Tracksaw kaput - recommend a new one please

[AJB Temple]

Like an *****, before Christmas I lent my 2015 tracksaw (Triton) to a friend who is refitting his kitchen and had an emergency. He in turn lent it (without telling me) to a tradesman working on his house, and the saw came back today. The saw is "inexplicably" not working (any ***** can see it has been dropped) and the track is bent. There is even a tooth missing, which frankly has never happened to me with any saw in 3 decades of cutting wood. As I am not a complete *****, on the rare occasions that I do lend things it is on a "you break it, you replace it" basis. Therefore a cheque for a replacement on a like for like basis has changed hands and will be banked tomorrow.

Not sure that I want to buy Triton again: I never chose it in the first place as it was a present and I don't have anything else from them. It was a basic model and I felt it struggled at times (no electronic speed stabilisation?). I don't like using my (smallish) table saw for cutting up sheets and as I am planning to do a full kitchen and utility fit out later this year, a t/s will be useful. It is just for private use, not trade, but I do not like weak tools so am not that worried about price as long as it lasts.

So, what do you guys recommend?
What features really matter in practice: soft start; variable speed; electronic speed stability; push button blade change ; scoring capability ; etc.

I don't mind putting new blades in so OEM blade is not a factor. Cordless much preferred. Obviously the key attribute for me is minimal break out and maximum accuracy. I don't have a lot of experience with a t/s as I had only used the Triton 2 or 3 times before it was trashed.

Thanks, Adrian

 

[Wuffles]

What's your budget and do you already have any battery machines knocking about so you can buy a bare tool if need be?

 

[DiscoStu]

I have a Triton router and think it's excellent. I do however have the Festool track saw and can't fault it. I also found that there wasn't a huge difference in cost between Bosch, Makita and Festool so I opted for the Festool based on reviews etc.


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[Wuffles]

I have a Triton router and think it's excellent. I do however have the Festool track saw and can't fault it. I also found that there wasn't a huge difference in cost between Bosch, Makita and Festool so I opted for the Festool based on reviews etc.


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Cordless?

 

[Roughcut]

The Festool Tsc55 gets some good reviews, but is more expensive than the corded version.
I've got the Ts55 and rate it highly.

 

[adidat]

Ts55 easy choice! I May be wrong but festool are the only brand to make a cordless track saw?

Adidat

 

[AJB Temple]

To answer questions. Most of my cordless gear is 5Ah Milwaukee. Everything else is ancient Ryobi.
Prefer a cordless tracksaw but it is not a deal breaker.
I don't have any Festool gear at all.
I am not especially price sensitive, but I do consider value. Festool here is pricey compared to the US.
I am happy to buy from Germany as we are there a lot.
I will need to buy a new track system as the one I had has been wrecked.

 

[Wuffles]

If you want scoring, Festool isn't any good for you. But they can be had fairly cheap in the UK. Probably more in the US as they have price fixing there still.


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[Zeddedhed]

I've had and used Makita, DeWalt and Festool (trade use - on site and in the workshop) and I'll only buy Festool now. Maybe expensive but they are quite simply the best. (with the possible exception of Mafell, but thats even more $$)

 

[JJ1]

Another vote for the Festool. An excellent bit of kit.

 

[Steve1066]

I've had and used Makita, DeWalt and Festool (trade use - on site and in the workshop) and I'll only buy Festool now. Maybe expensive but they are quite simply the best. (with the possible exception of Mafell, but thats even more $$)

Can't argue with any of that, I can all so ad Bosch to that list its the worst of the bunch.
Festool all the way,

 

[shed9]

Another vote for the Festool TS55, I did some research before getting mine and it won hands down compared to the usual suspects of plunge saws.

The only other saw that made any sway in the decision was the TS75 for the extra capacity.

If you go this route, try and get a package deal with a couple of tracks and clamps - works out a little cheaper. Can recommend Nuts and Bolts for Festool; very personable and they take care of their customers;

http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/fes ... -rail.html

 

[Wuffles]

The good thing about the Mafell or the Festool is you get a decent resale value, so consider it an investment. The Mafell is better though, however someone will pop up soon saying the Bosch is the same as the Mafell for less money, it's not.


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[AJB Temple]

Hmmm. I had considered Mafell Zedd . My father in law has connections and although they are pricey over here, he can get them a bit cheaper than i can buy Festool . It also gets me top brownie points with my wife and her lot. But requires more research. Having read on-line reviews tonight, whilst being bored by the thank you speeches of the BAFTA luvvies, it sees that Makita is surprisingly good but Festool is top dog. Mafell could be top dog were it not for the usual sky high price tag. On German web sites Mafell is a clear winner.

My reservation about Mafell is if it goes wrong, UK service is far more of a problem than Festool. But German stuff does not go wrong. Plus I am only using it on my own projects, not churning out trade quantities of cabinets.

 

[adidat]

Boss has the mafell version of the ts55 very similar but has some quirky features that are slightley annoying. Still a very nice saw.

Now the mafell jigsaw! Easily the best on the market!

Adidat

 

[Adam9453]

Festool ts55 is superb, I can't actually fault it.
I was sceptical before I bought it, I thought all these guys are just tool snobs buying festool because of the bragging rights but I was so wrong. It is brilliant to use, spot on accurate and leaves a chip free finish that is so smooth it feels like it's been sanded to 600 grit.
I've heard good things about the Mafell version but cannot see any reason to spend the extra money when the festool is perfect in my opinion.
If you do go for the festool get the tracks which have the holes in them so you can use a router for index drilling. Look up festool index hole system and it should come up.

 

[pcb1962]

Before you decide to get the Festool you need to be aware that it's just the first step on a slippery slope. Once you get one systainer in your workshop they have a habit of multiplying as fast as your credit card will allow.

 

[Rhyolith]

Before you decide to get the Festool you need to be aware that it's just the first step on a slippery slope. Once you get one systainer in your workshop they have a habit of multiplying as fast as your credit card will allow.

Yep :lol:

I use a Skil saw from a car boot that I got for £3, its a surpisingly good saw with a new blade on it... no track though. But if I got a new saw it would be a Festool or Mafell, the re-sale value in particular makes it a no brainer... just put Festool or Mafell into the used section of ebay to see this.

I knew someone who had an unbelievably small Mafell plunge saw, its track gripped the wood as you started cutting (magic!) allowing you to cut in any direction in perfectly straight line with no set up at all :shock: It was very well made, but cost something like £500 for a really small one.... so I think only splash out on Mafell if you want the best of the best.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I don't want to be submerged by the green and black wave of adoration, so I thought I'd mention a couple of things about the Makita (mine is 110V):

It does have a scoring function and that works well, in my experience.

The only significant differences between Makita and Festool tracks are these:

- The Makita runs on both Makita and Festool track quite happily. I think it's true vice-versa too, but haven't tried that way round.

- There is an extra groove at the back on Makita track, for an anti-tip disc to engage in. This is for cutting bevels, to ensure the saw doesn't tip over. I have needed it on a couple of occasions and found it works well.

- Because of the anti-tip groove, Festool track accessories won't fit on Makita rails. This is only likely to concern you if you want to use distance stops. I tried it at Axminster once: we got both brands of rail out and a handful of accessories. Disappointing, but not a deal-breaker, as both have T-track at the back (it's just slightly different), so you can easily make home made stops using wing nuts and bolt heads.

- I have had difficulty with Makita's quality control of their track. I bought a 3m one recently, and the extrusion is not to the same dimensions as my 1.4m track (a fair bit older). It's very close but if you snug the saw up for the new rail, it will stop dead at a joint to the old, on long cuts. I can't speak to Festool's QC on this directly, but Googling suggests the extrusion is a problem for both manufacturers.

Non-track stuff:

The Makita has no riving knife. Nuff said. I have made mine kickback once, arguably abusing it in thick and nasty chipboard, with a fairly blunt blade fitted (it was chipboard!).

The Makita has no sacrificial anti-chip block for the offcut side, but the scoring function is pretty good (pushbutton). If used properly, it's probably unnecessary, and would be faster on all but really long cuts.

I have a Lidl shop vacuum. The hose fits the Makita perfectly. The DX is really good.

The Makita speed control works over a very useful range.

The Makita came with a good length of strong and thick rubber-covered cable (4m, I think). Given mine is 110V that's important. I do have a 110V extension, but prefer not to use it,

I find the Makita depth gauge a bit irritating. You have to remember to allow for the rail thickness, and Makita sell different diameter blades (165 and 160mm) to throw you off, too. After a number of years i still get it wrong occasionally, despite putting notes-to-self on the saw. Owning both sizes of blade probably doesn't help this ](*,)

Makita blades have a decent amount of good quality TCT on the teeth, and can be resharpened several times. No idea about Festool ones.

On both saws the "protractor" for rail alignment is utter pants. It's exactly the same item for both brands. I'm talking about the one for sheet cutting, not the one on the Festool MFT.

Makita have a router guide jig for their rails, like Festool. It's easily available if wanted. You'll whistle for a fence though - it's listed as an accessory, but stupidly expensive, and hard to find (but then why would you if you have rails?). See also Makita sander shoes (or not!)...

The Makita is made in the UK. Both saws come in a Systainer.

Just thought I ought to redress the balance a bit.

E.

 

[shed9]

On both saws the "protractor" for rail alignment is utter pants. It's exactly the same item for both brands. I'm talking about the one for sheet cutting, not the one on the Festool MFT.

I can certainly confirm this for the Festool version. The sheet angle guide adapter is a futile waste of money.


I'm also aware of several happy Makita owners myself, I think the thing with track/plunge saws for most people is it's one of those "my God why didn't I buy it sooner" tools and so as long as it does what it says on the tin, people are generally happy whatever the brand.

I would say if you can buy a Mafell for less than a Festool I would go this route myself even as a significant Festool user myself. The two saws are high quality and I can't imagine you will regret a Mafell in your toolbox whilst saving some money and utilising your family connections at the same time.