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Arron

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Joined
29 May 2016
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Location
Cornwall
Hi Guys,

Looking at a track saw setup and I'm struggling to decide on either the makita or the dewalt. Both can be had with 2x rails and bag for the same price but I'm also thinking about using the track along with a router (currently have a makita router)
Option 1-go with the makita track saw and keep my current router
Option 2-sell my router and buy dewalt saw and router

I would like to stream line my battery tools and currently use ryobi so as they drop off will be looking to replace them with the same brand as track saw/router.

Reviews for the dewalt track saw are all pretty positive whereas the makita gets hit and miss reviews??

I ruled out the festool as this is a hobby and with 3 kids it's a very light hobby!! :shock:

Thanks in advance guys :)

Arron
 
I've got the Dewalt and its a fantastic piece of kit.

I weighed up the options between the festool/ Dewalt and Makita. I ended up with the Dewalt as its slightly more powerful than the Festool although not as powerful as the Makita and had a few other features that i thought were handy.

I also managed to get Axminster to price match at £325 for the saw/2 guide rails/ a bag and the track joiner.
 
It's worth looking into quite closely. I've got the Bosch system of rails with a Mafell saw, which suits me fine. It all works well. I know I could set up a router with it and Mafell or Bosch saws. The Bosch Rail base will accept various routers. It is also very quick and easy to set up reportedly better than the others. Though I find the compatibility across ranges quite a nightmare. It would be nice to have complete compatibility across all your tools, but some Festool wotsits are great but then someone else makes something better. My battery tools are Makita, so I'd like to stick with them but my Makita SMC is total crap. My Bosch drill is great but my Bosch planer and Bosch Jigsaw are rubbish.

In terms of rails, I've never used the others, but know the Bosch/Mafell ones work and if bought from Orbital Fasteners are cheap.

It may be best to think what is the most used job you do for rails and go with that and not worry about secondary use. I only use my rails with a saw and use other methods with the router. If needed I can set up another straight edge to guide the router. I think the only really useful use of rail and router is spacing for shelf supports, which uses a special rail.

So for you, maybe just go for the rails which fit to your saws.
 
I think you probably already knew (but didn't say) that there is a router sled for Makita rails. It's not very expensive and it uses the trammel/fence holes on the router baseplate, so anything with the same spacing and rail sizes will probably fit. I suspect that includes Trend and DW routers, but I haven't tried. Additionally the Makita sled MIGHT fit Festool rails (they differ from Makita ones on the 'back' edge away from the blade). I haven't got one, as the occasions I'd need it are very few.

I have found out that the same "micro-adjustable) router fence casting is used on a wide range of router brands, implying there is a de-facto standard - same bars spaced the same distance apart. I have one of these fences (it came with my Trend T11) that I can also use on my much smaller Bosch routers. It has fittings for both sizes of bars on the two different spacings. So I'd guess if you get the Makita sled you may find it works with a range of routers, even though they don't advertise this.

The thing most likely to be different between router manufacturers, however, is the height of the bar holes of the router, above its baseplate. This doesn't matter for a router fence (probably why they can get away with all using the same casting for the fence!). It would matter when using a sled running on tracksaw rails.

I don't know how similar DW rails are to Festookl and Makita - you'd have to check.

OK, after saying all that, it's worth pointing out that you could make your own router sled for tracksaw rails pretty easily. All they are in essence is a block shaped to match the profile of the rail (near the back), with a pair of matching holes, into which the trammel/fence bars for the router can fit.

IIRC, they are 10mm bars usually for most 1/2" routers, and 8mm for the smaller sizes (my Bosch POF 500/600s, Trend T4, and possibly T5, etc.). So all you really need to do is cut slots in a (longer=better) hardwood block to the right profile, and two parallel 10mm holes at right-angles to the profile. It has to be one of the easiest jigs ever! If you don't have enough "meat" in a block of wood as-is, consider using a slab of MFC under the router base to lif it slightly, and allow your slider to be correspondingly thicker.

One important reason why router sleds might not be popular is the need for offset measuring and marking. One of the best things in use about track saws is that you cut right on the edge of the rubber strip. If I understand the Makita sled, you'd have to use offset marking at best, and you'd be foolish to run the router base along the rubber strip anyway, because it would drag and scuff.

It all sounds like a lot of fuss and bother, compared to just clamping a batten to the workpiece and running along that, or using the router table (moving the work instead).

I can see that a well-constructed sled would stop the cutter wandering in either direction (against a batten, you really need to cut in one direction only - the other will pull the router away from it's correct line), but there will be a big twisting force on the sled in use, because the router cutter is a long way from the axis along which the sled slides (what a mouthful!). That will make it tend to jam, and to skip daintily along the track rather than slide smoothy.

To sum all that up:

You probably can use a Makita router sled with other routers, and possibly with other brands of track, but you probably don't want to, (a) because you can cheaply make your own (just as good, or even better), and (b) because the whole idea sounds good but actually doesn't work very well in practice, compared to just a batten or one of those simple clamp-on guide bars.

I've got one of those. I winced at the price when I bought it years ago (Trend stuff is never cheap!), but I've used it again and again - takes seconds to set up and it's really easy to use.

E.
 
Thanks for the replies guys :)

Eric I never even considered a router plate being interchangeable between brands, just checked the dewalt router plate attachment and it does say suitable for various brands of router.

Think I will take the plunge :roll: and go with the Dewalt Dws520

cheers guys

Arron

Eric The Viking":12pi4vgp said:
I think you probably already knew (but didn't say) that there is a router sled for Makita rails. It's not very expensive and it uses the trammel/fence holes on the router baseplate, so anything with the same spacing and rail sizes will probably fit. I suspect that includes Trend and DW routers, but I haven't tried. Additionally the Makita sled MIGHT fit Festool rails (they differ from Makita ones on the 'back' edge away from the blade). I haven't got one, as the occasions I'd need it are very few.



E.
 
I have both makita and dewalt tools, I use the makita track for saw, router, laminate trimmer, and battery saw the only reason I went makita was I don't like the dewalt router all the rest of my tools are dewalt for work, my dislike of the dewalt router it was it just didn't feel right to hold and I use my router's a lot in work house bashing, I would suggest going into a shop and have a play,
paul.
 
I've always bought Makita stuff and have their tracksaw, which is great. I think one of the considerations i looked at was the presence or absence of a riving knife if you think that is important. I think the Dewalt has one but the Makita doesn't, though i've never had any issues.
 
skipdiver":3sobouow said:
I've always bought Makita stuff and have their tracksaw, which is great. I think one of the considerations i looked at was the presence or absence of a riving knife if you think that is important. I think the Dewalt has one but the Makita doesn't, though i've never had any issues.

The riving knife is one consideration with the other being the reported short lead, being new to Cornwall I am struggling to find somewhere with demo models available.
I am sure either one will impress me compared to my current Ryobi battery c/saw! :lol:

Arron
 
Can only comment on the Dewalt but have been very impressed with it, cuts nice and leaves a good finish. Not used the router attachment but would imagine other routers would fit (if not a multi base should solve the problem).

Don't know your area and dont know how far you are from Axminster in Devon, but would imagine they would have on display and may be worth a trip.

Kev
 
Would recommend the Dewalt track saw, It also fits festool tracks (not too sure about makita tracks)

I use mine with 2 x 1500 tracks (ideal for crosscutting 8 x 4 sheets), a 1000mm track (for crosscutting doors) and a 2700mm track (for both ripping doors and 8 x 4 sheets)

Track storage can sometimes be an issue and the bag that comes with the dewalt tracks is next to useless as it is (you need a length of grooved ply as wide as the tracks) as there is a propensity for the rubber edges to be damaged


My solution to track storage incorporating preserving the edges storing them back to back. the top and bottom grooves keep the tracks central in the box and the differential in length is managed by the small infill in the groove on the lid. Like this they can be strapped on the roof rack, slung in the van etc. it is virtually bomb proof

the router attachment as shown is also very handy and fits numerous routers with the additional plates shown




















Talking of Ryobi and routers this little thing is one of the most handy I have in my arsenal of routers

 
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