What does FT track saw gain over this?


estesbubba

Recommended Posts

You don't have to do math. I had a solution a bit similar to that except it was just over 6".

 

The problem with that solution is, eventually, you will cut 12" over from where you intended to. It's almost a guarantee. After doing it for the twentieth time, I gave into the urge.

 

If you're better than math than I am (I'm more of an algebra guy), and don't care about the dust, then have at it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of these look a lot like mine.  This is one of several that's probably over 20 years old.  The one that gets used the most is the one for door bottoms, but I don't have a picture of that one.  It's so fancy, that it's made out of Birch plywood.  With the 347, and 743 saws, I can go either way.

 

The picture shows part of a 20' cut that a one piece board that length had to fit tightly against.  Hold down was by feet of two big helpers.

post-14184-0-72767600-1421548483_thumb.j

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always had trouble getting my straight edge clamps like that to actually stay put and clamp while staying right on the line. On the other hand I can make several separate cuts with the festool saw and make them exactly the same size with very little set up time. The cut is always really smooth, there's next to no dust and I can plunge cut when I need to. I used a Dewalt circular saw with straight edges for a while and after having the festool track saw for a year it's still one of my favorite tools. If u have $600 to drop on it you won't be disappointed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always had trouble getting my straight edge clamps like that to actually stay put and clamp while staying right on the line. On the other hand I can make several separate cuts with the festool saw and make them exactly the same size with very little set up time. The cut is always really smooth, there's next to no dust and I can plunge cut when I need to. I used a Dewalt circular saw with straight edges for a while and after having the festool track saw for a year it's still one of my favorite tools. If u have $600 to drop on it you won't be disappointed.

 

Track clamps work pretty well for getting them to stay put.  Big reason behind the FT rails as well as what Bubba is showing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Y'ALL NEED TO STOP!!! All of the Festool lovers are now very nervous viewing all of your low cost, highly efficient substitutes. Many are second guessing....Bubba, Higtron, Tom....stop aggravating the green people.  Yes, I know....your circular saws will plunge just fine but y'all behave.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never thought of it but I could but would have to guess at depth and lock it. What applications would you want to plunge?

 

Obviously if you wanted to make a perfectly straight stopped cut for some reason.  I've never had a need to do that and I certainly didn't buy mine for that feature...but it is a feature that regular circ saws don't have.  Yes you can plunge with a regular circ saw but it's a little dicey and unsafe, and tricky to make perfect.

 

I bought my TS55 simply for ease of use.  It makes breaking down sheet goods a breeze...twice as fast as the regular straight edge and circ saw method...which I did for years just fine.  And the DC is night and day.

 

If you have an MFT, the TS55 becomes even more versatile and efficient.  Not really needed in my workflow but the advantages are there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welllll....I could see a little bit cleaner but if you follow the clamped straight edge, it should come out pretty clean but the "fun factor".....ahhhhh.....that counts too!!  Years ago when I belonged to a hunting club, I brought home a couple deer, processed it all into hamburger ('cept the backstrap) adding beef fat to the process and my wife loved the burgers.....she grabbed the calculator and said "now how much are your dues???" NOPE....can't break it all down to dollars and cents....there is the "fun factor" too!!

 

In the metal working world, I've used a similar set up.  Set up the track - measuring and clamping is the most time involved, and then place a torch on the track that is about the size of a router on 4 wheels and it crawls across the sheet of metal cutting an exact, straight line so I see the allurement with the FS track system.  Weird, but there's a 'feeling' that you get when using it.  It's like a 'satisfying yes!' that you get on the inside watching the machine do precise cut.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The actual measure of the TS55 may be more subjective and/or (at the risk of typing something stupid early in the morning before my caffeine infusion) holistic.... I haven’t met a person yet who used the circ saw/clamp-on track method for years, then got a TS55 setup and used it for six months then woke-up one morning saying, “Hay that 20-year-old circ saw + old strip of beater plywood was much better than my TS55, maybe I’ll just switch back”…

 

Taking price out of the equation, if there’s someone like that in our studio audience, then speak-up now so can put this topic to bed ---- where it belongs…

 

No one is saying a circ saw plus plywood method doesn't work or that it'll produce poor results... It's that the TS55 is the better mouse trap... Now, is it worth the $$$ to get that mouse trap? That's the question...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You got it Tim.  It's just like every other Festool (with the Domino exception)...they don't do anything that you can't find another way to do the same thing...it's just faster, more accurate, and more fun with a Festool.  And cleaner.  And a whole lot more fun.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The one I had was sold by Peachtree, but interestingly, apparently not anymore. Woodcraft has one that looks extremely similar. http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/149192/woodriver-clamp-guide-50-inch.aspx

You buy plates that you attach anything you want to and they ride along the channels. I tried very hard to align it up so it hit exactly 6" off the edge, but I was just off. Got good results, not great. Still keep the clamp, but I've tossed the saw plate as I no longer need it. Might pick up another plate eventually for router work, but then again I could just use the Festool track.

The strips on the Festool really help it shine, often no clamping is involved: set the track down, and cut. Works especially well for crosscuts on the MFT. For the real game changer for the track system, the MFT is where it's at.

Also, I'll add that after I got tired of doing math, I made my own guide. Doesn't hold a candle to using the guide rails. As good? Probably. Not as nice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll agree with cleaner, no question, but absolutlely not faster, more accurate, or cleaner cut. If I worked in houses that people were living in, which is on the list of things that I don't do anyway, I'd have a commercial track saw. I get to deduct any

dollar I put in tools, but a tracksaw just doesn't fit into the yearly low five figure budget for me -not saying it's not great

for anyone else. I never had my hands on one of the commercial guides with built in clamps that I liked either.

With the old, quick to make version like I use, you cut the edge with the saw you're going to use. Lay that edge where you want the cut. If you use clamps, quick clamps on each end for trimming doors, or a sheet of plywood

work just fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use a 8' piece of plywood for long cuts and a 4' aluminum door spreader I got off a steel door frame when I worked commercial construction. While the track saw stuff looks nice, I look at it like this; I can drive to Walmart on the highway, or I can take the country roads, on is smooth and dust free, one is a little bumpy and dusty, but I still get to Walmart to buy bacon :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there are a lot of levels to these decussions, if I were building for money, I would have every latest and greatest, time saving quality improving, human error removing gadget I could muster and prabably a few that I really couldn't afford, but since I am entering this as a hobby I don't see myself investing in much of the green koolaid. But as a small time masorry contractor (4-8 employees) I had a Lull, dump truck, mini excavator 3 mixers and enough stuff to employ 3 times that many people because you had to be ready for anything. I think people need to decide for them self what they are trying to accomplish and "do it your own way".

I am looking to build the best stuff I can build, using reasonable tools, not buying the best equipment money can buy and being a machine operator, but if time, space and money did'nt matter then buy all means every one should have a production facility full of industrial grade tools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the biggest advantage of the Festool TS is the dust collection. My current circular saw has a port to just blast the saw dust off to the side and all over the shop. I've got a 98" expandable saw guide, it works, but isn't always the easiest to setup. I just ordered a tracksaw, mainly for dust collection and ease of setup. Festool stuff works really well together. It's almost like buying Apple products, they all play well together and integrate features so you keep buying Apple stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was going to add that the fessy gives a much cleaner cut than a skil saw because i didnt see anyone mention that but it was addressed by tom. But he went the other way with of it. My experience is theres no comparison in cut quality, But it doesn't matter if cut quality isnt a factor in the task your performing. Also its faster for me because when i used homemade sleds i would have to take the extra step to score the material so I wouldnt get tear out.again its no benefit to somepeople where tear out is not an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 38 Guests (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    421.8k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,757
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    R Parekh
    Newest Member
    R Parekh
    Joined