This saw gets a lot of bad reviews on the Home Depot web site. I might be able to get a good deal on this model, but it sounds like the rails are flimsy and the saw is underpowered. Does anyone have any experience with this saw? Thanks.
FWIW the tracks on all of the brands are relatively thin around, IIRC
5mm. and the longer they are the more flippy they feel. To rip a standard piece of plywood length wise you need greater than 8 feet. The saw needs to plunge before you push into the wood. I have a 75" and a 55" track that I use together for this purpose. I am very careful with the unit when both are in that configuration. So the flimsy feel may just be an inherent trait that new users need to get used to dealing with.The under powered thing may also be a perception of being under powered. The Makita saw is variable speed. If it's anything like the Festool saw it too sounds under powered. The Festool as well as perhaps the Makita monitors blade speed and constantly adjusts and you can hear that going on.
Keep in mind also that you are looking at a relatively small circular saw. Many may be expecting too much out of it.
I guess the question is are the users unfamiliar with the saw's characteristics or are the claims legit. If legit I would keep looking.
Are you looking at new? What is the return policy. Some brand track saws give you a 30 money back guarantee.
I briefly looked at that saw before I bought my Festering saw. The price difference wasn't enough to steer me away from the Festool and the Festool had a lot more compatible tools, accessories, and tracks, for their saw. The decision wasn't difficult. SWMBO probably wishes I'd bought the Makita. ;-)
no experience with the saw but experience with shills giving bad reviews to the competition
the whole track saw thing just seems like a solution to an operator problem or lack of skill with a circular saw
which is ok as it is a real problem but with practice and a worm drive or hypoid clean straight cuts are possible with practice
and you can always get a clamping straight edge and save yourself money and not need another piece of equipment
able to get a good deal on this model, but it sounds like the rails are fl imsy and the saw is underpowered. Does anyone have any experience with this saw? Thanks.
The same Festool combination is $590, with the 55" guide rail. Festool has 10 amps while this Makita has 12 amps. So I'd be skeptical of any power c omparisons. My Festool is plenty strong and good for cutting through 3/4" plywood and other thin hardwood. Have not tried it on 2+" hardwood, maximu m depth. So its good and strong and works perfectly well for me. Your lin k shows $409 price for the Makita setup. For a $181 difference, I'm not su re I would "risk" going with the less well known Makita, that may or may no t work with other Festool tools. But if your price is quite a bit less tha n the stated $409 price, then I'd probably give it a go.
Thanks Leon and Notreal. I wish it had the 8 feet track, and I see where that track is not cheap (almost 2 bills).
Food for thought if considering the Festool set up. The TS 55 with a
55" track costs $690. $590 WITH OUT the track.The larger TS 75 with a 75" track costs $820. That is $130 more than the TS 55 with 55" track.
If you want to rip 8 foot long sheets of plywood you need to add a 75" fence to the TS 55 combination or a 55" track to the TS 75 combination, plus the two union bars to hold the tracks together.
The 55" track costs $145.00. The 75" track costs $225.00.
If you add the cost of the TS 55 combo plus the cost of the 75" track you have a total of $915 for both tracks and saw.
If you add the cost of the TS 75 combo plus the cost of the 55" track you have a total of $965 for both tracks and saw.
Basically you need both tracks to cut 96". The Larger TS 75 is only $50 more expensive than the TS 55 with the same track configurations.
A few weeks ago I was plunge cutting through 4 stacks of 1/2" birch, 2" thick, veneer 9 ply plywood to build the work bench saw horses. I did this with my TS 75 and a section of track.
Stop giving advice. You're clueless.
If I were to buy now, I'd definitely buy the TS75. While the TS55 has cut through everything I've wanted to cut, it does seem a little underpowered. I'd rather have the newer imperial gauge, too, but it's not worth $600 to get. ;-)
It astounds me, those that give advice but build nothing.
be able to get a good deal on this model, but it sounds like the rails are flimsy and the saw is underpowered. Does anyone have any experience with t his saw? Thanks.
has 10 amps while this Makita has 12 amps. So I'd be skeptical of any pow er comparisons. My Festool is plenty strong and good for cutting through 3 /4" plywood and other thin hardwood. Have not tried it on 2+" hardwood, ma ximum depth. So its good and strong and works perfectly well for me. Your link shows $409 price for the Makita setup. For a $181 difference, I'm no t sure I would "risk" going with the less well known Makita, that may or ma y not work with other Festool tools. But if your price is quite a bit less than the stated $409 price, then I'd probably give it a go.
I misread the Festool website. It is $590 WITHOUT any rails. $690 with th e short 55" rail. Good or bad, right or wrong, I have the 55", the short 3
0" rail, and the super duper great 3 meter rail for cutting full sheets of plywood. And the TS55 saw. Its big enough and works for cutting anything I want. But the TS75 big saw might be preferable if I envisioned cutting 8 /4 maple or oak, ripping. For 2" deep rip cuts in hardwood, the extra powe r would be welcome over the smaller nimble TS55. But for my work the TS55 is superb. More than strong enough and easy to handle. Not too big like t he stronger TS75.There are similar conversations about the two Domino machines. Small, nimb le, easy to handle 500 Domino (TS55), or big, heavy, unwieldy, but more ver satile 700 Domino (TS75). Good AND bad with all of the choices.
Electric Comet on Sat, 10 Mar 2018
10:05:16 -0800 typed in rec.woodworking the following:I have said, of many skills, if I was doing this 30 to 40 hours a week, I could learn it. I'm not, so who do I ask to learn this?
Sounds smart too.
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