Going to Build

EZ Cut off Saw

I have been in the process of re-organizing my shop. I have been making lots of changes, hopefully for the better. I recently got a new circular saw, a Mikita 5008MGA to replace the WORX I bought initially to use on the EZ system. I was not all that satisfied with the WORX. On the EZ base, it just missed cutting1.5" stock (even after I did some fine tuning to the depth control parts). And it was not all that solidly built, it tended to flex during a cut (from side to side, slightly changing the angle of the cut from 90 degrees.

However, the WORX does have a slot in the base (to the European standard distance from the blade). Not using the EZ base would allow me to cut 1 1/2" stock on the rail. When the saw is used on a rail without the EZ base, the blade is too far from the edge to use EAC-1 for anti-chip and aligning cuts. I decided to make a shop built EAC and then use the WORX on a shop built cut-off rig.

I didn’t have any 1/2” UHMW and didnt have a piece of 3/4” UHMW long enough, so I planed a piece of 3/4” solid PVC trim down to 1/2” and used the table saw to mill the piece. Yes, I still use my table saw for some things.

With an edge for the rail, I then started to design the system for raising the rail to put the material under it. My first thought was to use two 3 1/2" door hinges, but decided that they had too much play. I then settled on a version of the EZ Bridge, but with only one end hinged. I built this from spare parts that I had saved from other designs.

I used Dinos trick (from the SSRK) for mounting two rail sections perpendicular to each other. I had some conformat screws the right size, so it was EZ and fast.

I soon discovered that this setup had too much play, but I realized that if I added a "fence" to push the rail against to keep it square to the squaring fence, the play would not be a problem.

After using this setup to make some test cuts, I realized that sometimes, if you didnt get the rail firmly down on the material, it could actually push the material away from the squaring fence during the cut.

Back to the drawing board. I went back to the door hinge idea since I now realized that a little play could be countered with a fence perpendicular to the squaring fence. But since the double pivot points allowed the rail to move toward and from the squaring fence, I decided to go with a single hinge and change height of the rail by moving the connection point up and down.

The height of the rail is changed by loosening the top two knobs and setting the top of the UHMW block according to the scale that is attached to the upright rail section that the hinge unit is mounted to.

I also built a stand to set the saw on. It has a slot to hold the blade and blade guard. even when they are fully extended.

Here is the rail set to cut 3/4" stock, and when the rail is flipped up when not in use.

Soon, I hope to have shop to the point where I can do a piece or two about the new layout.