New Tool Review - "Festool Circular Saw."

When we quit last week, we had progressed quite a bit, but short of completing the cabinet. Karla had run out of time (she is a busy young lady) and I wasn't certain how we should cut the small pieces that were left.    I started out this week to practice making those cuts before Karla returned. I am cutting one piece to render the small drawer front. The panel I am cutting has enough room to hold the guide safely and to allow me to clamp one end. The other end is unclamped but I have found that the sawing operation doesn't put stress in the crosswise direction, so one clamp worked quite satisfactorily.
	After trying quite a few rip cuts, I developed this rule of thumb: the stock should be no narrower than the guide. The underside of the guide has three strips of rubber to serve as hold-downs. It is important to have a piece of stock that comes in contact with all three. So what do you do when the piece is too narrow for this?
The answer is simple — add a piece that will help support the guide. In this case, I want to cut "A" at the line I have marked in red. The piece remaining will be narrow. I put in place another piece, "B", that I can butt up against "A". The two together will allow the guide to lie flat.
	I make the cut slowly so as not to "push" the piece. My left hand puts some pressure on the other end of the guide. Fact is, I had no movement of the guide during the cut.
The Festool guide system comes with this miter gauge. It slides into the guide's channel.
	I have set the gauge to 0o and am checking the square — it is right on. Note that I am working on the underside of the guide.
I have flipped it over and am using it to set the guide to the next mark. I will make a cut using only pressure of the guide against this miter gauge.
	It works quite well.
Now, I am using the guide with the miter gauge to cross-cut angles on a scrap. The key is to put pressure on the guide over the workpiece. Do that, and the cut is safe and accurate. I did note that on these small pieces, the foam board on top of the horses doesn't give a solid enough surface.
	The answer: place a piece of 3/4" plywood on the horses and screw them in place. I will put the 1" foam board on top of this and then the sheet of 3/4" melamine white chip or flake board that we will use to make the next cabinet.