EZ Smart Cabinetmaker

[Burt Waddell]

For the past few months, many of you have heard Dino and myself speak of the EZ Smart repeaters and the EZ Smart sliding square. These two working together make the EZ Cabinetmaker. Dino is making several short videos on different portions of the EZ System. The latest are on the cabinetmaker. Here is a link to the video's http://eurekazone.com/gallery/Cabinet-maker-in-action

[Burt Waddell]

I find this hard to believe. 258 view and no comments. Everyone must have been involved in a yahoo group this week.

[Dino Makropoulos]

Burt.

Are you talking to yourself?:rolleyes:
Delete your post and forget about it.

Or, post some pictures of your work.
http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=35539 :cool:

I'm highjacking your thread: cool:

[Bruce Lewis]

I find this hard to believe. 258 view and no comments. Everyone must have been involved in a yahoo group this week.

I know how you feel, Burt. I've had several posts do that. I just delete them if no one responds after a day or two.

I'm interested in the EZ Smart system for cutting panels. I have a one man shop and wrestling sheets of plywood over my table saw is just a disaster waiting to happen, I think.

I have an old B&D circular saw (made in 1969 but never used -- I just took it out of the box last week) that I think would work well for that. It certainly won't cost me anything for the saw (I inherited this). I'd have to drill holes in the shoe of a brand new PC 325MAG (I'm just worried about voiding the warranty) and I'm reluctant to do that.

What's the minimum I should start out with to cut panels from 4x8 sheets of plywood (and sometimes 5x5)? I have a cutting table. But my straight edge system just doesn't work very well. I get off square and "wavy" cuts sometimes because I think my straight-edge is bowing or slipping a bit (even clamped to the board).

I think I need something to rip a full 8' sheet of plywood. My current rig will only work on 4 foot spans and that leaves no room for entry/exit.

So, I'd need the 100 inch guide (that doesn't leave but 4 inches overhang) and the EZ Square?

I don't make that many repeat cuts. Usually not more than two of a single panel (2 sides, top & bottom). The back panels are different wood altogether (I build custom and reproduction musical instrument speaker and amp cabinets, BTW).

I use my table saw a good bit. Right now, since my panel cutting with my circular saw is somewhat hit or miss, I do rough cuts with it then cut to final size on my table saw where I'm sure I can get an accurate, square, straight cut. It would be nice not to have to cut each piece twice.

[Burt Waddell]

Bruce,

Thanks for your post.

I've found that the cabinet maker is the easiest approach to panel cutting. Using that approach, you cross cut first and then do the rips. Using this approach, you need the cabinet maker with a 64" rail. The 50" rail will reach across the 4' sheet but the 64" gives room for you to start and stop the saw. For the 5'x5' panel you may want to add a 12" or so piece to the 64" piece.

If you want to be more traditional in your approach and do your rips and then crosscut, you will want a second repeater (one comes with the cabinet maker) and a 50" rail.

Probably the smartest way to select the equipment is call Dino at the number shown on the web site www.eurekazone.com (http://www.eurekazone.com) Tell him exactly what you would like to do and he will help you with the appropriate equipment and clamps.

The PC Mag 325 is the saw of choice for the EZ System. I haven't heard of any having warantee problems because they drilled the base of the saw for the EZ base.

From what you said, my guess is you would need a 50" rail, a 64" rail, a 12" rail, a set of repeaters, a square, a saw base, and a couple of Smart clamps.

Burt

[Bruce Lewis]

Thanks, Burt.

I've been looking over Dino's site most of the evening trying to figure out what rig to get.

Can you tell me why I'd need two repeaters? I understand one can give you the cutting width you want and the square can keep it square for you. What's the other repeater for? Would I not use the square when I use the two repeaters?

Cheers,
Bruce

[Burt Waddell]

Bruce,

Two repeaters are used for making long rip cuts. Example: You need to make 4 pieces 96" x 11" from a full sheet of plywood. Join the 64" and 50" rails to make long rail. Put a repeater at each end, set them for 11", and rip as many pieces as you would like - no measuring required.

When you are using the square, you only use one repeater.

One place on the web site you want to visit is Dino's gallery. It has the latest tools and a good bit of prototype stuff for EZ Smart. To get to Dino's Gallery, First go to the photo gallery. As soon as you get into the photo gallery you will see "Dino's Gallery" in green print. just click on that.

Hope that helps

Burt

[Bob Noles]

Bruce,

I see you too live in the Atlanta area. I have the PC325 and the ez system. I don't make cabinets, but have most of the components Dino offers in my shop. I sold my TS last week as I beleive there is nothing I could do with it that I cannot do with the ez system and do it safer and with less tool storage space.

If you need to see the system first hand, I would welcome a Creeker visit.

[Mitchell Garnett]

I'd have to drill holes in the shoe of a brand new PC 325MAG (I'm just worried about voiding the warranty) and I'm reluctant to do that.


Just fyi - I first used the EZ Smart with my old Sears "Pro" (circa 67) circular saw and then decided to buy a new 325MAG. I did drill and tap the holes as you note. When I took it in recently for a recall, the shop said they didn't consider the holes a violation of warranty; of course someone else's experience might be different.

Mitch

[Dev Emch]

Bruce,

Two repeaters are used for making long rip cuts. Example: You need to make 4 pieces 96" x 11" from a full sheet of plywood. Join the 64" and 50" rails to make long rail. Put a repeater at each end, set them for 11", and rip as many pieces as you would like - no measuring required.

When you are using the square, you only use one repeater.

One place on the web site you want to visit is Dino's gallery. It has the latest tools and a good bit of prototype stuff for EZ Smart. To get to Dino's Gallery, First go to the photo gallery. As soon as you get into the photo gallery you will see "Dino's Gallery" in green print. just click on that.

Hope that helps

Burt
Hmmmm.... Nothing and I do mean nothing beats the rich and smooth and hard nature of an old school plaster job. I do indeed hate drywall with a passion. It stinks. Even the compound is horrible. If my stomach could handle latex, I could eat the compound as a cure for acid reflux.

So modern plaster jobs use steel lathe and old plaster jobs use wood lathe. Some say the steel is better. Well, after dorking with both, here is what I found. The steel stuff is very flimsey and hard to attach in a solid mannor. It also confuses stud finders making cabinet attachment hard. And its relatively easy to pull off the wall. Roofing nails just dont hold this stuff very well and its hard to nail it onto studs solidly. Lastly, should I ever need to saw into a wall, at least with wooden lathe, the holes are easy to saw and accurate and hold their shape to make repair easier.

Wooden lathe is held on using 8P Ring Shank nails. Tuff Stuff! And the wall is already nice and rigid and true before I even begin the two base coats of plaster. If your doing this work for yourself, wooden lathe is the way to fly! That and two way hardwall & sand followed by calcoat finish plaster for the third layer.

So I am searching for this lathe. I found two places and after looking at this stuff, I could barely use it for fire kindling yet alone plaster lathe. Talk about a quality issue! So thinking about this, I found that by ripping 2x6 Doug Fir 8 foot framing timbers into lathe, I not only got the lathe I would consider excellent quality but I also saved bucou buckerinoes on the three rooms I need to do.

So here is a job I doubt the EZ system would wish to tackle. Rip one bunk of 2x6 framing timbers into quarter sawn or rift sawn 1 1/2 in by 3/8 in plaster lathe in 8 foot sections. The first phrase out of your mouth would be... HEY JUNIOR, DOING ANYTHING?

This is a job for a table saw or more correctly, a straight line rip saw. My plan is to use a table saw with a power feeder from my shaper to complete this task. You cannot ask someone to rip a whole bunk of 2 by lumber into lathe with a circular saw can you? But a tablesaw or better yet, a table saw with a feeder attached would be the way to fly. Be done with this job in an afternoon esp. if I can snag some high school student this summer to help me.

So I think the table saw will always have a place...

[Dino Makropoulos]

So here is a job I doubt the EZ system would wish to tackle. Rip one bunk of 2x6 framing timbers into quarter sawn or rift sawn 1 1/2 in by 3/8 in plaster lathe in 8 foot sections. The first phrase out of your mouth would be... HEY JUNIOR, DOING ANYTHING?



So I think the table saw will always have a place... ln my heart?

Dev.
You got more wood? :D
You need a straight line rip saw to get the first straight edge. Now you need to deal with a crooked board with a straight edge. Good luck.

On the other hand, the ez one, you can set the repeaters to 3/8" and cut fast as you can walk.
No measuring-no clamping-no pushing the wood- no need for a feeder, trucking back and forth etc.

http://eurekazone.com/gallery/album02
Good luck Dev.
Just make sure the DF it's OK for plaster lathe.:D :D

[Bart Leetch]

"On the other hand, the ez one, you can set the repeaters to 3/8" and cut fast as you can walk.
No measuring-no clamping-no pushing the wood- no need for a feeder, trucking back and forth etc."

I agree with Dev some things are meant to be done on a table-saw. Let the young guy hand the board back to you & shoot it back the the power feeder. Also let the young guy stack the lathe. Neither of the people doing the operation will walk as far as the one person operating the EZ smart. One pushes the other receives & hands back then stacks the cut lathe & on it goes. You end up with a nice neat job & most of the saw dust is sucked up by the DC.

With the ES smart you walk back & forth over & over & over
again spewing sawdust all over the place & every once in a while you'll need to stop a gather up all the pieces you've cut & stack them. The other way its all done at the same time with not near so much walking, so essentially far fewer moves.

Each tool excels in its own way & in some ways one is better than the other.

[Dev Emch]

I spent or should I say my computer spent about four hours downloading those Dino videos. Hey, I have slow dial up service. I even need to use a modem. You guys remember those things?:p We are not inline to get DSL for a few more years. When you live in the sticks and avoid paying city sales tax, you got to take the lumps with the bumps.

Anyway, the EX or ES or EX thingie looks like a handy tool for doing some operations. I can see its virtues. But I am not selling my table saw(s) in exchange for one. Each tool has its plus points and minus points.

[Dino Makropoulos]

"
I agree with Dev some things are meant to be done on a table-saw. Let the young guy hand the board back to you & shoot it back the the power feeder. Each tool excels in its own way & in some ways one is better than the other.

I agree with that Bart.
The combo of a feeder/ tablesaw is better.

[Burt Waddell]

Hmmmm.... Nothing and I do mean nothing beats the rich and smooth and hard nature of an old school plaster job. I do indeed hate drywall with a passion. It stinks. Even the compound is horrible. If my stomach could handle latex, I could eat the compound as a cure for acid reflux.

So modern plaster jobs use steel lathe and old plaster jobs use wood lathe. Some say the steel is better. Well, after dorking with both, here is what I found. The steel stuff is very flimsey and hard to attach in a solid mannor. It also confuses stud finders making cabinet attachment hard. And its relatively easy to pull off the wall. Roofing nails just dont hold this stuff very well and its hard to nail it onto studs solidly. Lastly, should I ever need to saw into a wall, at least with wooden lathe, the holes are easy to saw and accurate and hold their shape to make repair easier.

Wooden lathe is held on using 8P Ring Shank nails. Tuff Stuff! And the wall is already nice and rigid and true before I even begin the two base coats of plaster. If your doing this work for yourself, wooden lathe is the way to fly! That and two way hardwall & sand followed by calcoat finish plaster for the third layer.

So I am searching for this lathe. I found two places and after looking at this stuff, I could barely use it for fire kindling yet alone plaster lathe. Talk about a quality issue! So thinking about this, I found that by ripping 2x6 Doug Fir 8 foot framing timbers into lathe, I not only got the lathe I would consider excellent quality but I also saved bucou buckerinoes on the three rooms I need to do.

So here is a job I doubt the EZ system would wish to tackle. Rip one bunk of 2x6 framing timbers into quarter sawn or rift sawn 1 1/2 in by 3/8 in plaster lathe in 8 foot sections. The first phrase out of your mouth would be... HEY JUNIOR, DOING ANYTHING?

This is a job for a table saw or more correctly, a straight line rip saw. My plan is to use a table saw with a power feeder from my shaper to complete this task. You cannot ask someone to rip a whole bunk of 2 by lumber into lathe with a circular saw can you? But a tablesaw or better yet, a table saw with a feeder attached would be the way to fly. Be done with this job in an afternoon esp. if I can snag some high school student this summer to help me.

So I think the table saw will always have a place...

Dev,

My thought is use the best tool for the job. When we start a kitchen, we typically do some where in the neighborhood of 2,000 linear feet of ripping hardwood in preparation for doors, moldings, etc. For this purpose I have a unisaw equipped with a Stock feeder and its sole purpose in life is to do this kind of ripping.

On the other hand, I've decided that the EZ cabinet maker is a better way to process the plywood for casework. I also enjoy using the SRK for a lot of the routing but it hasn't eliminated my 5 router tables with stock feeders.

At this point, the EZ system is an infant. It is growing and developing. I think that a lot of old timers like us are going to be surprised at where it takes woodworking.

Just today, Dino posted a method of using the SRK as a duplicator. Works great! A few years ago, I purchased a arm for one of my veritas router tables so that it can be used as an overarm pin router for light applications. The SRK can do everything this router table attachment can. I don't know the current cost of the arm from Lee Valley but my guess is $175. The SRK sells for $125 and has a host of other uses.

I'm working on a routing center for Dino that will offer some applications not currently available from any other company.

Dev, I know that unless it weights at least 10 tons it isn't a tool in your sight. Plug in a fresh brain cell and join the rest of us as we watch this wood working revolution unfold. I bet it will even come up with something you like - Not 10 tons - but still something you will like.

Smile

Burt