Track saw

[roys]

1 hour ago, Treewolf said:

What's the verdict on Mafell, I've been told they are good?

I know a finishing joiner who uses one, he thinks it great.

I use the Makita and my mate use the Dewalt both are very good.

My Makita you can only use the track in one direction, now might  be talking out of my arse but something tells me that either the Mafell or Dewalt you can use the track in either direction, mmm not sure.

[Big Beech]

I've been playing a bit today and mighty impressed.

I bought the evolution st2800 track for £60 compared to the ridiculous prices of the festool, dewalt, Makita varieties.

Can't see how I lived so long without one and exactly what I needed for running down a live edge on a board.

Just ordered a new 210MM panther festool 16tooth ripping blade and will be buying a higher tooth Makita tomorrow from screwfix. Overall love it, certainly an early Xmas present though!!

[harvey b davison]

I'm going to have to invest in a track saw at some point, but only want a mid range one price wise if any one has a suitable suggestion. Open to most makes and it has to be new. Wont be used everyday either, but when it is used it will be for big timbers.

[Dbikeguy]

I'm going to have to invest in a track saw at some point, but only want a mid range one price wise if any one has a suitable suggestion. Open to most makes and it has to be new. Wont be used everyday either, but when it is used it will be for big timbers.

Depth of cut will be your deciding factor on big timbers...
Cheap way of making a straight cut, get a long spirit level and some clamps or a long screed bar, clamp it in place then keep the edge of the circular saw tight to it. One straight cut far cheaper than buying track saws

I’ve cut Solid wood worktops like this, tons of doors etc as Dewalt (all my battery kit is from them) didn’t make one till fairly recently and it seemed expensive when my method already worked.

[Big Beech]

16 hours ago, harvey b davison said:

I'm going to have to invest in a track saw at some point, but only want a mid range one price wise if any one has a suitable suggestion. Open to most makes and it has to be new. Wont be used everyday either, but when it is used it will be for big timbers.

As noted above depth of cut in general is less than 55mm on majority of track saws.

The Erbauer I was going to get was the second deepest of cuts, however initially a festool TS75 was well out of my requirements and cost point, but now I've bought it I have no regrets and I won't be using it every day either.

Edited September 26, 2020 by Big Beech

[Dan Maynard]

Depth of cut will be your deciding factor on big timbers...
Cheap way of making a straight cut, get a long spirit level and some clamps or a long screed bar, clamp it in place then keep the edge of the circular saw tight to it. One straight cut far cheaper than buying track saws

I’ve cut Solid wood worktops like this, tons of doors etc as Dewalt (all my battery kit is from them) didn’t make one till fairly recently and it seemed expensive when my method already worked.

I did this with a Makita circular saw and bit of steel box section to rip down 3" boards, worked a treat and 75mm cut depth.

[Big Beech]

Just an update on the blade,

I went for the Erbauer 40T blade for £20 and cut down my bed sides cherey materials and was a fantastic finish to the cut, it certainly wouldn't need much finishing if at all.

[gobbypunk]

We have a massive old makita circular saw it cuts 5inch deep and they used to make a plate that would let it run on the track but at the time I found it I didnt buy it now it aint available so I just run it along an 8 ft level 

[Johnsond]

8 minutes ago, gobbypunk said:

We have a massive old makita circular saw it cuts 5inch deep and they used to make a plate that would let it run on the track but at the time I found it I didnt buy it now it aint available so I just run it along an 8 ft level 

Got a large makita circular myself  and to be honest it’s not a tool I enjoy using. I’m not a small guy but when it kicks or the blades nips you definitely want to be holding onto it. I’ve seen some of the Americans guys on you tube using huge versions whilst timber framing, rather them than me. 

[harvey b davison]

Agree chaps, as long as it will cut 50mm min then that will be fine. Used circular saws on site before, but the setting up etc gets a bit tedious after a while, and yes the kick backs. I've been told that with a track saw, kickbacks don't happen, is this true ?