Shopsmith Forums

reible wrote:Panel saws are pretty much out of favor now. The newer system of guided (track) saws is a nice choice. I had always wanted a panel saw but it never happened but I did invest in a guide (track) saw system.

The price is going to be hard to take but I'm extremely happy with my Festool set up. Some of the other competitors come close but if you can afford the real thing......... If you do go this way I can point out a few things I think makes things work better.

I have the EurekaZone edge guide system, had high hopes for it but they did not work out. Tried to give it to my son and he didn't like it either so it back hanging on the wall, most likely to never be used by me again. It was a cheap experiment that I had to try. Just didn't work out.

Ed

Ed Reible what Festool did you buy? I completely missed your thread on the Eureka edge guide. What did you not like about it?

Ed in Tampa wrote:

reible wrote:Panel saws are pretty much out of favor now. The newer system of guided (track) saws is a nice choice. I had always wanted a panel saw but it never happened but I did invest in a guide (track) saw system.

The price is going to be hard to take but I'm extremely happy with my Festool set up. Some of the other competitors come close but if you can afford the real thing......... If you do go this way I can point out a few things I think makes things work better.

I have the EurekaZone edge guide system, had high hopes for it but they did not work out. Tried to give it to my son and he didn't like it either so it back hanging on the wall, most likely to never be used by me again. It was a cheap experiment that I had to try. Just didn't work out.

Ed

Ed Reible what Festool did you buy? I completely missed your thread on the Eureka edge guide. What did you not like about it?

If you need my mailing address just say so. You can ship that EurekaZone to me. It seems like a real shame to have it just taking up wall space that could be used for something else.

Guided saw systems all have the same basics. You have a guide that controls where the saw cuts. How they do that varies. On the festool and like systems they have a track and a saw that fits on the track. The track will have accommodations for clamping and have a strip of grip material to help hold it in place. In some cases the grip is good enough and clamps are not needed.

Guides will have some form of an interlocking track system to hold the saw in place by way of the weight of the saw. The saw will have some accommodations for adjusting it to the track without any slop. The track will also provide a slick area for the saw to slide on. It will also have a strip along the cut edge that is trimmed on the first cut to become a zero clearance edge. This strip is replaceable as are the grip strips.

This edge is then a reference to know where the blade cuts and if you align the strip to a line or marks the blade will cut just where that line is. The saw and guide are then a pair if you will with a known relationship.

The guides come in various lengths, they may also be attached to one another to bring even longer lengths. They are normal reasonable light but still with enough weight to be stable. Yes you can damage them so care must be taken with them.

The better systems have plunge saws. The blade is covered until you release the body of the saw so it can plunge in. The depth is adjustable and they often have a riving knife. Variable speed and dust collection as well as a splinter guard are included.

The idea is to have the saw come to the work piece rather then bring the work piece to the saw. Yes you can cut plywood sheet goods on a shopsmith, and yes I have done that many times. You can even do it all by yourself if you have things set up correctly. These guide saw systems are perhaps the better solution for these cuts.

Once you have convinced yourself that you want to go this way it becomes a mater of which one do I go with. For me the Festool was the one I picked. You might hear the this one is as good as a Festool or nearly as good but better, well that becomes it's "better" because it costs less. If that is the "better" you are looking for then by all means go for it.

The biggest flaw in this is the cost. Yes there are cheaper ways of doing these sorts of cuts and I've been there are done a lot of them. None of those ways are even close to how well these guided system work. If you can't afford these systems then you have to go to the "other" ways and live with it, on the other hand if you can afford them I will say yes they are better in all respects except cost. Trade offs, always trade offs.

Perhaps it would be best of I start another thread if this discussion is to continue. I've avoided it in the past because it is bound to evoke some controversy and because a lot of people here will not want to spend the money for Festool items.

Ed

I know that it seems easier to go buy a track saw but for the price of a sheet of 1/2" ply and about 15 minutes you can build one and use the left over money to buy some nice wood for your next project. They work just as well ie they give you a straight and accurate cut for a fraction of the cost.
Paul

masonsailor2 wrote:I know that it seems easier to go buy a track saw but for the price of a sheet of 1/2" ply and about 15 minutes you can build one and use the left over money to buy some nice wood for your next project. They work just as well ie they give you a straight and accurate cut for a fraction of the cost.
Paul

This is my favorite, I've got one in 8', 4', 2'. I also built one 1' for cutting 2x straight. Simple, cheap, and easily replaced. I will typically break down sheet goods on the garage floor with wood set on foam insulation.