Tracksaw versus circular saw and guide

[Mark J]

The manufacturer's intent is that out of the box both guards will stick out too far and then be trimmed to exact width with the first pass of the saw.  I am assuming from your previous posts that you have already run your saw along both tracks.  Was one guard not sticking out far enough to be trimmed to  begin with?  At this point do either of the two guards reach far enough to brush the saw teeth, or is there a gap?  If the guards are wonky they can be easily replaced, and Makita might help you out with that.  

Again if the two sections of track aren't  co-linear that's a different problem.

[Naomi]

Thanks for the help everyone. Here was my first project made basically just with the track saw and a piece of low quality plywood. A Dutch tool chest. Apparently I have a thing for babies popping out of tool chests. Still struggling to maintain square edges. Does anyone else struggle with this? Thanks for looking!

[wtnhighlander]

Nice chest, and nice kid, too!

Trouble squaring along the length & width, or through the thickness?

Do you own a good square to use as reference?

[drzaius]

The customer sure looks happy.

[Mark J]

That's the 'help' mounted up and ready to go to the job site.  

[Naomi]

17 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Nice chest, and nice kid, too!

Trouble squaring along the length & width, or through the thickness?

Do you own a good square to use as reference?

Thank you!!! Length and width. And I also had some kickback on my tracks and tore up the zero clearance rubber. I do not own a good square - been thinking to get a framing square. Do you have a rec for the size? I have a speed square and some combination squares. Also a T-square but nothing so big.

[wtnhighlander]

Size of the square depends on how far you need to mark across the workpiece. Cost isn't necessarily an indicator that a square will be accurate. Test the 'squareness' by aligning it against an assumed straight edge, like the factory edge on plywood. Mark a line along the square's blade, using a sharp pencil and holding the pencil at a consistent angle. Flip the square over so that the fence runs the opposite direction along the edge of the ply, align the blade to the point where the previous line meets the edge, and mark another line. If the square is accurate, the second line will lie directly atop the first. Any inaccuracy will create a V shape between the lines. For a combination square, I think it best to repeat this test with the blade extended at various lengths.

For large cuts, like plywood, you may find a simple straitedge can provide more accuracy than most squares. The back of your saw track should be quite straight. Us it to mark a line on a sheet of plywood. Use nails or screws through a scrap of wood as a substitue for dividers. Mark the first point on the stick, then mark again at 3, 4, and 5 'units of distance' along the stick. The units don't matter (inches, mm, light-years, or angstroms, the principle is the same), you just need marks at 0, 3, 4, and 5 units.

Mark a point near the end of your straight line, then use your 'divider' to mark 3 units along the line.  This becomes the second point of a triangle. Now use the 4-unit point to swing an arc from the 0 mark on the original line, that will cover an area perpendicular to the original line. Now using the 0 and 5 unit points on the stick, anchor at the 3 unit mark on the original line and swing an arc that crosses the previous arc. The crossing point is the third point of the trangle. Use your straightedge to connect the points, creating a right trangle that you can cut with your track saw. Slow, for sure, but not limited to the accuracy or size of your square.

Sorry for the rambling explanation of a principle you may already know. I am just fascinated how these basic rules were used for building amazing structures in ancient times.

[Naomi]

On 12/19/2020 at 5:17 PM, wtnhighlander said:

Nice chest, and nice kid, too!

Trouble squaring along the length & width, or through the thickness?

Do you own a good square to use as reference?

Thank you!!:)
I don't have a nice framing square  - any recs?

[Naomi]

On 12/20/2020 at 6:42 PM, wtnhighlander said:

Size of the square depends on how far you need to mark across the workpiece. Cost isn't necessarily an indicator that a square will be accurate. Test the 'squareness' by aligning it against an assumed straight edge, like the factory edge on plywood. Mark a line along the square's blade, using a sharp pencil and holding the pencil at a consistent angle. Flip the square over so that the fence runs the opposite direction along the edge of the ply, align the blade to the point where the previous line meets the edge, and mark another line. If the square is accurate, the second line will lie directly atop the first. Any inaccuracy will create a V shape between the lines. For a combination square, I think it best to repeat this test with the blade extended at various lengths.

For large cuts, like plywood, you may find a simple straitedge can provide more accuracy than most squares. The back of your saw track should be quite straight. Us it to mark a line on a sheet of plywood. Use nails or screws through a scrap of wood as a substitue for dividers. Mark the first point on the stick, then mark again at 3, 4, and 5 'units of distance' along the stick. The units don't matter (inches, mm, light-years, or angstroms, the principle is the same), you just need marks at 0, 3, 4, and 5 units.

Mark a point near the end of your straight line, then use your 'divider' to mark 3 units along the line.  This becomes the second point of a triangle. Now use the 4-unit point to swing an arc from the 0 mark on the original line, that will cover an area perpendicular to the original line. Now using the 0 and 5 unit points on the stick, anchor at the 3 unit mark on the original line and swing an arc that crosses the previous arc. The crossing point is the third point of the trangle. Use your straightedge to connect the points, creating a right trangle that you can cut with your track saw. Slow, for sure, but not limited to the accuracy or size of your square.

Sorry for the rambling explanation of a principle you may already know. I am just fascinated how these basic rules were used for building amazing structures in ancient times.

Oh wait! I didn't see this! OK i gotta digest this. I also should see if my track is straight. And I need to move the zero clearance material over so I can redo the calibration, as it got chewed up. This looks cool. Thank you!

[wtnhighlander]

Each type of square has some specific uses for which it excels. For furniture construction, I like a combination square, like this:

https://www.harryepstein.com/12-4pc-pec-combination-square-2nd-32nds-mm-and-64ths-mm-7118-e-m.html

The unit in the link includes a center-finder and an angle head that are useful, but not strictly necessary. That site carries such squares with only the standard head as well.

For carpentry / construction, I like a 'speed square', such as can be found in any home center tool department. Framing squares are the big letter 'L' shaped ones. They are great for some functions, but aimed and building construction, not furniture joinery. I find them a bit difficult to use.

[Mark J]

I don't know if it was mentioned earlier, but the accuarcy of squares varries.  Inexpensive ones may be +/- 1*, but appropriate for carpentry.  For furniture usually the more accurate the better, but expect to pay significantly more for a Woodpecker or high end Starrett tool.