Kreg rip cut vs accu cut

I don't do a great deal of woodworking. For the last 15 years, when I needed to make a long straight cut in plywood or door, I'd use a straight-edge guide that had to be clamped down or screwed to the work. The skil-saw would rest up against the edge. That's what I used to do a recent project. It became a pain in the rear, so afterwards I purchased the kreg accu-cut and rip-cut jigs. Haven't opened them yet. I can already see where they won't be useful for trimming the edge of a door wider then 24". Anyone regret purchasing these?

I've got the Kreg rip cut. It works well enough, but it's not great and I don't find myself using it too much. The reality is nothing beats a proper track saw. Personally, I just can't justify that though. I don't regret the purchase, but at the same time I don't find it to be terribly smooth to use either.

I was given the rip cut jig for a gift and have used it a couple times. I just don't feel comfortable cutting that way though. I haven't looked at the accu-cut but it looks like it'll work great.

I glued and screwed a 1x2 to a 10" x 8' strip of 3/16" plywood and ripped down one side of the 1x2. I then line up the cut edge with my line, clamp and rip.

I'm was in the process of building a panel saw when I came across the low rider at v1engineering.com. I've already build a mostly printed cnc but I plan on building the low rider some time later this year for full 4 x 8 sheets.

I'll still be building the panel saw for straight cuts and the low rider cnc will be used for complex cuts.

I looked into the Kreg system, but find the long extrusion metal pieces clamped to the wood to be just as accurate and not so much a PITA as you mentioned. I can make slight angled cuts, too by adjusting the extrusions on the panel if needed, where you can't with a straight cut system.

I thought about getting a Kreg but after serious consideration concluded it was not worth the $40-$80 (depending on model) for a rip guide.

If you know the distance from the edge of the foot of your saw to the blade you can just as quickly setup a guide using a strip of wood and two clamps. I learned this from my father and have used the method for years.

It is also one less tool I have to worry about possibly bending, breaking or storing.

I thought about getting a Kreg but after serious consideration concluded it was not worth the $40-$80 (depending on model) for a rip guide.

If you know the distance from the edge of the foot of your saw to the blade you can just as quickly setup a guide using a strip of wood and two clamps. I learned this from my father and have used the method for years.

It is also one less tool I have to worry about possibly bending, breaking or storing.

Your father almost built a Popular Mechanics saw guide.:wink2: With it the distance from the shoe to the blade is determined by construction and is always automatically correct for every cut. I have 1 for long cuts and 1 for short cross cuts of 2x4's etc.. For short cuts I haven't used my speed square since.

I have the Kreg 'Rip Cut' and like it a lot. Recently I needed to rip a piece of cultured marble and it did a great job. Worth the 40 or so bucks in my opinion.

Your father almost built a Popular Mechanics saw guide.:wink2: With it the distance from the shoe to the blade is determined by construction and is always automatically correct for every cut. I have 1 for long cuts and 1 for short cross cuts of 2x4's etc.. For short cuts I haven't used my speed square since.

My father was a true renaissance man. He was a construction foreman that worked on some of the most beautiful houses in the area. He and my mom built our house with their own two hands including the bedroom dressers and kitchen cabinets. He could build and grow almost anything.

Most of what I know when it comes to DIY I owe to him.