EZ Smart Guide System...

[Monte Milanuk]

Doesn't look like from the FAQ on their site that they have anything specific for a left blade saw such as the 743K (my newest saw). Which would most likely work better: sacrificing the anti-chip feature and using the 743 w/ the Smart Guide, or using a 'lesser' saw such as my beater Craftsman CS or a Ryobi CS? The 743 at least has some sort of DC on it. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Thanks,

Monte

[Paul Berendsohn]

If buying another cs is out of the question (hey, any excuse for a new tool right?) I'd go with an existing RH saw. As mentioned previously I used a very inexpensive Ryobi at first and it worked just great...

[Harish C. Mathur]

Doesn't look like from the FAQ on their site that they have anything specific for a left blade saw such as the 743K (my newest saw). Which would most likely work better: sacrificing the anti-chip feature and using the 743 w/ the Smart Guide, or using a 'lesser' saw such as my beater Craftsman CS or a Ryobi CS? The 743 at least has some sort of DC on it. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Thanks,

Monte

Monte, I had the same problem. In my case, Dino offered, as one option, to send me another base that works on a LH saws. This was many months ago... so I figured he would have made it available by now. Perhaps he was only trying to solve my specific problem and not planning to take it to market.

In my case, at the end of the day, he and I had a "confusion/disagreement" and so I asked him not to send me anything. Net is I'm disappointed and my guide is sitting unused in a closet in my garage. I have not decided if I'm going to buy a RH saw or get a Festool.

Getting back to your question, In my opinion, I think the anti-chip feature is a major attraction to this or any other guide. Without it, why not just get a inexpensive straight edge or one of the other cheaper guides? If you keep/purchase this guide, I would recommend going with a RH saw over giving up the anti-chip feature.

[Chris Padilla]

Hahahahahah ... oh ... sorry, but that was a good one
....
Hmmm, I see a conflict with these two statements

BTW, The new mid-sized Festool router comes out next month

Jay

Okay, ya got me there. I'm sure the DC is good on the F routers, too. And, quite frankly, routers make a lot more mess than a circular saw but I have 3 PC routers and I do have their DC system (works, but semi-painful to install) and it does the job
so
no
more
routers
for
me!

[Jim Becker]

so no more routers for me!

Ahem...I bet that was what Norm said after the first half dozen or so. I have four and already "ordered" the OF 1400 EQ Plus. "Maybe" I'll get rid of the PC plunger at some point, but you never know...

[Greg Mann]

Gee, I have four as well. I guess that means I'll need to order the 1400 to keep up. (Now about catching up to Jim on my number of posts?? I don't think so. )

Greg

Ahem...I bet that was what Norm said after the first half dozen or so. I have four and already "ordered" the OF 1400 EQ Plus. "Maybe" I'll get rid of the PC plunger at some point, but you never know...

[Steve Clardy]

Gee, I have four as well. I guess that means I'll need to order the 1400 to keep up. (Now about catching up to Jim on my number of posts?? I don't think so. )

Greg

Lol.
I'd have to quite my job to even begin to post with Becker. Then it'd probably take a year to catch up?? Lol
But I got him beat on the router count. Lol

[Chris Padilla]

Line 'em up, Bro...I wanna see those bad boyz in a PIC!!

[Steve Clardy]

Line 'em up, Bro...I wanna see those bad boyz in a PIC!!

Lol. Will do. Camera is in truck outside, about 10 degrees outside. I'll get er warmed up, and shoot you a porter cable line-up there Bro. Chris.
BRB soon.

[Phil Winn]

For the Smart Guide and the Festool--the "cutting line" is one
off-set and one right on the line? Is this an issue?
(How about those tech terms?)
Phil


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[John Miliunas]

For the Smart Guide and the Festool--the "cutting line" is one
off-set and one right on the line? Is this an issue?
(How about those tech terms?)
Phil


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Phil, on either system, the edge of the guide IS your cuttling line. Then, it just depends which side of the pencil mark you cut to.

[Kevin Halliburton]

saw, how do the Festool and this system compare?

I already own a Festool vac and 150 ROS, and find that their
products are well made, but still very-very expensive.

Do these systems work better with a saw or what about using a PC690LR or PC7518 (I own both)?

If the EZ Smart Guide system is the best, where is the best place to
purchase it?

Thanks,
Phil

Festool saws and routers are some of the best tools available for use with the EZ Smart guide. There really is no need to bleed over which system is the best. The way to think about the EZ Smart guide, compared to the Festool guide, is to think of the Festool as a proprietary guide for their excellent tools and the EZ Smart Guide more like a Beissemier fence (on steroids) for every brand and function of tool on the market. The EZ guide is very rigid and accepts every jig, fixture, accessory and doohicky the world can come up with. I have both powered and non-powered tools, in a wide array of brands, adapted to the EZ guides and it works very well with all of them. It gives me portable, precise and repeatable control of every tool I use with it.

I'm of the opinion that if you want the ultimate performance and flexibility in every category, you need to go with an integratable sytem like the EZ Smart. If you decide you like a different brand tool for some operation, or a tool that Festool doesn't even make, the EZ Guide rails will make that equipment behave as well as your Festool equipment. From concrete and Prazi beam saws, on down to your favorite hand planes, the EZ Smart Guide has the potential to make every tool in your shop work a little (lot)better.