Archived from the Tools In Action forum (In The Shop). This thread is read-only.
it’s called the “Lestool”
I have a straight edge similar to that. Just clamp and go. And a fraction of a track saw in price
For sheet work I just clamp my 6′ level to the wood. I know the distance from the side of the saw plate to the blade so when I measure I just compensate, clamp the level down, then run the saw along the side of the level. I want to get the Kreg Rip-Cut but haven’t bothered to buy it yet. The level works great and that means I couldn’t justify the purchase to myself. Sooner or later I’m sure I’ll get it, but for now the level works fine.
The cheapest alternative is to use angle iron or flat bar stock. Before buying the 6′ level I used to use the angle steel from a bed frame. Anything straight that’s at arms reach is always good enough for me.
you are correct anything with some strength that won’t flex will work, oh and by the way save your money on that kreg rip cut jig or at least try it somewhere, I bought it fastened my circular saw and took a cut…….removed my saw and sold it……didn’t care for it at all doesn’t do anything more than your 6′ level is doing now and it felt real cheap….
I started with something similar before buying the Festool many years ago. I ended up buying some phenolic plate and made a guide for router and skilsaw and attached them to base of each tool. Worked great. I tried 1/2″ thick UHMW but found for the router it would not work because even 1/2 thick pulls. Was fine for the saw.
I need to get busy as I have plans to build a track for my Fein metal cutting saw. Thanks for reminder !
Clamping tool guides are nice but I’ve never bought into them because more often than not I’m not making square cuts in sheet goods, with angles too extreme for a clamping guide.
Instead I think I’m going to invest into a set of Swanson Savage straight edges with the nonslip friction base.
I would never pay full retail for these guides either, I got 3 different sizes (24″ 36″ 50″) from my good friend regopit a couple years back for a song….well pretty much shipping cost…..I don’t think I have used all 3 sizes yet….
The only thing with the Kreg is whether or not I’d actually like it over buying something like a set of Emerson clamp guides. A lot of people say that the Kreg doesn’t work well with their saws, or they just plain don’t like it. I just watched a vid earlier about the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh clamp guide, for their price it’d be an easy thing to buy and try. I am a man of lazy means, if I can get away with something simple and cheap I do it…usually because cheap and simple always works best for me. Might convince the wife to take a trp with me to Harbor Freight and see what they have.
I’m perfectly fine with using my level, but any chance I can swindle the wife into buying me tools I go for it.
Never used one, so my question is: can you make angle cuts with it? Looks like it only works for straight across (If clamped down anyway) cuts.
I can make angled cuts with the level clamped to the wood, accuracy is probably not too perfect. The very few times I needed an angled cut from sheet goods though it worked out well enough to not notice any tiny miscue in degrees. I was checking out the Harbor Freight clamp, says it can do up to 22.5°. I’d imagine if you were crafty enough to make a couple of correctly-angled blocks to use with the clamp you could clamp at any angle. That would probably require more math than any of us want to do though…
Two C clamps and it cuts any angle and is as accurate as the two marks you put on the wood 🙂
Same method as even the most expensive tracksaw. Even my Festool works with way. The only advantage to the Festool is you have extrusion slots under the track to us with proper clamps.
plus the festool is zero clearance cutting as well right?
Yes, I guess when I said the only advantage, I was talking about how it clamps for angle cuts. Most track saws require you to manually set your angle.
The Festool cuts right up to a rubber strip under the track even if you are cutting at an angle so there is no tear-out on the top towards the saw and minimal on the outside if I am running the outer splinter guard. Of course its also locked to the track so you cant mess up and drift away from the track.
I am sure what you have will work great. You can always build a sled for your saw and have zero clearance with the base of the actual sled.
I got a clampable expandable straight edge from empire that works pretty good, just square it up clamp it down and cut her down
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JimboS1ice wrote:
10 hours ago, JimboS1ice said:just square it up clamp it down and cut her down
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I guess that clamp don’t last long……..
comp56 wrote:
12 hours ago, comp56 said:I guess that clamp don’t last long……..
ahhaha nice one, yeah Jimbo, gotta watch your sentence structure there LOL
I have the cheap man’s dust extractor, it’s an old Dirt Devil free from a customer, that’s i’ve been too reluctant to part with since i got it free and now i feel like i’m stuck with it haha
comp56 wrote:
4 minutes ago, comp56 said:
Wait what happened to “grammar Nazi”? Wasn’t politically correct huh
I think we can all agree @JimboS1ice is kitten.
@comp56 I used one of those clamps for router dados awhile back but never for a circ saw. Ima just wait for a flexvolt track saw to come out.
The more I use a Festool Track saw, I have to say there is no way a straight edge guide and circular saw will give you the same accuracy of cut. No I’m not just saying that because I bought one. I only bought a clamp on guide and own 4 circular saws. The Festool is a shop supplied saw, but every time I use it, I say I have to buy one these.
SetBuilder wrote:
5 hours ago, SetBuilder said:The more I use a Festool Track saw, I have to say there is no way a straight edge guide and circular saw will give you the same accuracy of cut. No I’m not just saying that because I bought one. I only bought a clamp on guide and own 4 circular saws. The Festool is a shop supplied saw, but every time I use it, I say I have to buy one these.
I spent most of Saturday using mine. Cutting underfloor sheets and plywood. Love it.
comp56 wrote:
On 3/13/2017 at 10:32 PM, comp56 said:
JimboS1ice wrote:
On 3/13/2017 at 10:37 PM, JimboS1ice said:
Cat puns?!?!?!?!?! Cat puns?!?!?!?!?! What the heck happened to this place?!?!?!?!?
SetBuilder wrote:
5 hours ago, SetBuilder said:The Festool is a shop supplied saw, but every time I use it, I say I have to buy one these.
Without a doubt the best tool I have ever bought. Never missed a beat and it gets used a lot.
I love all Festool products but this really is their crown jewel of tools.
whats the deal on the festool track saw router that you pull and it moves the router a set distance?
ChrisK wrote:
14 hours ago, ChrisK said:
Cat puns?!?!?!?!?! Cat puns?!?!?!?!?! What the heck happened to this place?!?!?!?!?
Only on TIA!!!!
Jronman wrote:
11 hours ago, Jronman said:whats the deal on the festool track saw router that you pull and it moves the router a set distance?
Yep, that’s slick!! I believe @ChrisK may have done a video on his YouTube last year but I can’t be 100% sure on that
KnarlyCarl wrote:
11 minutes ago, KnarlyCarl said:Only on TIA!!!!
Yep, that’s slick!! I believe @ChrisK may have done a video on his YouTube last year but I can’t be 100% sure on that
I thank you very much 🙂