OT: Table Saw

Hi Don... I saw your same suggestion down stream but didn't comment. My circular saw is ~30 years old... I bought the same saw I saw a contractor using to butt together post's at my mom's house. Nice and light and with a solid plate/ boot(?) Hitachi C7SB (I went to the shop and looked. I could only find the C7SB2 online, :^( much too snazy)

George H.

Ah, one of those NEW fangled things! My (side driven) saw is over

*60*! (Aug 1954) Can't even buy blades for it anymore! (different size arbor) IIRC, it was used to *build* the house I grew up in.

In it's (steel!) carrying case, mine is 25 pounds! By comparison, the "heavy" wormdrive ~18 lbs. :-/ I guess weight is relative? :>

Are the sides of the shoe "cut square" (i.e., like they were cut out of a piece of flat steel)? Or, are they "curled up" (which leaves a less defined edge)? E.g., the front and rear edges of the shoe on mine are curled (to glide over imperfections that the saw is approaching *on* the lumber) but the sides are very well defined edges.

If you use a shallow guide (like a thin, flat bar), curled sides tend to "walk" a bit so you don't get a nice straight cut unless you pay special attention. The square edges (mine) let you just push the saw along the guide as there's no "tangent" issue to resolve.

I currently use a scrap length of cold-rolled 1/2"x1" (or, maybe it's

3/8x3/4?) that I used for shelving supports (it's near impossible to find heavy duty shelving support hardware that's cosmetically appealing. E.g., to support adjustable, oversized shelves in a walk-in closet).

It's stiff enough that a pair of clamps 8 feet apart are all you need to keep the saw on a straight path! Works good as a guide when making dados and rabbets with the router, as well!

(Used this approach to trim some plywood roofing we'd installed; while *on* the roof -- no worry about measurement errors from cutting it before installing! And, some 8' long rabbets and dados in a tall cabinet I made)

It'll kill me to go shopping for a replacement saw. I've got a boatload of hand/power tools (what I really need are toolboxes!!) so should *welcome* the opportunity to "live with one less"! (still have the wormdrive) Isn't there a point where we're supposed to start DOWNSIZING?? :<

OTOH, tools are sort of like *cables* -- when you need one, you really need the *right* one!

Snow melt, yet? ;-) (our next crop of citrus is already pollinated, etc. back yard smells like "sugar" from all the blossoms. And, front yard smells like grape soda from the TX Mtn Laurel blooms)

Yeah, I know... I'll call you when it's 115 and we can compare notes :-(

--don

The track saw solves your above problem. The blade hits the same point no matter what the bevel. That's what they're for.

For 8' lengths one can put to 4' tracks (really more like 55") together or buy an 8' track.

The track saw track can be used to guide a router, as well.

Rockler.com HarborFreight.com

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Depends on your skill level. And the quality of the edge you are following. You've got to keep the bar perpendicular to the edge and the edge fence snug. And if you don't have a straight edge to start with, all bets are off.

I have an extruded aluminum straight edge. High enough to hold a skill saw against but low enough not to interfere with the saw itself. Clamp it to a board (both ends) and it gives a good straight edge. As long as the saw doesn't wander.

--
Paul Hovnanian     mailto:Paul@Hovnanian.com 
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Probably best to keep this kind of thing between you and your  
internet service provider.

I have had good luck with the predecessor of this