You can save a few bucks if you want the Mafell saw by buying Bosch-branded rails/connectors and Metabo-branded batteries. They’re the same exact product but with different names on them.
@@17091996climber i have recieved official mail grom Metabo service that they will work with new ftools grom festool, Bosch, mafell and few other. And now I am waiting for another mail that will answer for my detailed questions.
Nice Video! Sorry for chiming in, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you tried - Schallingora Dexterous Programme Scheme (do a google search)? It is a good exclusive product for building any shed in no time with no experience minus the normal expense. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my cooworker got excellent success with it.
Kevin, you said it all. Not much to be said beyond that other than sure hope Milwaukee enters the ring sometime soon. My hope is that they'll take all of the best aspects of these saws and incorporate their own innovations and make an outstanding saw that'll work with their 18V platform.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anybody know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost the password. I would love any assistance you can give me
I've had the cordless Festool, the corded Makita, and just upgraded to the cordless Mafell in February. If you're a pro dont even bother with the rest, the Mafell is a whole different class of tool and worth every penny. For everyone else, corded or Cordless, the Makita is a fantastic value.
That's the info what I watched this entire video for.....THANK YOU! I think these RUclips pro's get a little bit too concerned with establishing their credibility as professionals, rather than just giving the fundamental info most viewers are after.
Bosch and Makita makes some nice stuff but I feel like I’m using kids toys when using them. The ugly green Makita color. And same with the Bosch especially there tool boxes. Just give me simple good looking colors.
VCG got rolled up by Milwaukee. They threw him in the trunk of the Caddy (Cadillac) and took him to the bridge - “ come work for us or your taking a long swim.” They gave him a few red hats and a free set of batteries, returned the orange buckets and #2 50 lb bags of ready mix and all was forgotten! haha
Don’t be too hard on VCG is different bull just diff . Nothing bad except the videos r soo long nobody stays to watch the end .. plus time to time I like to c what happen w a tool when falls out of the roof😂
Here´s what the Festool Letters mean: TSC 55 KEB TS=Tracksaw C=Cordless 55=55mm max cutting depth K=Kickback Stop E=Electronically adjustable speed, Soft Start B=Brake that stops the blade quicker F=Thinner Blades 1.8mm instead of 2.2 Q=Plug-It Cable: One power cable connector for all tools so you only need 1 cable. R=Optimized for cutting along walls or in edges. Li 5.2=5.2Ah Battery included Plus=Comes in Systainer FS=Guide Rail included, mostly 1.4m SCA=Quickcharger included Ordered the wrong saw cuz of that... They dont tell you a thing about those, its just embarrassing.
I’m a sucker for dewalt. ONLY because I have the batteries. But their saws are sub par so I am moving on from the now after decades of use. I am starting to get on board on buying all different brands instead of sticking to one for battery use. Having the tool that best fits the job is more important to me now than sharing battlers. This has by far been the most useful tool video I have ever seen since RUclips’s inception. It not only helped me decide which saw I will buy (Mafell) but it also opened my eyes to a useful change in tool purchases ie having no need to stay faithful to a tools BRAND just for name and sharing batteries sake. Thank you so much.
I own a corded DeWalt Track Saw, and I think it’s a solid saw. However, all of the things pointed out here are true of the corded saw as well. It’s a good saw, but if you’re spending your money on a new saw, weigh your options. The DeWalt is finicky when making adjustments.
Thank you, after 3 weeks of trying to figure out my track saw choice... Makita, oddly enough most of my tools are already Makita, I rarely have any problems with them. Awesome reviews!
I bought the Makita about a month ago with a 55” and 110” track ... it has absolutely been an exceptional tool for my needs ... very intuitive as you stated ... loved the comparison test ... outstanding content and commentary ...
I used to own the dewalt saw which I thought was pretty good as it has loads of power but majorly lacks finesse and the blade change is a pain. Joining the rails together wasn't the best as they were hard to keep them both flush. I sold that saw and bought the mafell! This saw is in a league of its own as is the majority of mafell tools, pay the money, you definitely get what you pay for. Mafell are buy it once machines they will last a lifetime.
You guys and Project Farm are the best too reviewers around. Great content, you guys are helping many people make better decisions, turn out better work and save money. Thanks for helping us avoid the headache of buying the wrong tools.
First of all your comparison is amazing. Really good job! I recently recieved my Bosch GKT 18V version 3 and agree with most of your rankings. However, Bosch listened to the customers and changed a few things. For example they stiffened the track adjustment slider and now its not likely anymore to change the adjustment by accident. Also i realized you used the "old" 6Ah battery pack. I dont know how far this affects the results, but the maximum power (around 1600W) can only be reached with the new ProCore batterys 5.5Ah, 8Ah or 12Ah. Greetings from Germany!
I don't think I'll ever need to buy a tracksaw, but I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I love your testing methods and the depth of testing. As always, great work!
Have you tried a track saw? It will impress you. It can perform most of the things a table saw can do except balancing the track on material, or ripping 2".
If you ever do buy one u 💯 will not regret it there’s so much u can do with a track saw couldn’t imagine not having one now ultimately it makes woodworking simple and more efficient
I've got a couple of Mafell tools, they are extremely well made and I'm glad to have them. If available, any tools that need to be replaced will be replaced by a Mafell.
Mafell is nice , but I’ve seen some professional tool repair reviewers say it’s got a lot of Bosch parts and it’s not very special inside. Makes me re think some of my upcoming purchases
I have the makita cordless track saw. I run it on festool track. I read and heard alot of negative comments about the makita brand tracks. Blades......... I bought some diablo 6 ½ blades with ⅝ arbor. I paid a local machinist to over bore the arbor to match the track saw arbor. This worked great!!! He made a jig to perform the task.....then he gave me the jig for future use. The ⅝ arbor blades are a lot cheaper, even after paying the machinist. Only down side is the kerf size. Now my track edge is set for the thinner kerf diablo blades. I added a short video of the jig to my playlist
Great testing, as always. I used a cordless makita tracksaw for quite a while doing higher-end jobsite carpentry and it was so solid. The only downside I could find, after using it for months on end, was the weight of it with the double 6 amp-hr batteries (IIRC). It started to aggravate my wrist and shoulder putting it off and on the track to line up cuts. That would be in the "long-term ergonomics" category, I guess... but I would probably buy it again, and try to run on lower-power batteries for most cuts to keep the weight down. Hope that 2c is useful for anyone out there.
Corded makes sense, cordless not so much cause I don't have or have never even seen another mafell tool on a job site so battery would be just for that tool. I'm going to look into the corded version though.
@@ClaytonYatescarenthusiast They run on Metabo (not the Hitachi one, but real Metabo) batteries. Metabo started CAS (Cordless Alliance Sytem) and there's 16+ different brands running their batteries. Though I don't know if this is mostly Europe or also N-America.
hairsonabobbin The Steinel finally came out as a Metabo. The collomix came here as a Metabo. The rockamatt maybe. Eisenblatter barely has products here (all rebranded I believe). Otherwise, just the Mafell stuff is here. Metabo distribution is pretty shit-tastic here. That’s ok, all but two of my cordless Metabo tools are worthless junk. 😂. I have a KSS40 and I’m super ok with carrying batts just for it. 🤘
Once again I end up pleased that I went with the Makita system. They have just about any tool you could want, they're always in the top 3 in tests like these and they're priced well. The Mafell might have been the overall top, but at 2x the price, get out of here. Keep it up Makita!
I've been using makita for almost 25 years. I have a hard time buying other brands when I do because makita has been so reliable. I still have the first 18 volt impact and drill that I bought when the lithium line came out probably 14 years ago?
I generally agree, especially for prosumer use. if you are a professional carpenter however, who uses his tracksaw for thousands of hours over many years, the the Mafell is definately worth the extra cost. P.S.: long term durability of Mafells machines is outstanding!
Same thoughts, I use Makita and Milwaukee, I can't seriously consider other battery makers. I have my original makita impact driver, it still works perfect, and the original batteries are still working. Now with dozens of cordless tools, I stick to trusted brands that also are good value for money. Never bought festool because of price, and the very few mentions of the number of times they are returned for service. Thanks for posting !
@@jody6121 They're an old german family-owned company, renowned for their carpenter power tools. Their excellent engineering ranks them above Festool and they make a stellar tracksaw and the best jigsaw on the planet. Unfortunately, they have a price tag to match. They occasionaly do the engineering for some Bosch products too. As an import, they're really too expensive to consider if you're in the North ametican market so they're seldom seen there.
@@the_arcanum yep, the Bosch GKT55 GCE corded track saw is apparently made by Mafell. I wonder if that is also the case for this cordless one? Given the difference in blade marks on the wood I'm going to assume not.
Wow!!!! Awesome review. Honestly, this may have been the best and most thorough tool comparison you’ve done, and is by far the best track saw review on RUclips...or anywhere online. Nice job!
I have the corded and cordless Makita"s. I've even started using the cordless on framing jobs. Near perfect cuts and i can trust my helper to make a straight cut now haha
@@rkfarmranch8214 Well it doesn't have as much power as the corded version but plenty for cutting plywood. The cordless also uses a super thin blade and they're quite expensive, although all track saw blades are expensive.
@@cliftonobrien588 thank you very much Mr. O’Brien. 160 foot elevation drop from top of our property to bottom. Very hilly. Excited to build a small guest house and green house via cordless. Thanks for taking the time to reply. RK
Mostly you’ll see a power drop. Clifton is correct on the thin kerf blade. I use my cordless for cutting doors and hardwood Oak flooring - go slow and works great
Great review guys! 3 yrs ago I bought the Makita, just for the batteries. Home depot had it on clearance for 300 with 4 batteries,and the 55' track. I've since added the 118,and the 39. Now working at a cabinet shop that has a festool tsc75. The festool feels more refined, but has the cord which cancels that out. Having only used corded festool, and cordless makita. The plunge is softer on the festool, but i love cordless for installing cabinets on-site.
Awesome Test as Always!!! Learned a lot and we shared it around with our staff for some of your insights. Only thing not really emphasized that much with Mafell (which we don't sell) is batteries are part of the CAS battery platform which uses Metabo 18V LiHD batteries. Some comments here about not being compatible with anything but there are a lot of great Metabo drill, impacts, vacs, lights and other tool options which mean you can have compatibility with more readily available professional tools. Just something to consider for those really wanting to get a Mafell, again we don't sell it so not sure why I'm trying to make their case but sometimes you just want what you want.
If you have never used a track saw- you need to try one. I Absolutely love my Corded Makita... so when the time comes for the cordless-I will stick with Makita. Stick with your platform- as I feel all these saws are excellent. Thanks again for the review guys!!!! 👊👊👊
Sticking with a platform is all well and good unless u have mostly dewalt tools I have the corded festool and love it almost bought the makita but the festool felt smoother that’s ultimately why I choose festool
Ken’s Festool Channel yea I just liked how smooth the festool was compared to Makita when side on the track felt better if i what more power I will buy the ts 75 for cutting slabs but never had a problem with power they were the originator of the track saw don’t think you can go wrong with it thanks for ur opinion!
robert sharpe that’s the problem with festool. I wanted to buy into them, but you have to pay even more for the same power that the DeWalt corded model provides. I’ve been using a track saw for a long time. Battery wasn’t even an option and even some of the brands that have corded options weren’t available at the time I bought one.
Great information. I am buying a track for my hobby of woodworking. I cannot afford the Festool or the MaFell so I am greatly surprised to hear that the Makita did so well. That is what I keep coming back to in my research. You have helped me make my decision.
I’m so glad you guys did track saws because I’m in the market right now. I’m definitely going with the makita after seeing this. I just wish you had used the same blade on all of the saws.
Finally got all my components in today for my new Makita, 2-55” tracks, track soft case, clamps, connector kit, 2- 5ah batteries, dual charger, hard cases.... ready to cut the rubber and start enjoying not having to bring my table saw to my rental properties.
I have the Festool 75 corded. Smooth cut, convenience, and accessories and largest track saw on the market as far as I know. Tracks bolt together easy.
Great test. Really love the obvious thought and thoroughness that went into your evaluation. I recently purchased the Makita myself (haven’t gotten around to using it yet) and am now even happier with my decision. I believe I see a calculation error on Watt-Hours for the Makita that affected the runtime results. Makita X2 reaches 36V by running the batteries in series. The voltage doubles but the Amp-Hours remain the same. Assuming your total length and runtime tests were run using just one pair of 5Ah batteries, the Watt-Hours will be 36V x 5Ah = 180Wh. Alternatively you can just add the Watt-Hours listed on the bottom of each 5Ah battery...2@90Wh each adds up to 180. I don’t think I see any other errors for that one assuming the battery configurations for each saw as-tested were as follows: 1x5.5Ah for Mafell 1x6Ah for Dewalt (or 2Ah@60VMax) 2x5.2Ah for Festool 1x6Ah for Bosch Factored into the run-time test, Makita’s result would then be 2.4 Ft/Wh instead of the 1.2 reported. Which strikes as more consistent with the previous performance results. That would put Makita at #1 for that test, Mafell #2 and Bosch #3. Of course the Makita won the overall performance test anyway so as far as the final results are concerned the overall rankings don’t change, Makita just looks even a little better along the way to #2 behind Mafell.
Kenshiro is right, total energy for the Makita is 180 Wh which doubles its score. I think the results speak mainly to the performance of the Makita's blade more than anything. Looks like it's not quite as smooth-cutting as the included blades with the Maffell and Festool saws, but it's FAR more efficient.
Kenshiro - You are correct, there was an error in the calculation for the Makita. It should be 180 watt-hours (2 packs x 5 Ah x 18 V = 180). It doesn't effect the final results, but does make Makita win the run-time category. Thanks for bringing this up, we've corrected the article.
I own the makita. You know when you buy an expensive tool and you have high expectations. It arrives, you use it the those expectations are not only met but blown away! That's rare. The makita is an exceptional Peice of kit, the makita blades are expensive so I use trend or Freud depending what's on offer and they cut better, last longer and are cheaper.
What Freud blades are you using for your track saw. I too find the Makita blades a bit pricy for the cordless track, not that there is a issue with quality with them. I am open to an alternative if it preforms just as well. Thanks
Great and interesting test. I really liked it. From my point of view Mafell and Festool are carpenter saws, whereas Bosch, Makita and DeWalt are more construction site saws - or for non professional woodworkers. If money wouldn't matter I would buy Mafell (with cord) or Festool. But since money matters and also Makita isn't too cheap I will probably buy the Makita with cord.
Currently watching from the Foinaven Oil Field in the North Atlantic West of Shetland and you’ve made my mind up on cordless track saws! Great videos!!!
So useful having you guys testing and giving us a honest feedback. Tools an't cheap so great to get a insight before we pay out. Then be disappointed. Trust your reviews. And Appreciate all the time it takes for these videos to be put together. Cheers guys. 🏴💪
Another EXCELLENT video! Thanks so much for taking all the time to collect the data AND make a video AND document your results in written form. You MORE than achieved the point of this video. Giving us the ability to choose the best saw for our needs.
Good to see the Mafell getting a review in English! I've got the corded version, and its a absolute beast! 👀 and their rail locking system is really good too, compared to the faffing about you need to do to join some rails together....
Awesome review like always, nobody else on the Tube makes such reviews....about 30 years ago I made a strategic choice, because my uncle was a contractor, and over the years he tested all the tools and he settled on Makita, he must had just in handsaw about 40, plus drills, nail guns... he had 2 trucks loaded with tools...., so I chose Makita, and never regretted it, they might not always be the best on the market, but they are often the best value....I still have the makita tools I bought 30 years ago, and they are still working great!
Awesome review. Makita over Festool. I did not see that coming. Also, Mafell's superiority is no surprise but I didn't expect it to be a runaway on performance. Btw, this is always the first place I look when considering a tool purchase. Great job!
Festool is also made from abs plastic, makita is a real tool and under half the price. I bought the cordless makita with the 52 inch track for just over 500. Festool was 1100 or 1200 for just the ts55 without track. They both use the same track and I think the sustainer is made by festool as well
Makita XPS02 is amazing, but AFTER this video festool upgraded the TSC 55 to the new KEB with faster cut speed and kickback protection. It’s probably my favorite now.
Great review Rob, & TTB Crew. I wish this was out a year ago when I bought the cordless Festool TS 55. It’s close in price to the Mafell, live & learn I guess. IMHO the Festool-TS55 is the best saw I have ever used. I do feel as though I’m going to break something when I attach the dust collection bag. That’s a very small item on the con list, in fact, it’s the only one I have.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, it's a great comparison and glad to see Mafell making it's way in America... It would be great to see some more Mafell products such as their P1 cc jigsaw and the Erika 85 ec push-pull saw.
The Erika is awesome. I've been researching European brands and it seems that they have been steadily innovating, whereas the US brands barely make incremental changes. They're years to decades ahead.
@@TheArtificiallyIntelligent There's a lot of innovation coming out of Europe - mainly Germany. Here are some power tool companies - they're not all owned by European companies but largely based there. - Mafell (Germany) - Fein (Germany) - Metabo (Germany) - Duss (Germany) - Flex (Germany) - Baier (Germany) - Hilti (liechtenstein) Usually, I find myself going for something German or Japanese where I can afford it. Then there's the hand tools from Germany: Wera, Knipex, Wiha, Stahlwille, Gedore, Hazet, NWS, Felo, CK. PB Swiss from Switzerland is also good. While all of the above are expensive, I firmly believe that for the most part, when it comes to tools, you pay for what you get! You can also research the more industrial tools such as Altendorf for panel / table saws.
@@CrookedSkew Thank you! I'll have fun looking through all these brands. I started off down this rabbit hole because I had seen some people using (horizontal) panel saws and thought it's crazy that they are so rare in the US. I stumbled upon the Altendorf WA 6 just yesterday. I think it's $7,000 or so. That seems expensive, but if you compare it to an "industrial" SawStop that costs $5,000, the Altendorf is inexpensive, and seems better in every way. Another thing I've noticed is that things like dust collection seem to be much better for European tools. US: better wear a respirator. Europe: I wonder if we can make it so you don't need a respirator?
@@TheArtificiallyIntelligent No problem. Be wary of most quality panel saws requiring 3 phase power. From looking at at Altendorf some time ago, I didn't find a single saw that used single phase power. Perhaps that's not an issue for you but it is for me, ergo something like the Erika 85 ec. Enjoy :)
You seem to hold the bar as high for yourselves as you do for the tool manufacturers! Nice! I’m willing, but not eager to buy outside my (battery) platform, the quality and relevance of info the TB2 Crew provides goes a long way helping me understand whether to add another batter and charger to the trailer or go with what I’ve got!
I recently invested in Makita's platform. I needed a impact driver after I broke two and it was in the discontinued shelf at Homedepot. Love it now looking at expanding.
I've got the corded version aswell, it's the crown jewel of my saws. Even after 5 years of owning it, I still get excited and impressed every time I use it.
I have the Bosch, loved it so much I bought their sliding mitre (8j) the month after
4 года назад
I took the Bosch too. I got it relatively cheap and i got 2 8Ah batteries (and a guide rail), so i can charge one and use one indefinitely. With other (Except Mafell) you nees 4 batteries to do the same.
I always enjoy your head to heads and other reviews. They are always well thought out and have good repeatable tests for consistency between brands. Keep it up, I love my Makita tracksaw! And it's good to know it's stacks up.
Now THIS is a product review! Extremely thorough analysis, concise monologue, great use of B-roll. Outstanding and I subscribed because of this! Well done guys. Thanks!
Thank you TOOL BOX team, for such an informative video. I ended up purchasing the MAKITA XPS02 with AWS ( the purchase was based on the information I gathered from watching this comparison test). I'm extremely happy with the investment! In my opinion you guys have some of the better reviews and comparison tests for our industry - I for one greatly appreciate it. Keep up the great work!
Own the makita PRECISELY for the reasons presented here and in other reviews. All seem to agree it is as good or better than festool. For me that means VALUE - I’m very happy with purchase
S Fire - I’m right there with you, concerning Milwaukee & their lack of a track saw. I bought a Festool TS55 last year. At that time I didn’t know about the Mafell track saw. I’m in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, & Mafell is a new tool brand for me. I see the usual suspects; team yellow, team red, team blue, & team Festool. Milwaukee is producing some top quality tools; & it’s a shame that the track saw wasn’t one of those tools that made it to my local Home Depot #4007. Some day perhaps. Especially, with a review like this one that Rob & his crew at Tool Box Buzz produced. It’s like a how-to design the best track saw. If Milwaukee does produce a track saw , I hope they make it a “One-key” tool.
I agree it'd be nice if Milwaukee could figure this one out. Who would have thought Kreg would have a track saw before Milwaukee. They make some excellent drivers, construction tools, and specialty trade tools. But Woodworking and finish carpentry has never been a huge interest to Milwaukee. I don't know many that run their miter saw and their table saw situation is... disappointing.
One thing I'd like to add is accessory availability. In my area there are 4 Festool dealers. I have bought Festool clamps and track connectors for my Makita system (corded in this case) direct from a store which was a boon. The ability to get track compatible accessories like TSO products parallel guides and rail squares are real, useful improvements.
I had heard of Mafell a few times with all the previous research I did. FYI, the Makita does not come with a dust bag. I called Makita after seeing a million dust bags on their site and they stated none of those dust bags fit the cordless makita. Found a youtube video where I saw a guy using a Mafell dust bag on the Makita. Yup, fits pretty well. I bought from a site called timberwolftools.com. Cost $57.40 with shipping and I think tax, $72.
Mafell AG (Maschinenfabrik Fellbach AktienGesellschaft) is a manufacturer of high-end woodworking power tools specialized for carpentry, founded in 1899. They are the inventor of the first portable electric carpentry power tool, a chain mortiser invented in 1926. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany.
Excellent review as always - my purchase of the Makita a few years ago was based on most of the positives you outlined in this video. I think you nailed it at the end on personal choice - for many it will be heavily weighed by whatever battery system you are already invested in. You mentioned the AWS in the review. While good in concept, AWS-ready saws do not come with the overpriced transmitter and you need one for every tool (and not every Makita has the option - their sanders and jigsaws for example). While not automatic, I think I prefer the Festool idea of putting the button on the hose. I do have a suggestion for anyone considering the Makita - unless you are doing a LOT of 8' cuts and you have tons of room in your shop, you are better off buying a third 55" rail instead of the 110" one. The 110" comes packed in a crazy wooden box delivered by freight that had to be sent back twice for damage. Once I got a good one, I realized that 2 55" tracks attached were just as accurate and a whole lot easier to store and move around at the end of the day. A much cheaper 3rd 55" eliminates the need to detach the other 2 for shorter crosscuts.
My 118 rail came in great shape,the shipping cost alone was going to be $200. I paid $270 shipped from toolnut. Aws is a total mess. Festool keeps increasing their price for older technology ,but if you want 1 high end system. They have the best with cords,vacuums that are easily connected.
Great review - very thorough. The Mafell and Festool are great tracksaws. Have corded versions of both and a cordless TSC, which I also really like. Cannot go wrong.
I just bought the TS55 but I’m tempted to return it and get the Mafell. Would you recommend or no? I hear a lot of people switching from the festool to the mafell and they say it’s the better saw.
@@JSears121 They are both great saws. The Mafell has more power and better dust collection. The Festool is better splinter gaurd for offcuts and more accessories after market and support. I do not think you can go wrong with either. There are pros and cons for each.
This is probably the best tool comparison video I’ve ever seen. Thanks for the video. I’m glad I watched this before buying a track saw, I’d have been very mad at myself if I’d watched it after.
I run a DeWalt saw on both DeWalt and Festool track. One part of the systems that wasn’t reviewed was the available accessories. The Festool, and Makita both have the auxiliary slot on their rails which allow the attachment of width guides, (handy if your cutting down sheet goods for cabinets), and things like router guides can also ride in that slot. The other tracks don’t have that attachment slot. If you build a Ron Paulk bench, you can reliably cut good 90s. And, do complete cabinets with just the track saw to cut down your sheet goods.
Absolutely love you guys' videos. Ya'll do a completely fantastic job at reviews. If I'm in the market for a new power tool or shop accessory, I always look first to see if you already have a video on it. BRAVO! 👏
I have bought tool based on these reviews. I wouldn't buy a cordless track saw. I did buy one that came with tracks and a plate to attach to a saw I dedicated to it. (Skill Saw based on who invented them and your reviews) I works flawlessly regarding accurach and cut quality. FYI. Pros wouldnt likely use it but DIYers would based on cost and results.
I just bought the Makita xsh08 which is a track saw capable circular saw. With a 60 tooth blade cutting plywood had no chipping. One saw to rule them all
Id like to see the test done with all the saws having the same blades. With my experience most saws sold with complimentary blades, they end up being junk. Especially dewalt
just found you, hands down best tool review I've ever watched on anything. Not sure if it made my decision any easier, but at least I have the proper information to make it. Thumbs up and subscribed.
Great demo that fairly measures each saw's capabilities! After watching your video, I purchased the Mafell (the corded version and more expensive), so thank you guys for putting this together and explaining/showing what these saws are all about and their capabilities. The one bit of feedback I would offer is on the pricing piece. It would be helpful to see the price for the saw only. Mafell's pricing is ala carte and may be the same for the others (I didn't look b/c I went straight to the Mafell), so you can buy the track lengths you want, connectors, etc. A saw-only column at the beginning of your matrix would give an accurate price baseline for all the saws followed by prices for a 5' piece of track and cost for a connector like you have. B/c most of the saws can use tracks from other manufacturers, a person may only want to buy the saw if they are changing from the saw they have, but can still use the track they have. Otherwise, outstanding video!
You are wrong. The corded is less expensive. Additionally; you are wrong that a saw only option is fair… testing is literally about determining the “as tested” methodology.
Great review! Only one major thing I felt that needed to be mentioned when comparing the saws.... The fact that the bosch saw has a smaller blade (140mm) than all the others and therefore the depth of cut with the track is a measly 46mm. It's a shame as I've had the corded bosch saw for about 10 years and it's been amazing. Pretty much the same as the mafell minus a few small features. But the new cordless version isn't something I'd even consider mainly due to the small blade and terrible cam adjustment (nothing wrong with the previous design imo). Definitely would be mafell for me as I'm sold on the mafell/bosch track design! Can't argue with the value of makita though!
great review - and I agree to everything you said from my experience; the only issue IMO: I would not include the price for the ranking, because a tool does not become better due to a low price and does not become worse due to a high price. I would prefer ranking the tools only to their quality, features and handling and then naming the price separately to get the value. And meanwhile there is another great contender: the new Metabo KT 18 LTX 66 BL - very well build, high quality with great features and (at least IMO) very good handling. And it cuts longer per Wh than any other saw I know. I would consider it to be a serious contender for the the Mafell and Festool
I've been looking at the makita for A while in the other saw makita makes the rounds on their track to think it's 9 incher 9 and a 1/2 inch blade in a use the same batteries in the same track more food for thought🍻🥃
Thorough and thoughtful approach. it’s a good basis and as you mention, everyone can apply their own weighting to the data. Value cannot be evaluated without price but it was good to say which saw was just the best.
What a fantastic review. Clear cut, gives you the important details without any fluff, and more than a side by side between only two tools. Well done and thank you, subscribed!
Tracksaw are amazing and Makes all cuts so much nicer and better. But inspite of all of that i have not been able to work for anyone that will allow me to use my track saw. Always complaining to me to stop using my track saw is to slow of a system. But that's something ive come to understand about USA carpenter and how USA built their building, Is never the quality I'll say zero quality control, but speed speed speed as long as it pass inspection.
@@rsharpe1985 that is right but to be fair when I'm framing and using my skill saws I can make a straight cut that is near the factory edge, you just need to know how to use the guide on the front of the saw so if I saw someone trying to use a track saw for framing I'd have the same to say as well. A skill saw is versatile and cheap, it is also not fragile and really expensive. I'd basically tell him he couldn't use it because why would you ruin a finishing saw for framing? I use mine on deck builds for deck board, and cedar fences and that's as rough as it ever sees
thanks Rob and crew. Always enjoy and benefit from the analysis. Recently received a track saw for Christmas from my wonderful wife. What saw? The Makita! Still a fantastic saw and tool line in 2022 for what I do and I use other lines, too. Thanks for making my wife feel good about her purchase! Happy 2023!
My winner is the homemade DIY one. Haha! Cuz I already got it. No dust collection...but works for me. I can cut on both sides of the guide....and I have 2 of them. An 8 footer and a 4 footer. I do like the extra bells and whistles of the others. Just cannot swing those prices for a hobby that is not the breadwinner. Thanks for all you do! I enjoy watching the content! 😇😎
Love the info, but I was hoping to find out if the edge strip gets cut differently at 90 degrees vs at 45 degrees. Ive heard that after you cut at 45 degrees that the edge strip is ruined fir 90 degrees. I’d rather not have to buy 2 sets of track, one for 45 and one for 90, or have to keep putting on a new edge strip. I understand Festool has it calibrated to work the same at 90 and 45. Do the others?
We have used electric hand tools more than 25 years and we have so bad experience with Makita that I will never ever buy Makita to our company. Never. We have corded Festool track saw and not a single bad word. Currently I am looking corless and I will choose Mafell or Festool
@@tapsulinka I have used Makita all my life and never had any issues. I have also never had issues with Dewalt or Milwaukee either. What bad experience did you have with Makita that no one else on the planet has had? Festool is overpriced and no better than other brands for less money, and countless reviewers have rated brands such as Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Rigid, etc as being better in multiple tools. The only tool Festool is best at in all the reviews I have watched is the Domino. Obviously having a patent on a product and being the only person who can build it, makes it easy to beat the competition. So, what problem with Makita makes them so bad that you'll never own another?
Great comparison, thanks. Not sure if it was said somewhere else but the Makita's extra cut time and speed test is probably due to the thin blade--at the cost of poorer cut quality as demonstrated. I avoid thin blades now; they just deflect too much, especially when cutting anything hard at 45 degrees. Larger blades only make it worse. I have a 12" DeWalt miter saw and it's impossible not to get burn marks and uneven faces on maple railings, even with brand new blades.
You can save a few bucks if you want the Mafell saw by buying Bosch-branded rails/connectors and Metabo-branded batteries. They’re the same exact product but with different names on them.
You really added a valuable comment to the head to head review taking place over here, thanks guy
especially the more compact metabo 4ah cells, fits perfect with my 18v mafell mt55
What about metabo tracks? They advertaise them as suitable for other saw brands.
@@jankowalski-yy2uo Metabo tracks are not the same as Bosch or Mafell but can be used on Mafell saws
@@17091996climber i have recieved official mail grom Metabo service that they will work with new ftools grom festool, Bosch, mafell and few other. And now I am waiting for another mail that will answer for my detailed questions.
Best tool reviews around. No nonsense just professionals using the machines and giving their 2 cents. Nice work Rob and rest of the crew
Thanks
Nice Video! Sorry for chiming in, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you tried - Schallingora Dexterous Programme Scheme (do a google search)? It is a good exclusive product for building any shed in no time with no experience minus the normal expense. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my cooworker got excellent success with it.
Kevin, you said it all. Not much to be said beyond that other than sure hope Milwaukee enters the ring sometime soon. My hope is that they'll take all of the best aspects of these saws and incorporate their own innovations and make an outstanding saw that'll work with their 18V platform.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anybody know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the password. I would love any assistance you can give me
@Tyler Kieran Instablaster =)
I've had the cordless Festool, the corded Makita, and just upgraded to the cordless Mafell in February. If you're a pro dont even bother with the rest, the Mafell is a whole different class of tool and worth every penny. For everyone else, corded or Cordless, the Makita is a fantastic value.
That's the info what I watched this entire video for.....THANK YOU! I think these RUclips pro's get a little bit too concerned with establishing their credibility as professionals, rather than just giving the fundamental info most viewers are after.
Bosch and Makita makes some nice stuff but I feel like I’m using kids toys when using them. The ugly green Makita color. And same with the Bosch especially there tool boxes. Just give me simple good looking colors.
@@davelowesky8054 makita is blue...or did I get color blind? Also, who cares about the color???
I just do it for fun and just got the 40 v Makita. DAMN that thing is nice. I would love to play with a Mafell!
VCG needs to take note...this is how you do tool reviews
Yes!
No shit, vcg just shills Milwaukee
VCG got rolled up by Milwaukee. They threw him in the trunk of the Caddy (Cadillac) and took him to the bridge - “ come work for us or your taking a long swim.” They gave him a few red hats and a free set of batteries, returned the orange buckets and #2 50 lb bags of ready mix and all was forgotten! haha
YO WHAT'S UP EVERYBODY MY NAME IS VINCE
Don’t be too hard on VCG is different bull just diff . Nothing bad except the videos r soo long nobody stays to watch the end .. plus time to time I like to c what happen w a tool when falls out of the roof😂
Here´s what the Festool Letters mean:
TSC 55 KEB
TS=Tracksaw
C=Cordless
55=55mm max cutting depth
K=Kickback Stop
E=Electronically adjustable speed, Soft Start
B=Brake that stops the blade quicker
F=Thinner Blades 1.8mm instead of 2.2
Q=Plug-It Cable: One power cable connector for all tools so you only need 1 cable.
R=Optimized for cutting along walls or in edges.
Li 5.2=5.2Ah Battery included
Plus=Comes in Systainer
FS=Guide Rail included, mostly 1.4m
SCA=Quickcharger included
Ordered the wrong saw cuz of that... They dont tell you a thing about those, its just embarrassing.
The greatest tool comparison I've ever seen! Finally on par with tech reviews. How is it that I'm only now discovering this channel?!?!?
It's amazing, right? Turns out carpenters and machinists *love* using a superior tool and will watch lots of YT vids to see who is best.
@@TheJohn8765machinists? Is there more than one or two tools machinists needs?
I’m a sucker for dewalt. ONLY because I have the batteries. But their saws are sub par so I am moving on from the now after decades of use. I am starting to get on board on buying all different brands instead of sticking to one for battery use. Having the tool that best fits the job is more important to me now than sharing battlers. This has by far been the most useful tool video I have ever seen since RUclips’s inception. It not only helped me decide which saw I will buy (Mafell) but it also opened my eyes to a useful change in tool purchases ie having no need to stay faithful to a tools BRAND just for name and sharing batteries sake. Thank you so much.
I own a corded DeWalt Track Saw, and I think it’s a solid saw. However, all of the things pointed out here are true of the corded saw as well. It’s a good saw, but if you’re spending your money on a new saw, weigh your options. The DeWalt is finicky when making adjustments.
Thank you, after 3 weeks of trying to figure out my track saw choice... Makita, oddly enough most of my tools are already Makita, I rarely have any problems with them. Awesome reviews!
I bought the Makita about a month ago with a 55” and 110” track ... it has absolutely been an exceptional tool for my needs ... very intuitive as you stated ... loved the comparison test ... outstanding content and commentary ...
I used to own the dewalt saw which I thought was pretty good as it has loads of power but majorly lacks finesse and the blade change is a pain. Joining the rails together wasn't the best as they were hard to keep them both flush.
I sold that saw and bought the mafell! This saw is in a league of its own as is the majority of mafell tools, pay the money, you definitely get what you pay for. Mafell are buy it once machines they will last a lifetime.
You guys and Project Farm are the best too reviewers around. Great content, you guys are helping many people make better decisions, turn out better work and save money. Thanks for helping us avoid the headache of buying the wrong tools.
I love project farm
First of all your comparison is amazing. Really good job!
I recently recieved my Bosch GKT 18V version 3 and agree with most of your rankings. However, Bosch listened to the customers and changed a few things.
For example they stiffened the track adjustment slider and now its not likely anymore to change the adjustment by accident.
Also i realized you used the "old" 6Ah battery pack. I dont know how far this affects the results, but the maximum power (around 1600W) can only be reached with the new ProCore batterys 5.5Ah, 8Ah or 12Ah.
Greetings from Germany!
I don't think I'll ever need to buy a tracksaw, but I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I love your testing methods and the depth of testing. As always, great work!
Have you tried a track saw? It will impress you. It can perform most of the things a table saw can do except balancing the track on material, or ripping 2".
Thanks for commenting
If you ever do buy one u 💯 will not regret it there’s so much u can do with a track saw couldn’t imagine not having one now ultimately it makes woodworking simple and more efficient
I've got a couple of Mafell tools, they are extremely well made and I'm glad to have them. If available, any tools that need to be replaced will be replaced by a Mafell.
Mafell is nice , but I’ve seen some professional tool repair reviewers say it’s got a lot of Bosch parts and it’s not very special inside. Makes me re think some of my upcoming purchases
@@CraigularjJoeWoodworks Best I've used.
One of the VERY BEST channels on youtube. Polite, pro and with a friendly attitude.
I have the makita cordless track saw. I run it on festool track. I read and heard alot of negative comments about the makita brand tracks. Blades......... I bought some diablo 6 ½ blades with ⅝ arbor. I paid a local machinist to over bore the arbor to match the track saw arbor. This worked great!!! He made a jig to perform the task.....then he gave me the jig for future use. The ⅝ arbor blades are a lot cheaper, even after paying the machinist. Only down side is the kerf size. Now my track edge is set for the thinner kerf diablo blades. I added a short video of the jig to my playlist
Jason - I’d love to see the pic of the jig.
I’d pay to get a copy of. The jig
I have the Dewalt and it has the same arbor size. I can pick up Diablo blades locally, but not so much the makita or dewalt. So yeah, I'm interested.
Due to my lack of IT knowledge, I'm at a loss as to how to show a pic of the jig. Any suggestions?
Jason just make a short RUclips video of it. 👍🏻👍🏻
Great testing, as always. I used a cordless makita tracksaw for quite a while doing higher-end jobsite carpentry and it was so solid. The only downside I could find, after using it for months on end, was the weight of it with the double 6 amp-hr batteries (IIRC). It started to aggravate my wrist and shoulder putting it off and on the track to line up cuts. That would be in the "long-term ergonomics" category, I guess... but I would probably buy it again, and try to run on lower-power batteries for most cuts to keep the weight down. Hope that 2c is useful for anyone out there.
Thanks for posting, very helpful !
Love my corded Mafell saw. Get a rail square whatever brand you go with, it was a game changer for me.
Corded makes sense, cordless not so much cause I don't have or have never even seen another mafell tool on a job site so battery would be just for that tool. I'm going to look into the corded version though.
@@ClaytonYatescarenthusiast They run on Metabo (not the Hitachi one, but real Metabo) batteries. Metabo started CAS (Cordless Alliance Sytem) and there's 16+ different brands running their batteries. Though I don't know if this is mostly Europe or also N-America.
hairsonabobbin The Steinel finally came out as a Metabo. The collomix came here as a Metabo. The rockamatt maybe. Eisenblatter barely has products here (all rebranded I believe). Otherwise, just the Mafell stuff is here. Metabo distribution is pretty shit-tastic here. That’s ok, all but two of my cordless Metabo tools are worthless junk. 😂. I have a KSS40 and I’m super ok with carrying batts just for it. 🤘
actual pro tools, actual pro review, and no lazy affiliate link to amazon - subscribed!
thanks WELCOME!
Once again I end up pleased that I went with the Makita system. They have just about any tool you could want, they're always in the top 3 in tests like these and they're priced well. The Mafell might have been the overall top, but at 2x the price, get out of here. Keep it up Makita!
I thought the same thing after watching this 👍
I've been using makita for almost 25 years. I have a hard time buying other brands when I do because makita has been so reliable. I still have the first 18 volt impact and drill that I bought when the lithium line came out probably 14 years ago?
I can not object at all, this Japanese company proved itself over and over again.
I generally agree, especially for prosumer use.
if you are a professional carpenter however, who uses his tracksaw for thousands of hours over many years, the the Mafell is definately worth the extra cost.
P.S.: long term durability of Mafells machines is outstanding!
Same thoughts, I use Makita and Milwaukee, I can't seriously consider other battery makers.
I have my original makita impact driver, it still works perfect, and the original batteries are still working.
Now with dozens of cordless tools, I stick to trusted brands that also are good value for money.
Never bought festool because of price, and the very few mentions of the number of times they are returned for service.
Thanks for posting !
THIS is how you do a "Best of" comparison. Excellent work!
Thx
I figured Mafell would win. But I recently bought the makita track saw and I love it anyway. It’s got tons of power and fits my platform.
I never even heard of Mafell
@@jody6121 They're an old german family-owned company, renowned for their carpenter power tools. Their excellent engineering ranks them above Festool and they make a stellar tracksaw and the best jigsaw on the planet. Unfortunately, they have a price tag to match. They occasionaly do the engineering for some Bosch products too. As an import, they're really too expensive to consider if you're in the North ametican market so they're seldom seen there.
@@the_arcanum yep, the Bosch GKT55 GCE corded track saw is apparently made by Mafell. I wonder if that is also the case for this cordless one?
Given the difference in blade marks on the wood I'm going to assume not.
@@the_arcanum Professionals do choose the best because then you get the best results
Wow!!!! Awesome review. Honestly, this may have been the best and most thorough tool comparison you’ve done, and is by far the best track saw review on RUclips...or anywhere online. Nice job!
Have you seen out table saw one?
@@ConcordCarpenter Of course..I watch all the videos you guys produce. Awesome as well!
I have the corded and cordless Makita"s. I've even started using the cordless on framing jobs. Near perfect cuts and i can trust my helper to make a straight cut now haha
Any common disadvantages to the cordless versus the corded? Taking into consideration we have enough batteries if the ones using run out of juice.
@@rkfarmranch8214 Well it doesn't have as much power as the corded version but plenty for cutting plywood. The cordless also uses a super thin blade and they're quite expensive, although all track saw blades are expensive.
@@cliftonobrien588 thank you very much Mr. O’Brien. 160 foot elevation drop from top of our property to bottom. Very hilly. Excited to build a small guest house and green house via cordless. Thanks for taking the time to reply. RK
Mostly you’ll see a power drop. Clifton is correct on the thin kerf blade. I use my cordless for cutting doors and hardwood Oak flooring - go slow and works great
Great review guys!
3 yrs ago I bought the Makita, just for the batteries.
Home depot had it on clearance for 300 with 4 batteries,and the 55' track.
I've since added the 118,and the 39.
Now working at a cabinet shop that has a festool tsc75.
The festool feels more refined, but has the cord which cancels that out.
Having only used corded festool, and cordless makita.
The plunge is softer on the festool, but i love cordless for installing cabinets on-site.
Awesome Test as Always!!! Learned a lot and we shared it around with our staff for some of your insights. Only thing not really emphasized that much with Mafell (which we don't sell) is batteries are part of the CAS battery platform which uses Metabo 18V LiHD batteries. Some comments here about not being compatible with anything but there are a lot of great Metabo drill, impacts, vacs, lights and other tool options which mean you can have compatibility with more readily available professional tools. Just something to consider for those really wanting to get a Mafell, again we don't sell it so not sure why I'm trying to make their case but sometimes you just want what you want.
Great point - that may have been covered int he article
You guys are the best on RUclips bar none for power tool video content.
Thank for you for the crazy effort you have gone too!!!
Thumbs up
If you have never used a track saw- you need to try one. I Absolutely love my Corded Makita... so when the time comes for the cordless-I will stick with Makita. Stick with your platform- as I feel all these saws are excellent. Thanks again for the review guys!!!! 👊👊👊
Sticking with a platform is all well and good unless u have mostly dewalt tools I have the corded festool and love it almost bought the makita but the festool felt smoother that’s ultimately why I choose festool
i have the corded makita, i love that saw. but my cordless tools are metabo and their batteries will work on the mafell.
robert sharpe Festool is overpriced and underpowered.
Ken’s Festool Channel yea I just liked how smooth the festool was compared to Makita when side on the track felt better if i what more power I will buy the ts 75 for cutting slabs but never had a problem with power they were the originator of the track saw don’t think you can go wrong with it thanks for ur opinion!
robert sharpe that’s the problem with festool. I wanted to buy into them, but you have to pay even more for the same power that the DeWalt corded model provides. I’ve been using a track saw for a long time. Battery wasn’t even an option and even some of the brands that have corded options weren’t available at the time I bought one.
Great information. I am buying a track for my hobby of woodworking. I cannot afford the Festool or the MaFell so I am greatly surprised to hear that the Makita did so well. That is what I keep coming back to in my research. You have helped me make my decision.
Bought hte Makita on a whim because i needed it ASAP for a job - perfect decision.
Makita SP6000J is just as good as the Festool. Festool pay better for reviews thou....
Your comparison reviews are the best out there. Really appreciate the time, and care that goes into these.
I’m so glad you guys did track saws because I’m in the market right now. I’m definitely going with the makita after seeing this. I just wish you had used the same blade on all of the saws.
Something about many of the saws have their own arbor and some are made for different thicknesses.
Rockstar review as expected guys. We greatly appreciate all the work your team puts into these mega-reviews. Keep'em coming!
Finally got all my components in today for my new Makita, 2-55” tracks, track soft case, clamps, connector kit, 2- 5ah batteries, dual charger, hard cases.... ready to cut the rubber and start enjoying not having to bring my table saw to my rental properties.
Thanks for posting, you hit the nail on the head for many of us, I would think.
I have the Festool 75 corded. Smooth cut, convenience, and accessories and largest track saw on the market as far as I know. Tracks bolt together easy.
I have the corded in my shop too
Great test. Really love the obvious thought and thoroughness that went into your evaluation. I recently purchased the Makita myself (haven’t gotten around to using it yet) and am now even happier with my decision.
I believe I see a calculation error on Watt-Hours for the Makita that affected the runtime results. Makita X2 reaches 36V by running the batteries in series. The voltage doubles but the Amp-Hours remain the same. Assuming your total length and runtime tests were run using just one pair of 5Ah batteries, the Watt-Hours will be 36V x 5Ah = 180Wh. Alternatively you can just add the Watt-Hours listed on the bottom of each 5Ah battery...2@90Wh each adds up to 180.
I don’t think I see any other errors for that one assuming the battery configurations for each saw as-tested were as follows:
1x5.5Ah for Mafell
1x6Ah for Dewalt (or 2Ah@60VMax)
2x5.2Ah for Festool
1x6Ah for Bosch
Factored into the run-time test, Makita’s result would then be 2.4 Ft/Wh instead of the 1.2 reported. Which strikes as more consistent with the previous performance results. That would put Makita at #1 for that test, Mafell #2 and Bosch #3.
Of course the Makita won the overall performance test anyway so as far as the final results are concerned the overall rankings don’t change, Makita just looks even a little better along the way to #2 behind Mafell.
Thanks for this we'll check it out.
Kenshiro is right, total energy for the Makita is 180 Wh which doubles its score. I think the results speak mainly to the performance of the Makita's blade more than anything. Looks like it's not quite as smooth-cutting as the included blades with the Maffell and Festool saws, but it's FAR more efficient.
Kenshiro - You are correct, there was an error in the calculation for the Makita. It should be 180 watt-hours (2 packs x 5 Ah x 18 V = 180). It doesn't effect the final results, but does make Makita win the run-time category. Thanks for bringing this up, we've corrected the article.
The reason the Makita wins is also due to having a super thin kerf blade which is not mentioned either.
I own the makita. You know when you buy an expensive tool and you have high expectations. It arrives, you use it the those expectations are not only met but blown away! That's rare. The makita is an exceptional Peice of kit, the makita blades are expensive so I use trend or Freud depending what's on offer and they cut better, last longer and are cheaper.
Yep love my cordless makita. I'm usually looking for excuses to use it lol
What Freud blades are you using for your track saw. I too find the Makita blades a bit pricy for the cordless track, not that there is a issue with quality with them. I am open to an alternative if it preforms just as well. Thanks
Great and interesting test. I really liked it. From my point of view Mafell and Festool are carpenter saws, whereas Bosch, Makita and DeWalt are more construction site saws - or for non professional woodworkers. If money wouldn't matter I would buy Mafell (with cord) or Festool. But since money matters and also Makita isn't too cheap I will probably buy the Makita with cord.
Currently watching from the Foinaven Oil Field in the North Atlantic West of Shetland and you’ve made my mind up on cordless track saws! Great videos!!!
Straight to Grampian power tools after you got off the rig
So useful having you guys testing and giving us a honest feedback. Tools an't cheap so great to get a insight before we pay out. Then be disappointed. Trust your reviews. And Appreciate all the time it takes for these videos to be put together. Cheers guys. 🏴💪
Another EXCELLENT video! Thanks so much for taking all the time to collect the data AND make a video AND document your results in written form. You MORE than achieved the point of this video. Giving us the ability to choose the best saw for our needs.
Good to see the Mafell getting a review in English! I've got the corded version, and its a absolute beast! 👀 and their rail locking system is really good too, compared to the faffing about you need to do to join some rails together....
Awesome review like always, nobody else on the Tube makes such reviews....about 30 years ago I made a strategic choice, because my uncle was a contractor, and over the years he tested all the tools and he settled on Makita, he must had just in handsaw about 40, plus drills, nail guns... he had 2 trucks loaded with tools...., so I chose Makita, and never regretted it, they might not always be the best on the market, but they are often the best value....I still have the makita tools I bought 30 years ago, and they are still working great!
Awesome review. Makita over Festool. I did not see that coming. Also, Mafell's superiority is no surprise but I didn't expect it to be a runaway on performance. Btw, this is always the first place I look when considering a tool purchase. Great job!
Festool is also made from abs plastic, makita is a real tool and under half the price. I bought the cordless makita with the 52 inch track for just over 500. Festool was 1100 or 1200 for just the ts55 without track. They both use the same track and I think the sustainer is made by festool as well
Makita XPS02 is amazing, but AFTER this video festool upgraded the TSC 55 to the new KEB with faster cut speed and kickback protection. It’s probably my favorite now.
Great review Rob, & TTB Crew. I wish this was out a year ago when I bought the cordless Festool TS 55. It’s close in price to the Mafell, live & learn I guess.
IMHO the Festool-TS55 is the best saw I have ever used. I do feel as though I’m going to break something when I attach the dust collection bag. That’s a very small item on the con list, in fact, it’s the only one I have.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, it's a great comparison and glad to see Mafell making it's way in America... It would be great to see some more Mafell products such as their P1 cc jigsaw and the Erika 85 ec push-pull saw.
The Erika is awesome. I've been researching European brands and it seems that they have been steadily innovating, whereas the US brands barely make incremental changes. They're years to decades ahead.
@@TheArtificiallyIntelligent There's a lot of innovation coming out of Europe - mainly Germany. Here are some power tool companies - they're not all owned by European companies but largely based there.
- Mafell (Germany)
- Fein (Germany)
- Metabo (Germany)
- Duss (Germany)
- Flex (Germany)
- Baier (Germany)
- Hilti (liechtenstein)
Usually, I find myself going for something German or Japanese where I can afford it. Then there's the hand tools from Germany: Wera, Knipex, Wiha, Stahlwille, Gedore, Hazet, NWS, Felo, CK. PB Swiss from Switzerland is also good. While all of the above are expensive, I firmly believe that for the most part, when it comes to tools, you pay for what you get! You can also research the more industrial tools such as Altendorf for panel / table saws.
@@CrookedSkew Thank you! I'll have fun looking through all these brands. I started off down this rabbit hole because I had seen some people using (horizontal) panel saws and thought it's crazy that they are so rare in the US. I stumbled upon the Altendorf WA 6 just yesterday. I think it's $7,000 or so. That seems expensive, but if you compare it to an "industrial" SawStop that costs $5,000, the Altendorf is inexpensive, and seems better in every way.
Another thing I've noticed is that things like dust collection seem to be much better for European tools. US: better wear a respirator. Europe: I wonder if we can make it so you don't need a respirator?
@@TheArtificiallyIntelligent No problem. Be wary of most quality panel saws requiring 3 phase power. From looking at at Altendorf some time ago, I didn't find a single saw that used single phase power. Perhaps that's not an issue for you but it is for me, ergo something like the Erika 85 ec. Enjoy :)
You seem to hold the bar as high for yourselves as you do for the tool manufacturers! Nice!
I’m willing, but not eager to buy outside my (battery) platform, the quality and relevance of info the TB2 Crew provides goes a long way helping me understand whether to add another batter and charger to the trailer or go with what I’ve got!
I recently invested in Makita's platform. I needed a impact driver after I broke two and it was in the discontinued shelf at Homedepot. Love it now looking at expanding.
Very comprehensive test I have the Mafell myself but mains powered, it’s just a dream to use expensive but it’s a no mistake saw. Well done lads 👍
I've got the corded version aswell, it's the crown jewel of my saws. Even after 5 years of owning it, I still get excited and impressed every time I use it.
Been eyeing up the makita for a long time. This just reinforced my decision. Thanks guys for all your hard work keep it up!
I have the Bosch, loved it so much I bought their sliding mitre (8j) the month after
I took the Bosch too. I got it relatively cheap and i got 2 8Ah batteries (and a guide rail), so i can charge one and use one indefinitely. With other (Except Mafell) you nees 4 batteries to do the same.
Thanks for always putting out great videos! We literally won’t buy a tool without watching your teams reviews!
Thanks Steph
I always enjoy your head to heads and other reviews. They are always well thought out and have good repeatable tests for consistency between brands. Keep it up, I love my Makita tracksaw! And it's good to know it's stacks up.
i don't buy a tool without seeing a review from you first, seriously! Thanks!
Now THIS is a product review! Extremely thorough analysis, concise monologue, great use of B-roll. Outstanding and I subscribed because of this! Well done guys. Thanks!
Thank you TOOL BOX team, for such an informative video. I ended up purchasing the MAKITA XPS02 with AWS ( the purchase was based on the information I gathered from watching this comparison test).
I'm extremely happy with the investment!
In my opinion you guys have some of the better reviews and comparison tests for our industry - I for one greatly appreciate it.
Keep up the great work!
I've been very happy with my Makita. Every cut is a finish cut, right out the box.
Own the makita PRECISELY for the reasons presented here and in other reviews. All seem to agree it is as good or better than festool. For me that means VALUE - I’m very happy with purchase
I’m looking forward to the new M18 comparison 😉. Keen to know blade thickness (in metric as well) and kickback safety. Keep up the amazing work Rob 👌
Same
Love the controls and how well thought out these tests were, gives everyone a great overall idea of what to expect with every saw
I've been waiting for this review, thank you!
It's a shame Milwaukee didn't come through
S Fire - I’m right there with you, concerning Milwaukee & their lack of a track saw.
I bought a Festool TS55 last year. At that time I didn’t know about the Mafell track saw.
I’m in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, & Mafell is a new tool brand for me. I see the usual suspects; team yellow, team red, team blue, & team Festool.
Milwaukee is producing some top quality tools; & it’s a shame that the track saw wasn’t one of those tools that made it to my local Home Depot #4007. Some day perhaps.
Especially, with a review like this one that Rob & his crew at Tool Box Buzz produced. It’s like a how-to design the best track saw.
If Milwaukee does produce a track saw , I hope they make it a “One-key” tool.
Apparently only available in E.U. Disappointed as well...
I agree it'd be nice if Milwaukee could figure this one out. Who would have thought Kreg would have a track saw before Milwaukee.
They make some excellent drivers, construction tools, and specialty trade tools. But Woodworking and finish carpentry has never been a huge interest to Milwaukee. I don't know many that run their miter saw and their table saw situation is... disappointing.
Your reviews stand out among all the other amateurs and are easily the best on the internet regarding tools.
If you announced an air review I wouldn’t breath until I watched it.
A LOL
One thing I'd like to add is accessory availability. In my area there are 4 Festool dealers. I have bought Festool clamps and track connectors for my Makita system (corded in this case) direct from a store which was a boon. The ability to get track compatible accessories like TSO products parallel guides and rail squares are real, useful improvements.
Makita also has the scribe cut feature that is able to be used with one hand.
The Makita was tested with 5.0 Ah packs, so the watt-hours was 180 watt-hours. This has been corrected in the article.
This video changed my mind in my current track saw purchase. All the data really helped with my individual need. Thank you.
Also, I I've never even heard of mafell until like a month ago when Scott brown carpentry was given some demo time with a couple of their tools.
I had heard of Mafell a few times with all the previous research I did. FYI, the Makita does not come with a dust bag. I called Makita after seeing a million dust bags on their site and they stated none of those dust bags fit the cordless makita. Found a youtube video where I saw a guy using a Mafell dust bag on the Makita. Yup, fits pretty well. I bought from a site called timberwolftools.com. Cost $57.40 with shipping and I think tax, $72.
Same. "Scott Brown here."
Mafell AG (Maschinenfabrik Fellbach AktienGesellschaft) is a manufacturer of high-end woodworking power tools specialized for carpentry, founded in 1899. They are the inventor of the first portable electric carpentry power tool, a chain mortiser invented in 1926. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany.
Excellent review as always - my purchase of the Makita a few years ago was based on most of the positives you outlined in this video. I think you nailed it at the end on personal choice - for many it will be heavily weighed by whatever battery system you are already invested in.
You mentioned the AWS in the review. While good in concept, AWS-ready saws do not come with the overpriced transmitter and you need one for every tool (and not every Makita has the option - their sanders and jigsaws for example). While not automatic, I think I prefer the Festool idea of putting the button on the hose.
I do have a suggestion for anyone considering the Makita - unless you are doing a LOT of 8' cuts and you have tons of room in your shop, you are better off buying a third 55" rail instead of the 110" one. The 110" comes packed in a crazy wooden box delivered by freight that had to be sent back twice for damage. Once I got a good one, I realized that 2 55" tracks attached were just as accurate and a whole lot easier to store and move around at the end of the day. A much cheaper 3rd 55" eliminates the need to detach the other 2 for shorter crosscuts.
I like the hose button too
My 118 rail came in great shape,the shipping cost alone was going to be $200.
I paid $270 shipped from toolnut.
Aws is a total mess.
Festool keeps increasing their price for older technology ,but if you want 1 high end system.
They have the best with cords,vacuums that are easily connected.
Great review - very thorough. The Mafell and Festool are great tracksaws. Have corded versions of both and a cordless TSC, which I also really like. Cannot go wrong.
I just bought the TS55 but I’m tempted to return it and get the Mafell. Would you recommend or no? I hear a lot of people switching from the festool to the mafell and they say it’s the better saw.
@@JSears121 They are both great saws. The Mafell has more power and better dust collection. The Festool is better splinter gaurd for offcuts and more accessories after market and support. I do not think you can go wrong with either. There are pros and cons for each.
@@MrTooljunkie Goodvto hear. Thanks for the help.
@@JSears121 Mafell saw with the new Metabo LiHD 10 amp hour battery would be a real beast.
This is probably the best tool comparison video I’ve ever seen. Thanks for the video. I’m glad I watched this before buying a track saw, I’d have been very mad at myself if I’d watched it after.
Wow, thanks!
Metabo just announced that they’re releasing a new track saw..now there will be two on the CAS system (Mafell being the other)
I run a DeWalt saw on both DeWalt and Festool track. One part of the systems that wasn’t reviewed was the available accessories. The Festool, and Makita both have the auxiliary slot on their rails which allow the attachment of width guides, (handy if your cutting down sheet goods for cabinets), and things like router guides can also ride in that slot. The other tracks don’t have that attachment slot.
If you build a Ron Paulk bench, you can reliably cut good 90s. And, do complete cabinets with just the track saw to cut down your sheet goods.
AGREED! You could do an entire video on the accessories
Absolutely love you guys' videos. Ya'll do a completely fantastic job at reviews. If I'm in the market for a new power tool or shop accessory, I always look first to see if you already have a video on it. BRAVO! 👏
This channel deserves 1,000,000 SUBS.
This team brings so much value that it should be a crime not to be a Subscriber.
Good to see the rest of America finally discovering what us once few and far inbetween Mafell fans have known for a decade. 😁
love every one of your head to head compares, best XXX or whatever you want to call it. data driven, well thought out testing. everything.
I have bought tool based on these reviews. I wouldn't buy a cordless track saw. I did buy one that came with tracks and a plate to attach to a saw I dedicated to it. (Skill Saw based on who invented them and your reviews) I works flawlessly regarding accurach and cut quality. FYI. Pros wouldnt likely use it but DIYers would based on cost and results.
I just bought the Makita xsh08 which is a track saw capable circular saw. With a 60 tooth blade cutting plywood had no chipping. One saw to rule them all
Id like to see the test done with all the saws having the same blades. With my experience most saws sold with complimentary blades, they end up being junk. Especially dewalt
I thought the same thing, but he did mention at one point that there's no single saw blade that would fit on all of them
just found you, hands down best tool review I've ever watched on anything. Not sure if it made my decision any easier, but at least I have the proper information to make it. Thumbs up and subscribed.
Thanks and welcome
Great demo that fairly measures each saw's capabilities! After watching your video, I purchased the Mafell (the corded version and more expensive), so thank you guys for putting this together and explaining/showing what these saws are all about and their capabilities. The one bit of feedback I would offer is on the pricing piece. It would be helpful to see the price for the saw only. Mafell's pricing is ala carte and may be the same for the others (I didn't look b/c I went straight to the Mafell), so you can buy the track lengths you want, connectors, etc. A saw-only column at the beginning of your matrix would give an accurate price baseline for all the saws followed by prices for a 5' piece of track and cost for a connector like you have. B/c most of the saws can use tracks from other manufacturers, a person may only want to buy the saw if they are changing from the saw they have, but can still use the track they have. Otherwise, outstanding video!
You are wrong. The corded is less expensive. Additionally; you are wrong that a saw only option is fair… testing is literally about determining the “as tested” methodology.
Great review! Only one major thing I felt that needed to be mentioned when comparing the saws.... The fact that the bosch saw has a smaller blade (140mm) than all the others and therefore the depth of cut with the track is a measly 46mm. It's a shame as I've had the corded bosch saw for about 10 years and it's been amazing. Pretty much the same as the mafell minus a few small features. But the new cordless version isn't something I'd even consider mainly due to the small blade and terrible cam adjustment (nothing wrong with the previous design imo). Definitely would be mafell for me as I'm sold on the mafell/bosch track design! Can't argue with the value of makita though!
great review - and I agree to everything you said from my experience; the only issue IMO: I would not include the price for the ranking, because a tool does not become better due to a low price and does not become worse due to a high price. I would prefer ranking the tools only to their quality, features and handling and then naming the price separately to get the value.
And meanwhile there is another great contender: the new Metabo KT 18 LTX 66 BL - very well build, high quality with great features and (at least IMO) very good handling. And it cuts longer per Wh than any other saw I know. I would consider it to be a serious contender for the the Mafell and Festool
That was the nest hands down list. Didn't take into mind price.
Makes me proud to be a 18v Makita lineup user for my business
I've been looking at the makita for A while in the other saw makita makes the rounds on their track to think it's 9 incher 9 and a 1/2 inch blade in a use the same batteries in the same track more food for thought🍻🥃
Thorough and thoughtful approach. it’s a good basis and as you mention, everyone can apply their own weighting to the data. Value cannot be evaluated without price but it was good to say which saw was just the best.
Hey there guys, do you think you'll be redoing this head 2 head with the Milwaukee unit once it's been made available?
What a fantastic review. Clear cut, gives you the important details without any fluff, and more than a side by side between only two tools. Well done and thank you, subscribed!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice pun
Excellent review love my Makita track saw!!
If I felt like spending all the money I'd buy the Mafell, but I have the corded Makita. It's simple but well put together.
Thoughmuchistaken agreed
Tracksaw are amazing and Makes all cuts so much nicer and better.
But inspite of all of that i have not been able to work for anyone that will allow me to use my track saw. Always complaining to me to stop using my track saw is to slow of a system.
But that's something ive come to understand about USA carpenter and how USA built their building, Is never the quality I'll say zero quality control, but speed speed speed as long as it pass inspection.
Work for the older guys, they appreciate quality. 👍
Chong Thor BTL that’s crazy
Yea most people use track saw for finish carpentry and not rough construction but I have used mine on decking in a variety of other projects
@@rsharpe1985 that is right but to be fair when I'm framing and using my skill saws I can make a straight cut that is near the factory edge, you just need to know how to use the guide on the front of the saw so if I saw someone trying to use a track saw for framing I'd have the same to say as well. A skill saw is versatile and cheap, it is also not fragile and really expensive. I'd basically tell him he couldn't use it because why would you ruin a finishing saw for framing? I use mine on deck builds for deck board, and cedar fences and that's as rough as it ever sees
@@bolerdweller u basically said what I said but I appreciate you going into detail on how a Skil saw is operated
thanks Rob and crew. Always enjoy and benefit from the analysis. Recently received a track saw for Christmas from my wonderful wife. What saw? The Makita! Still a fantastic saw and tool line in 2022 for what I do and I use other lines, too. Thanks for making my wife feel good about her purchase! Happy 2023!
I have the Makita in my van - great saw
The 1mm blade of the makita is the best ever. Did miles of trespa and still sharp as a knife
My winner is the homemade DIY one. Haha! Cuz I already got it.
No dust collection...but works for me. I can cut on both sides of the guide....and I have 2 of them. An 8 footer and a 4 footer.
I do like the extra bells and whistles of the others. Just cannot swing those prices for a hobby that is not the breadwinner. Thanks for all you do! I enjoy watching the content!
😇😎
Love the info, but I was hoping to find out if the edge strip gets cut differently at 90 degrees vs at 45 degrees. Ive heard that after you cut at 45 degrees that the edge strip is ruined fir 90 degrees. I’d rather not have to buy 2 sets of track, one for 45 and one for 90, or have to keep putting on a new edge strip. I understand Festool has it calibrated to work the same at 90 and 45. Do the others?
Excelente pregunta amigo
Great head to head! Your categories and scoring are spot on. Add in battery platform and it pushes Makita to #1 for me personally.
Absolutely love My Makita tracksaw.
What makes the track saw any better than a circular saw and a straight edge? How do you clamp the track down?
We have used electric hand tools more than 25 years and we have so bad experience with Makita that I will never ever buy Makita to our company. Never. We have corded Festool track saw and not a single bad word. Currently I am looking corless and I will choose Mafell or Festool
@@tapsulinka I have used Makita all my life and never had any issues. I have also never had issues with Dewalt or Milwaukee either. What bad experience did you have with Makita that no one else on the planet has had? Festool is overpriced and no better than other brands for less money, and countless reviewers have rated brands such as Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Rigid, etc as being better in multiple tools. The only tool Festool is best at in all the reviews I have watched is the Domino. Obviously having a patent on a product and being the only person who can build it, makes it easy to beat the competition.
So, what problem with Makita makes them so bad that you'll never own another?
Great comparison, thanks. Not sure if it was said somewhere else but the Makita's extra cut time and speed test is probably due to the thin blade--at the cost of poorer cut quality as demonstrated. I avoid thin blades now; they just deflect too much, especially when cutting anything hard at 45 degrees. Larger blades only make it worse. I have a 12" DeWalt miter saw and it's impossible not to get burn marks and uneven faces on maple railings, even with brand new blades.