clampless circular saw guide

[Andy Pullen]

After recently using a Festo saw and guide at work I must admit I was quite taken with the way the guide had rubber strips stuck to the underside so it could be used without clamps, really neat idea. Messing about in my workshop later with some homemade guides made of mdf with a batten routed down the center i was wondering what i could use for the same effect and rummaging around i came across some self adhesive foam tape that is sold by Carroll tools for their range of drum sanders. it is 75mm wide so I split it into 3 strips and fixed it to the underside of the guides. Crikey it really grips, immovable in fact yet you can just pick it up and move it. It costs £1.50 a metre and obviously you can make your guides to suit whatever without any massive outlay.
Just thought someone else might like to use the idea. Regards Andy

 

[mailee]

Hey thanks for that Andy. I have just been thinking about the self same thing. I have a guide like yours made out of laminate and thought I might rout a couple of grooves under it and pipe silicone into them but your idea is much better and quicker by the sound of it. Can you tell me who sells the tape? Thank's

 

[Andy Pullen]

Carrol tools sell the backing foam tape at £1.50 a metre. They have a website http://www.clickspeed.co.uk/cgi-bin/espsearch.pl and the product is coded as SANC4 for the standard drill press drum sanders. The best way to contact is by phone at the moment on 0800 923 0150 as the website seems to be a bit iffy due to illness apparently. I used three strips because i made my guides double sided but two would do for a single side. I have also placed the outside ones so the saw just trims them first time out then they will give better support to the work hopefully. Regards Andy.

 

[Andy Pullen]

Sorry, make that http://www.carrolltools.com/sanding.html

 

[OPJ]

Thanks for this!

I've also got a couple of MDF jigs like this for my circular saw and have been looking for a way to eliminate the need for clamps, which tend to get in the way!

Thank you.