Who mentioned anything about getting clean cuts?
Do I need a track saw / table saw?
- Thread starter Stuart M
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A table saw will always be more versatile than a track saw. I have blades for ripping, laminate cutting , cutting acrylic and a brilliant hollow ground blade bought from the ' States to cut melamine. All give optimum results and it only takes a minute to change them over. The only thing I regret not buying starting out is a bigger shed . !
Distinterior
Established Member
I would not attempt to cut up a full 8 by 4 sheet on my table saw, far to dangerous. A tracksaw does not require it's own bench, can easily be used directly on a full sheet that is supported by tressles and if you also have a rail square and maybe parallel guides then for me the only issue is the weather as I don't have the space for full sheets in the shed.
The tracksaw is really the next best thing to a full sliding table saw which does take up far more room and cost a lot more, I would love to have an altendorf sitting in my workshop but just not the space or demand.
Yep, totally agree, for cutting up 8x4's in a home user environment a track saw has to be the go-to.
But it can't replace, or be as versatile as a table saw, in my opinion.
My workshop is a dedicated double garage (5.2m w x 5.0m deep), all the gardening type stuff, lawnmowers etc are in their own shed, and I struggle like crazy in there sometimes. Probably the biggest thing I've made was a farmhouse style double bed, that I wanted to build up prior to installing, that was a struggle!
As clarification, my own personal bias toward a table saw is mainly due to the smaller type of items that I make, the table saw lends itself to those smaller, sneak up on, fiddly types of cut that would be a real pain to do with a track saw.
I know it's been said, but any potential buyers of either table or track saws really really need to have a long hard think about what they intend to make, that's the determining factor.
I’ll remember that next time I’m in the car park at the hardware store and need to split the boards down to get them in the back of the car.
Distinterior
Established Member
About 3 years ago, I needed 3 sheets of an obsolete colour of 18mm MFC 2800mm x 2070mm. My usual supplier couldn't source the boards I wanted.
I managed to find a company up North that had the 3 boards in stock & the matching 1mm PVC edging, so I drove up there really early one morning and was waiting for them to open at 8.30.
I paid for them and then waited in their yard whilst the forklift driver dropped the sheets on the ground on a couple of pallets at my request......He gave me a look that said " How the hell are you going to get them into a VW Transporter van....."
I then got this out of my van and set it up to its maximum size, along with my 3000mm rail and cordless tracksaw.
As I pivoted the individual sheets one by one onto this lifting/ cutting frame and then cut them down to the smaller required sizes to fit in my van, the yard foreman came over and was astounded that I could lift the sheets, cut up and load it all by myself.....
The situation above was an exception, but I'd be lost without it in my workshop, as moving these huge panels from vertical storage to flat on my workbench would be impossible on my own......they are a real struggle for two people to carry, let alone one!
I managed to find a company up North that had the 3 boards in stock & the matching 1mm PVC edging, so I drove up there really early one morning and was waiting for them to open at 8.30.
I paid for them and then waited in their yard whilst the forklift driver dropped the sheets on the ground on a couple of pallets at my request......He gave me a look that said " How the hell are you going to get them into a VW Transporter van....."
I then got this out of my van and set it up to its maximum size, along with my 3000mm rail and cordless tracksaw.
As I pivoted the individual sheets one by one onto this lifting/ cutting frame and then cut them down to the smaller required sizes to fit in my van, the yard foreman came over and was astounded that I could lift the sheets, cut up and load it all by myself.....
The situation above was an exception, but I'd be lost without it in my workshop, as moving these huge panels from vertical storage to flat on my workbench would be impossible on my own......they are a real struggle for two people to carry, let alone one!
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Who is the manufacturer ?
Distinterior
Established Member
Is that question for me...? If so, I think the colours would have given it away...
It's a Festool STM 1800.....A lot of money admittedly, but as I said, it's an absolute blessing and everytime I use it, the cost is forgiven.
Yes I overlooked the green bits and yes it is expensive compared to other options .
Distinterior
Established Member
I'd be interested to see "other options"...I've yet to come across anything else that is able to single handedly move a panel of this size & weight from a vertical plane to a horizontal plane and then roll it in any 360 degree movement to where it needs to be placed...Believe me, I did look before i bought this one!
Yes you would be best with a track saw!!
Mike Fletcher
Established Member
When ripping on the table saw you should be focused on the timber and the rip fence, not the blade, making sure the timber is staying in contact with the fence. This will always produce a straight and accurate cut.
Again, I believe the table saw is much more accurate. I don't mark the board then align the saw blade. I measure what width I need, set the fence, then cut.
Again, I believe the table saw is much more accurate. I don't mark the board then align the saw blade. I measure what width I need, set the fence, then cut.
I can see that feature of getting a vertical sheet horizontal is handy, I can also see that the idea / concept looks to have been taken from a plasterboard lifter which goes one step further in that it can raise the horizontal board upto the ceiling for fixing. I cannot see why there are not more versions of this out there, I would say not easy to patent a folding metal frame so why not cheaper copies ?
There are some home made versions though
Distinterior
Established Member
Although his idea is sound in principle and it clearly works with a 2440m x 1220mm x 18mm sheet of ply, but it's substantially lighter (under 30kg) and smaller than the 2800mm x 2070mm sheets that I have to move quite regularly.
Even using his sheet carrier, there is no way I could pick them up on my own......An 18mm thick MFC sheet of 2800mm x 2070mm weighs about 70kgs and the same size sheet in MFMDF weighs about 80 kg....
The maximum weight carrying/ lifting / tilting capacity of the Festool STM 1800 is 150kg......
Even using his sheet carrier, there is no way I could pick them up on my own......An 18mm thick MFC sheet of 2800mm x 2070mm weighs about 70kgs and the same size sheet in MFMDF weighs about 80 kg....
The maximum weight carrying/ lifting / tilting capacity of the Festool STM 1800 is 150kg......
I think for std size sheets this idea is great, as we age we do struggle more with material handling so anything to help is a bonus. Your supersized sheets are another problem, do you need that size or is it a case of that is the size for that material ?
Distinterior
Established Member
That is the size they are made in and is the industry standard....Even if you could buy smaller, non standard sizes, the trade suppliers would charge more money for less material.......And there's always that occasional job where you need the 2800mm length of material....
Company I worked for used these sheets, when you see them in the flesh, so to speak, they are HUGE
The poor machinists face every time there was a delivery ... having said that, he used to load them (ever so carefully) onto the forklift, then manoeuvre up to the extended bed on the SCM 3 meter slider, and shuffle them across.That first cut was still a struggle for him though.
Some years ago I bought two sheets of surplus solid grade laminate. 15mm thick and 2.8m long. I still remember how hard a job it was moving those sheets around. The Festool rig makes a lot of sense for your needs
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