Great saw especially ruclips.net/user/postUgkxxnKxcY0vm4xjW8xkPbjaHuKt10gr-wG_ considering how drastically cheaper it is than every other track saw on the market. Only things I would mention is replace the blade immediately, the 24 tooth blade supplied leaves a lot to be desired.
You need to lift the far end of the track, then push the square against the edge and lower the track down from the square to the far end. If you put it down before squaring it, the grips make it hard to get it square.
I have an older Festool track saw (corded). My version has 2 splinter guards. One is the long white plastic on the track--what you initially cut away when you added the second track. But the other splinter guard is on the saw itself (at least on my version). It is a piece of plastic insert on the front right side of the saw that you raise and lower. What you do is lower that splinter guard insert on the saw to the top face of the wood. The first time you use it the saw will cut it to the right length. I've used the same saw for about 9 years and have not had any issues. I use the saw for fine cuts and do NOT sand the edge (otherwise you round over the nice cut the saw just made). One thing I use the Festool track saw for is to rough cut all my pieces for a project then do the final dimensioning at the table saw. But yes, when I first got the Festool track saw I was also blown away. It's a Plunge saw which means you can set it flush to the floor. It ALSO does 45° cuts (for example) without needing to fuss around with where to lay the track to the line. But as for splintering, you should try to lower the splinter guard of the saw itself. But you'll need to label the guard you "cut" because once you cut 1/2" material it won't work well for 3/4" material, if that makes sense. The splinter guard is lower to the face of the wood and sometimes you cut enough off that it won't touch the face anymore.
@PhelebasMaybe he didnt' buy it with his own money, but nonetheless, he has tasted it. It's like a gate-way drug. That's the way it went down with me too :0)
It's important to use a long straight edge when combining the rails. I've tried a couple different corded ones from Festool and they are beautiful! I've also tried the 18Vx1, which is not that great
I recommend cutting on top of a thick piece of foam insulation, big time. Material won't slide, material is fully supported preventing binding, and you can cut into it all you want baby
@@vancouvercarpenter Another benefit: you can cut on the ground/floor and still fit the rapid clamp underneath due to the foam clearance and the clamp's folding handle. No sawhorses needed. Granted, it's not a real mobile solution if you keep the whole sheet of foam intact.
I love my makita track saw, TSO square and parallel guide. Built all of my kitchen and laundry cabinet boxes with it. One tip on joining tracks (with the makita connectors): I tried multiple different ways to join them and screwed up a ton of long cuts in the process but I found a way that works perfect every time. Take a 4ft aluminum level and put in on your bench, bottom facing up. Make sure the set screws are fully tightened to one of the tracks. Join the tracks and get the joint dead center on top of the level with the rubber cut strip facing up. Pull/push down on both rails at the center of the level. While you have weight on both, tighten down the remaining set screws. Yes, they will dent the aluminum, no its not a big deal. I have not used the TSO connectors but the makita connectors will not self-align.
One possible reason there's a slightly different measurement on each end using the square, could be because your material itself may not be perfectly square.
yep, best practice is make the first cut with just the track, take off the entire factory edge, then square it off. If you dont trust the track to hold square over 8ft, you can take the long edge off first, then make a parallel line on the other long edge, then square off each short edge. This will avoid compounding small deviations.
@@walnutcontractors5661 where r u referencing on a crooked board in order to create the straight line in the first place? It’s not like u can use a speed square cause all 4 lengths on the board r crooked to begin with.
@@borys444 as long as you have a straight edge (2x4 or screed or caulk line), then you just create a straight line and you can then create straight lines from that first line you've layed out. You'd finish each off cut by squaring the cross cuts.
Holy sh*t, Vancover Sheetrock guy doing some carpetry, hehe. Anyways the 108" rail is best for ripping full sheets, two 55" rails together can be a problem with alignment especially what blade you used to cut the splinter guard with. Careful with those screws on the connectors, you will dig into that rail channel big time. I now own both the 55 and 75 corded, both saws are great...
I have used it, its square to 1/16 easy, usually 1/32. However, you cant just flop it on there. You need to use a good bit of force and shimmying to get it to settle cleanly on the straight edge.
@@thatf_inguy8220 In addition, one must ensure that the long and short edges used for reference, are actually perpendicular to each other, before attempting to work off them. High quality plywood have factory edges generally close to being square, but not always.
Ben FWIW we build a lot of cabinets…lots of plywood to break down. You can’t count on factory edges being square, parallel, or even straight. Last year we had a whole unit of maple veneer 3/4 ply where the long edges had an 1/8” bow…out on one edge in on the other like a very slight “C” shape!! Didn’t matter BC we always true up one edge w a track saw before breaking it down, but still… This was expensive domestic plywood too.
Track saws are one of those tools you didnt know how much you needed until you owned one. You dont need those clamps usually. The tracks should just stay put on their own
Just got my first track saw… a Makita refurb and I bought PowerTec tracks. Super affordable (as far as track saws go) setup. Absolutely love it! Can’t believe I went this long without one!
Oh no…. Festool invasion!!!! Track saws are just awesome. Great for breaking down sheets and certain cuts. It will never replace a table saw but will is just fantastic for what it does
Firsr time I ever used my tracksaw, I put the track on the waste side & cut my workpiece short by the kerf thickness ... 🙄 THAT never happened again... 😂 Using a sheet of insulation underneath is a good idea... u can let it cut a 1/4" deeper and not worry.....
Ben, The small amount of tear out on the waste side of the wood is because the green anti-splinter guard was not attached to the track saw. ( It is a little green square piece that slips into the slot near the leading edge of the blade.)
Came here to say exactly this. Ben, you will get in a rhythm using the green splinter guard up/down. Even when you have it installed it is easy to forget sometimes and you get a little occasional tearout. Oh and one other thing having the green splinter guard down improves dust collection. You can improve collection even more if you cover the window by the blade. I used to use 2 pieces of wide masking tape until my friend 3D printed a plug cover I downloaded from www.thingiverse.com/thing:1888723
I like your videos and have learned a lot of good tips on drywall. I find that hose and cord management is the only annoying thing with the track saw. But that’s a small price to pay for the no dust and great cuts. One “tip” that has helped me manage the vac hose is instead of just grabbing the saws handle I reach under the hose then grab the handle so the hose somewhat rests on my forearm. I know that my description may not be great but when I do this the hose doesn’t immediately droop down and it helps with getting the cut started and you don’t need to immediately move the hose with your other hand to keep it from getting hung up. Hope this makes sense. Again I appreciate the videos.
I remember the first time I used my track saw. After the first cut I said why did I wait so long to get a track saw. 🤦🏻♂️ definitely want to add a cordless variant to my arsenal.
Oh forgot, the one handed rapid clamp, only way to go plus the TSO guide is great as well, doing smaller crosscuts, no clamp needed with the TSO guide. Had the odler model 55 since '06, the new clear splinter guard replacements suck, nothing like the old black ones. Now when it's time to replace, I go with Makita splinter guards, they hold much better even in the hot summer...
I highly recommend to rip only one 3/4'' sheet at a time. I burnt out the armature doing exactly what you were doing. Very costly mistake since my saw was a few months past the warranty. Very disappointed .
WTF !! 🤔 And just what do you do if you are a kitchen fitter & are constantly cutting thick countertop material ? Or what if you are regularly trimming solid doors ? Thats ridiculous... for the money you are spending... 😒
Track saws are amazing. It's like having a panel saw on the jobsite. I've been using the Makita version for a few years on kitchen installs and it's irreplaceable. You don't need to clamp down the track as long as you push the saw straight forward and you don't go too fast. You have to let the saw do the work. I have a square attachment but I only use it with the 55" track. You want to measure for long cuts because the square attachment isn't very accurate for those - too much deflection in the track itself. Once you get used to it it's fast and accurate. A sharp blade is a must... and make sure you don't install it backwards, it doesn't cut too well 🤣 - don't ask me how I know!
Can't complain if you can get a Festool saw for free, the 90 Degree Guide Rail Square is for cross-cutting and not as useable as the Guide Rail Combination Bevel. The Festoon track saw is cheaply built with only one ball bearing supporting the saw blade. I paid for mine so I bought a Makita, has 2 precision sealed ball bearings supporting the saw blade and although will only run with 2 batteries attached unlike the Festool. The Festoon with only one battery struggles and stalls trying to rip 1/2" marine ply.
Not redundant if you use the vacuum hose (?). What I've found is that vacuum hose catches on the end so having that rounded plastic end piece would be great. I just don't know if it will fit my track which is about 8 years old.
Perfect! The other videos were comparing them. I'm not that far down the road. I'm in the discovery stage of how they are used. I didn't know there was such a thing until I talked to my cousin who is a builder turned trimmer who when he analyzed things, trimming out was the part he loves, so he decided he'd rather sub for that and has been kept as busy as a cat on a tin roof and says the only thing he does is new. When I started asking him questions about a remodel project and talking saws, I mentioned a good miter saw and table saw might be what I need. He said, any miter saw will work, it's just learning how to use to get your cuts right and told me how to use scraps and shim to get the angle right and joints tight. However, he said what I would be a lot happier with is a good track saw without going crazy, and mentioned the Makita. He said track saws are portable, don't take up much room when you store them, and handier, especially when you are doing a cross-cut on a door or piece of plywood. I see nothing but positive reviews for the Festool cordless but not the corded models. Since this isn't my day job, I won't be buying the vacuum, but that clamping system is a must.
Glad you're liking it and happy you got it for free as it's an expensive saw! Two thing you need to try: 1. Bluetooth sync to the dust extractor so you don't need to manually turn it on/off 2. Portable dust bag attachment - it is surprisingly great at dust collection and handy when you don't want to bring the dust extractor along.
For future reference--that long plastic splinter guard on the track will get dinged up and eventually you will need to replace it. I've done that only once in about 8 years. Not hard to do and then you're set for a long time.
Only one track had been cut when you combined the two tracks and measured the width at two different spots. Wouldn’t that had thrown the measurements off from end to end?
You need to get rid of that factory edge , rip off a 1/8 th with the square attached knowing that the reference due is always to the right. Measure off needed distance. Way more accurate and. Straighter than my table saw , plywood is usually not square anyway . I have the TSO square and have checked many times with engineers squares and it is right on
Love my Festool saw - a bit of a learning curve but for working with sheet goods off the back of your truck its amazing. Makita tracks work nice and you can by a couple super long makita tracks for less than one short festool track(esp on sale) and cut them to sizes you need. I bought the dust collection bag because I didn’t want hoses and more noise etc and it actually works pretty good for most applications except at the end of cut.
Track saws are awesome Ben. I don’t have a fancy festool one lol but the dewalt flexvolt one and works well for me. The only thing I notice on the first cut you made you had the track on the wrong side of your mark so you lost the kerf thickness cause I’ve made that same mistake before. If your going for a 24” piece make sure your track lays on that piece and it keeps your dimension right and the kerf is lost on the opposite side. Look forward to seeing more projects that you do with it👍
@@vancouvercarpenter you can also buy a 'waste-side' jig that allows for the kerf when setting down the track if you need to measure and cut from that side. Peter Millard does some great videos on track saws and uses these jigs from time to time.
Setting the on-board splinter guard situated at the front of the saw, will reduce tear-out on the waste side. As mentioned in the instruction book :-). A patch of masking tape over the blade-nut access hole will reduce dust still further. In the UK, privateers offer 3-D printed plastic stoppers for this hole.
Check out Pica dry pencils...no going back and very accurate. Also, learn how to use the splinter guard for two sided protection of a cut...comes with the kit. Never use it on a bevel however. You've got a really great saw there, good luck with it and I'm sure you'll master it quick!
Game changers - get yourself a 10' track.. well worth the investment. I wonder if the extra size is due to the sheets being imported from Europe and the size being 2450mmx1225mm rather than the 2440x1220 that 8'x4' is?..
Lol....sorry😀😀 It's different!...and awesome. You're hooked! After 40 years I made the switch, and it took me a few weeks or so before it feels natural.
If you have a weak-medium strength cordless circular saw (cough cough Ridgid) and you're using a regular kerf saw blade you will notice you will be getting a lot of binding on your cuts and you'll think either your brand new blade is dull or you're not cutting straight. The problem is the saw is not powerful enough to run a full kerf blade so the slightest pinching or deviation in straight motion causes the saw to bind because the saw cant power through it. If you have a weak saw then switch to a thin kerf blade. It's like night and day. There should be no need for that if you have a powerful saw but for not so strong cordless circ saws using a thin kerf blade is critical. The manuals will never tell you that b/c that's admitting the saw does not have a strong motor. Diablo blades work very well with weak-medium strength saws because all of their wood cutting blades are thin kerf. Only catch is because the blade is thinner, they cant hold as much carbide on the tips and you get less cut mileage - but that's better than binding. I would not use a thin kerf blade on a miter saw that I would be doing a lot of compound miter/bevel cuts with b/c they are much more prone to bind/kickback because the blade isn't thick enough to stay straight. They're ok when they're fully sharp but when they reach medium dullness you better watch out.
Yeah I would be I. Love with the festool as well , i just can’t justify the cost .which is $700.00 for the saw and track and box ….. I could just get a good portable table saw for that , with the stand , and some blades .but I will say this , they crush it when it comes to track saws and domino jointers . No one else sells domino set ups I think they cornered it
When connecting tracks, do not let them touch...keep a small space to allow the connectors to perform as designed. Use the saw shoe guide evenly over the seam and tighten the first set of screws. Flip and do the others.
Others may have already pointed out but you made a number of rookie mistakes in setup that caused some of your challenges. In addition, the test you did to measure squareness of the TSO rail guide was majorly flawed in that you assumed the factory edges of the plywood were square to each other (which they almost never are). There is no way a TSO square on a festool rail installed properly is going to be 1/4" out of square like you initially measured. I'd recommend you watch a few more RUclips videos on how to use the TS saws. :)
If you leave the track connectors loose and then use a 4 ft level to level them out before you tighten down the connectors you will be sure it is cutting strait. My Makita tracks can get off a slight bit and it adds up over 8 feet. Another tip is you can store the track connectors on the track when not in use by simply sliding them out of the way and tighten them.
Another tip: I use JB kwikweld to stick a big neodymium magnet to the bed of the saw, to hold the hex wrenches for blade changes and for rail connectors.
Important, never put your saw on the ground. Sand Will mess up your track, and your saw. I usualy put it on the close lid of the systainer. Good luck with your New saw👍
You seem very enthousiastic. Lucky for you, there's a lot more fruit to pick. Get yourself a sacrificial table with holes, some dogs, a few more of those clamps, a fence with flag stops, ...
Tracksaws are awesome.... like having a high quality cabinet saw on site without the headache of lifting it..... that being said that Festool setup costs as much as decent quality cabinet saw.
The sheet goods are over sized to allow you to square up the sheet to a perfect, square 48x96 finished sheet. The reason your TSO attachment was reading out of square is, as you noted in the video, the plywood itself was manufactured out of square. The reason CNC machines in cabinet shops shave a 1/4 inch around the edges when cutting panels is the same. I was always taught to shave one long side, then use that as a reference to cut a squared short side, then square all other measurements from there. This was on a sliding table saw, but your track saw is essentially a bare bones portable version of that.
So what is the final, as used cost for this saw? I need a table saw, but space and storage is problem. Have been considering one of these saws, if for no other reason, when not in use it doesn’t take up much space. Plus this is much easier on transport. And seeing it can make veneer ready cuts, this is the saw I want.
The pre-finished sheet goods are slightly oversized so you can have margins for scribe lines and so you can cut off factory edges if needed. As you are discovering Festool designs as a system, not just individual tools. You pay more but typically work less. The time you save quickly pays offsets the higher prices.
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
Vancouver carpenter doing carpentry who knew...
Next thing you know he’ll be doing a video in Vancouver.
dude mind blown
Great saw especially ruclips.net/user/postUgkxxnKxcY0vm4xjW8xkPbjaHuKt10gr-wG_ considering how drastically cheaper it is than every other track saw on the market. Only things I would mention is replace the blade immediately, the 24 tooth blade supplied leaves a lot to be desired.
Ben scoring all kinds of tools. You must be living right...
Still not reading instructions, huh?
Ben, Ben, Ben, flonting your wealth by using 2x4's as sacrificial planks. I remember when I use to be able to afford 2x4's
What's more expensive, the plywood or the Festool?
Those nice sheets were probly about $90 per sheet... before the spike in price, can't imagine what they are now.
They were $90 Canadian before tax. Imported sheets. The domestic were $127 before tax
I have the hardest time finding pre finished plywood. Do you know where to find pre-finished plywood.
You need to lift the far end of the track, then push the square against the edge and lower the track down from the square to the far end.
If you put it down before squaring it, the grips make it hard to get it square.
I noticed that too :)
I have an older Festool track saw (corded). My version has 2 splinter guards. One is the long white plastic on the track--what you initially cut away when you added the second track. But the other splinter guard is on the saw itself (at least on my version). It is a piece of plastic insert on the front right side of the saw that you raise and lower. What you do is lower that splinter guard insert on the saw to the top face of the wood. The first time you use it the saw will cut it to the right length. I've used the same saw for about 9 years and have not had any issues. I use the saw for fine cuts and do NOT sand the edge (otherwise you round over the nice cut the saw just made). One thing I use the Festool track saw for is to rough cut all my pieces for a project then do the final dimensioning at the table saw. But yes, when I first got the Festool track saw I was also blown away. It's a Plunge saw which means you can set it flush to the floor. It ALSO does 45° cuts (for example) without needing to fuss around with where to lay the track to the line. But as for splintering, you should try to lower the splinter guard of the saw itself. But you'll need to label the guard you "cut" because once you cut 1/2" material it won't work well for 3/4" material, if that makes sense. The splinter guard is lower to the face of the wood and sometimes you cut enough off that it won't touch the face anymore.
Thanks for the info!
You officially have the green bug. Welcome to the club
@Phelebas haha
Well said. I only have 10 festool tools but I know the pain....... or happiness
@PhelebasMaybe he didnt' buy it with his own money, but nonetheless, he has tasted it. It's like a gate-way drug. That's the way it went down with me too :0)
It's important to use a long straight edge when combining the rails. I've tried a couple different corded ones from Festool and they are beautiful! I've also tried the 18Vx1, which is not that great
I recommend cutting on top of a thick piece of foam insulation, big time. Material won't slide, material is fully supported preventing binding, and you can cut into it all you want baby
👍 :)
@@vancouvercarpenter Another benefit: you can cut on the ground/floor and still fit the rapid clamp underneath due to the foam clearance and the clamp's folding handle. No sawhorses needed. Granted, it's not a real mobile solution if you keep the whole sheet of foam intact.
Hey, that sounds like a good idea.
I love my makita track saw, TSO square and parallel guide. Built all of my kitchen and laundry cabinet boxes with it. One tip on joining tracks (with the makita connectors): I tried multiple different ways to join them and screwed up a ton of long cuts in the process but I found a way that works perfect every time. Take a 4ft aluminum level and put in on your bench, bottom facing up. Make sure the set screws are fully tightened to one of the tracks. Join the tracks and get the joint dead center on top of the level with the rubber cut strip facing up. Pull/push down on both rails at the center of the level. While you have weight on both, tighten down the remaining set screws. Yes, they will dent the aluminum, no its not a big deal.
I have not used the TSO connectors but the makita connectors will not self-align.
I have yet to find plywood of any other sheet goods that come from the mill "square."
One possible reason there's a slightly different measurement on each end using the square, could be because your material itself may not be perfectly square.
yep, best practice is make the first cut with just the track, take off the entire factory edge, then square it off. If you dont trust the track to hold square over 8ft, you can take the long edge off first, then make a parallel line on the other long edge, then square off each short edge. This will avoid compounding small deviations.
If all 4 edges of ur board aren’t square then where do u pull a measurement from in order to start ur cut?
@@borys444 choose the longest straightest side, create a straight line on that side if not perfect and then square to that.
@@walnutcontractors5661 where r u referencing on a crooked board in order to create the straight line in the first place? It’s not like u can use a speed square cause all 4 lengths on the board r crooked to begin with.
@@borys444 as long as you have a straight edge (2x4 or screed or caulk line), then you just create a straight line and you can then create straight lines from that first line you've layed out. You'd finish each off cut by squaring the cross cuts.
Get the TSO parallel guides :-) That rail square is part of that system. Also, you probably have bluetooth batteries and module on the vacuum!!!
Holy sh*t, Vancover Sheetrock guy doing some carpetry, hehe. Anyways the 108" rail is best for ripping full sheets, two 55" rails together can be a problem with alignment especially what blade you used to cut the splinter guard with. Careful with those screws on the connectors, you will dig into that rail channel big time. I now own both the 55 and 75 corded, both saws are great...
he’s actually a carpenter, you know, like his channel says. he just specializes in finish carpentry. he still had to learn how to build a house.
Another thing I've seen and not yet tried is using a piece of rigid foam to cut the wood on.
Yup that’s what we do.
I would honestly be surprised if that square attachment is actually square over 8 foot. Should be good for less than 4’ though
I have used it, its square to 1/16 easy, usually 1/32. However, you cant just flop it on there. You need to use a good bit of force and shimmying to get it to settle cleanly on the straight edge.
@@thatf_inguy8220 In addition, one must ensure that the long and short edges used for reference, are actually perpendicular to each other, before attempting to work off them. High quality plywood have factory edges generally close to being square, but not always.
Ben FWIW we build a lot of cabinets…lots of plywood to break down. You can’t count on factory edges being square, parallel, or even straight. Last year we had a whole unit of maple veneer 3/4 ply where the long edges had an 1/8” bow…out on one edge in on the other like a very slight “C” shape!! Didn’t matter BC we always true up one edge w a track saw before breaking it down, but still… This was expensive domestic plywood too.
A track saw can change your life...
That board may not be totally square which would explain why the square didn’t seem accurate
I think that might be the case
Need a t-shirt with “tradesman mask” and arrow pointing up on the upper chest with “Vancouver Carpenter” on the bottom edge or the back
Woodshop 101 .... multi shallow passes even if you own a Festool ...
This old house uses nothing but
Track saws are one of those tools you didnt know how much you needed until you owned one. You dont need those clamps usually. The tracks should just stay put on their own
It felt like it would stay on it's own but I liked the peace of mind especially being inexperienced with it.
I felt a type of hurt when 9:17 you rested the tool on a concrete patio stone. No.
Just got my first track saw… a Makita refurb and I bought PowerTec tracks. Super affordable (as far as track saws go) setup. Absolutely love it! Can’t believe I went this long without one!
Why did they send a Festool Tracksaw to a drywall/painter guy? I thought Carpenter was his last name.
Theyre drawing him to the Dark Side... 😱
My son made a special work table just for use of his track saw setup with a sacrificial bottom.
He doesn't use Festool. I'll just leave it at that.
I use Festool. No cables. With their vacum system. No mask, minimal cleaning. Iˋll just leave it at that.
Parenting is hard.
Oh no…. Festool invasion!!!!
Track saws are just awesome. Great for breaking down sheets and certain cuts. It will never replace a table saw but will is just fantastic for what it does
Firsr time I ever used my tracksaw, I put the track on the waste side & cut my workpiece short by the kerf thickness ... 🙄
THAT never happened again... 😂
Using a sheet of insulation underneath is a good idea... u can let it cut a 1/4" deeper and not worry.....
Amazing tool if you make your own cabinets, do decks, doors or just little bit of everything
Most large boards aren't 100% parallel so don't think its the fault of the TSO square
Those Bessey clamps are the best!
Dude U must be Grant Gustin’s cousin
Ben, The small amount of tear out on the waste side of the wood is because the green anti-splinter guard was not attached to the track saw. ( It is a little green square piece that slips into the slot near the leading edge of the blade.)
Lol
Came here to say exactly this. Ben, you will get in a rhythm using the green splinter guard up/down. Even when you have it installed it is easy to forget sometimes and you get a little occasional tearout.
Oh and one other thing having the green splinter guard down improves dust collection. You can improve collection even more if you cover the window by the blade. I used to use 2 pieces of wide masking tape until my friend 3D printed a plug cover I downloaded from www.thingiverse.com/thing:1888723
Good thing it’s already a “squinty” day… that’s a perfect scenario, for your “safety squint”!😉
Got his mom on speed dial in case anything goes wrong. 😂
It sure is!
I like your videos and have learned a lot of good tips on drywall. I find that hose and cord management is the only annoying thing with the track saw. But that’s a small price to pay for the no dust and great cuts. One “tip” that has helped me manage the vac hose is instead of just grabbing the saws handle I reach under the hose then grab the handle so the hose somewhat rests on my forearm. I know that my description may not be great but when I do this the hose doesn’t immediately droop down and it helps with getting the cut started and you don’t need to immediately move the hose with your other hand to keep it from getting hung up. Hope this makes sense. Again I appreciate the videos.
I remember the first time I used my track saw. After the first cut I said why did I wait so long to get a track saw. 🤦🏻♂️ definitely want to add a cordless variant to my arsenal.
Osama Bin Autocorrect strikes again. Damn thing always gets me with the word 'definitely'. I always type 'definately' and it swaps to 'defiantly'.
@@AtlasReburdened maybe stop typing definately
@@LadyBovine Maybe don't quit your day job to be an advisor.
@@AtlasReburdened thanks for crushing my dreams
@@LadyBovine o7
Good to see a good honest review by someone who obviously hasn't used one before 👍 good work
Oh forgot, the one handed rapid clamp, only way to go plus the TSO guide is great as well, doing smaller crosscuts, no clamp needed with the TSO guide. Had the odler model 55 since '06, the new clear splinter guard replacements suck, nothing like the old black ones. Now when it's time to replace, I go with Makita splinter guards, they hold much better even in the hot summer...
I highly recommend to rip only one 3/4'' sheet at a time. I burnt out the armature doing exactly what you were doing. Very costly mistake since my saw was a few months past the warranty. Very disappointed .
WTF !! 🤔
And just what do you do if you are a kitchen fitter & are constantly cutting thick countertop material ?
Or what if you are regularly trimming solid doors ?
Thats ridiculous... for the money you are spending... 😒
I was without a table saw for 3 years. Couldn't have done it without my tracksaw.
The Makita tracks work really well, and they're cheaper. I use the Festool track saw on a Makita track, the tracks are identical.
Not at all identical.
Track saws are amazing. It's like having a panel saw on the jobsite. I've been using the Makita version for a few years on kitchen installs and it's irreplaceable.
You don't need to clamp down the track as long as you push the saw straight forward and you don't go too fast. You have to let the saw do the work.
I have a square attachment but I only use it with the 55" track. You want to measure for long cuts because the square attachment isn't very accurate for those - too much deflection in the track itself. Once you get used to it it's fast and accurate. A sharp blade is a must... and make sure you don't install it backwards, it doesn't cut too well 🤣 - don't ask me how I know!
Looks nice n fancy but working out of a 4x4 on various job sites it’s a lot to carry around and to set up. Also it’s too expensive.
Can't complain if you can get a Festool saw for free, the 90 Degree Guide Rail Square is for cross-cutting and not as useable as the Guide Rail Combination Bevel. The Festoon track saw is cheaply built with only one ball bearing supporting the saw blade. I paid for mine so I bought a Makita, has 2 precision sealed ball bearings supporting the saw blade and although will only run with 2 batteries attached unlike the Festool. The Festoon with only one battery struggles and stalls trying to rip 1/2" marine ply.
I have the same setup!
Nobody likes a bragger Christen... 🙄
😂 just kiddin... I'm jealous..
😎👍☘🍺
The thing for the end of the rail is to keep vacuum hose and the power cord from binding on the rail, but since yo're cordless, it's kinda redundant.
Not redundant if you use the vacuum hose (?). What I've found is that vacuum hose catches on the end so having that rounded plastic end piece would be great. I just don't know if it will fit my track which is about 8 years old.
When joining the rails, using a long spirit level and leave a small gap between the joining rail edges (say 2mm).
Why ?
Are the ends not machined square ? 🤔
@@peterfitzpatrick7032 not absolutely.
just found your channel. great content!!!...now I think I need a track saw! Going back to The Vancouver Sheetrock channel where tools are cheaper! lol
You even got the track that will allow you to drill shelf support holes
Perfect! The other videos were comparing them. I'm not that far down the road. I'm in the discovery stage of how they are used. I didn't know there was such a thing until I talked to my cousin who is a builder turned trimmer who when he analyzed things, trimming out was the part he loves, so he decided he'd rather sub for that and has been kept as busy as a cat on a tin roof and says the only thing he does is new. When I started asking him questions about a remodel project and talking saws, I mentioned a good miter saw and table saw might be what I need. He said, any miter saw will work, it's just learning how to use to get your cuts right and told me how to use scraps and shim to get the angle right and joints tight. However, he said what I would be a lot happier with is a good track saw without going crazy, and mentioned the Makita. He said track saws are portable, don't take up much room when you store them, and handier, especially when you are doing a cross-cut on a door or piece of plywood. I see nothing but positive reviews for the Festool cordless but not the corded models. Since this isn't my day job, I won't be buying the vacuum, but that clamping system is a must.
Glad you're liking it and happy you got it for free as it's an expensive saw!
Two thing you need to try:
1. Bluetooth sync to the dust extractor so you don't need to manually turn it on/off
2. Portable dust bag attachment - it is surprisingly great at dust collection and handy when you don't want to bring the dust extractor along.
For future reference--that long plastic splinter guard on the track will get dinged up and eventually you will need to replace it. I've done that only once in about 8 years. Not hard to do and then you're set for a long time.
The buttum doesnt have tear out. That's why you cut from the back. come on! I'm sorry. Not supporting this.
Makita set is waaaay cheaper and just as good for contract work.
I just got the Makita cordless track saw. It's awesome.
Every time I see your thumbnails I think you are Scott Brown
I guess I should have watched the whole thing before spouting off.
:) It happens
The Festool clamps are actually bessey clamps just colored specifically for Festool. Just in case anybody is interested
Well thats very cool. But on a skateboard topic: go see an electric guitar made of used skateboards @Burls Art...
Felicidades por tus juguetes nuevos 👍
Only one track had been cut when you combined the two tracks and measured the width at two different spots. Wouldn’t that had thrown the measurements off from end to end?
You assume that the factory edges are square to each other. Not always the case. First, cut a reference edge and work from that point.
When's that merch coming out?? I'm ready for my "I'm happy with that" mug and hoodie! 😄
I think the best to have joined those tracks would be up against a long level.
Must be nice being sponsored by festool and getting all their overpriced stuff free
So happy to see you sponsored Ben! Applauding you and how you’re thriving!
That's a long cut to be using the square. For that length you need parallel guides.
Seriously love this guy in his dad jean shorts. Amazing
Why the spark when trimming the first plastic edge .?
Do a halfcab heelflip.
6:02 Should have had the vacuum on to suck up the microplastic!
I used my today is the best saw
You need to get rid of that factory edge , rip off a 1/8 th with the square attached knowing that the reference due is always to the right. Measure off needed distance. Way more accurate and. Straighter than my table saw , plywood is usually not square anyway . I have the TSO square and have checked many times with engineers squares and it is right on
Love my Festool saw - a bit of a learning curve but for working with sheet goods off the back of your truck its amazing.
Makita tracks work nice and you can by a couple super long makita tracks for less than one short festool track(esp on sale) and cut them to sizes you need.
I bought the dust collection bag because I didn’t want hoses and more noise etc and it actually works pretty good for most applications except at the end of cut.
Track saws are awesome Ben. I don’t have a fancy festool one lol but the dewalt flexvolt one and works well for me. The only thing I notice on the first cut you made you had the track on the wrong side of your mark so you lost the kerf thickness cause I’ve made that same mistake before. If your going for a 24” piece make sure your track lays on that piece and it keeps your dimension right and the kerf is lost on the opposite side. Look forward to seeing more projects that you do with it👍
I think you're right. I noticed that during assembly. Not the end of the world but it was there.
@@vancouvercarpenter you can also buy a 'waste-side' jig that allows for the kerf when setting down the track if you need to measure and cut from that side. Peter Millard does some great videos on track saws and uses these jigs from time to time.
A MFT table and dogs next level up then..
You measured against a factory edge...
Setting the on-board splinter guard situated at the front of the saw, will reduce tear-out on the waste side. As mentioned in the instruction book :-).
A patch of masking tape over the blade-nut access hole will reduce dust still further. In the UK, privateers offer 3-D printed plastic stoppers for this hole.
Check out Pica dry pencils...no going back and very accurate. Also, learn how to use the splinter guard for two sided protection of a cut...comes with the kit. Never use it on a bevel however. You've got a really great saw there, good luck with it and I'm sure you'll master it quick!
Ein sehr gutes deutsches (schwäbisches ) Produkt !
Game changers - get yourself a 10' track.. well worth the investment. I wonder if the extra size is due to the sheets being imported from Europe and the size being 2450mmx1225mm rather than the 2440x1220 that 8'x4' is?..
Lol....sorry😀😀
It's different!...and awesome. You're hooked! After 40 years I made the switch, and it took me a few weeks or so before it feels natural.
If you have a weak-medium strength cordless circular saw (cough cough Ridgid) and you're using a regular kerf saw blade you will notice you will be getting a lot of binding on your cuts and you'll think either your brand new blade is dull or you're not cutting straight. The problem is the saw is not powerful enough to run a full kerf blade so the slightest pinching or deviation in straight motion causes the saw to bind because the saw cant power through it. If you have a weak saw then switch to a thin kerf blade. It's like night and day. There should be no need for that if you have a powerful saw but for not so strong cordless circ saws using a thin kerf blade is critical. The manuals will never tell you that b/c that's admitting the saw does not have a strong motor. Diablo blades work very well with weak-medium strength saws because all of their wood cutting blades are thin kerf. Only catch is because the blade is thinner, they cant hold as much carbide on the tips and you get less cut mileage - but that's better than binding. I would not use a thin kerf blade on a miter saw that I would be doing a lot of compound miter/bevel cuts with b/c they are much more prone to bind/kickback because the blade isn't thick enough to stay straight. They're ok when they're fully sharp but when they reach medium dullness you better watch out.
Yeah I would be I. Love with the festool as well , i just can’t justify the cost .which is $700.00 for the saw and track and box ….. I could just get a good portable table saw for that , with the stand , and some blades .but I will say this , they crush it when it comes to track saws and domino jointers . No one else sells domino set ups I think they cornered it
When connecting tracks, do not let them touch...keep a small space to allow the connectors to perform as designed. Use the saw shoe guide evenly over the seam and tighten the first set of screws. Flip and do the others.
Others may have already pointed out but you made a number of rookie mistakes in setup that caused some of your challenges. In addition, the test you did to measure squareness of the TSO rail guide was majorly flawed in that you assumed the factory edges of the plywood were square to each other (which they almost never are). There is no way a TSO square on a festool rail installed properly is going to be 1/4" out of square like you initially measured.
I'd recommend you watch a few more RUclips videos on how to use the TS saws. :)
If you leave the track connectors loose and then use a 4 ft level to level them out before you tighten down the connectors you will be sure it is cutting strait. My Makita tracks can get off a slight bit and it adds up over 8 feet.
Another tip is you can store the track connectors on the track when not in use by simply sliding them out of the way and tighten them.
Nice tips!
That's second tip is exactly what I figured out after wondering where the hell I'd 'stored' the connectors when I needed to use them the first time..
Another tip: I use JB kwikweld to stick a big neodymium magnet to the bed of the saw, to hold the hex wrenches for blade changes and for rail connectors.
Would need to remortgage my house to afford that setup.
There are plenty of tracksaws at different price-points... Festool is a luxury unless you are using it every day ... 😎👍
Thank you for not doing an unboxing.
Important, never put your saw on the ground. Sand Will mess up your track, and your saw. I usualy put it on the close lid of the systainer. Good luck with your New saw👍
You seem very enthousiastic. Lucky for you, there's a lot more fruit to pick. Get yourself a sacrificial table with holes, some dogs, a few more of those clamps, a fence with flag stops, ...
Tracksaws are awesome.... like having a high quality cabinet saw on site without the headache of lifting it..... that being said that Festool setup costs as much as decent quality cabinet saw.
Vancouver Drywaller! 🤣
Wait, where's the drywall?
The sheet goods are over sized to allow you to square up the sheet to a perfect, square 48x96 finished sheet. The reason your TSO attachment was reading out of square is, as you noted in the video, the plywood itself was manufactured out of square. The reason CNC machines in cabinet shops shave a 1/4 inch around the edges when cutting panels is the same. I was always taught to shave one long side, then use that as a reference to cut a squared short side, then square all other measurements from there. This was on a sliding table saw, but your track saw is essentially a bare bones portable version of that.
Hey Ben what about the drywall
So what is the final, as used cost for this saw? I need a table saw, but space and storage is problem. Have been considering one of these saws, if for no other reason, when not in use it doesn’t take up much space. Plus this is much easier on transport. And seeing it can make veneer ready cuts, this is the saw I want.
The pre-finished sheet goods are slightly oversized so you can have margins for scribe lines and so you can cut off factory edges if needed. As you are discovering Festool designs as a system, not just individual tools. You pay more but typically work less. The time you save quickly pays offsets the higher prices.
I remember when I used to be able to purchase plywood. Good 'ol Days... Carried them uphill in the snow just to sled down again.