Other rail saws worth considering, apart from Festool?

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jimmer

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i've been using the wolf craft kit for a while now and could do with getting the proper job.
would love a fes of course, but there are some others around now so maybe cheaper.
not heard good things about the makita, tho can use rails with fes saw i understand?
blue boschhas good reviews it seems.
anything else? triton?
thanks
jimmer

i though ti posted this in the buying poower tools chat part, but evidently not...
 
I have the scheppach 75mm track saw, and am very happy with it after installing a decent blade. It's also compatible with festool / makita tracks
 
Hello,

I have the Bosch, can't fault it. TBH these things shine at the margins. A little better dust extraction, a tiny amount better here and there in accuracy, smoothness, lower weight, ergonomics, etc. etc. all add up to a better experience in use. None alone would be a deal breaker, but combined makes a superb tool compared to a 'meh 'one. I would spend a little more on a Festool or Bosch or similar. When the money is spent and the results are superb, you won't regret it. I smile every time I use my Bosch one, it seems so unlikely that a relatively cheap tool can make such accurate work, but it will. 10 and more years ago, the only way to get this sort of accuracy would be with a many thousand pound panel saw. Don't skimp on a hundred or so to risk a tool that may not have all the margins sorted.

Mike.
 
I have had an older model Festool for years and it has been fantastic but if I was buying again I would get the Mafell. This is purely because of the tracks (the Bosch also uses same tracks as Mafell). Festool tracks seem to be the industry standard as everybody's saws work with them including Mafell and Bosch saws but many consider the Bosch style tracks superior. Basically the Mafell/Bosch tracks are much easier to join for longer cuts, Festool are a real faff. I got a 3m Festool track because of this but it's not easy to transport.

If you see yourself joining tracks a lot get the Bosch (or Mafell if budget allows), if not Festool or Makita and you will be fine, think you will get similar results from all the decent named brands, everyone has their favourite.

Doug
 
thanks all, yes, the osch looks like the one. i have use the Fes a fair bit and the track joing is the deal breaker for me.
most folk i know who use them have bought a one piece long track by now, 2.8m or whatever it is.
have also used the maffell track and i remember the joiner being excellent. in other words, i would hopefully be perfectly hapy with 2 x 1.6m tracks with good joining.
interesting that there's all this cross compatability. but rather than mix and matching, my tendancy is definately to go for a bosch kit, and as Mike woodbrains says, i know i would really notice the difference when all the little bits come together.

anyone used the Triton one? they seem to be a qualitiy brand and the saw itself is a bit cheaper.
 
I have the Dewalt. Always worth considering as it is very robustly built, has a riving knife (that the Makita lacks) and has all the other anti kick back and safety features. Dust collection is superb. Good thing about the Dewalt is that there are often factory refurb units that come on eBay that are effectively new, so you can get them a good prices.

The only downside I've found is that the Dewalt track haas the zero clearance trim on both sides of,the track which makes it difficult to use with a dog hole cutting system setup -but you can remove it.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
thanks bodgers. i can't bring myself to buy dewalt. just don't like them and had bad experience with a not much used tool packing up just after the waranty expired...
 
Use the search facility on this site.

This topic is getting done to death every few weeks now. It's a question nobody else can reasonably answer for you. It depends on what you want - price, build quality, length of rail, goodness of dust extraction, noise, riving knife (or don't care), accessories, etc., even down to how long the power cord is, whether it is detatchable, and what the cord is made of! The list of parameters is a long one, and nobody but you has the slightest idea which things are more important to you than others.

Also, when you start to consider it, you're not asking a sensible question. Very few of us have used lots of different brands, to be able to compare them systematically, and in any case, none of us have access to manufacturers' failure data, etc. So we cannot give you evidence-based, objective advice.

FWIW, any of the cheaper ones that are Festool rail compatible could be "upgraded" at a later stage, with longer rails. That also (mostly) gets you access to Festool's accessory system, such as the distance stops, and easy compatibility with an MFT in due course. I've just got an equivalent peg-grid worktable, and although I've yet to use it a lot, first experiments show it's a brilliant way to work. There's nothing inherently wonderful about the Festool system, incidentally, it's just that it's a de facto standard.

I warmly recommend you have a good look through Peter Millard's YouTube videos of the last 15 months or so. He uses rails extensively in his workshop, and has an excellent setup. You'll get a lot of ideas from his work, I expect, including how to make cheap rail acccessories for yourself, rather than buy expensive small bits of plastic!

But back to where I came in: please, please use the search facility here (the one in the right-hand panel is best - the top one is a Google thing and not brilliant): There's shedloads of discussion about rail saws, even including how ridiculous they are, and how you shouldn't waste your money on them (as there are cheaper ways to do the same thing). You really have look at the evidence and choose for yourself. Oh and you can't beat physically examining several in shops, either (where you can also ask the manager how many of each they get back!).

Personally, I have a Makita, and after my cordless drill system, it's been the best power tool purchase I've ever made (I don't say that). But... I genuinely have no idea if I would have made a better purchase with Festool or Sheppach, or Bosch, or DW, or Einhell, or Lidl, or Silverline....

E.

*Perhaps I do know the answer concerning Silverline :)
 
I recently had a demonstration of the Mafell & it blows the Festool away & that’s from someone who owns the TS55.

It has a fully enclosed blade for better dust extraction, it has a scribbing feature which moves the first scribe cut 1/10 of a mm to give a completely chip free cut even on finished boards, the joining system for the tracks is the best I’ve seen, the saw is designed to run on most manufacturers tracks, there is a version of their track that is held down with the suction from your extractor so no need for clamps, it just such a well thought out machine.

I didn’t think there would be a better track saw than the Festool but if I was buying again it would definitely be a Mafell
 
i have used the search facility eric, of course.
and yes, the topic has been done extensively, but not to death i wouldn't say. from the 10 or so threads i've read, people have very different specific questions. and part of the point of starting one's own thread for me is that i can direct it a little to get to certain questions and bits of info. also, from my use of the search facility, it seems a few folk have used 2 or 3 different types. besides, i'm not asking people to compare them. and people seem perfectly happy to reply. so what's the harm in another thread about it? you don't have to read it!
but anyway thanks for your suggestions. i'll have a watch of those videos.

anyway i seem to be decided on the bosch, so thanks everyone for your contributions. if there's anyone who has the Triton i'd still like to hear about it!
jimmer
 
Hi Jimmer.

I use one for work pretty much every day.

I'm not a fan of the Festool at all. I know people swear by them but I just ended up swearing at mine. I think they are fine for a workshop type environment but not a site or anything rough.

I use a DeWalt and it feels rock solid. Its extremely accurate and a three year warranty isn't to be sniffed at.

I know what you mean though about not liking DeWalt. I'm the same with Makita. Years ago it was all that I would buy but now, I think they're complete garbage. The build quality is atrocious but then again people say that about DeWalt too.

In the end they all all have their little quirks, pros and cons.
 
I bought the Titan after seeing Peter's brilliant video comparison with Festool. I think he covers all that might be important in the video, and all I can say (having only ever used a Titan, only handled others in the shops) is to confirm that dust extraction with vac fitted isn't brilliant (it chucks a fair bit out the front as it cuts) and the knob for adjustment of depth is not terribly well made and probably wouldn't last like a better quality tool. I don't mind the anti-kickback device and removed it at one point to see if it was causing the problem I was having of the cut deviating, which turned out to just be a bad blade I'd fitted myself. I refitted the device. Following help from people on the forum, I now have a Makita blade fitted and have bought a one-piece 1.4m Festool track (it was the cheapest I could find) and the saw does exactly what I want from it. Have to say, that Mafell looks great - but a very different kind of price tag! And I should add that I'm new to working with wood, so advice from me probably doesn't add up to much.

Chris
 
Sorry, a bit late to this thread, and thanks to all who’ve recommended my vids. I have the Festool (and the Screwfix Titan) I’ve used the Mafell and DeWalt, played with the Makita, and owned the small Mafell crosscut.

The Triton is visually very similar to the Screwfix Titan but has soft start, variable speed and electronic braking. I haven’t used one, so can’t comment on dust extraction, noise, handling etc...

Mafell rail’s are definitely a step-up from Festool (second mover advantage) but I’ve never had the issues some have had joining Festool rails - though I do have long rails now, just for convenience. I know several people who’ve had issues with the Mafell recently though (including Forum member Chris Biggs) where the saw wouldn’t cut a 45 bevel; all brand new saws, and the dealer response was ‘we’ll send that off for adjustment...’ I know Chis had to fight to get a refund; not really the response/attitude you expect at this price bracket, frankly, and it would definitely put me off if I was looking for a Festool alternative; shame, as the saws are very nice.

I don’t have the small Mafell any more, but it was a nice saw when I had it.

Cheers, Peter
 
Colaboy":1l6hqnlp said:
Hi Jimmer.

I use one for work pretty much every day.

I'm not a fan of the Festool at all. I know people swear by them but I just ended up swearing at mine. I think they are fine for a workshop type environment but not a site or anything rough.

I use a DeWalt and it feels rock solid. Its extremely accurate and a three year warranty isn't to be sniffed at.

I know what you mean though about not liking DeWalt. I'm the same with Makita. Years ago it was all that I would buy but now, I think they're complete garbage. The build quality is atrocious but then again people say that about DeWalt too.

In the end they all all have their little quirks, pros and cons.

The dust extraction is also excellent on the Dewalt - I just have a cheap shop-vac thing connected to mine and it is almost a dust less job to cut through a piece of plywood.

I think I remember a review of the Dewalt saying the dust extraction was easily as good as the Festool.
 
I’m not sure what you are using the track Saw for.......but.......here’s an alternative suggestion.......
Have you considered the Mafell P1CC jig saw? A strange suggestion I know, however, I bought one a while ago on the recommendation of members of this forum. I can’t believe what it can do! It cuts vertical not like any any other jigsaw I’ve used and cuts as straight as a circular saw. It can do angled cuts and can in fact it cut deeper than virtually any track Saw available should it be necessary. Dust extraction is brilliant, splinter guard works perfectly.

The only downside I’ve found compared to a track Saw is that the blade has to penetrate right through.

For me it’s the perfect tool for fitting furniture / kitchens etc.
 
thanks everyone again,
i've just discovered that makita do a cordless 36v, which throws a spanner in the works, as i love using my current set-up cordless and i am all makita so far with cordless kit.
acht well. more to think about...
 
Hi Jimmer,

I have the ts55 and have found it a great track saw in general. With a selection of blades (12 and 48 teeth in my case) it has tackled most jobs with hardwoods pretty well. A bit more power would be nice though as some times I do wonder if it's needed. Likely a problem you'll find with any saw so I wouldn't worry too much ;)

That aside, you mentioned the rail joining as a problem. The Makita rail connectors (part # P45777) whip the pants off the Festool ones. They make for a much easier and more secure connection, are cheaper and are more durable. So I wouldn't rule out the green and grey on the rail connection alone.
 
The Makita cordless is pretty much exactly the same as the corded version, except that it requires a pair of Makita system batteries (it will not run on just one). And yes, it will run on either Makita or Festool rails, but you will lose the anti-tip feature unless you use Makita rails*. There are some reviews of it on YouTube, most people saying it's every bit as good as the corded version, and that you do get a lot of life from the batteries (cutting 3/4" ply sheet).

I don't know any more about it, as I've got a corded Makita and am very happy with it :)

*there are some other brands with which anti tip will work, but definitely not Festool rails. It's a non-issue unless you are bevel cutting.
 
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