M. A. Espinoza
04-24-2006, 3:56 PM
Just an FYI.
Got off the phone with Worx customer service regarding a missing dust port and asked about the guide this saw seems to be designed for.
Factory rep claims it is designed to work with Festool guide rails. Even gave me a part # 491498 that they claim to have set up and tested this saw with. I may eventually buy the Festool track but shopmade guides are good for what I usually use a circular saw. I know Festool has great engineers so I may look more closely at their accessories to see if there are advantages.
The Worx saw is Chinese through and through so I'm not claiming it is Festool quality. I've only used it to build a shooting board based on the groove that this saw has built into the baseplate.
As far as the saw goes it is lightweight and I like the ergonomics that this tool is designed/marketed to be its claim to fame. You can lock the "Revolver" function of the handle to whatever position is best for you or let it rotate as intended.
The blade that comes with it is a cheapie but good for when you don't need finish quality.
One issue this tool so far is that the coating on the bottom is wearing through and I would say this has cut less than ten linear feet. Manual claims it is teflon coated but its wearing like cheap paint. Leaving dark streaks on the material even after waxing the plate. Customer service is looking into this issue.
I don't use a circular saw too often so the $99 price tag was what pushed me over to this tool vs. a Porter Cable. I'm not too thrilled with PC quality lately so to me it was which Chinese saw do I want? Dust collection was a big deal for me as well as weight of the tool and the Worx filled both needs. (except the dust port was left out of the box)
The biggest bonus for me was the guide track compatability, they don't market this at all and it was a total surprise. So it may be possible to ease into Festool system with this saw and eventually replace the circular saw with theirs if needed.
The shooting boards I made (one has a squaring fence attached to the bottom) incorporate a track, nearly eliminating the chance of the saw wandering on a critical cut.
So this is kind of the "ghetto Festool". Worx saw and shopmade guide track. Track made from fall-off 1/2 baltic and scrap maple so no expense.
But even if you bought material you are under $150 including the saw.
Got off the phone with Worx customer service regarding a missing dust port and asked about the guide this saw seems to be designed for.
Factory rep claims it is designed to work with Festool guide rails. Even gave me a part # 491498 that they claim to have set up and tested this saw with. I may eventually buy the Festool track but shopmade guides are good for what I usually use a circular saw. I know Festool has great engineers so I may look more closely at their accessories to see if there are advantages.
The Worx saw is Chinese through and through so I'm not claiming it is Festool quality. I've only used it to build a shooting board based on the groove that this saw has built into the baseplate.
As far as the saw goes it is lightweight and I like the ergonomics that this tool is designed/marketed to be its claim to fame. You can lock the "Revolver" function of the handle to whatever position is best for you or let it rotate as intended.
The blade that comes with it is a cheapie but good for when you don't need finish quality.
One issue this tool so far is that the coating on the bottom is wearing through and I would say this has cut less than ten linear feet. Manual claims it is teflon coated but its wearing like cheap paint. Leaving dark streaks on the material even after waxing the plate. Customer service is looking into this issue.
I don't use a circular saw too often so the $99 price tag was what pushed me over to this tool vs. a Porter Cable. I'm not too thrilled with PC quality lately so to me it was which Chinese saw do I want? Dust collection was a big deal for me as well as weight of the tool and the Worx filled both needs. (except the dust port was left out of the box)
The biggest bonus for me was the guide track compatability, they don't market this at all and it was a total surprise. So it may be possible to ease into Festool system with this saw and eventually replace the circular saw with theirs if needed.
The shooting boards I made (one has a squaring fence attached to the bottom) incorporate a track, nearly eliminating the chance of the saw wandering on a critical cut.
So this is kind of the "ghetto Festool". Worx saw and shopmade guide track. Track made from fall-off 1/2 baltic and scrap maple so no expense.
But even if you bought material you are under $150 including the saw.