Oxford tracksaw tablesaw help......

[Iestynd]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to wood work, it's a bit addictive! I have a small garage (currently in negotiation with the gaffer(lovely
Wife) to see if I can extend it). Anyway I have some tools, a router, a sliding compound mitre saw, various drills/drivers, a 1/2 sheet sander, corded circ saw, cordless smaller circ saw etc. So a fair collection.
I am not not sure what to buy. I am working more with sheet materials, so thought a table saw would be a useful investment, but then I read this forum, people suggested track saws might be useful so this post is asking anybody within the Oxford area with a shop/garage etc, who has either a track plunge saw or a table saw or ideally both if they would have 30 minutes to let a fellow wood worker pick their brains and have a look at both tools. I'd be happy to bring some takeaway coffee/tea.

I'm not a weirdo, easy to talk too and live in Marcham with my family. I just want a hands on demo/look.

Thank you.

 

[TFrench]

For full 8x4 sheets a tracksaw will be better in a small garage. Takes up no room at all.

 

[Chrispy]

The way I see it is that these two tools are chalk and cheese, if you use one you don't really use the other, if you have the space then it's a table saw every time, but space is very valuable so don't waste it.
I have both but rarely ever use the track saw.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I'm probably too far away, and anyway my tablesaw is a "project" piece. But the simplest thoughts: you take the stock to a table saw, you take a track saw to the stock. You can't quite get the accuracy out of a track saw (although with good ones, it's very close), and there are some odd things, like cross-cutting and separating the lids on boxes, which are really the province of a table saw. But the space you need to put full-size sheet goods through a tablesaw is enormous.

My table saw, when it's running, has a sliding table, but it's way too small to use for even half-sheets of material. On one of Steve Maskery's videos, he looks at a full-size panel saw. I was there when he filmed it (the saw belonged to the workshop of a mutual friend), and the necessary space round the saw was roughly the area of a double garage, at least. I know you can put sheets through smaller saws (e.g. site saws), but to be safe it really needs two people who both know what they're doing, and you need in total about 2.5x the length of whatever you're cutting up available along the axis of the blade (people have to stand somewhere too). And I'd suggest it's really hard to keep a big sheet of material moving in a dead straight line past the blade of a static saw (without some sort of sliding carriage).

So to contrast: The tracksaw and all the accessories fits into a big (size 4) Systainer. The small rails go in a padded bag. The 3m rail I got recently presently stands up on the top landing (well out of the way, but would go in the attic, across rafters, or anywhere out of the way really). It all takes up very little space when stored. I've used it to cut up sheets in the garden, in bedrooms being refurbished, even on the hall carpet (and that floor has subsided and is seriously dished). I got away with the carpet because you can set the depth of cut so accurately (and it's a very "heavily trafficked" carpet!).

I've learned though - normally now I use a piece of thin MDF sheet (used normally for backing picture frames & thinner than hardboard). One offcut from an 8ft sheet lasts ages as you don't cut through it (last time a full sheet was around seven quid). Another good way is to get a full sheet of polystyrene insulation and cut sheets on that (e.g. on concrete hard standing). I have the Makita: it's dust extraction is superb, and I'm told the Festool is the same (dunno about the others).

Thanks to a very generous Christmas present, I'll probably be getting the Axminster MFT kit in the new year. That greatly increases the usefulness and flexibility too. It should let me cross-cut and generally use the track saw on smaller stock with confidence about the accuracy (squareness).

When I get my tablesaw up together I'll use it happily, but I'm in no rush. The track saw comes out for so many jobs, though, that I'd miss it immediately.

E.

PS: DX fails if you're trimming the edge of a sheet up on trestles or over the edge of a bench. This is because the hose only collects from the blade guard (above the workpiece), and sawdust that goes down in the gullets of the teeth. They're all like that, and you just have to remember it'll do that. But honestly, if you'e cutting across a sheet, DX is so good it makes up for it. The first time I used the saw I was amazed.

 

[petermillard]

The way I see it is that these two tools are chalk and cheese, if you use one you don't really use the other, if you have the space then it's a table saw every time, but space is very valuable so don't waste it.
I have both but rarely ever use the track saw.

I have both and rarely use the table saw Wouldn't want to be without a tracksaw, worked wood for a living for a dozen years before getting a tablesaw, and then just for a couple of very specific cuts that I find it easier - repeat narrow rips in MDF and repeat angled cuts with the mitre gauge for e.g. cutting wedges, or making points for fence pickets. That said I don't use 'real tree wood' much, and completely understand the need for table/cabinet saws; horses for courses.

@ the OP. As others have said, don't underestimate the amount of space you'll need around a table saw to cut sheets goods, especially if you're in a smaller workshop. I'd say if you're mostly working with sheet materials then track saw every time.

If you ever get up to London I'm just off the A40.

Cheers, Pete

P.S. and welcome!

 

[MusicMan]

It depends very much what sort of work you want to do, as Pete says. I don't have a track saw but have a good circular saw (Wadkin), a small but good bandsaw (Inca) and a cheap but useful SCMS (Evolution). I don't do much sheet material work, and if I do, I buy it cut to size or at least cut down to manageable size for my two small workshops. I couldn't lift and manipulate an 8 x 4 sheet anyway. But I often need to cut smallish real wood accurately, e.g. for making end grain chopping boards, small parts for restoration of antiques, bookcases (out of planks or battens), and these saws fit my needs very well. On the very rare occasions when I need to do something that a tracks would be nice for, I put the work on trestles outside, clamp a straight edge guide to the wood and use a circular saw.

Of course, if I spent my time making kitchen units out of MDF, a tracksaw would be a great choice.

If you feel like a trip to Warwick, you're welcome to visit my workshop.

 

[sploo]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to wood work, it's a bit addictive! I have a small garage (currently in negotiation with the gaffer(lovely
Wife) to see if I can extend it). Anyway I have some tools, a router, a sliding compound mitre saw, various drills/drivers, a 1/2 sheet sander, corded circ saw, cordless smaller circ saw etc. So a fair collection.
I am not not sure what to buy. I am working more with sheet materials, so thought a table saw would be a useful investment, but then I read this forum, people suggested track saws might be useful so this post is asking anybody within the Oxford area with a shop/garage etc, who has either a track plunge saw or a table saw or ideally both if they would have 30 minutes to let a fellow wood worker pick their brains and have a look at both tools. I'd be happy to bring some takeaway coffee/tea.

I'm not a weirdo, easy to talk too and live in Marcham with my family. I just want a hands on demo/look.

Thank you.

I'm in Didcot (though not this week) and have a table saw (TS200) and a poor mans track saw (a circular saw with a DIY track). I'd be happy to go over them but in a nutshell the table saw is better for cross cutting lengths, trimming parts, and accurate and clean cutting of medium sized stock (e.g. sheets up to 60x60cm). A tracksaw excels for ripping large sheets to size; for me before they are then accurately cut on the table saw.

A really good track saw probably doesn't need stuff to be accurately cut on the table saw afterwards, and a really large table saw in a big workshop doesn't really need a track saw.

 

[Bodgers]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to wood work, it's a bit addictive! I have a small garage (currently in negotiation with the gaffer(lovely
Wife) to see if I can extend it). Anyway I have some tools, a router, a sliding compound mitre saw, various drills/drivers, a 1/2 sheet sander, corded circ saw, cordless smaller circ saw etc. So a fair collection.
I am not not sure what to buy. I am working more with sheet materials, so thought a table saw would be a useful investment, but then I read this forum, people suggested track saws might be useful so this post is asking anybody within the Oxford area with a shop/garage etc, who has either a track plunge saw or a table saw or ideally both if they would have 30 minutes to let a fellow wood worker pick their brains and have a look at both tools. I'd be happy to bring some takeaway coffee/tea.

I'm not a weirdo, easy to talk too and live in Marcham with my family. I just want a hands on demo/look.

Thank you.

You'd pretty much have to be breaking 6x4 sheets down with a track saw anyway (or as someone mentioned a poor man's track saw) table-saw or no table-saw. Unless you have giant sliding panel saw style table saw.

I have both table and track saw, and I do wonder about the recommendation that gets thrown out here about getting a track-saw instead of a table saw sometimes. Unless you have the fancy MFT Festool setup, once the sheet goods are chopped down, I just find the table saw easier to deal with and easier to get repeatable accuracy when things get smaller. It is also difficult to handle thinner strips etc. The table saw is a very adaptable tool.

I haven't done a lot of sheet goods style projects over the last year, so my Dewalt tracksaw has only come out the box to trim down the bottom of a few doors.

All depends on what you plan on doing....

 

[pike]

Sorry I'm not near you. I've got a Festool TS55 with an MFT style bench and dogs. I decided to get a small table saw for non sheet goods, as the tracksaw is sometimes great but often not perfectly square and arguably fussy for narrow rips or crosscuts. I don't have the festool mft mounted rail though. That might have changed my mind.

I don't think it is an either/or. The fact you said "small garage" means I would advise getting both (a tracksaw if you use sheet goods and for some other wood work, plus a small/medium tablesaw)

 

[Stu_2]

I'm in Slough, so not too far from Oxford. You're welcome to come over and take a look at both. It's pretty easy to get perfectly square cuts from a track saw by using rules and rule stops.

Cheers
Stu

 

[pike]

Stu, when I say square I mean the edge to the face. That's not something rule stops will help. I don't know about other tracksaws but if you google "festool ts55 square" there is a lot of discussion. It's often fine but it's not perfect to configure and keep that way. Then you can mess it up simply by inconsistencies in how you hold and push the saw on the guide.

I do like my track saw and use it a lot, but it's not perfect. I table saw is far easier to do a square edge with or cut a narrow board on for me.

 

[Stu_2]

Evening mate. Can't say I've ever noticed a problem with the edge not being square to the face when cutting with the 55.

 

[turnamere]

Do you also need to use the garage as a garage? I,E. park a car in it? That will have quite a bearing on your decision. I'd love a table saw but just don't have the space, in the end I went for Festool TS55 and a Ron Paulk style work bench (check YouTube for his stuff); full 8ft x 4ft bench which only takes up 2ft x 1ft of floor space when stored at the end of my garage. Something like the Parf Guide system from Axminster would then allow you to create a super accurate top for cross cutting and there are plenty of options for setting up accurate rip cuts. Once your cutting is done you have a super flat assembly table.

 

[Iestynd]

Hi all,

First of all please accept my apologies for not responding or acknowledging the comments. I posted to the forum and assumed it would automatically notify me if/when someone replied so i assumed no one had.

How wrong was I!
Some wonderful advise... I really like the idea of a good bench like the axminster multifunction workbench, or Ron Paulk or similar, twinned with a track saw i could then buy a good quality small/medium table saw (would have to be mounted on wheels) The garage no longer has to function as a car garage, my sports car days are over i think... The Caterham went a couple of years ago to make way for a mid life crisis (Boxster Spyder) which is now for sale as well.
The money from the sale could extend the garage to make it a good double, which i could then fit out nicely but until then i have an empty single garage.

As i say i'm just starting out, I have the bug.
As a side note i am mid way through Nick Offerman's adventures in wood... great book.

To those who have said i can visit your workshops, i will take you up on the offer if for no other reason than to see a proper workshop, or just someone else's workshop.
Stu_2 - I am often in Slough as currently I work in IT and Slough has the densest amount of data centres around.
Sploo - Didcot is very close, when are you back and could i call over please?

Thanks all. Excellent forum lots of positive responses.

 

[sploo]

Hi all,

First of all please accept my apologies for not responding or acknowledging the comments. I posted to the forum and assumed it would automatically notify me if/when someone replied so i assumed no one had.

It's one of the oddities of this forum (vs some others I use): you either need to ensure to tick the "Notify me when a reply is posted" box when you write your message, or subscribe to the thread once you've posted.

To those who have said i can visit your workshops, i will take you up on the offer if for no other reason than to see a proper workshop, or just someone else's workshop.
Stu_2 - I am often in Slough as currently I work in IT and Slough has the densest amount of data centres around.
Sploo - Didcot is very close, when are you back and could i call over please?

I'll send you a PM. I think you might need a certain number of forums posts before you can use the PM feature but if you ask a mod they should be able to enable it.

 

[turnamere]

The garage no longer has to function as a car garage, my sports car days are over i think... The Caterham went a couple of years ago to make way for a mid life crisis (Boxster Spyder) which is now for sale as well.

Do you miss your 7?

I'm past my half century but my garage is primarily home for my Series 1 Lotus Elise and has had to be a multi function workspace; full suspension refresh, 230 BHP K Series build and transplant and various cabinetry/furniture builds.

 

[MikeJhn]

Its now five years since I sold my Carrera, had it twenty four years and I still pine for it, don't sell, you will regret it.

Mike

 

[turnamere]

Its now five years since I sold my Carrera, had it twenty four years and I still pine for it, don't sell, you will regret it.

Mike

No intention of selling it, too much time and money invested in it and I still remember someone giving me the same advice back at the end of the 80s regarding my MkII RS2000, even though I traded that towards an Ur Quattro I still missed it most days and now the prices are crazy.

I've carried out a stealthy land grab and occupied most of the downstairs of the old part of the house that we are renovating with my wood work tools and benches; I think it will be hard to relocate them back to the garage :mrgreen: