the idea, not someone making a very similar product.

Festool makes the angle unit, which is similar. QWAS (http://www.qwasproducts.com/QwasSquare.html)makes one that is basically the same.

Note that I'm not faulting Woodpecker, just that they aren't really innovating here.

[Ben Rivel]

Note that I'm not faulting Woodpecker, just that they aren't really innovating here.
I thought that was funny too, just wasnt going to bother commenting on it. That said I dont think many of Woodpeckers products are original. They seem to mostly make at best their "original take" on a function of a tool that already exists. Or a product that is a solution looking for a problem sold with clever marketing. I dont blame them for that as half of sales it convincing someone they need whatever it is your selling. Combine that with a sense of urgency and you have yourself a sale. Id just never try to pass their products off as truly original concepts.

[David Bassett]

Makita has a miter guide for their tracks. (Which may or may not fit the Festool track, as the tracks are similar, but not identical.) It isn't designed to lock to the track. It indexes the outer track slot and has a scale to set any angle. I'd assume it it less rigid and accurate than the Woodpecker square, but it supports any angle. A quick browse on Amazon suggests the Makita Miter guide's street price is $60-65.

[Mike Nguyen]

There are 2 problems with the way I use the Festool track saw with this OTT. 1st, the knobs may interfere with the floor when I cut sheet good on the floor on top of the foam and the 2nd is I can't clamp the track at the rear. I guess I just have to use their nice big framing square.

[Stew Hagerty]

I would like to admit right up front that I am a big Woodpeckers fan. In I've never added up how much I have invested in their tools. Not because I don't want to know, but I NEVER want my wife to find that scrap of paper or do a pencil rub on the desk where I wrote it all down!

Suffice it to say that I have a Wall of Red.

The point that I want to make here is that Woodpeckers Tools is no different than Festool, Lie Nielsen, Lee Valley, Blue Spruce, Incra, Bridge City, Bad Axe, Benchcrafted, Blum, Gramercy, and all the rest of the myriad of high quality tool companies that we are so very lucky to have today. Companies which are dedicated to making excellent tools for woodworkers have contributed greatly to the resurgence in our craft.

You know what... The same thing could be said about each and every one of those companies I listed. They are priced too high. Are they?

How many of you own Festool? For me, they are priced much too high when I can get a very good quality tool (with the exception of the Domino) from another company for far less money. But then I also have that Wall of Red, so who am I to judge.
Take Lie nielsen & Lee Valley. Their tools are not priced the same. One company has this tool with it's features for a given price while the other company has an "equivalent tool" with slightly different features for a different price. But, I think we can all agree that both of those planes would be vastly superior to the modern Stanley. But guess what? Yeah they're more expensive. Bad Axe & Gramercy saws are AMAZING! And yes, they too are more expensive than a Crown or Pax saw. And yes, there is a good reason why.

So I agree. Yes Woodpeckers Tools are pricey. I'm glad they are, because otherwise I would have had to purchase a whole lot of lesser quality tools. Everyone has there own ideas as to what they are will to spend more on. For those things, you are more than willing to pay more.

[Stew Hagerty]

I thought that was funny too, just wasnt going to bother commenting on it. That said I dont think many of Woodpeckers products are original. They seem to mostly make at best their "original take" on a function of a tool that already exists.

Funny, isn't that Lie Nielsen's and, possibly to an even greater extent, Lee Valley's philosophy with their hand planes? Or do you fault them as well?

[Ben Rivel]

Funny, isn't that Lie Nielsen's and, possibly to an even greater extent, Lee Valley's philosophy with their hand planes? Or do you fault them as well?
Sure, but my comment was in response to a claim that Woodpeckers should be rewarded for their originality and the fact that they followed through and created the product. Lie Nielsen and Lee Valley arent rewarded for their originality, they are rewarded for their quality. Two different things. And no this is not to say that Woodpeckers isnt quality stuff, I own a bunch of it myself, this is again in response to the claim I mentioned above and nothing else.

[Stew Hagerty]

Sure, but my comment was in response to a claim that Woodpeckers should be rewarded for their originality and the fact that they followed through and created the product. Lie Nielsen and Lee Valley arent rewarded for their originality, they are rewarded for their quality. Two different things. And no this is not to say that Woodpeckers isnt quality stuff, I own a bunch of it myself, this is again in response to the claim I mentioned above and nothing else.

Ahhh. I understand, apologies. Although... In John's defense, he did say:


how much is rewarding someone else for their original inspiration and product development worth?

Granted, I don't normally think of that as "rewarding" a company. Rather, understanding and accepting the R&D component of their pricing.

[John Schweikert]

Those are great points. Woodpecker could add an extrusion underside to allow the use of clamps.

I'm also not convinced this track square couldn't be easily bumped out of square with the mount only being a single square rod in the bottom slot. Seems an additional brace topside to the left of the rail would also help to lock it all in. It doesn't take much out of square for a cut to be off. I like this OTT but would rather make one with extra features to make it even more useful.


There are 2 problems with the way I use the Festool track saw with this OTT. 1st, the knobs may interfere with the floor when I cut sheet good on the floor on top of the foam and the 2nd is I can't clamp the track at the rear. I guess I just have to use their nice big framing square.

[Frederick Skelly]

For those saying "well, it seems mighty pricey for what it is, I could just make one", this is true. The question I'd have for you is this: why haven't you made one before?

Perhaps because you didn't think of it? If so, how much is rewarding someone else for their original inspiration and product development worth?

Hi John.
It's as you said - I just never thought of it before. But their original inspiration and development isn't worth $100 to me. Not for something that easy to make, now that they've showed me their clever idea. I understand that YMMV.

Aside: See, I bought a couple of their 2" wide rules and a square last year. I just haven't seen enough value in any of them to justify what I paid. (And I LIKE nice tools - that's why I bought them.) No more WP for me.

Regards,
Fred

[Mark W Pugh]

I am considering getting one also. My only reservation is have a EurekaZone tracksaw and they do not say if it fits that track. Thinking about calling them to discuss.

EurekaZone has their own device for this application. I have one, and it works great.

[Mike Heidrick]

Dewalt makes a 90 degree and a variable degree one of their setup. I use the variable and it works fine.

[Ole Anderson]

I have exactly three Woodpeckers products, a router lift, a clamping square and a mini aluminum and SS marking square and I like them all. I looked at this newest offering, but decided that my no-cost piece of 24"x24" plywood (squared with the 5 cut method) with a bottom cleat works just fine for squaring up my Grizzly track saw, thank you.