Can anyone recommend a plunge / track saw?

[happypeter]

Hi,

I've finally decided to upgrade my £40 circular saw I've had for about 10 years. It works but is so loud it hurts my head and I've been tempted by these track saws.

thank you

 

[ETAF]

do you have a budget , cordless or corded , if cordless do you have a battery system now
have a look at Peter Millard videos, he has done a lot of comparisons on tracksaws

Peter Millard

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[happypeter]

Truth be told I bought an evolution battery powered saw but the blade got jammed while cutting 45mm softwood, is that normal? I really struggled to get it out. I'm thinking of returning it and getting 240V

£350 ish budget. I will check out Mr Millard

 

[ETAF]

was that a track saw or a circular saw - I would expect around 55mm depth of cut - thats the spec for a makita track saw my son-law-has , which is the 6000 model, he got a kit, with tracks and box from FFX - but over the £350 budget

Makita Makita FFX9KIT 240v 165mm Plunge Saw and Guide Rail Kit | ffx

Buy Makita Makita FFX9KIT 240v 165mm Plunge Saw and Guide Rail Kit online at ffx. Next day delivery available.

ffx.co.uk

not sure if this has a riving knife - which i know some had , but changed recently

i have a dewalt battery circular saw 18V and i have cut 4x4 posts , and a lot of sheet goods - i have also run down a lenght of softwood , but cant remember the depth - i use freud / saxtonblades - blades - which are thinnier

Was the softwood wet - what sort of length , i have made sure the cut part - the 2 bits are not squashed together as in a clamp and close up on the blade

 

[happypeter]

That makita surely is the daddy but yes a little pricey.

I was cutting C24 along its length (2.5M), it did do it eventually but the blade stopped 3 or 4 times for lack of power. The wood didn't feel damp but maybe not house dry. I know my old £40 saw would have done it no probs

 

[ETAF]

That makita surely is the daddy but yes a little pricey.

well i think the mafel is the daddy and had that on my wish list , if i won the lottery , but then if i did win , i would get someone else in to the do the work ???

it did do it eventually but the blade stopped 3 or 4 times for lack of power.

Battery or corded?

 

[happypeter]

Wow the wife would divorce me if I bought a mafel. The evolution I bought is battery

 

[ETAF]

The evolution I bought is battery

Tracksaw or circular saw - sorry confused
What battery was you using with it ? I use a 5Ah battery with my Circular saw , I do find the 3Ah or 2Ah which i have are ok on sheet18mm or less , and the blade set to the depth

 

[^woody^]

Track saws have very limited use. Is your requirement really to cut lots of thin board material in straight lines?

Or would a more versatile circular be better and a straight edge or ply guide be better?

Don't succumb to the insta hype.

A cordless and a couple or three high capacity batteries should do, unless you work at a bench in shop all day.

Better blades on cheaper saws would be something to consider too.

 

[foxhole]

Have a cheap lumberjack tracksaw ( uses track compatible to Makita and Festool but way cheaper). Really only use it for one or two cuts on a full 8x4 sheet to make it more manageable for table saw for multiple rip cuts.

 

[blup]

Consider a battery saw, they are reasonably powerful in 36 volt spec. A circular saw against a clamp is probably more versatile.

 

[opps]

That makita surely is the daddy but yes a little pricey.

I was cutting C24 along its length (2.5M), it did do it eventually but the blade stopped 3 or 4 times for lack of power. The wood didn't feel damp but maybe not house dry. I know my old £40 saw would have done it no probs

Did you put wedges in the cut to stop it closing behind the blade. As @ETAF says, it does sound like the timber grabbed the blade. In some respects you are lucky that the electronics cut the power to the blade. Saw blade kick back is not fun.

 

[opps]

not sure if this has a riving knife - which i know some had , but changed recently

AFAIK, that model never had a riving knife. I have an older generation Festool. I removed the riving knife because, at the time, I was only working with sheet materials. The newer Festools have a retractable riving knife, allowing you to make plunge cuts in the middle of a sheet.

In spite of the likes of @^woody^ 's possible misconceptions about track saws, I did recently rip 10mm off some C24. I made a point of wedging the cut as I went along (given the lack of a riving knife).

 

[opps]

Wow the wife would divorce me if I bought a mafel.

I would consider marrying you. Especially if you buy their stunning jigsaw. Given that we are both males, they could be our babies.

 

[cdbe]

I bought a cheapish track saw recently, I use it for cutting lots of thin board material in straight lines - mainly kitchen style carcasses. I regard it as a (relatively) precision instrument and keep it in a special box. I wouldn't dream of using it for ripping down floor joists or other rough first fix stuff - I have a circular saw for that.