Eurekazone EZ-One Power Bench

[LiefStevens]

jswingchun I saw your thread over at the EZ forum. It's very impressive what the SSRK can do. I really need to order one. Nice storage solution as well.

I didn't end up picking up an EZ-One as I thought they had moved to SC but it turns out they are still in NJ. Still it sounds like they are shipping the latest batch tomorrow. I'm wondering what I'm getting as Dino seems to have changed the design quite a bit. Corners and ends have changed, no more foam beams, new plastic sliding fences, and split fences. Going to be interesting trying to put it together.

[jswingchun]

How's the play on the SSRK for you? There's a thread over on TSF suggesting a polyc base or dual SSRK. What'd be your opinion?

I don't have any problems with play in the SSRK. It all fits very tightly. It's tight enough that I had to lubricate both the rail and the traveler slots to get it to move freely enough to use it as a duplicator. I don't know why they are talking dual SSRKs, but I can't think of any reason you would need anything like that for building these cabs. If you are just thinking of using it for dadoes, the SSRK and the EZ-One with the stops for repeatability works great. You do have to keep in mind that if you use limit stops on the track to control the distance the router travels parallel to the route, you must keep the height of the track consistent. That bit me on a project a while back. I routed three slots with the finished piece under the track, then I routed the fourth slot with the track all the way down. My slots moved about an inch. Ooops.

jswingchun I saw your thread over at the EZ forum. It's very impressive what the SSRK can do. I really need to order one. Nice storage solution as well.

I didn't end up picking up an EZ-One as I thought they had moved to SC but it turns out they are still in NJ. Still it sounds like they are shipping the latest batch tomorrow. I'm wondering what I'm getting as Dino seems to have changed the design quite a bit. Corners and ends have changed, no more foam beams, new plastic sliding fences, and split fences. Going to be interesting trying to put it together.

Thanks. I bought my EZ-One about a year ago. I haven't built any speaker boxes with it yet, but have built other projects with plywood. You will enjoy working with it. Be patient, as difficult as that can be. Don't be afraid to call Dino on his cell phone if you have any problems. I have talked to him a couple times. As nutty as he comes across on the forum sometimes, he wants to make his customers happy. He just isn't always equipped to do it via email or the forum. You can't go in expecting EZ to operate like a mainstream company or you will be disappointed. I have been complaining on his forum ever since I got my EZ-One about the lack of assembly instructions. One user is volunteering to do them, but the design changes so often he can't keep up. Anyway, it's been worth it to me. I am pretty sure I am going to sell my tablesaw this summer.

[LiefStevens]

Thanks for the info . I'm looking forward to getting it and trying to be patient. Yeah it seems like Dino's heart is in the right place. I hope he comes up with a good solution for cutting bevels soon.

[UROK]

Yeah it seems like Dino's heart is in the right place.

+1

I'd have long abandoned the EZOne but the DIY ethos that's prevalent here is also in evidence over there. In fact, there's a constant dialogue on product development and individual solutions. I was just reading about end plugs and caps for the extrusions.

I hope he comes up with a good solution for cutting bevels soon.

+1

And plunge cuts if poss. Dino assured me the T55 is not as good as a cheap saw on the EZ track (because you need to exert downwards pressure on the plunge mechanism right across the cut which necessitates stretching on longer cuts) so he'll need to come up with a pretty cool solution if the EZOne is to replace the Festool, which I eckon is rightly the best tool for plunges and bevels. Lowering the bridge and saw onto the workpiece doesn't seem satisfactory to my mind. And the genius of the Festool is the incredible plunge action. Alongside the on-the-line bevels it can do too. It's the thickness of the bridge that's the problem. Tilting the bridge seems cumbersome. Maybe a profiled bridge extrusion which narrows towards the edges like the box sections on real suspension bridges??

My understanding is that for now, though, best of both worlds is the two systems run jointly.

[LiefStevens]

Yes going to need to hold on to my table saw for a bit.

[jswingchun]

I hope he comes up with a good solution for cutting bevels soon.

Until Dino sorts bevels out, this is how I do them. It's a bit of a hassle, but for me it's easier than how I did them on the tablesaw and more accurate.
http://tracksawforum.com/showthread.php ... ight=bevel

And the genius of the Festool is the incredible plunge action.

This wasn't a Festool, but it was a front plunge saw.
http://tracksawforum.com/showthread.php?t=2138

[UROK]

I remember seeing that bevels thread. It is a bit fiddly but of course is preferable to a circular saw taking off!

[LiefStevens]

Received my EZ-One today. Spent a good portion of today putting it together and I still don't have it fully assembled. It's a new version and there are no instructions so it's a bit of a challenge. I'll post a review after I have used it a bit.

[jswingchun]

Received my EZ-One today. Spent a good portion of today putting it together and I still don't have it fully assembled. It's a new version and there are no instructions so it's a bit of a challenge. I'll post a review after I have used it a bit.

I am looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

[LiefStevens]

Though I would post an update on my EZ-1. I was the first to received the new version of the EZ-1. When I ordered I didn't know that he was working on a new model or I would have waited on ordering it. It was a lengthy and frustrating process setting it up as there are no directions and some of the parts I received were cut wrong. I felt a bit like a beta tester despite having to pay a fair amount for it. After Eurekazone set me new parts and posted some videos on how to put it together I managed to assemble it.

I added a shelf, cross bracing, and locking casters so now it is quite stable and easy to move around. I also added a Incra track stop system for fast accurate cutting. I built a simple Thien Cyclone out of a drywall bucket. It was easy to build and it works really well.
I also built an overhead boom arm to hold the vacuum hose and power cord. I built it out of aluminum sail boat mast sections I had laying around. I made a mount using some UHMW. It swivels and will allow me to use the hose anywhere on my work table.

I am finding the EZ-One to be really great for some cuts but not as good for others. I am still using my table saw about half of the time but I think as I get use to the EZ-One I will use it more. For cutting panels with angles the EZ-One is much better and faster that a table saw. The EZ-One does struggle with bevel cuts. They can be done but it is a bit of a pain. They are going have a new base that makes it easier at some point. Over all I'm glad I bought it. The main reason I bought it was that saws scare me and I do feel that it is much safer that a table saw.

I'll post some more thoughts after I have used it some more.

[jswingchun]

Nice setup. I wish I had the new style sliders. Mine are the original style and they don't slide very cleanly. They like to bind.

[bigjohn1]

Hi guys its hard to get over a table saw I'm sure it is what we see everywhere in wood working but there is a better way it will take time to sink into a lot of die hards.

I also own the EZ system and here all the bull from table saw owners guys at least look at it before you cut things up and I mean close not a quick peak.

There tools are very well made and the value is very good for what you are getting and what it can do. We are not just talking about a track and a saw the system is mutch more even tho you can do most cuts with the track saw. I own two shopsmith v and the table saw is the worst part of the system but there are still guys out there that love it.

EZ will be around for years to come and with it being so safe maybe we can get woodworking back in the schools.
Table saw's are a very dangerous tool like the radial arm saw was that you don't see mutch of now and we can only hope the table saw goes the same way. Not sure how anyone could love a tool like that.
This is just how I think you can think what you like and buy what you like its your money after all.

[Harley]

We are not just talking about a track and a saw the system is mutch more even tho you can do most cuts with the track saw. I own two shopsmith v and the table saw is the worst part of the system but there are still guys out there that love it..

So how do you go about the compound cuts on odd shaped parts with this system?

[jswingchun]

So how do you go about the compound cuts on odd shaped parts with this system?

I have only built a pair of T39s so far using my EZ-One. I also do not have the current top kit that Lief has on his photos.

With the current base, bevel cuts are not easy. Right now I am doing a lot of eyeball lining up of bevels, though I do have a couple of tricks I can use too. Of course, I had to eyeball line up bevels on the tablesaw, so that's a wash.

EZ has a new base coming out soon that will finally provide the ability to have a single cut line at various bevels. The saw will slide perpendicular to the track on top of the base. Unlock the slide, set your saw angle, slide the blade to the edge of the track and lock the slide. This will also be a captive base, meaning the saw can't fall off the track. I'm trying to talk them into sending me one to beta test...

Odd shaped stuff if fairly easy, since you can just drop the track right onto the cutline and cut. You can cut just using the aluminum sliding modules that you see in Lief's post above with the stops for repetitive cuts. That works really well for regular cuts. Alternately, or you can drop a sheet of plywood between the sliding modules. You can then screw guide boards to the ply for repetitive cuts at odd angles. You also need to go the plywood top route for bevels, otherwise you will cut the aluminum on the sliding module.

If an authorized builder wanted to take EZ to the next level for repetitive cuts, they could make a plywood top with various jigs attached for specific cuts for a plan. Save that plywood and label it. Drop it in anytime you needed to make that part. Maybe that wouldn't be efficient, I don't know, but it would work.

More questions, let me know.

[bigjohn1]

Well we know what ever needs to be done on the table saw in most cases needs a jig.
There is also a lot of setup on a table saw like any other one of cuts this will take time to cut and make changes for the next cut. I hope by the end of 2012 any type of cut could be done on the EZ-1 we can only hope. Good things take time. I'm also waiting on the new EZ saw or the new moduni base that will handle the bevel cuts in a better format.
Of coarse with the EZ-1 you can also make jigs to work with it but the goal is not to need them because most of the time we miss place them any way or parts from them.

Again if you are looking to be safe EZ-1 is the way to go we are all getting older and need all the help we can get.

One more thing there saw will not be a front plunge saw witch also is not very safe and for sure should not be used off a track if you own one of the others out there. The EZ saw is a rear plunge saw mutch safer and can also be used on or off the track or bridge. I have one that will be like the new EZ-1 saw and with some mods will be a great saw to have.
Just some info for your thoughts and that there is a better and safer way to do things.