EurekaZone Power Bench System
Adaptive woodworking system
Eight months ago I started searching for a small quality table saw for my personal shop. Spoiled by being raised around an Altendorf sliding table saw, I dreaded having to compromise with an undersized contractors saw. I started researching for the best solution. I had seen the SawStop on CoolTools and welcomed the advance in safety. I had also used the previously reviewed Festool tracksaw and admired it’s small storage size and dust collection. However, a commenter on CoolTools led me to EurekaZone and the EZ-One Power Bench. After using EZ tools for 8 months I don’t know how I ever lived without. They’re brilliant.
The EZ-One Power Bench makes repeatable, straight, clean cuts better and more safely than a table saw. For most woodworkers, including myself, it can inexpensively replace a table saw, panel saw, miter saw, joiner, and router table.
This system has so many advantages over the traditional power tools I grew up with: the ability to get clean cuts with cheap blades, excellent dust collection, increased safety from accidents, pinching, and kickback, and all using any circular saw or router. The system requires far less space and can be adapted to work in more ways than I can imagine.
The EurakaZone (EZ) system is remarkably affordable. One can get started with a basic track for around $150 and use any circular saw you have around to make clean straight cuts. One isn’t penalized for starting with a smaller system. EZ sells parts individually for everything they make. You can build up as needed – everything works together – and there’s plenty of help and DIY ideas on the forums to make your own customizations.
Another advantage is the small, New Jersey based company. Far from a slick faceless corporation, it’s an idiosyncratic organization and personally I find their independence and owner/inventor Dino Makropolis to be very endearing. The entire operation from r&d to production is based in one location. There are no dealers or advertising, everything is basically word-of-mouth. The videos posted online have zero edits in order to prove that there are “no tricks” to the tools. Makropolos is a gifted inventor, committed to making an outstanding tool in order to share the love woodworking. (He once suggested turning the company into a non-profit) He is active in the forums uses feedback from customers to implement improvements and upgrades.
In my own experience with the EurekaZone tools, it’s hard to find words. I love these things. I sincerely believe it’s an extraordinary leap forward for woodworking. It’s like an alien from The Planet of Common Sense came and showed us all what power woodworking tools should be. And the logic truly is alien at first. It was difficult to get my head around after being raised with traditional tools. (The Core77 video helped immensely, but I am still learning).
In fact, the one downside to the EurekaZone system is the time and attention it takes to learn the new paradigm; wood is always safely clamped in place, expensive blades aren’t needed for clean cuts, crosscut before ripping, and more. So far I feel challenged by the tool and smarter for using it. Whenever I think I found a limitation, I discover a smarter way.
If you relish using a great jig, or programmed a computer to find a better, more efficient way of working, then you’ll love the EurekaZone system.
11/7/11(EurekaZone sells both a prebuilt and DIY Powerbench system, and as Steve pointed out they also offer the option of slowly building up components over time.--OH — editors)
EurekaZone EZ-One Powerbench Price varies depending on components $1250 for full prebuilt system, DIY models available
