The.Handyman Posted May 11, 2017 Report Share Posted May 11, 2017 So [mention=2255]ChrisK[/mention] you want the rip or cut to be straighter then a circ saw will give on the initial cut before the table saw is used? If it's a rough cut ,why not just snap a line and use a circ saw ? Or does the track saw give a factory edge thus giving you less waste out of a sheet ? That I get.....Better than factory edge. No moving a sheet around awkwardly to cut on a table saw. More accurate cuts and more efficiency.Track saws are amazing. I'll never be without again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted May 11, 2017 Report Share Posted May 11, 2017 6 minutes ago, Framer joe said: So @ChrisK you want the rip or cut to be straighter then a circ saw will give on the initial cut before the table saw is used? If it's a rough cut ,why not just snap a line and use a circ saw ? Or does the track saw give a factory edge thus giving you less waste out of a sheet ? That I get..... Perfectly smooth finished cut with NO dust! A cut on my TS55REQ is not only straight but doesn't need finishing. Plus, my shop is pretty small and man handling a full sheet on the saw isn't something I like to do. My ts was a gift from my wife (then girlfriend) for Christmas. Totally worth it dude. I hook this sucker up to dust collection and there is nothing left to clean and no sanding needed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framer joe Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 Sometimes I forget that a lot of you guys are finish guys...my world is all framers....thanks for the input.....sounds great,,I would suppose then ,corded or cordless really doesn't matter within that scope then.....especially if your using a vacuum or dust extractor with it......more POWA! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 1 hour ago, ChrisK said: It's the 60v American version With a different shoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jronman Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 1 hour ago, Framer joe said: So @ChrisK you want the rip or cut to be straighter then a circ saw will give on the initial cut before the table saw is used? If it's a rough cut ,why not just snap a line and use a circ saw ? Or does the track saw give a factory edge thus giving you less waste out of a sheet ? That I get..... it is also used in conjunction with dust collection and also is much better with preventing tearout. Some guys have the luxury of a sliding table saw or panel saw but the average guy may not fork out the money for one. When all you got at most is a cabinet grade table saw you may see the benefits of the track saw as being a more convenient and safer option when cutting large panels. I enjoy building furniture. You would think cords don't matter in a shop setting but I see benefits of cordless in a shop setting. No cord is nice because less cords equals less to trip over, get snagged on corners, and etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 38 minutes ago, Bremon said: With a different shoe. Yup, subtle differences but that and the D.C. Nozzle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SetBuilder Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 2 hours ago, Framer joe said: So I hear many opinions on the track saw...I assume a track saw is for....?( I get cutting a straight line) If your cutting sheets of mdo or birch ,etc for inside ,don't finish guys use a tablesaw ? If your cutting cdx exterior ply, don't you snap a line and use a circ saw ? Of course I'm a builder so we don't use track saws for framing or ext trim.....just curious of its need ? But glad Dewalt has one............ My shop has about 10 table saws and 2 monster panel saws. A week ago I cut over 70 sheets of 5x12 pre laminated sheets of 1/4in MDF. Not fun humping them up onto a table saw to rip them, also not fun trying to keep it against the fence for a straight cut on a 5x12. I also cut a bunch of pre laminated 4x10s of 1/4 MDF and 4x10 sheets of pre laminated 1in MDF, now those are heavy mothers. I made all the cuts with a track saw. I just wheeled my cut table over to the pile and loaded one at a time, I never had to bust my ass humping boards around. I'd also say the cuts were straighter than a table saw, because there is always the issue of big boards coming away from the fence. Also the laminate often over hangs the MDF core so it needs to be trimmed back to the core to get a straight edge to go against the fence. On some I just used a router to clean up the edge, but often both the top and bottom layer over hang. So its quicker to just lay a track down on the board and make a cut to get a clean edge. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 Honestly table saws scare me a bit, I'm sure it's not the first time I've said it on here and won't be the last. That's coming from someone who cuts things at work with a $140k fast wire CNC saw lol. For ripping flooring or dimensional lumber they're great and I don't worry. Trying to manhandle sheet goods onto a jobsite table saw at work (Bosch 4100) is a task I happily delegate to others when possible. A track saw would be a dream for ripping down sheets. I always prefer to take the tool through the material rather than the material through the tool, if that makes sense. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framer joe Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 They sound great,as a matter of fact my boss told me he bought a Festool track saw today for the job.(we use all Dewalt tools ) but said it's supposed to be the best.....i said that expensive tool will be destroyed being around framers....he said guys use it to cut stringers,lvl beams,not just plywood....never heard of that.....but I'm ol school and still use a Motorola flip phone... .......from what all you guys say....it sounds great...seams like more work to me screwing or clamping a track down for every cut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regopit Posted May 13, 2017 Report Share Posted May 13, 2017 I hope the he got the EQ 75 if he plans to cut lvl's. The 55 will do it but it's a slow go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted May 13, 2017 Report Share Posted May 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Framer joe said: They sound great,as a matter of fact my boss told me he bought a Festool track saw today for the job.(we use all Dewalt tools ) but said it's supposed to be the best.....i said that expensive tool will be destroyed being around framers....he said guys use it to cut stringers,lvl beams,not just plywood....never heard of that.....but I'm ol school and still use a Motorola flip phone... .......from what all you guys say....it sounds great...seams like more work to me screwing or clamping a track down for every cut... The tracks have no slip pads on them that work quite well. No need for tracks if you go slow over the track. The TS are tradie tools in the UK and Europe so it should treat you guys well if you don't smash them around ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 13, 2017 Report Share Posted May 13, 2017 Yeah, no clamping or fastening required. The track stays in place with friction and the blade plunges down then follows the cut line. Perfection! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jronman Posted May 13, 2017 Report Share Posted May 13, 2017 13 hours ago, Framer joe said: They sound great,as a matter of fact my boss told me he bought a Festool track saw today for the job.(we use all Dewalt tools ) but said it's supposed to be the best.....i said that expensive tool will be destroyed being around framers....he said guys use it to cut stringers,lvl beams,not just plywood....never heard of that.....but I'm ol school and still use a Motorola flip phone... .......from what all you guys say....it sounds great...seams like more work to me screwing or clamping a track down for every cut... Festool has a framing saw with track base and dust collection. I think there might even be a cordless version. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 13, 2017 Report Share Posted May 13, 2017 Yep there's a cordless version. Pretty sure it can't cut through 2x dimensional lumber beveled at a 45 degree angle though? I may be misremembering. It's designed for Europe though where the different spec for dimensional lumber means it can never through. It's just a hair shy in NA. I'm going to look into this again to make sure I'm not misremembering lol. Edit: I'm right. Can't cut through 2x on a 45* bevel. It seems incredibly useful anyway to be able to slam out fast accurate mitre cuts with a circ saw though. Hopefully it's big brother gets released here in NA at some point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framer joe Posted May 14, 2017 Report Share Posted May 14, 2017 Thanks for the info guys....of course I'm leery about the whole track saw thing but who knows I may love it...tough to teach an ol dog new tricks....I like the idea of not clamping it down...I don't know the model as I have not seen it yet...I think the boss is playing with it first......which is ..good for me ,stay off my job site..,,.owners only mess things up......ya know........more POWA! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted May 14, 2017 Report Share Posted May 14, 2017 7 hours ago, Bremon said: Yep there's a cordless version. Pretty sure it can't cut through 2x dimensional lumber beveled at a 45 degree angle though? I may be misremembering. It's designed for Europe though where the different spec for dimensional lumber means it can never through. It's just a hair shy in NA. I'm going to look into this again to make sure I'm not misremembering lol. Edit: I'm right. Can't cut through 2x on a 45* bevel. It seems incredibly useful anyway to be able to slam out fast accurate mitre cuts with a circ saw though. Hopefully it's big brother gets released here in NA at some point. Yup you are Bremon, as a matter of fact mine does just fine with them! The model number is HKC55 and you can use it as a track saw too though admittedly the dust collection on the TS models at way better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmc Posted May 14, 2017 Report Share Posted May 14, 2017 If you can't wait for the new flexvolt you can buy this one it's been around for ten years. Old nicad batteries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 14, 2017 Report Share Posted May 14, 2017 Hell of a deal at $899... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overanalyze Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 I have the HKC and it does fall short on cutting through 2x on a 45. It excels for exterior finish trim and straight cuts in 2x. We did a covered patio and all the trim was cedar. A lot of 1" thick wide boards. It was a dream to use. Nice tight miter! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mordekyle Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 If you can't wait for the new flexvolt you can buy this one it's been around for ten years. Old nicad batteries Good luck finding batteriesSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 Service centres can get most of the old batteries for you. What you won't like isn't the availability of those crappy old batteries; it's the prices. M28 redlithium batteries at our service centre go for more than HD9.0s. No thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jronman Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 the flexvolt tracksaw is less expensive than the nicd tracksaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRS5565 Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 That M28 line lost them any chance to sell me the m18 line ever. M12 is damn handy however. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 Hell of a deal at $899...I guess you pay for nostalgia Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framer joe Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Can't wait to try a track saw 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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