Guide Rail for Circular Saw and Router

[Green]

I once reached under a sheet of ply I was cutting to feel if the blade was deep enough... it wasn't thankfully. :shock:

Im sure my name will be listed in the Darwin awards one day.

 

[HeathRobinson]

I like your home made guides Chems. It's an idea that crossed my mind too, having just bought myself a circular saw. That was until I realised the chicken and egg situation that results from not having a means to cut or route a straight enough line yet. The base is, of course, no problem because the saw will cut it off as you describe, just the guide part. One could press the saw up against a factory edge on some offcut I suppose but that would only stop the saw from wondering in one direction. I like the idea of preventing wondering in either direction like your jig does. I opted for a bought guide as a result. I can now make as many guides as I like, but I wanted that first means of cutting a straight part. A chicken and egg situation that many new woodworkers find themselves in I'm sure. I guess there might be a market on here for well made wooden guide systems or a shared guide system that newbies swap with eachother in order to cut their own guides like yours Could be cheaper than the bought ones.

 

[YCF Dino]

Interesting picture - I've been asking since Dino first posted about this as to how it doesn't screw up the guarding, and several devotees have sworn blind it doesn't - you can see there that it does.

Jake,
You have to put your hand in the opening in order to cut yourself.
5 years without any accidents reported...it must be safe.
The base is only one part of a potential accident.
The strong guide rails don't allow any flex/binding.
(The reason for a kickback)

Happy new year guys.

 

[Benchwayze]

It's a shame your not local, I would have been more than willing to give you a demo.

WRT chip free on both sides. Think about how a Zero Clearance insert works on a TS. You need to cover the blade on both sides.

I might be an old 'nanny', but a friend of mine took his thumb off, using a portable, circular saw, without a guide. In those days the surgeons didn't sew digits back on.

Frightens the life out of me when I see them used like this on TV... No names no pack-drill!

 

[wizer]

I do think that a EZ/Festool/DeWalt or even Chems type saw guide is the safest you can be with a CS. It's common sense (sorry) to not put your hands under the thing your cutting/keep wires out the way and to let it stop before you lift it. I like to have my rail long enough to I can park the saw at the start and end of the cut. Without these guides you have more chance of a cut wandering or jumping, etc. None of these powered tools are safe, really, are they?

I mean if your the sort of silly person to rout a chunk out of your finger, maybe you're in the wrong hobby.. :-k :roll:

 

[Benchwayze]

Well the accident didn't happen to me Wiz... It also happened when portable power tools were in their infancy to the DIY'ers.

But from memory, the saw twisted in the cut, and kicked back. The guard didn't retract quick enough and my pal didn't get his hand out the way quick enough. Result; minus one thumb. To me it was akin to ripping on a Saw-table, without using the fence.

I don't tempt providence, but I've had almost 50 years of using machine tools. So far the worst injury I had was a deep cut from my guillotine. And that was caused by snatching my hand away in 'panic'. I dragged my finger into the blade. If I'd kept still it wouldn't have happened.

A good Doctor stitched it well, but when it's cold my finger still stings!!

 

[wizer]

My Dad was once good friends with an extremely skilled and wealthy furniture maker (now lost touch). He had lost his thumb and finger somehow in his work. Everytime me and Dad did anything that might be a bit dangerous he'd say "Remember Dave's fingers".

Seems like I Forgot that in my adulthood. :roll:

 

[Benchwayze]

Hmmm.. A lesson to remember; learning from someone else's mistook!
Empathise with your friend and your Dad sounds like a wiseman.

Which brings me to another piont.. I bought a Trend 'clamp 'n guide'. It didn't work well for me. Lost grip and irt was a real pain to get the thing dead square across a panel.

I am looking at this MDF guide described here, but I might still wind up buying one of those specially designed metal jobs. Any further thoughts Wizer?

cheers.

 

[wizer]

Well everyone knows my thoughts on the EZ smart system and I know there are more happy users (but less vocal) on these ere forums.

The thing with MDF rails is they're bloody heavy and of a fixed length.

What you get from EZ is exactly that, it makes cutting board materials Easy. I don't sign up to his Power Bench idea but, again, others here have and love it. As a system it is marginally safer than the DIY methods.

It's not that much cheaper than the basic Festool system really (depending on whether you buy or already have a saw), but if you buy everything you need at once then I'd say you'd make a substantial saving. Remember, a half decent saw with a good blade can cut, chip-free, on the EZ Smart system.

Those are my thoughts and my thoughts I shared.

 

[Chems]

So the freud blade arrived today, 48teeth on 180 diameter blade looks like a lot. I quickly cut the excess of the guide edge so now have a true edge.

I think I am going to make a slightly longer one in the week at 2.5meters long as the quality of cut from this blade is fantastic and I want to utilse the good technology and its only 3 passes on the router table and I'll have it ready to use.

There is absolutely no need for splinter guard using this, I just did a quick pine cross cut and its the best finish I've ever gotten from any machine, router included.

 

[chippy1970]

Chems,

If the 2.5m is for ripping 8 x 4 sheets I would say you would want to make it a bit longer to allow for starting the saw off and the run off.

Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs


I just bought a long rail for my Festool I went for the 2700 just enough to start with the saw plunged already. Cost me £138 nearly but I am glad I got it before they put their prices up on new years day, the same rail is now £188 ouch.

 

[Benchwayze]

I once reached under a sheet of ply I was cutting to feel if the blade was deep enough... it wasn't thankfully. :shock:

Full marks for coughing (admitting) to that one!

 

[ivan]

I wish I could use a new blade for every cut....until then I'll continue double cutting, back at 3mm to score, and forward at full depth. You do need a retractable riving knife for this though.

To get a really straight edge (factory edges are often mms out) run a guide bearing router bit along an engineers straight edge - the 2M one you set your planer tables with.