Cheap track saw

I cannot believe that I am doing two post in one week. Too much time on my hands.

I have made a number of edge guides for my skill saw and have lusted after one of the fancy track saw sets. My eyes are bigger than my billfold. So I looked around and found people making them from scraps. Now I am a scrap person, so here is my version.

I have an old skill saw , so it is now my track saw. Some people used flat aluminum bar stock, but I did not have any. The big box stores only carry 1/8” thick and I wanted my glide to be thicker – 1/4”. I did have some old plastic counter top material. This is the thick white material you see on food serving lines. A food equipment company is your best source or Rockler for precut ones. I like milling my own. I get a better fit in the track groove. The material works very well in a thickness planer, joiner and a table saw.

I ripped a piece of 3/4” plywood about 8” wide for the track part. Use a good grade of plywood. I placed the saw on the plywood strip to located the dado for the plastic strip to slide in. I used a 3/4” router bit for the dado set at 5/16” deep. Make sure that you position the skill saw so you will have material to cut off that will be your reference edge.

After machining the plastic to a snug smooth sliding fit in the groove I put double face tape on it. This helps hold the material to the saw. I drilled 1/8” diameter holes for a #6-32 flat head bolt on each end of the saw base. All the parts are made. That was easy.

I bought a new 60 tooth, carbide tip blade for the saw. I used my digital angle tool to make sure that the saw was set at 90 degrees. If you do not own one of these tools – go buy one. Cheap and accurate.

The last thing to do is to cut your reference edge. I set my saw depth for 7/8” past the track guide board. I messed up on my first attempt to make the track, but there was enough good area for me to cut a length 4’-6” long and then I made one 8’ long. I took a short section of the scrap of the first track to make a base for the saw to set in. You will have to put another piece of plywood under that to protect the saw blade.

I am thinking about cutting a “t” slot on the underside of the track to use a “t” bolt and knob with a hold down clamps to attach the track to what I will be cutting. I would like to know what you think of that idea.

Well, there is my version. Now back to the shop.

-- "When we build, let us think we build forever." John Ruskin