Circular saw guide?

[JDuke]

There are several guides to keep circular saws on track.

What is the best one.

I already have a dewalt track saw for wood, just got a worm drive Skilsaw with metal cutting blade for metal, now I’m looking for tracksaw performance from it.

What guides are good and will work with a worm drive with blade on the left?

Thanks
Duke

[stav]

I'd go with a self built one.  I had one and then bought a track saw for a deal used. The track saw is nice but I don't see a lot of benefit over the self built one I had before.

[JohnnyEgo]

I used two pieces of melamine shelf board screwed and glued together for years. Cheap, fast, and effective. I've moved on to Festool, but I am bought into their whole system. If I were to do it again, I might give more thought to Mafell.

Don't immediately recall any other 'bring your own saw' system other than the Eurekazone, which has been discontinued. The Kreg system is not quite a track, but does allow you to use your own saw as well.

[R Clark]

Somewhere around 2000 or so, I bought an extruded aluminum straightedge/cutting guide; it came in two pieces that could be joined and also had two small c-clamps for positioning.  It's an Empire brand tool that I bought at Lowe's, IIRC.  Inexpensive and works well.

Here's a similar tool:  Cutting guide

I used that cutting guide in conjunction with my router to edge joint long boards before I had a jointer.  I've also used it to cut sheet goods.

I still use that cutting guide, primarily to true up edges on long boards/slabs that are too heavy or awkward to run across the jointer.

[MstrCarpenter]

Are you looking for a guide to cut sheet metal? I've used a typical wooden saw guide for that (1/4" ply with one or two guides glued & tacked on top). I use a couple long lengths of angle iron clamped (or bolted) back to back for long rips; as in up to 20'. For things like bar stock, square tubing, and angle Iron, I just use a speed square as my guide. Sometimes I clamp it for accuracy but mostly to make sure the back side of the blade doesn't nick either side of the kerf. That is the fastest way to spit off carbide. The brazing holds the tips well as long as they're being pushed against the saw teeth; not so well when the force is trying to pull them off. It's a quick lesson when you're cutting 6" x 6" x 1/2" angle iron.

[KC]

Somewhere around 2000 or so, I bought an extruded aluminum straightedge/cutting guide; it came in two pieces that could be joined and also had two small c-clamps for positioning.  It's an Empire brand tool that I bought at Lowe's, IIRC.  Inexpensive and works well.

Here's a similar tool:  Cutting guide

I used that cutting guide in conjunction with my router to edge joint long boards before I had a jointer.  I've also used it to cut sheet goods.

I still use that cutting guide, primarily to true up edges on long boards/slabs that are too heavy or awkward to run across the jointer.

I have half of the same thing.  Lost one piece at some point years ago.

[Gary G™]

Building a guide for a circular saw is super easy.
I really don’t see a reason to purchase one.

[JDuke]

I’ve used home built guides and I have a track saw, you may not be, but I’d rather have a guide that’s light like the dewalt aluminum track and also locks the base to the track.

Not planning to build my own.

[meackerman]

my FIL just used an appropriate length level for ever....he was a contractor for 50+ years building custom homes.  running his saw against the level worked for him.

next step up would be a long enough piece of 1/4" plywood, maybe 8-10" wide with a another straight piece of 1/2" - 3/4" plywood maybe 2" wide glued to one edge, run the saw plate against the plywood shoulder cutting the 1/4" plywood to fit your saw.

after that you get into buying something.

[packerguy®]

I bought a true track system a few years back. I was a bit hesitant cause of the asking price, but after taking into account its American made I pulled the trigger.

It has been fantastic. Very impressed and was easy to mount the carriage to my Milwaukee corded saw.  I was going to get a Festool 55, but just couldn't stomach the cost for the 2-3 times a year I could use a track saw. 


https://www.truetracsaw.com/