Track saw. Do I need one?

[MARK.B.]

I just watched those vids by P.Millard and now i find myself Wondering, Track Saw Hmmmmmm do I really need one, and the answer has to be no in truth i dont But i'm gonna get one anyway

 

[Tadge]

I would say that if you have a large CNC machine and it can cut sheet goods quickly then your answer is no. Likewise if you have a large workshop and a large industrial tablesaw then no. I looked into tracksaws and came to the conclusion that they are ideal for site work, small workshops without space for larger tablesaws and more importantly you work mostly in sheet goods, ply, weetabix and Mdf. I only have a small table saw and not much space, don't use a huge amount of sheet goods and when I do I just get them precut close to size and then finish on table saw. If I need to cut full sheets or ones too large for table saw I have a length of angle iron that I clamp down and just run my Bosch saw along it and that works great.

If you want to compare tracksaws then here is some info Track Saw

Thanks. Good info

 

[Tadge]

Y

You have a CNC machine for home renovation?

Ha no. My cnc is for my work but i was saying my only site work is renovating my house. Has a loft conversion so a few doors to cut down on angle so track would be good for this

 

[Tadge]

What sort of CNC machine? Never used CNC with wood but have for cutting sheet metal.

Its a 10x5 with 12x automatic tool changer. Here it is mid installation

 

[Tadge]

I just watched those vids by P.Millard and now i find myself Wondering, Track Saw Hmmmmmm do I really need one, and the answer has to be no in truth i dont But i'm gonna get one anyway

Well that hasn't helped me

 

[Tadge]

This is why I didn't buy the Triton rails. The Evolution Rail Kit has 2 x 1.4m rails, so you use one for cross cutting full sheets and two for a full rip

Thing is the full triton kit is only 30 more than saw itself and you get the track and 2 x clamps with it

 

[Tadge]

I'm a Tracksaw convert. I bought a Triton and an Evolution Tracksaw Rail Kit and it is working very well as a starter pack. The Triton works very well but check and adjust for square before using. The only downside I've found is the anti-kickback means you can't easily slide the saw back, so if you do an anti-splinter kerf cut followed by a full cut I need to lift the saw off the track and re-position (if anyone knows how to fix this I'd be grateful). The Evolution kit is good value but the rail doesn't stick to plywood very well so you do need the clamps that come with it and these are fiddly so I'm going to order quick lever clamps from Banggood this week. Be aware though, buying a tracksaw is the thin edge of a potentially expensive wedge as you get sucked into the world of MFT tables and associated accessories such as Benchdogs!

The only track rail that may be problematic is Makita as it has a unique anti-tip lip on the rail which is incompatible with non-Makita tracksaws. Watch Peter Millard's 10 Minute Workshop videos on YouTube, these are excellent as he shows you the differences and how to build home made jigs to avoid buying expensive Festool MFT ones.

Thanks. I will be making mft table tops on my cnc machine so not a problem really. Cheers

 

[LBCarpentry]

If it’s just for a few doors then I wouldn’t buy a tracksaw just for that. Hand saw and finish with a plane.

if you have a list of things for future use then go ferrit

 

[MARK.B.]

Well that hasn't helped me

I get that a lot

 

[TFrench]

I bought a cheap scheppach one from screwfix years ago, realised how good it was, sold it and upgraded to a dewalt. At the time it was the best deal on one of the big brand ones - saw, case, 2x 1.4m rails and carry bag. Can't remember the actual cost but it's been used enough to pay for itself!

 

[sploo]

Do you need a tracksaw? I guess the questions are:

• Do you have a small-to-medium sized tablesaw and find yourself manhandling sheets that are too large for your machine, and wishing you could cut them down a bit first?
• Would you like to be able to buy full 8x4' sheets from timber merchants (as the price per unit area is better) but don't have a large enough vehicle to carry them?
• Do you sometimes wish you could cut up a sheet outside rather than inside the workshop, in order to avoid creating lots of dust inside?

For me the answer to all of the above is yes, so the cordless TS55 was ideal; and I've probably saved the cost of the saw over the years with the difference in cost of full 8x4' sheets from decent timber merchants (vs buying lots of 4x2' sheets from DIY stores).

 

[Tadge]

Do you need a tracksaw? I guess the questions are:

• Do you have a small-to-medium sized tablesaw and find yourself manhandling sheets that are too large for your machine, and wishing you could cut them down a bit first?
• Would you like to be able to buy full 8x4' sheets from timber merchants (as the price per unit area is better) but don't have a large enough vehicle to carry them?
• Do you sometimes wish you could cut up a sheet outside rather than inside the workshop, in order to avoid creating lots of dust inside?

For me the answer to all of the above is yes, so the cordless TS55 was ideal; and I've probably saved the cost of the saw over the years with the difference in cost of full 8x4' sheets from decent timber merchants (vs buying lots of 4x2' sheets from DIY stores).

Thanks.

 

[HamsterJam]

I have a track saw and a site type table saw.
I rarely use the table saw for cutting sheet materials in favour of the track saw. It is easier to take the tool to the material especially in my small workshop, quieter, better dust extraction and I think safer.
The table saw is mainly used for long rips in narrow stock.

 

[starlingwood]

.

 

[Doug71]

Thanks. I will be making mft table tops on my cnc machine so not a problem really. Cheers

You have an unlimited supply of bespoke MFT tops, of course you need a track saw!

I've had my track saw for years and they are dead handy, not just used for cutting up sheet material. Mine gets used for rebating door bottoms, making fake t&g panels etc.

 

[Pallet Fancier]

Sorry it was @Pallet Fancier my question.

Hi Tadge, sorry I missed this. If you hit the reply or quote buttons, it generates an email notification.

I don't know enough to answer your question. Peter Millard has a playlist of videos on the subject, here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7S6M0i1Mz9pf2uo5SpFSWrQOu0qpjeIs

I noticed this one in particular, about guide rails, when scanning down it:

There's also this on blades:

 

[Pallet Fancier]

I just watched those vids by P.Millard and now i find myself Wondering, Track Saw Hmmmmmm do I really need one, and the answer has to be no in truth i dont But i'm gonna get one anyway

It's this kind of thinking that will get you a membership of Parkside Tools Anonymous!