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Posted: 3/27/2023 11:29:40 PM EDT
I am looking at this Kreg one.  Attached FileUsing one of these...  Attached FileThe 6 1/2" M18 is the "tighter" saw since it has a more robust base and thicker metal where you raise and lower the base so I would trust it more. Once you jack the 7 1/4 up high enough for 3/4" ply the rear of the base has some flex left and right in relation to the blade because of the flimsier height adjust mechanism. Anyway, anyone use one of these and how is accuracy? |
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Posted: 3/28/2023 1:11:34 AM EDT
[#1]
I would advise getting a dedicated track saw. Accuracy will be much better and it is an all around better choice. If you have Milwaukee tools already then the new Milwaukee track saw, while expensive, is very well rated (they waited for everyone to make theirs, and took all their lessons and applied it to their saw). I am balls deep in Makita so I have the 36V track saw and tracks. Made breaking down a sheet of MDF for doors I'm making a very simple task, much easier than using my Unisaw.
If you're looking to go with a "hybrid" 'track saw' like that set up, you may be better off just making your own guide rail out of 1/4 Baltic Birch or possibly MDF, though that is much more fragile. Really not much different, other than the splinter strip and you can even make one with that if you want. What I've heard about this Kreg system is...so-so. |
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Posted: 3/28/2023 1:20:37 AM EDT
[#2]
I ordered a Milwaukee from Amazon around Christmas. The track arrived but not the saw. They wouldn't ship a replacement, didn't want the track returned. Now I have a sawless track saw.
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Posted: 3/28/2023 4:49:43 AM EDT
[#3]
I have the Kreg setup you speak of. I don't hate it but FPNI. It's not perfect. You can get decent accuracy but it's not going to maintain that with robust handling. You also can't remove the saw from the jig adapter and expect to get it back to the same place repeatedly.
That said, compared to the cost of a nice, dedicated track saw, it's great if your goal is fairly accurately breaking down sheet goods. It's not great for one-shot-one-kill dead accurate panel cuts like a good track saw. There are ways to improve the accuracy using one sided teflon tape to tighten the jig to track tolerances and such, and that's a fine solution if this is all you can afford or you aren't making a lot of cuts requiring a track saw. If you're looking for true, repeatable accuracy, I would step up to a dedicated track saw. |
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GBR
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Posted: 3/28/2023 5:06:45 AM EDT
[#4]
I use 60v dewalt one. Good peice of kit
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Posted: 3/28/2023 5:20:26 AM EDT
[#5]
I always tell myself "there are other ways to do that, don't waste the money", then I still end up wishing I had a track saw.
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Posted: 3/28/2023 9:18:21 AM EDT
[#6]
if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool.
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Posted: 3/28/2023 10:35:02 AM EDT
[#7]
A decade or so ago, I used to be really in building Sub woofer enclosures, consoles, amp racks and other custom car stuff and would have killed for a good "Accurate" repeatable track saw.
For awhile I had a Hookup at Lowes in St. Louis and could pretty much get all the cuts I wanted. I'd just make a nice cut sheet and take it up there, then give my bud a 20.00 tip for cutting the panels for me. I'd still love to have one, but now I have such a small garage, I'd have no place to use it. 
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Posted: 3/28/2023 10:42:42 AM EDT
[#8]
I have the same jig and used it for several projects. It kinda does the job, but not that much better than clamping a guide and using it as a fence for the saw. And yeah, the adapter that attaches to the saw is somewhat permanent if you want repeatable cuts.
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Posted: 3/28/2023 10:47:35 AM EDT
[#9]
Agree on a dedicated track saw. I’m a Festool fan but the Milwaukee or the DeWalt will work just fine and save yourself some coin
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Posted: 3/28/2023 12:52:34 PM EDT
[#10]
I got tired of waiting for the m18 saw so I went with the Ryobi. Not as bad as I thought it would be and a lot cheaper. I had that kreg track saw thing it wasn’t worth it. Buy a real track saw
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Posted: 3/28/2023 5:06:23 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By winddummy82: if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool. I would definitely agree, with some of their tools, but the track saw is one where the competition has caught up to or surpassed Festool. Milwaukee and Makita are really, really good for a lot less. DeWalt and Bosch are really good too and again for a lot less. There are others that will do the job well though not as well as the above for even less. The corded Festool track saw was burning up motors and a lot were being replaced under warranty a while back, not sure if that's been fixed. At that price point, that kind of thing shouldn't happen. |
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Posted: 3/28/2023 6:53:19 PM EDT
[#12]
I’ve got the corded Makita. But the damned power cord is always in the way or I forget to lay it out where it won’t catch.
I’d love to have the M18 |
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Posted: 3/29/2023 9:05:17 AM EDT
[#13]
OP get an actual track saw or make a "track" you can use with your circ saw. Plenty of examples on YT. Basically a piece of ply with a rail for the plate to run against. The kreg thing you posted is 100% crap. I have on of their rip guides and I never use it.
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Posted: 3/29/2023 9:17:15 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Shoresy]
[#14]
Use a framing square to align a straight piece of stock (1) to a piece of thin ply, mdf, etc (2) and screw it down. Run your regular saw along 1 to rip 2 to width of saw baseplate. Boom, you just saved a lot of Benjamins.
eta: damn got beat to the punch EXAMPLE |
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AK, USA
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Posted: 3/29/2023 9:33:17 AM EDT
[Last Edit: FrozInAK]
[#15]
I picked up a reconditioned makita 6000 and Powertec tracks. It's a nice setup for a reasonable cost.
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Posted: 3/30/2023 9:22:38 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By winddummy82: if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool. I've got a lot of time with the Festool and they're great saws but when it came time for me to buy one, I went with the DeWalt 60v. |
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Posted: 3/30/2023 1:49:27 PM EDT
[#17]
I suggest you buy a real track saw instead of cobbling something together that will never work as well as a real track saw. I went with the Makita as I ran out of time waiting for Milwaukee.
Also, I have the same 6.5" M18 saw. Good saw for what it is but underpowered IMO for tracksaw work. |
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Posted: 3/30/2023 9:39:52 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Echd]
[#18]
I have the makita 36v (dual 18v). It is highly regarded, high quality, and reasonably priced.
Get a square too. |
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/26/2023 7:16:53 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By winddummy82: if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool. This. I had a TS55 REQ and it was great. Festool is worth the money. |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/27/2023 7:27:07 PM EDT
[#20]
I ended up with the Festool TS75. It will do all the things the TS55 will do but go deeper. When I was shopping around, the Festool saws were what everyone else compared the others to; it was the gold standard. Sucked it up and added another blue and green tool to the collection.
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OK, USA
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Posted: 4/27/2023 9:19:57 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Shoresy: Use a framing square to align a straight piece of stock (1) to a piece of thin ply, mdf, etc (2) and screw it down. Run your regular saw along 1 to rip 2 to width of saw baseplate. Boom, you just saved a lot of Benjamins. eta: damn got beat to the punch EXAMPLE Damn my pop made one similar to the example back in the early eighties when he was building his two story house, He cut hell of a lot of plywood and particle board sheets, everything had square cut edges |
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Posted: 4/27/2023 9:25:01 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By winddummy82: if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool. I have the Kreg kit and went back and forth between it and the Festool. Nowhere near enough difference in performance to justify the price. Now the Domino XL….man I want one of those |
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Posted: 5/1/2023 6:19:40 PM EDT
[#23]
+1 do the dedicated track saw. I have a Makita...it cuts as good as my table saw.
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Posted: 5/2/2023 7:14:11 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Damn my pop made one similar to the example back in the early eighties when he was building his two story house, He cut hell of a lot of plywood and particle board sheets, everything had square cut edges It's an old idea, and it works. Get a good plywood blade and a good fine cut blade, a $50 circular saw, a few clamps, and build one of these and you're set. |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 7:30:57 AM EDT
[#25]
I use a section of 1" steel tubing and clamps. Cheap and effective.
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Posted: 5/2/2023 11:08:05 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ACEB36TC: I use a section of 1" steel tubing and clamps. Cheap and effective. Yeah. I keep looking at track saws but for the money, they sure don't offer that much convenience over what I can already do with far simpler and cheaper methods. |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 4:39:41 PM EDT
[#27]
Track saws win over any kind of jig you can come up with on every level, except price. I have a battery Makita myself. Zero tearout, almost zero dust, you don't need clamps, the guides weigh nothing, and no chance of diverting from the guide.
I've made the jig from the previous post and I went out and bought aluminum guide rails after realizing an 8' wood jig sucks to move around. Niether of them come close to the convenience of a track saw. If you're only making long circ saw cuts once or twice a year, then maybe it's not worth it. The real downer is when you end up wanting a $1000 HEPA vac for it. |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 7:13:39 PM EDT
[#28]
If you go with the Kreg, get the kit that allows you to cut an 8 foot sheet of plywood. It's $179 from Kreg.
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Posted: 6/5/2023 10:31:13 AM EDT
[#29]
I have a dewalt and love it, I never knew how much I would use it. If it breaks I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.
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Posted: 11/18/2023 11:49:23 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Curmudgeon762: I have the Kreg kit and went back and forth between it and the Festool. Nowhere near enough difference in performance to justify the price. Now the Domino XL .man I want one of those |
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Posted: 11/19/2023 9:24:21 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By winddummy82: if you're going to do it, go all the way and get a festool. I've used a ton of Festool stuff over the years. I've got a buddy who is a Festool junkie and has about everything they make. When it came time to buy my own, I went with DeWalt 60v. Allowed me to go cordless without getting into different batteries, the saw plunges mre straight down than pivoting, and I can still use Festool tracks (which I will admit, I like better than DeWalts) I do have Festool sanders and a jigsaw, though. |
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