Track or table saw

[Lonsdale73]

Following a LOT of advice on here, I've now got a table saw that cuts cleanly, accurately and consistently, OCU not withstanding. However, as my workshop (or single garage!) fills up with a growing array of tools, worktops to use them on and cabinets to store them in and the demand for ever larger work-pieces rises, I find I don't always have enough room to manoeuvre worksheets. Also, my circular saw died earlier this year and I replaced it with a cheaper model (as in really cheap and nasty with, best use found for it so far is as a weight when gluing up!) so I was thinking on treating myself to a new and better one, something not unlike a Festool TS55 with a guide rail. My thinking is that in a confined space it's going to be a lot easier to move a 'hand' tool along a rail secured to the substrate rather than coax are large, unwieldy sheet though a table saw. I see the TS55 also offers bevel cuts so I'm wondering if there's anything a table saw can do that I can't achieve with a track saw? Opinions please

 

[finish_that]

There are things a table saw can do that are difficult or not safe with a track saw -
Small stuff that is done with jigs - particularly the "sled"
Tenon jig work.
Dado type work
Some types of repeat work.

However an MFT or homebuilt clone can cover the medium sized cuts very well
and does what most folks seem to imagine they need the table saw for.

My opinion - just mine - is that if you are not using the table saw with jigs as above - then a track saw and
decent table may be more use (table = large square and flat work surface )
It is of course possible to hide the table saw in the table - outfeed etc and have both.
Slightly intrigued about which track saw died and was not worth fixing - and which cheap one is no good.

 

[finish_that]

There are things a table saw can do that are difficult or not safe with a track saw -
Small stuff that is done with jigs - particularly the "sled"
Tenon jig work.
Dado type work
Some types of repeat work.

However an MFT or homebuilt clone can cover the medium sized cuts very well
and does what most folks seem to imagine they need the table saw for.

My opinion - just mine - is that if you are not using the table saw with jigs as above - then a track saw and
decent table may be more use (table = large square and flat work surface )
It is of course possible to hide the table saw in the table - outfeed etc and have both.
Slightly intrigued about which track saw died and was not worth fixing - and which cheap one is no good.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Slightly intrigued about which track saw died and was not worth fixing - and which cheap one is no good.

Sorry, perhaps wasn't clear about that but I haven't owned a track saw, I had a circular saw with a plunge facility, that succeeded an old Black and Decker model. The really cheap one came from B&Q so need I say more.

Most of the things you mention - dados, tenons and the like - I can achieve with the router. I made a work station that houses both the table saw and router table, the latter serving as outfeed table to the saw.

 

[Nelsun]

I'm a shed worker and the limited space has been a problem shall we say. I have a wonky set of stone steps to negotiate from my tool store (the house) to the shed and back again as said shed isn't by any means somewhere to store tools in (I live by the sea). I started with a Dewalt 745 table saw but picked up a TS55 after getting a Domino. The table saw hasn't seen the light of day since.

The size and portability of the smaller tools has won over the speed of the larger ones. Hell, I even picked up some hand tools as confidence grew and I now find myself taking some extra time and doing things without electricity!

I haven't sold the table saw as I keep telling myself there's things it excels at and I'll need it one day... but that day hasn't arrived yet. Had I the space to have a table saw set up permanently I would likely be telling a different story and have a different saw!

 

[Woodmonkey]

Ripping lengths of timber which are narrower than the guide rails is difficult with a tracksaw

 

[Nelsun]

That's certainly true but there are ways round it thanks to various add-ons. They invariably aren't cheap but that does appear to be the compromise you make for portability. I can make rips down to a few mm thick very easily all be it with increased setup time.

 

[marcros]

That's certainly true but there are ways round it thanks to various add-ons. They invariably aren't cheap but that does appear to be the compromise you make for portability. I can make rips down to a few mm thick very easily all be it with increased setup time.

How do you do so or what addons do u use to do so?

 

[Lonsdale73]

Ripping lengths of timber which are narrower than the guide rails is difficult with a tracksaw

Because there's nothing to support the rail? If so, couldn't you butt up the narrow piece with another to make up sufficient width to support the rail during the cut?

 

[dzj]

If you lack space in the shop, maneuvering worksheets in a horizontal plane is going to be a problem
regardless what tool you use to cut them with. A wall mounted vertical panel saw would solve all of these problems.
You can even make one yourself. Just get a decent blade and use the circular saw you already have.

On the other hand, Xmas is coming, so why not treat yourself to some Festool kit.

 

[Nelsun]

That's certainly true but there are ways round it thanks to various add-ons. They invariably aren't cheap but that does appear to be the compromise you make for portability. I can make rips down to a few mm thick very easily all be it with increased setup time.

How do you do so or what addons do u use to do so?

There's a few to choose from but I went with a complete set of "Rip Guides" (http://www.ripdogs.com/rip-guides/) as I liked their use of Incra track which gives you a lot more potential length for doing parallel cuts than the stock Festool ones. Using a ruler with a stop on it to set each of the 2 rip guides gives you a very accurate and repeatable setup but obviously this takes a lot longer than dialing in a table saw fence. And then there's the cost! Glad I got them though.

 

[Lonsdale73]

On the other hand, Xmas is coming, so why not treat yourself to some Festool kit.

I like your thinking. When the boss moans about more tools I'll blame you for it.

 

[finish_that]

It sounds like a track saw would be of benefit for ease of breaking down the sheet stock , they really are the best
tool for that job .
All I would add is that having a vac that plugs into the exhaust port of whichever track saw you get is essential as
they are addictive due to being so easy to use - leads to a lot of cutting..

 

[Nelsun]

Yeah, having dust collection is a must. Then you buy another rail or two. Followed by an MFT top (if not a whole MFT) and then it's a steady fix of different sized bench dogs and rail guides and possibly a new router to run on the rails. It's a slippery slope. Just say no.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Ripping lengths of timber which are narrower than the guide rails is difficult with a tracksaw

Because there's nothing to support the rail? If so, couldn't you butt up the narrow piece with another to make up sufficient width to support the rail during the cut?

You can, but the less rail you have have resting on the bit you are actually cutting, the more likely it is to move when the spinning blade hits it.

 

[Woodmonkey]

That's certainly true but there are ways round it thanks to various add-ons. They invariably aren't cheap but that does appear to be the compromise you make for portability. I can make rips down to a few mm thick very easily all be it with increased setup time.

How do you do so or what addons do u use to do so?

There's a few to choose from but I went with a complete set of "Rip Guides" (http://www.ripdogs.com/rip-guides/) as I liked their use of Incra track which gives you a lot more potential length for doing parallel cuts than the stock Festool ones. Using a ruler with a stop on it to set each of the 2 rip guides gives you a very accurate and repeatable setup but obviously this takes a lot longer than dialing in a table saw fence. And then there's the cost! Glad I got them though.

Don't see how these would help you rip say a 30mm strip into two 15mm strips

 

[Nelsun]

Their video will likely explain things better way better than I can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zANYbh2sOc

Don't get me wrong, they're not perfect and do have shortcomings; stock thinner than the Incra track is high is not going to work without resorting to shims and double sided tape or some other faff. But for getting thin rips without a table saw they do come in very handy. Doing similar on a TS would take a fraction of the time you'd spend setting the guides up but, like I said, I'm very space limited and humfing a saw out to the shed and back often in the rain and high winds is what keeps the track saw in use.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Ripping lengths of timber which are narrower than the guide rails is difficult with a tracksaw

You weren't wrong! Might have been easier if I wasn't so fearful of marking my nice new MFT table and I did make a couple of cuts with it but then common sense and self-preservation prevailed and I did the rest on the table saw!

 

[Nelsun]

Don't fret about cutting the table top. I fudged around for a few days and thankfully just cut in to it then carried on. You'll likely only be cutting along the same positions so you won't do any major damage.

 

[Wizard9999]

Their video will likely explain things better way better than I can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zANYbh2sOc

Don't get me wrong, they're not perfect and do have shortcomings; stock thinner than the Incra track is high is not going to work without resorting to shims and double sided tape or some other faff. But for getting thin rips without a table saw they do come in very handy. Doing similar on a TS would take a fraction of the time you'd spend setting the guides up but, like I said, I'm very space limited and humfing a saw out to the shed and back often in the rain and high winds is what keeps the track saw in use.

It looks to me that unless the stock is the exact same thickness as the track they would only really work with the fold down attachment for the track fitting it to the MFT (sure it must have a proper name). Otherwise would you not get an unintended bevel on the cut if the stock was either thinner or thicker than the track is high? Not saying they aren't good, they look very clever, just that they really need to be used with a proper MFT set-up.

Terry.