rileytoolworks
Established Member
Has anyone tried one of the dewalt plunge saws? Are they any good?
dewalt plunge saw
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floorman
Established Member
i test the Dewalt and the Makita last week, The Makita is better. If it is all about money , save and buy festool ts55
Gary
Gary
Another Dave
Established Member
I've got the Dewalt with 3 metres (2 x 1.5m) of rail. Excellent bit of kit.
One of its advantages over the Makita is that it has a riving knife. It retracts automatically for plunge cutting and follows the blade into the cut as the saw moves forward.
It can also be used on the Festool track. There's a video on youtube showing it being used this way.
Dust extraction is superb, and it is currently hooked up to our Record with the additional fine filter cutting MDF sheets.
I've no axe to grind with Makita/Festool/Dewalt as I have tools from them all, but dewalt dealers will give a discount. :wink:
One of its advantages over the Makita is that it has a riving knife. It retracts automatically for plunge cutting and follows the blade into the cut as the saw moves forward.
It can also be used on the Festool track. There's a video on youtube showing it being used this way.
Dust extraction is superb, and it is currently hooked up to our Record with the additional fine filter cutting MDF sheets.
I've no axe to grind with Makita/Festool/Dewalt as I have tools from them all, but dewalt dealers will give a discount. :wink:
Lark
Established Member
there all around the £400 aint they.
Lark
Established Member
thats not to bad i guess. would be nice to have more hassle free one that can also take the router as well.
i have cheap clamp guide, it can still add a taper on it unless mark it all out then make sure it clamped on the line or what ever.
guess it something to keep an eye on for later on.
i have cheap clamp guide, it can still add a taper on it unless mark it all out then make sure it clamped on the line or what ever.
guess it something to keep an eye on for later on.
I had a go with the DW at a demo, thought it lacked the ultimate precision of the Festool or Mafell. These are robust tools but with precision that might be rather wasted on (building) site work - more the province of the DW perhaps. I'd guess cabinet makers and shop/kitchen fitters might prefer the Festool or Mafell - the DW cut quality couldn't match my Mafell, for example. Other threads here have also suggested this.
I realise that this is a late response to this thread....but here goes..
I have both the Festool and the Dewalt saws and rails... and to be honest the quality of cut from each is pretty much the same... The advantage of the Dewalt is the parallel plunge action which vastly reduces the kick back action that most plunge saw users find... Also cordless from the Dewalt is something that Festool cannot offer...
Dewalt are also going to be launching their new ranges of normal circ saws to be compatible with the rails, so although you may not want the quality of cut from the plunge saw, you still want the speed of set up and accuracy that the rail offers...
Once anyone uses a plunge saw ( of any description) it revolutionizes the way they work and they never look back...
Also, with the dewalt, the saw has a flat side, and therefore you can cut a door bottom in situ ( without taking it off it's hinges) to acept wooden flooring or carpets...
I have both the Festool and the Dewalt saws and rails... and to be honest the quality of cut from each is pretty much the same... The advantage of the Dewalt is the parallel plunge action which vastly reduces the kick back action that most plunge saw users find... Also cordless from the Dewalt is something that Festool cannot offer...
Dewalt are also going to be launching their new ranges of normal circ saws to be compatible with the rails, so although you may not want the quality of cut from the plunge saw, you still want the speed of set up and accuracy that the rail offers...
Once anyone uses a plunge saw ( of any description) it revolutionizes the way they work and they never look back...
Also, with the dewalt, the saw has a flat side, and therefore you can cut a door bottom in situ ( without taking it off it's hinges) to acept wooden flooring or carpets...
andy king
Established Member
I looked at the Makita, Festool and DeWalt plunge saws, plus the Mafell, wch is a sort of hybrid, not having a sprung plunge action, you need to manually drop it into the work and retract manually as well using a lever.
There was very little difference between them for cutting performance with the supplied blades, the Mafell and DeWalt slightly rougher than the Makita and Festool, but negligible, and with no splintering, only light feathering on crosscuts in veneered cherry ply.
The same was seen in white faced melamine chipboard.
The Festool and Makita were practically identical for performance and action, and in fact share very similar attributes if you look at the plunge spring for instance.
The Festool is actually a very basic saw compared to the DW and Makita, and the splinter limiter for the waste side of the cut is not as good as I expected it to be, it made very little difference.
Makita's saw is very smooth, both plunging and cutting, but at the moment lacks accesories to take advantage of it, so its only a rail and saw and clamps at the moment.
DeWalt have a load of stuff available, router cradle, angle setter etc, plus, as has been said, it can work on its side for trimmng. The parallel plunge does take a little getting used to a you have to push it forwards rather than down. The anti kickback design is excellent though, plus the fact that you have two useable sides to the rails.
The difference in the cut between them all would make me discount the Festool, even with its pedigree and good accessory range, it's too expensive and the difference in the cut is so minimal. Playing around with blade configurations for different materials would also improve the cuts.
If Makita had more accessories, it would be a great choice, equal to the Festool for cutting quality but way cheaper.
The DeWalt is a little 'growly' and feels like it has a slight rattle as you use it, but it doesn't compromise its performance. On features alone, its way ahead of Festool, and has the same thought and innovation put into it that makes their battery nailguns the best on the market in my opinion.
cheers,
Andy
There was very little difference between them for cutting performance with the supplied blades, the Mafell and DeWalt slightly rougher than the Makita and Festool, but negligible, and with no splintering, only light feathering on crosscuts in veneered cherry ply.
The same was seen in white faced melamine chipboard.
The Festool and Makita were practically identical for performance and action, and in fact share very similar attributes if you look at the plunge spring for instance.
The Festool is actually a very basic saw compared to the DW and Makita, and the splinter limiter for the waste side of the cut is not as good as I expected it to be, it made very little difference.
Makita's saw is very smooth, both plunging and cutting, but at the moment lacks accesories to take advantage of it, so its only a rail and saw and clamps at the moment.
DeWalt have a load of stuff available, router cradle, angle setter etc, plus, as has been said, it can work on its side for trimmng. The parallel plunge does take a little getting used to a you have to push it forwards rather than down. The anti kickback design is excellent though, plus the fact that you have two useable sides to the rails.
The difference in the cut between them all would make me discount the Festool, even with its pedigree and good accessory range, it's too expensive and the difference in the cut is so minimal. Playing around with blade configurations for different materials would also improve the cuts.
If Makita had more accessories, it would be a great choice, equal to the Festool for cutting quality but way cheaper.
The DeWalt is a little 'growly' and feels like it has a slight rattle as you use it, but it doesn't compromise its performance. On features alone, its way ahead of Festool, and has the same thought and innovation put into it that makes their battery nailguns the best on the market in my opinion.
cheers,
Andy
So as a site worker, custom homes and refurbs, extensions etc the Dewalt would be ok for me?
I do really like the features of the Festool and it seems there is so many accesories for it.
Does the Dewalt have that stop that you tighten onto the track at the position you want the blade to cut from when you plunge and does it have an exact mark where the blade runs at so you know when to stop your cut?
Conclusion then, Dewalt or Festool are the ones to go for, yes?
Can anyone list advantages and disadvantages of both?
Thanks very much!!
I do really like the features of the Festool and it seems there is so many accesories for it.
Does the Dewalt have that stop that you tighten onto the track at the position you want the blade to cut from when you plunge and does it have an exact mark where the blade runs at so you know when to stop your cut?
Conclusion then, Dewalt or Festool are the ones to go for, yes?
Can anyone list advantages and disadvantages of both?
Thanks very much!!
andycorleone
Established Member
I'm not a dewalt fan anymore but maybe this video can clear a lots of questions:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=epnLxm7GzoA
The Router Attachment for guide rails is sweet
http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/s ... DEWDWS5031
but for £97.00 :shock: is so expensive
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=epnLxm7GzoA
The Router Attachment for guide rails is sweet
http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/s ... DEWDWS5031
but for £97.00 :shock: is so expensive
andy king
Established Member
Hi sigibbons
If I was doing the same work as you, then I wouldn't have any problem in using the DeWalt. The positives are the anti kick back device that locks it to the rail so it can't jump the cut, (Only on a DeWalt track, BUT the saw is compatible with Festool tracks as well as it has a double grooved base)
There are indicators on the side of the houssing to show the exten efull plunge, and this seemed pretty accurate when I looked at it.
The ability to use it on its side is a bonus if you do any door trimming for laminate floor laying etc, you can do it without taking the door off, although this doesn't alloow the use of the rail to do so, so there may be some splintering - a fine blade is advisable
The stop used on the Festool rail? If this is an accessory that simply clips on, then as DW is compatible with the Fetsool rail, the clip should be as well (nt sure if DW do that part)
Accessory wise they run close with each other, varying rail langths, angle adaptors(Festools is better) router cradles...
Anyway, some to consider!
Hope this helps.
Andy
If I was doing the same work as you, then I wouldn't have any problem in using the DeWalt. The positives are the anti kick back device that locks it to the rail so it can't jump the cut, (Only on a DeWalt track, BUT the saw is compatible with Festool tracks as well as it has a double grooved base)
There are indicators on the side of the houssing to show the exten efull plunge, and this seemed pretty accurate when I looked at it.
The ability to use it on its side is a bonus if you do any door trimming for laminate floor laying etc, you can do it without taking the door off, although this doesn't alloow the use of the rail to do so, so there may be some splintering - a fine blade is advisable
The stop used on the Festool rail? If this is an accessory that simply clips on, then as DW is compatible with the Fetsool rail, the clip should be as well (nt sure if DW do that part)
Accessory wise they run close with each other, varying rail langths, angle adaptors(Festools is better) router cradles...
Anyway, some to consider!
Hope this helps.
Andy
floorman
Established Member
all i can say is i have had the t55 for about 8 year and still going strong. i use it most days at work. do not get me wrong not all festool is great, i have a ps 300eq jigsaw very smooth running, great extraction ,but you can not see when you are cutting. but i bet it will keep going for years.
Thanks Andy! I am a sucker for good quality tools so i do think i'd regret not getting the festool as it just seems oozing with quality which i have never seen from a dewalt tool.
While were on this subject could someone explain the best way to cut from when cutting worktops with these plunge saws? do you cut from the back of the worktop? and front to back or back to front? Is the finish on the front rounded edge good?
While were on this subject could someone explain the best way to cut from when cutting worktops with these plunge saws? do you cut from the back of the worktop? and front to back or back to front? Is the finish on the front rounded edge good?
andy king
Established Member
Plunge saw or not, if i'm cutting worktop to size i always do it with it upside down, starting at the front roll and finishing at the back.
PLunge saws and rails are great, but you can still end up with very fine chipping even with a fine laminate blade when cut from the decorative surface.
Andy
PLunge saws and rails are great, but you can still end up with very fine chipping even with a fine laminate blade when cut from the decorative surface.
Andy
Where chipping / ragging may be a problem I habitually use a 48t blade and cut twice, once backwards about 3mm deep to score the surface and then pass again forward plunged to full depth. When I tried this with the DW on demo it didn't work well for me; others here reported the demonstrator couldn't get a good cut like this either.
Mafell do a 24v version if you want to look at cordless.
Mafell do a 24v version if you want to look at cordless.
