Need advice on circular saw guide

[Louis Brandt]

Hello,
I’d like to buy a good circular saw guide. By “guide”, I mean something made of metal on which a circular saw can ride and assure a straight, accurate cut, something that I could use to rip or crosscut a large panel, without having to have a table saw.
I know that Festool makes this, but from what I can tell, the Festool model is very expensive and requires a dedicated Festool circular saw.
Does anyone know of a product like this that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, which does a good job and which works with most standard 7 1/2 inch circular saws? I'd like one which would span maybe three or four feet.
Thanks,
Louis

[David Parker]

Have you looked at the EZ-Smart System on the EurekaZone forum here?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26

I don't know if there are other similar systems to this, but this one looks nice.

Dave

[glenn bradley]

You can get a 50" EZ rail for about $70 and the saw carriage for about $30 and then the other various items that go with it. This is cheaper than the Festool solution but I wouldn't want to start a comparison battle here. I have seen some other solutions that aren't quite as pricey but they do not come close quality-wise. I think if I were not going to commit to going down this road I would just use a shop-made guide till I was ready to take the plunge.

[Darrell Jones]

http://http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=73849&highlight=circular+guide

If this link does not work do a search for circular saw guide. I made my own from this thread and it works great. :)

[Burt Waddell]

Louis,

EZ Smart (www.eurekazone.com (http://www.eurekazone.com)) has sets that start at about $150. The shortest length is 50". The set includes the rail, clamps, saw base and inserts for the base. All you need is a circular saw.

Like someone else said, visit the EZ Forum here on sawmill creek. The forum is an active bunch and will be able to answer your questions.

Burt

[Joe Chritz]

I have the Festool because I like the plunge feature.

Before I had that I did very well with a good blade on a decent saw and a shop made jig. A wide piece of hardboard with a straight plywood piece pinned/glued on top. Run the saw down and instant zero clearance.

I am of the opinion that for guided rails either go all out (Festool, EZ, etc) or make a shop jig. If you use them regularly the captive nature of the saw on a rail is a plus over a shop jig.

Joe

[Bruce Pennell]

If you want inexpensive, and functional. Simply take a length of 1/2 inch ply about 12 inches wide, screw a jointed and faced straight board about 2 inches to one side. Cut with your circular saw against the jointed fence. Now you have a custom saw sled to that saw and blade. Helps with lay out because you now know your cut line.

[Loren Hedahl]

My use of guides has been an evolutionary thing. Early on I used the inexpensive aluminum ones available at home improvement stores for a number of years.

After a time, I had a 100 inch guide made from two 50's permanently epoxied together, a 50, a 30 and a 20 inch guide.

Later these were screwed to 5mm ply and cut to fit my circular saw. This worked great, making them stiffer and easier to use, but the saw still spewed sawdust in my face and all over my garage shop.

Finally, I saw a Festool demo and bought their saw-guides-vacuum-sander, primarily for their dust collection ability. I haven't used my old saw and guides since. I should sell/give them away, including my table saw, radial arm saw, jointer, shop vac and dust collector.

[Jerry Booher]

If you just want a straight edge, consider the eemersontool.com U99 99" All in One Clamp. I have been using one and really like it. Just lock it down on the board after adding or subtracting 1 1/2" from the cut line. Saw follows the aluminum edge.

Jerry

[Bruce Pennell]

Louis I also use Festool, expensive but you get quality. I have the TS 55 with the CT22 vacuam. It is the cats meow, almost no dust, very safe. I keep a 4X8 sheet of foam insulation to put on top of my work bench (helps with dust collection and doesn't hurt your blades) The cut quality is as good as my table saw with a Wood Workers II blade. I find I use the TS 55 for everything, cross cutting, ripping. I like the TS55 its smaller and lighter than the 75. I don't cut much over 2 inch material so the 55 is great for me. My only warning is once you get that kind of quality its hard to stop. You just make excuses to buy more, I think we all do when it comes to tools.
My reason for the TS55 was I'm getting older and don't like cutting 4X8 sheet goods on the table saw anymore (not as steady or strong as I used to be). You may want to check out Makita and Dewalt they have both made copies of the Festool plunge saw. (I don't know if they are in the US yet.) Good luck Bru:D

[Bruce Pennell]

Sorry here's the Video of Dewalt plunge saw. From the UK. Here (http://www.dewalt.co.uk/ontrack/UK/index.html)

[Dave MacArthur]

Ok... THAT looks nice! DeWalt has quite often done a great job on hand powertools, and the quality looked good on the video. If the pricing is good, might give Festool a run. Anyone know the pricing yet?

[Bruce Pennell]

Dave this is a quote from FOG (Festools Owners Group) "did you pay attention to how much the VAT added to the cost of the saw? Plust the saw itself is not cheap, I just checked, the exchange rate is 1 British pound = 1.9486 U.S. dollars, that makes the saw and rail about $550.00 and the VAT ads another $96.00" Hope this helps. Bru remember this is UK price. Current US price on TS55 Festool plunge saw with 55 inch rail is $440 so it looks to be a little higher. That said the Dewalt looks more like the TS75 ($560) still just a bit higher.:rolleyes: