Milescraft 1409 Track Saw Guide - Universal for 7-1/4" Circular Saws, 50" Cutting Range, 2" Depth, Aluminum

I picked this up to turn my circular saw into a track saw without dropping $600+ on a Festool. And honestly? It does the job better than I expected.Setup takes a few minutes the first time around, especially dialing in the offset for your specific saw, but once it’s locked in, it gives you dead-straight cuts across full 4x8 sheets. I’ve used it on plywood, MDF, and even some old warped pine without any wandering, and no chip-out on the clean side.The clamps work well, and I like that it breaks down into manageable lengths so I can store it easily. I paired mine with a Ryobi 7¼” cordless saw and had zero compatibility issues.If you're a weekend builder or even a serious woodworker trying to stretch your budget, this kit gives you a clean, guided cut without breaking the bank.

Why did you pick this product vs others?:I had searched everywhere for an affordable Track Saw since I never seem to be able to get a straight cut, even with clamped guides. There was nothing that I could afford considering the infrequent use it would get, plus I already had circular saws anyway. This expense is well worth the money and actually does the job as well as, if not better than a devoted device. Now I have money left to look at the other Milescraft devices.

I am an amateur woodworker but some carpentry pros I know use high end track saw systems. I think the quality of these tracks is equal. Limitations: placing your circular saw in the base plate has to be done with care so the alignment and spacing from the blade are just right. If you have to take the saw off the base plate, and re-install it, it can take a few minutes. Draw an outline on the base with a sharpie. Also, if you are using a cordless saw and your blade is not parallel to the track, the battery power will drain quickly even if the track system keeps the saw on target, because of friction.

I'm a carpenter by trade. Have been using straight edges, clamps, measure, allow for blade distance, etc for years. It worked. And about as accurate as my day might be going at the moment. Have tried the Kreg Accucut, Rip guides, and the like. Have priced out "real" track saws, and wondered how I might justify such cost for no more than I might use them. Enter the Milescraft 1409 track saw guide. I've watched several of the "tool guys" on YouTube review it, and have used other Milescraft jigs in the past with good success. So, for just over $100, I figured it was worth a risk.First things first. Decide what, exactly, you want a track saw for. For me, I'm going to use it for breaking down sheets of plywood, trimming doors, and the like. Square cuts in other words. Dust collection isn't going to be a big deal for me as most of that type of work I will do outside anyway. I don't anticipate doing bevel cuts either, so I can work around that if the need arises. Why do I mention all of that? Well, if you want good dust collection, bevel cuts, and (something I didn't mention) plunge cuts, spend the extra money and get into a decent (if not top of the line) track saw system.Pros: Kit was shipped in a box within a box, which is important for a tool like this. Well protected. The actual box all the parts came in had Styrofoam dividers, and cushions between the tracks to protect everything from being scratched. Directions are pretty straight forward - with one exception I'll address in the cons - and easy to follow. Parts are all good quality aluminum, well machined. Tracks mount square, and the connectors that hold them together hold them nice and tight. The plate that the circular saw sits on has ample clamping and flexibility to accept either one of the two saws I have. From unboxing to assembly and calibration took me about a half hour. Follow the directions, you should have no problem with getting things right. With one exception ...Cons - Milescraft includes 4 round hard neoprene/plastic bumpers designed to take the play out of the track to saw plate play that inherently exists. Wonderful idea. And they don't include the instructions for how to install them. Glaring error, imo, and why I took off one star overall. Pretty important thing, imo, to ensure accuracy on this tool. Figuring out how to use them actually took me more time than unboxing and assembly frankly. The other issue I have with these bumpers is that they aren't thick enough to put in a staggered configuration (which I figured was the best way) because of the way the channels on the extruded aluminum tracks are designed. They only engage one side. I was on a jobsite when I assembled this so I made it work, but I think I'm going to get some washers (screws holding the bumpers in place appear long enough) and try to extend two of the bumpers down to engage the shorter side of the channel. Still, for as well thought out as this kit seemed to be, imho, they didn't think this one through completely. The other con I found on this - and kind of figured going in - is you have to decide to either dedicate a saw to it and leave the plate on all the time, or come up with a way to attach a stop so that you don't have to re-calibrate any time you remove the saw. There is a stop for the front of the saw, and the back of the saw, but not one for the inside of your plate (left to right adjustment, iow). Having read other reviews and watching video reviews, I already knew that though. It is worth reiterating. One other thing, only right hand cut saws will work on this set-up.Use - Having assembled and calibrated, I was ready to cut. I would suggest (and the directions suggest it as well) to make a practice cut with it before you jump right in and make your dimensional cuts. This thing is accurate if you follow the directions and take care to make sure everything is tuned before you put it to work. I was using it on white melamine shelving material (slick surface stuff) and the few cuts I made as tests to see how well the rubber on the tracks held it in place did well. The included clamps (proprietary to Milescraft's track, btw, don't know how well - or if - dovetail style clamps would work) slide easily in the track slots and were easy to use. I set the track down on my line, and the cut landed right where it's supposed to. Can't ask for much better than that. I had a 24T framing blade in my saw, and there was minimal to zero tearout on the melamine - which is a big deal, melamine tears out easily in my experience. I have no doubt this will work well on plywood, or wider hardwood dimensional lumber in like fashion.Overall - Impressed. I will be ordering the 1408 extender tracks to rip 8' sheets of ply. The connectors hold the track pieces tightly, and squarely. Since I own multiple saws already, I can dedicate one of them to this plate and set it up so I can remove if necessary and put back in place quickly - with some modification. Everything you need comes with the kit. Great value, imo. I figure with the extenders, a few mods, and the fact I already have two saws, I'm into a track saw setup for right at $200. For a frugal pro like myself that's a good deal. This kit is perfect for the avid DIYer who doesn't want to spend $400+ on the Big Boy brands. As with any tool, just make sure you tune it before using it.

Awesome! Works great! Would recommend and buy again. Have used it several times to cut down sheet goods. My next purchase will be the square jig that attaches to the rails. Buying a $400 dollar plus track saw just doesn’t make sense to me.

Fantastic buy! A true as advertised accessory that turns your circular saw into a track sale. Far superior to other products I’ve tried. Easy setup. Straight cuts. Absolutely recommend.

I have the entire system, including the just released square. It is a five star saw guide, but does have its limitations. Here are my thoughts and tips.Accuracy. I just trimmed table tops with the saw and track square. All corner angles were between 89 and 91 degrees. Slop in my saw means it can deviate from the guide strip very slightly, but it is hardly an issue. It is far more accurate and easy to use than any edge guide. Project turned out great.Wonderful for jointing difficult boards to square up on the table saw. I often use it instead of my bench top jointer.Breaking down plywood? A perfect tool.The bad!The saw mounts will slip eventually and ruin your accuracy. In ordered to maintain reliable calibration, you should apply thread locker to all the screws and clamps. If done properly, then casually removing the saw is tedious, if not impractical. Accuracy, however, will be solid.I recommend permanently mounting the saw. I used epoxy to secure my saw to the base and accuracy is 100%.

This was easy to set up. The first cuts were just fine. I noticed the saw was cutting in to the track, the clamps had come loose. Therefore, ruining the tracks. The tracks are now just large straight edges.