Makita track saw. Cordless of corded?

[Co1]

I have the 18V makita batteries and I’m in the market for a track saw. The cordless makita reviews are all very good but only seem to feature 3/4” ply. I will predominantly use the saw for trimming up hardwood tables, 30-45mm, would I be better off with the corded version or does anyone have experience with hard Woods and the corded version?

Should I just plump for the festool instead?!

 

[Eric The Viking]

What features are important to you?

By this I mean the quality of cut, using your existing batteries, the amount of money you spend, etc.

I believe the new battery version uses a thinner kerf blade that the standard for mains powered saws (Festool/Makita mains are 2.2mm). IF this is correct, it's to save battery power probably, and the trade-off will be with finish quality. With a brand new blade you may not spot the difference, but a thinner saw plate (probably required for thinner kerf) will allow the blade to vibrate more, giving a poorer finish. It might (emphasize "might") also increase the risk of kickback if ripping natural stock. You might be able to use a standard tracksaw blade, which would fix the issue at the expense of more frequent recharges.

You can probably also resharpen fewer times. I've just had some tracksaw blades done by Leitz - came back like razors and can be done a few times more each. The cost is around 1/4 of a replacement good quality blade.

The battery saw might be heavier than mains, but much easier on site. Mine is 110V and it's a nuisance lugging the transformer around. Also the Makita design requires two batteries, and both need to be in similarly good condition (or one may damage the other if you run 'til flat - it ought to have protection built-in: I'd ask as batteries are expensive).

Using the "kerfing" depth-stop pass and with a cleanly-cut splinter guard on laminated or veneered sheet, I get excellent results on both sides of the sheet (on the "keep" side of the cut). You will probably get the same with the battery version.

The thing is really, to try both for heft and other stuff, to see which you feel comfortable with.

Don't be misled by "36V" incidentally - it's not really making the saw wonderfully more powerful. The issue is that the application uses too much power for a single battery to last for a worthwhile amount of time (it's a limitation of the energy density of the chemistry and battery design mostly, not Makita's fault really). A mains motor will be more compact, lighter in weight and probably more powerful too. But unless you're plunging for sinks in worktops all day, that's probably irrelevant.

 

[Doug71]

If you do a search on the Festool Owners Group you will find many people moaning that the Festool TS 55 corded model is under powered when cutting hardwood, they say the cordless version seems to have more guts. On paper the corded TS 55 is slightly lower powered then its competition but choosing the right blade for what you are cutting makes a big difference. I have the older model Festool corded, it has been brilliant but I have not cut much thick hardwood with it.

Both Makitas seem to get good reviews but the one downside for them if you are ripping hardwood is that they don't have a riving knife, don't know if this will make a difference. My next track saw will be the cordless Makita.

Doug

 

[Sideways]

I'm not a pro using it daily but I've been impressed by my tracksaw. As well as being accurate, it has great dust extraction. A feature I value. I don't think cordless dust extraction is there yet, so if you're going to have a hose and a mains vacuum connected to the saw, you may as well have a corded version.
I like my TS55 but I don't "drink the green coolaid" as someone once put it. if I was buying again I'd look closely at the Bosch. I was told by one of the Bosch reps that it's made for them by Mafell and it absolutely looks like it. The chance to get a Mafell made tool at a lower (Bosch) price would be very tempting. It runs on festool tracks too.
I guess it all comes down to how much work you do with the saw in any one session and whether you usually have a mains supply to hand.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I like my Makita (corded), but not so much that I'd replace it like-for-like without thinking. My Bosch kit (10.8V tools, mostly), has been pretty good, and the idea of Mafell at Bosch price is _very_ attractive.

 

[ColeyS1]

A couple g clamps and a straight edge seem to cover everything I'd ever need a tracksaw for.

Have you already got the cordless makita skillsaw ?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[mbartlett99]

I can't help but think you're in danger of falling between two stools so to speak. My TS55 will go through a 40mm maple worktop cleanly but only with a sharp blade in one pass without burning. I don't doubt a cordless would sail through a 19mm sheet but you appear to be in the middle.

As was said if you're using dust extraction corded would seem to be sensible and also 110V is a proper pain only do it if you have to. If you're doing a fair bit you might end up having to buy more batteries to keep the job rolling along and they're not cheap.

 

[Co1]

Thanks guys. I will use it mostly for trimming hardwood table tops to final dimension, so quality of cut is key. It is for workshop use and will be connected to a vac, so it doesn’t neccisarily have to be cordless, I just wanted to take advantage of the makita 18v system I currently have. Sounds like cordless is the way to go, so I’d appreciate feedback on what you guys have.

Edit: Meant corded, not cordless!

 

[Co1]

After a bit more research, everything was getting great reviews cutting ply or sheet goods, only the festool was getting mentioned with hardwoods.

Had a look on amazon and found an amazon warehouse deal with £100 because the packaging was damaged!

Thanks very much for all the advice.

 

[sammy.se]

After a bit more research, everything was getting great reviews cutting ply or sheet goods, only he festool was getting mentioned with hardwoods.

Had a look on amazon and found an amazon warehouse deal with £100 because the packaging was damaged!

Thanks very much for all the advice.

Good find!
Amazon is top.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[basssound]

I own the titan track saw and I would definitely change it for a cordless version if the power doesn't suffer.

 

[arcflup]

I've had a Festool cordless since they first came out 3 or 4 years ago. I find it excellent, a bit of a handful but so nice not having a trailing lead. I actually find the dust suppression very good, not as good as a vac attachment no doubt but of all the pretty hopeless "catch the sawdust in a bag" solutions on a saw I have used over the years this is the only one I have found that actually does a very good job. Incidentally the saw uses the same kerf blades as the corded version. You need two sets of batteries (4nr) to install a kitchen. The rails are also very good I find they stay where I place them, very rarely do I consider a clamp necessary, unlike the Dewalt version I used once. I have no experience of the Makita track saws. I'm not a Festool nut, this is the only tool of theirs I own; as a then new product and with extra batteries, rails and a selection of blades to make it really useable it cost a fortune at the time. A year or so back I spent a smaller fortune on a GRS-16 guide rail square from TSO Products in the States, a fabulous addition. If this kit disappeared overnight I would be ordering another in the morning.

 

[Selwyn]

After a bit more research, everything was getting great reviews cutting ply or sheet goods, only the festool was getting mentioned with hardwoods.

Had a look on amazon and found an amazon warehouse deal with £100 because the packaging was damaged!

Thanks very much for all the advice.

You got a tracksaw for £100 on amazon? Wow!

 

[Co1]

After a bit more research, everything was getting great reviews cutting ply or sheet goods, only the festool was getting mentioned with hardwoods.

Had a look on amazon and found an amazon warehouse deal with £100 because the packaging was damaged!

Thanks very much for all the advice.

You got a tracksaw for £100 on amazon? Wow!

I assume that is sarcasm?! Well spotted, thanks for taking the time to point it out :wink:

 

[Co1]

Saw arrived today, marks on box as described, however also sustainer tabs snapped, blade missing, handle scratched, blade houseing cracked and box full of saw dust! Returned. That me taught a lesson!

 

[Selwyn]

Still if it was a second hand festool -you'd have sold it for more on ebay. Or was it makita cordless?

 

[Co1]

It was a festool ts55. It was an amazon warehouse deal. Was supposed to be a returned item, as new but with marks on the sustainer. The funny thing was that when I rang them they apologies and offered me a £30 discount, which wouldn’t even cover the missing blade! They clearly don’t check when things are returned, so it could have been anything in the box!

 

[Grawschbags]

Axminster have 10% off everything until midnight tonight, if that helps you out...

 

[MikeJhn]

As others have already said, cordless is pointless if you are going to attach a vacuum to the saw, may as well take advantage of the extra power afforded by mains operation and run the mains lead taped to the vacuum hose.

Mike