I have a Bosch 18v circular saw and some Bosch track that it runs on.

I thought pre purchase that the track would move around. Uh-uh. It might as well be glued down. So you can get a really good straight cut. However, you do need to support your off cut, otherwise with a few inches to go the weight of the off cut will pull it to the ground and rip across what would otherwise have been the last few inches of your cut. You do this once, then learn.

When I was doing a lot of this I built a track using a YT video, which works really well up to about three feet. You screw it into your off cut, but you have the same support issue for your off cut though.

The best solution was to build a table saw with a fence. Plenty of good suggestions on eBay. You mount your mains circular saw upside down on a panel that slots into the surface of the table saw. Set the fence, and everything becomes really easy.

Thanks, I will be using track clamps similar to these:

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/02n9j_cEr7E

I get the table saw *might* be good enough, I have a pretty nice Bosch stand saw.

Thanks,
Maurice

Well back when I was building cabinets and doing more woodworking (probably 20-25yrs no wait cabinets were done by kids first birthday I think so could be more like 27yrs ago) , I slide into Festool's. Like anything at the top you pay more than the actual gains. it might cost twice but you get 50% improvement only kind of thing. That said. I love my festool equipment. Back then there were not a lot of track saws. There are definitely more options now. And not sure I could justify the Festool, given other options out there.

There is ZERO comparison to manhandling sheet good around a table saw. if your cutting an 8' sheet you need about 10' on the infeed and 9' out the outfeed so your looking at needing nearly 20' of space to make a table saw work. I find I use the track saw for a lot more.

Get some foil backed foam (1/2") put that down on your table or saw horses, drop your sheet good on it, drop your track, adjust cut to be about 1/4" more than wood, and away you go, foam board will last you along time (can go thicker so it holds up better). But piece is always fully supported, cuts always come out clean. I think I have 2 5' tracks, a 3' track would be great. Also not sure I need a total 8' its pretty easy to line up track on cut and continue the cut, If your cutting lots of sheet good, get the total length but if you only need 8' cuts occasionally its an option.

Can't really give advice on today's tools as its been a long time. There use to be some great woodworking forums, I know many have ended, but I gotta believe some are still there.

Look forward to seeing more replies.

Will add, not having to deal with cord would be a nice add, but then vacuum wont come on when you pull the trigger for the saw, and collecting saw dust was a big draw for going to festool for me and you would still have the vacuum hose, so I guess I just talked myself out of cordless being that much better.. LOL (in my defense, last project was t-11 siding outside, and I just let the dust fly, there the cord was something to be careful of.) And i guess that's the other advantage of the track over a table saw (a real one not a contractor saw.. lol PM66 for me, of course saw stop came out the next year) I can take my tracks to work sites, (As I said use it a lot even on smaller cuts)

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

I have a festool track saw and dust extractor. It is unbelievably cool. I use it all the time at work, and at home my shop is quite small so I use it to quickly and efficiently break down sheet goods without having to swing a heavy 4x8 sheet around a shop with a 7'6" ceiling.

That being said, the Makita is much better value. I know a lot of professional cabinet installers that use Makita. One thing that's cool is Makita tracks actually work with the festool saw, so you can splurge on the saw and get the cheaper, nearly identical Makita tracks.

A track saw is miles above a skill saw on a track in terms of precision and performance, and dust collection.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Thanks, did you go with the festool ts75 or ts55?

Judy at KMS said the same thing about Makita tracks being compatible….she is our local all things carpentry expert.

Maurice

I use the corded Makita track saw and pair it with the Festool dust vac. It's a great little system that cuts very clean and generates limited dust (especially if you cover the blade bolt access area). A friend has the Festool track saw and it's solid, too.

The one downer with the Makita when compared to the Festool is the Festool saws do have a riving knife. I've not had kickback with the track saw, but the thought lingers in the back of my mind. I have a Sawstop table saw, but prefer using the track saw to break down sheet goods since it's faster and more mobile.

I have the 55. I'm usually cutting down doors, finished cabinet panels, breaking down various sheet goods, cutting finished stair stringers, sometimes using it as jointer on solid lumber (though it doesn't do the best job of this). Ive had it for around 6 years now.

You can also buy router bases that attach to the track, so you can quickly dado or run profiles in stuff.

Once you have one, you just start finding more uses for them. They're very versatile tools.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Thank you for the detailed response, leaning towards the festool 55 kit that comes with a 55” track.

Maurice

Thanks leaning towards festool 55 simply because of a larger than expected tax return….kit comes with track and I *think* I will go with an extra 106” Makita track…it appears most people say they work interchangeably.

Appreciate it, I knew you would see this and chime in.

Maurice

Went to the email.. looks like it was sept 2003. I got the 55" track plus a 2nd 55" track. I like your plan better.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Just remember, Bosch usually is priced without tracks. All three get good reviews in woodworking forums. If you have the money for festool, I would do it. Great quality, but the price gap is often not worth the performance difference.
I rarely work with sheet goods, so I generally rely on a kreg crosscut jig, and a Lee valley tool guide for my occasional needs. If I have a full sheet good project, I now give my guys the cut list and they program it for the cnc. Saves me half the material costs since waste is minimized.
I have a project coming up where I could use a track saw on some live edge. Since I am an occasional usuer, looking at kreg. Good cut, reasonable price. Wouldn't do it for serious production, but for a dozen cuts a project it should be adequate.

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Jim
"In dog beers, I've only had one"
http://www.shakercolonial.com/
Creating custom made furnishing to your requirements

I have the makita corded track saw. I am not a frequent user and haven’t done too much that would require extreme precision but I have liked using it. I would’ve bought the Festool because they are awesome but couldn’t justify the price jump for my use.

How is your woodworking business going? I feel like I haven't seen you post in a long time.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

The new festool cordless stuff and dust extractors has a wireless activation, so despite not being plugged in to one another, the tool does indeed turn on the dust extractor.

You're already connecting the two via hose anyways though so it's not a huge extra burden to have a cord involved.

I bought a separate festool dust bag and it actually does a very admirable job of dust collection. Obviously not as good as a dust extractor but if you just need to make a few cuts its worth having.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Bosch is interesting, have their table saw a pretty nice tripod green laser, some 12v stuff (flush cut saw, small impact etc) and a 20 year old 18v kit which is still awesome after finding new batteries on amazon.

But our local KMS tools is always blowing their stuff out, they say basically that there is no rep, or basically only one for western Canada, Milwaukee has 9 reps for the same territory and it seams like everyone uses those red 18v and 12v packs now.

Maurice

i can't help you. but i can sing the praises of my dewalt track saw. this class of tool is just great. i have used mine so much, for so many projects. i swapped out the blade for a metal cutting blade and am using it for a composites project i'm pursuing at the moment. as others noted i have a router with a track attachment. also killer.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I have the Makita corded track saw and have had it for several years. I have a 55" track and a 106" track. I can't comment on the cordless versions of the saws but I've been incredibly happy with this saw. I have a table saw but never felt comfortable, or really had the room, for cutting down full size sheets of ply. The track saw is perfect for that. The cuts are actually so good that you can get by with just the track saw for those that aren't interested in having a table saw. I've never had any issues with tear out and the cuts are super clean and smooth. I typically setup and use it outdoors so I can't comment on dust collection with it. I originally looked at the Festool but the price difference was worth it to me.