I made this square for my DeWalt and it works great. One mod I'd recommend is to overhang the top piece of ply by 12mm so it rests on the workpiece and prevents the square from tipping.
Peter, I just ordered a new Makati track saw and your series on them has been exactly what I needed. I think I’ve seen ever track saw video on RU-vid and have a pretty good understanding of them but you filled in all the “blanks” plus a lot more. I must add this, you evidently are an “Educator” or have a natural talent for teaching. Mikey
Great idea. You can also offset the top portion so it will rest on the face of your material instead of hanging down, and you can cut or drill holes to lighten it as well. Built something like this several years ago for my TS55. Lots of people have copied it on pinterest.
I would like to see someone make one that just butts and clips to the rail but has a fence that sits under the track, this would allow more cutting length.
Kudos to you Peter. I will be making one of these. I really would like one of the premium rail squares but was never going to buy one. They are perfect for daily users but too expensive for the average garage hero. This is a nice compromise and gives me an excuse to make something useful. Thank you. I have learnt so much from your channel. It is a joy to watch 👍🏻
Thanks Peter, great idea. I think a lot of us have just had a “why didn’t I think of that” moment. I tried the Triton rail square a while ago but couldn’t get it to be consistently square (well not without a lot of faffing about). Your extra piece of ply butted up against the back edge of the rail so simple and so clever.
If you can't find the track joining bars, the small mending plates at the hardware store fit in most T-Tracks. I like to use the brass ones as a little sanding on the edge allows the mending plate to fit snuggly in the T-Track. Thanks Peter! Love your videos!
A lot of contractors do rough, finishing and joinery work. So, there is always room for cheaper, less than perfect, and consumable tools depends on the application
I have been using a 12" speed square with my Makita track saw which so far has worked well. I will be making one of these to use as it would be more convenient and probably more consistent. Great tip on the latch setup!
Before I saw this I made my own. Did not occur to me to use a piece of joiner bar. Just used two bolts with heads that slipped nicely into the track. There was a bit of slop, but I squared it to the rail and tightened the bolts and it's been fine. It's a spare rail and I just leave it on. I may add the second layer for extra security. And I may add two slots to allow for clamps below. So far it's worked a treat.
Excellent idea for the first time user and d.i.y.er. And yet again Ralph at Benchdogs shows what a top bloke he is...I just bought some fence dogs and rail dogs for my mafell saw, and I swear the fit and finish has improved from the last lot I bought....and they were excellent!
Just treated myself to 2 1.5m sections of makita rail - planning on modifying the base of my Parkside saw to fit under the anti tilt lip, making myself some improved joining bars and going to make this to go with it!
Parkside owner here. I made something like you did, but used metric strews and nuts. The slide groove on rail is just a little narrower than a M8 nut (across flats) - about 0,5mm. I used an angle grinder on nuts :) to fit them inside the groove.
Peter I have to say you are a very smart person this is a great idea I have just bought an erbauer plunge saw this is the ideal accessory for it thank you.
I've just made one of these this afternoon for my Makita. I've been frustrated for years with triple measuring and fudging my way to what turn out to be not square cuts. Wow what a difference this tool makes! Initial set up wasn't too bad and the first few pieces I've cut have been bang on, measured across diagonals and also spot on. I'm actually confident now that I can slap the saw down and cut a perpendicular without hassle. Thanks!
I’ve been eyeballing a rail square for a long time. But this has just sold me before I invest. Making on of these and if I use it enough I’ll buy one but omg I’m making one of these today! Thankyou!
Hi, Peter loved this idea of making a square for my track saw but I got too lazy to make it. The Detroit track saw that I bought is very similar to the Makita with the anti-tip lip & therefore similar to the Festool. Therefore this weekend I bought the FS-WA ($215Aud) thinking that I could modify it to fit, I even thought I may consider buying the 800mm Festool track ($155Aud). Well, I picked up the FS-WA as nobody had in stock well it fits in perfectly in my Track with no sanding or cutting off the underside groove.
Awesome little accessory. I'm about to get a Makita track saw but ordering a rail square from overseas to Brazil is extremely expensive these days. That will save me a lot of trouble and money. Thank you so much!
I am looking at your tracksaw workshop playlist. No idea what each episode is about. RU-vid loves helpful video titles, they're used to help with YT and Google searches.
great video again, already have a rail square but you have just given me all the ideas for making a parallel cut jig using the same principles - thanks!
What a great idea, nicely done 😁. 20mm male knob...ding 😂🤣😂. I hope you remembered to put "Mrs 10 minutes cotton reel" back. You don't want to be held responsible for any unfinished quilting issues 😂. Thanks for the video Peter 😁👍
This is perfect. I have the erbauer track saw, with 2 x 700mm tracks. I occasionally need to make cuts up to 1800mm long, so bought a pair of evoloution 700mm tracks (which are compatible). This would give me up to 2800mm of straight line, more than I can think I'd ever need. I can 'sacrifice' one of these 700mm tracks to permanently attach this project to, and still have 2100mm of other track.
That's very good. I use a section of an 18mm cupboard door for mine and have messed about with UKJ Parf(ugh!) Dog Rail Clips on the top T-slot to hold it firmly to the rail. I might adapt mine to this method tomorrow, while playing with my new Benchdogs fence and flagstops.
Exellent tip, Peter! Great and simple solution. And since I bought my Titan track saw as a returned and repaired product, the splinter guard is all out. I haven't prioritized fixing that just yet, as the saw has quite a lot of slack in the depth joint. This was pointed out by Tim at Timshowtomake. So, I am not certain I can get the desired accuracy out the Titan saw. Anyway, great video, and thanks for sharing.
Thanks Goran. Yes, I saw what Tim posted - crazy amounts of play in that joint - and on both saws as well! Quality control on these later saws doesn’t seem as good as on the earlier ones, unfortunately. 🤔👍
@@10MinuteWorkshop By the way the link for the Excel HD connector bars was dead when I tried, but they were easy to find on the tools4trade site once I realised there's also a wee typo in your list. www.tools4trade.co.uk/excel-universal-guide-rail-connector-with-bar-for-plunge-saw.html That is by far the best price I've seen and they're the good kind which use dual bars to avoid marking the track with the grub screw - you saved me at least a tenner just with that, so thanks again!
Love your stuff, Peter. My favourite channel by far. Greets from Frankfurt - please keep going... your great ideas combined with that nice voice always put a smile on my face. Thank you so much :)
Very lightweight amateur here, my Makita track saw is the third most essential power tool I have after combi drill & driver - even more so than palm router / trimmer (though that may change if I ever win the lottery and splash out on a router table for it)
i made my own joiners using aluminium bar stock cut to length drill and tap for a couple of set screws and they’ve been good for years made up three sets for half the cost of one set from festool
Oh... And on the topic of track saws. If you get hold of a DeWalt one, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. It apparently has a parallellogram hinge doohickey in stead of a single point. Most reviews out there are for coarser types of jobs. Not like you use the track saw.
Thanks Goran! Yes, the DeWalt is on my radar but they seem to hold their value well. I’ve used one, wasn’t particularly pleased with the plunge, but lots of muscle-memory of the other type for me! 😂👍
Hi Peter - So while currently isolating due to a positive Covid test i though i would try out all the "thats a great idea" things i have been noting from you. So i set up in the garden as its cold but dry, I made your DIY square, Home made rail square and your conversion for making fleece bags reusable :-) I am pretty good at DIY but not so great at woodwork so was an interesting challenge. The final results seem great but that was at second attempt ! main lesson learnt is to be accurate and check everything. It seems my square was a little out - less than 0.5 degrees at the right angle - but over 450mm thats around 4mm ! unfortunately i set up my rail square suing the square (i did check this but simply not the the needed level of accuracy). This came to light when i tried to run my plunge saw around an off-cut to make a square and kept getting slight wedges, never square :-( Long and short I started again with the rail square and set it up to a digital square, then used this to trim my 90 degree square. both now seem more accurate, and certainly good enough for someone who does odd jobs, not makes furniture. Oh and for cutting the poly pipe for the bag sealer i screwed down both ends to an off-cut and cut the slot using a saw blade in my dremmel and sanded, seems to do the trick - bags on order so we will see, but im pretty confident. Long comment but i just wanted you to know people do try out your things the best we can with what we have, and although we make mistakes we try again and learn and so "we" say thank you for a great channel
Thanks Stephen! Somehow all these kind of finicky things are always harder to get right when you’re working outside! Glad it went ok in the end though, and thanks so much for letting me know! 🙌👍👍
Hi Peter great videos really hits the mark Fyi I use a Lidl plunge saw, but with a Triton variable square, think it was £30 added a washer to make it tighten them all done Does 90 degree and angles beyond that 😉
Great video just bought the latest bench dogs square that now uses two bolts to tighten instead of Allen key happy with it can also say that it will fit the rails off the budget Macallister track saw as well no problem. Plan to make one of yours as well for fun. Thanks again for the vids
Brilliant video as always, Peter. I enjoy your style and just watching you work. I just "took the plunge" and bought a Makita corded track saw kit with the 55" rail. And two Powertec 55" rails that I will simply leave assembled for cutting longer work. Also, I purchased a couple of Wen rail clamps which were the least expensive ones I could find. (I thought it interesting that Harbor Freight did not have those.) We can't seem to get the "supermarket" saws here in the United States, outside of the Wen brand. I decided to go with the Makita vs. the Wen for not only quality purposes but because the Wen I think uses a proprietary track. Also, DeWalt uses a proprietary track if I am not mistaken. So - my first order of business will be to make a rail square. What is keeping those blasted Amazon drones with my order? He, he.
Really enjoy your videos as they are so practical. I particularly like this for its simplistic approach. I think I will make this and add a couple of 20mm dog holes so that I can add dogs and use it any where on the MFT and save a few hundred dollars for awhile till I buy the Benchdog model for my Makita track.
I think I’ll have to make one of these for my new-to-me HKC55! Just got it slightly used from a local chap here in Los Angeles. Added a 1400 rail to the mix(already had the FSK420 rail) but it’s already proving to be a great investment, not to mention so much more mobile compared to a table saw. However, looking at the TSO rail square(the PE version), I’m kinda thinking “oy, this is getting a bit spendy!” So I come across your channel, and find this while enjoying morning pour over. So here’s a shoutout from sunny Los Angeles, and thanks for the next weekend project I’ll be tackling!
As usual Sir .. great video ... Excellent addition for the budget tracksaw user .. I took the plunge on the parkside when you did the review .. it’s great entry unit done loads with it ... now saving for the upgrade probably be festool... 👍🏻
That’s excellent Peter 👍. Although I’ve got a TS55 & a couple of guide rails, I may make one of these as I can’t really justify the cost of the others for the amount I’d use it.
Fantastic idea Peter. Love that. I have a short homemade track I use for rough cuts. Think ill make for that as well ill just screw it on. Love the O ring idea...👍👍👍👍
I bought the hkc55 with the rail, it’s great, cuts perfectly square but the finish isn’t good enough for joinery. I’ve got the makita rail ‘square’ but it’s as good as useless, there’s no way u could rely on it for repeatable square cuts so I reckon I’ll try making one of these and see how I get on with it
Many thanks. Nice and simple. Being in possession of lathes, pillar drills etc, I can make all the parts myself. Very useful. I must also make some clamps for my rails.
Very good, just purchased the dewalt saw which is generally excellent, but the rails and joining bars are a big let down I must say. Still I’ll be making one of these 👍
Great vid Peter, thanks - as an owner of a scheppach track saw, it’s good to know there’s a potential for improvement on the accuracy side, will be signing up now...
Thanks! The thickness of the rail and anti-slip strips is usually around 5mm, the height of the t-slot is around 16mm, though as I say in the video rails do vary and measuring your own will give the most accurate result, obviously. 👍👍
@@10MinuteWorkshop I could tell by that twitch and the sparkle in the eyes, as well as that serial killer smirk that says things we cannot write in here! 😳 🤣🤣 bwahahahahaha🤣🤣
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