I use something very similar as far as the guide. Mine came from a company
called Pro Grip and also has a shoe for the bottom of the saw. I have never
attached the shoe however. I measure the difference between the edge of the
shoe of the saw and the edge of the blade, right at an inch and a half on my
Porter Cable saw.
It can be a bother sometimes. But if I want to take a foot off the edge of a
board, for example, I set the guide at 13 and a half inches from the edge and
clamp it in place. I make sure the edge of the saw is tight to the edge of the
guide and then back the saw away from the board to start it. From there it's
all the same.
Just one way to get the final depth back. Another, and don't take this as an
insult, but I'd loosen the depth adjuster and make real sure the shoe is
against the saw as tight as it can get. You should be able to make a 2 inch
cut with any 7 and a quarter saw and the base shouldn't be more than a quarter
inch thick. That should leave you well able to cut through a 2 by anything.
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Rossi
To: Blind Handyman List
Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 11:23 AM
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] EZ Smart Guide
I have one of those amazingly useful EZ Smart Guide Systems from Eureka
Zone. This is an extruded Aluminum track that you can use to ride your
circular saw on to make very straight cuts. You have to add a special
shoe to the shoe of your circ saw so that the new shoe rides on the groove
of the track.
OK, here's the deal, the shoe adds some thickness, as does the thickness
of the track. Possibly I've got a circular saw with one of the smaller
max depth of cut, but it drives me absolutely insane that I can't even cut
through two by material while using the smart guide. While using the
guide, I can cut exactly 1 and 7/16 inches which means I have to hand saw
that stupid last 1/16 of an inch. Of course it never comes out perfectly
smooth.
Anyway, I am wondering if other people have the same issue. Also, I am
considering purchasing an 8 and a quarter inch circ saw. I've not laid
hands on one yet, but have read about them. Anybody have one? Are they
significantly larger, heavier, or harder to handle than the standard 7.25
saw? The one I am considering has a 3 inch max depth of cut.
--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Tel: (412) 268-9081
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
