 |
|
Features:- Universal: works with all right blade circular saws...
- Integrated: Works with all right bladed circular saws ever made. Corded or cordless
- Precision: your positioning line is your cutting line. This is not an edge guide.
- Modular/Extendable: There is no need to buy 4 feet, 8 feet, and 12 feet guide sections.
- Portable: even if its the heaviest and strongest guide on the market
High Price for Low Precision:
I bought this system after much research and consideration of other systems out there. I often have to build cabinetry for customers and have been looking for a way to save time and money in doing so. Unfortunately, the EZ Smart Guide System has wasted my time and money. While I applaud the company's concept and their attempt to make a precision cutting system than can adapt to off-the-shelf circular saws, the execution of that concept falls well short my personal value vs. cost ratio. These are the major problems: There is at least 1/32" play between the Smart Base (that is the interface between the saw and the Gide Rail) and the Guide Rail. This makes for imprecise cuts and an uneven trimming of the anti-chip edge, which in turn, makes lining up the guide to your marks imprecise. It also reduces the effectiveness of the anti chip edge. I was cutting melamine coated fiber board and even with a 60 tooth blade the material was chipping badly. As an earlier reviewer mentioned, when joining sections of the Guide Rail it is difficult to get them lined up to create a continuous straight line. I have to say that I was getting as precise a result using my $20 straight edge from Home Depot and a gauge block as I was using the EZ smart-in about the same length of time. In addition to the Gide System, I also purchased their "Smart Square" and Cabinet Repeater. The Smart Square attaches to the under side of the Guide Rail empolying the same type of extrusions used to join Guide Rail sections and is meant to speed up the cutting process by only having to measure along one edge of a panel. In theory, it should square itself to the guide each time it is tightened. In reality I had to manually square it each time I changed it's position on the rail and no matter how tightly I secured it to the rail it would go out of square each time I would set the apparatus down-an enormous waste of time. The Cabinet Repeater is an indexing guide for making repetitive cuts, but once again the sloppy execution of a clever design makes for a useless accessory. To be specific, there is a swing arm at the end of an adjustable track with an adjustable truss head screw that is meant to act as an index for successive cuts. The problem is that the screw is not tapped perpendicular to the arm so that if the arm moves in its rotation between cuts, your boards will be a different dimension. While the EZ Smart Guide System is fine for ripping down bookshelves it is simply not precise enough to be useful for cabinet making. Part of the problem may be the fact that circular saws are essentially framing tools and are not designed with that level of precision in mind. I feel like my money would have been better spent on a Festool. I'm hoping they will make good on their 30-day money back guarantee.
Great tool:
I can't say much more than the other reviews. I wish I would have bought this one a long time ago. It is a very easy to use, safe, flexible system. I'm not even considering buying a cabinet saw anymore (for what I do, others may have a valid need for one). The customer service is great, and the product itself is wonderful. If you can try one out or you want to try mine :) you won't be sorry.
Best Saw Guide I Have Ever Used:
The Eurekazone EZ Guide System is the best saw guide I have ever used. The guide's main advantage is that it prevents the wood shattering that often occurs on both sides of a sheet of plywood when cut. The basic setup will easily cut up a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood. The addition of the cross cut handle make quick, accurate 90 degree cuts across a sheet from the factory edge. The guide quickly lines up directly on your "cut" lines, avoiding the offsets of other saw guides, and the easy to use clamps hold it securely. The EZ Guide System is made of quality materials and can be expanded to cover many applications to cover numerous job requirements. The add-ons include such items as a router guide, cabinet cutting gauge, use as a trimming table, and an entire cutting table. The basic saw plate comes with a guide, but custom base plates are are available for many circular saws currently on the market. The saw base plate comes with two inserts that will prevent wood shattering with the guide or reduce it when free sawing. Check out their web sites for video demonstrations and setup of the guide. (...) Check out my plywood cutting table that makes cutting plywood sheets a snap with this guide. (Shop Tips Section of (...)
Great Product and excellent support:
I am fairly new to woodworking. I bought a used Rockwell Table Saw but frankly was scared to use it. Pushing the hand towards the blade and then seeing some table Saw accidents on Youtube was no fun. I came across the Eurekazone product. I was a little hesitant in the beginning but due to their "No question ask 30 days Return Policy", I ordered the product. With the new Hitachi saw, I was right into business, cutting some narrow strips for some Garden Lattice using Cedar wood. The clamping system worked great. I then used it to cut plywood and wanted an easier mechanism then using the clamps for every cut. The Easy square (another of their product) cam to rescue. I now use that to cut plywood without clamping the stock. I have not yet used it on hardwood but again this is the saw and the blades' ability and nothing to do with Eurekazone guide system. Although the manual is very childish (just photocopies), the wealth of "how to" videos on Youtube makes up for this shortcoming My only complaint is about the bevel cut and the depth of the cut. You need to use second slot of the rail for bevel cuts. When you do this, the cuts are no more flushed with the guide rail. You need to do a test cut and figure out the distance from the rail. (I accidently used the same slot and cut the rail !!!). I also cracked the Ac-2 insert trying to do the bevel cut. The instructions were not clear that you need to take out the insert for bevel cuts. Dino, their main guy and owner was kind enough to send me a replacement insert. Bevel cuts is one place where I feel Festool wins (but it is way too expensive and you are locked into their products while Eurekazone gives you the freedom to pick and choose). Their support is top notch and Dino takes real passion in helping you out. I replaced the stock blade on my circular saw and it cuts even smoother. If I had to do again, I would probably buy a bigger 10" saw as you are very limited by the depth of cut due to blade size. To get a little more depth, you can glide the saw along the rail instead of on the rail - but I personally do not like this approach. How easy is a bigger saw to handle, I do not know. Next I am going to try their SRK - the router guide system. The good things is, it is an extension of what I already have, it uses the same rails - creativity at it's best ! I highly recommend this product. Wishlist - Make the instructions more professional. Dust collection for the saw is good but has room for improvement. This is a great product specially if you are cutting sheets of plywood. This does not mean it does not excel in cutting strips of wood. Great accuracy, top notch support and safe way to cut the wood - What more can you ask for !
Good, Not Great:
I too was initially impressed, but that enthusiasm faded. Evidently I did not connect the base properly, and the cut was not "Zero Clearance" nor was it chip free. It was about 1/16 of an inch short on all cuts. That is no problem really, just make the cut 1/16" wider. They sent me a modified base that would work better on my saw, as well as a new set of inserts all around. It appeared that customer service is excellent...at least at first. The responded promptly the first time, but it has been hit or miss since then. I think they factor in the cost of these extra inserts into the cost of the original unit, based on the number of reviews I have read where initial set up may have not turned out so good. As for not responding to my emails, they told me it might be a Spam filter that was preventing my email from coming through....so I started emailing directly through the web site...still no answers. My problem is that I bought the 100" system, and one guide rail ribs are slightly larger than the other. The Router attachment will glide effortlessly along one rail, but binds terribly on the other, making it unusable. I cleaned both rails just in case there was some residue on them with no help. I totally removed the locking screws from the router base, and still it would not glide on the other rail. It is like one rail is a few thousandths wider than the other. I have emailed this problem to them a number of times. He told me I needed new rails...but I really don't know what that means. Do they send them to me, do I have to send the old ones back, who pays...kind of frustrating. I also later noticed that one edge on each rail is not square. Not a huge problem, I just took a magic marker and made a carpenters triangle along the back so I know which ends to connect together. I have not installed the new guide and inserts yet, I had an accident on my table saw. Great timing!. I still have all my digits, just had to get 7 stitches due to a nasty kickback. Believe it or not I am still pretty much satisfied with the product. It is much safer to use than my table saw for large sheet goods. I doubt it will ever replace the table saw (even after my accident!) but it is definitely safer, and if the new inserts and base plate work as I hope they will, almost as accurate. I will just take the rail to my machinist friend and see if he can mill the rib down to an acceptable tolerance for me, that should alleviate the binding problem, then maybe this will work as I envisioned it for long rabbets and dadoes on large cabinets. I'll also have him cut the edges perfectly square. I don't think I should have to do this but I can't let my projects sit and wait...things need to get done and too many emails have gone unanswered. One word about design- Evidently Eurekazone is on to something. Festool and Dewalt have released similar products. They obviously see the benefits and safety of this type of system. Dino's design is so simple, and at times almost primitive, but any one who appreciates ingenuity will love this. I could care less how a product looks, or if it is designed to be attractive (The Festool and Dewalt systems look great). This is backyard engineering at its best, functional and so simple it doesn't require 50 pages of directions and cute little icon sticker to highlight what a knob is used for. The fact we can use the skillsaw we already have instead of a $700 plus system is another bonus. Hopefully I am the exception to the rule, and the only one with these problems because the tool has excellent potential and it is nice to know it is manufactured in the US. Overall, I would recommend it, just don't expect perfection out of the box. The price is reasonable, and it is much more accurate than any similar home jigs I have made, and is much cheaper than the new designer brand offerings. ******************* This is an update. The folks at EZ made my original problem right by sending out two new rails. The router kit works fine now. In addition, the more I have used this the more I like it. It is much safer than my table saw, and I have been able to rip some oak rails and stiles for a cabinet I am building. The cuts were accurate to within well under a sixteenth of an inch and clean and chip free. The original problem I had with the 1/16" off was my fault with set up not the guide. I have since cut up some full sheets of 1/4 ply on the mark. I also trimmed a door that was a tad too big with this system yesterday, something I would never have dreamed with a conventional circular saw and straight edge. My plan is to slowly build a full system and eventually get rid of the table saw. One kickback and too many shop teachers with missing fingers is enough to make me at least consider an alternative and the merits of this system.
|
