Note: I upgraded to 48T Oshlun blade before I made a cut ruclips.net/user/postUgkxvWxw4589nheZ_QlYwqaZpnQExQfvjV4_ This said, when combined with the Powertec 71153 track, the cut was glass-smooth and as straight as an arrow with no tear out! I was dubious about the kick-back preventer as it is a very simple, plastic device; but, it worked perfectly and is very easy to disengage when necessary. Simple and functional is often the best way of doing anything! Festool can keep its over-priced TS-55 and TS-75! Who needs such a pricey tool when an inexpensive, simple one does the job?! Very pleased! DFYNT Dtrain - RUclips www.youtube.com
FYI - I just bought this saw and Grizzly has changed the track! They moved the glide strips much further apart (via CosmasB) so that my saw does not have the side to side wobble seen in this video. Looks like they heard the complaint and addressed the issue. The plunge release and spring also seem to have been improved.
2017 I just noticed that, had seen this and a few other reviews but at the Grizzly Bellingham showroom yesterday I didn’t notice any wobble when playing around with their display so I went ahead bought one. Made a few test cuts and the finish quality is quite a bit better than I expected especially with the budget Grizzly blade. Would like to see follow-up on the new track and possible saw improvements and maybe a finish cut comparison with the Festool and or a few of the other higher priced saws using the same blade.
Reading David's reply, from 3yrs past, will you be doing a follow up and checking with the manufacturer about the wobble and the dust. Would a better blade fix any of the tearout. Being new to this, the price point is getting down to kreg. Thanks
I do understand most people will prefer the Festool track saw over the Grizzly but as a custom cabinet builder I simply have to watch and justify every dollar I spend. I have always lived by the notion I want to buy the best I possibly can but I have been very reluctant to spend the money on Festool for a saw that makes only one type of cut, although a very important cut when breaking down sheet goods. For years I have used a brand named circular saw with a shop made jig for breaking down sheet goods with excellent quality cuts that I would certainly compare with Festool or any other cross cutting saw on plywood. I would prefer a track saw so I don't have to use extra caution to keep the circular saw base against the jig. I will probably buy the Grizzly and learn to maximize the saws potential and make slight adjustments to improve the few items that seam to be an issue. As far as blades go I only use blades made by reputable saw blade companies. I would not use the Grizzly, Dewalt or any other blade that comes with the tool.
Because I was evaluating the tool as provided by the manufacturer, not the tool with an upgraded blade. I analyzed the cut quality the user would see right out of the box. Adding an expensive blade to this tracksaw takes it further away from the bargain it's currently positioned as. And other tracksaw competitors actually do come with high quality blades. The Grizzly blade is pretty good too and not what I would call a bargain blade.
I did. Both the saw and the guide were pretty darn flat and definitely not the cause of the wobble. I think it's the location of the plastic strips that's causing the issue, frankly. And I didn't do any test with a different blade. Honestly, at $230 I would expect it to ship with a really decent blade, and it does. Might not be the best, but it's certainly better than most I've seen on a circular saw.
I've just bought the Scheppack version, for my small sign making business. in this industry we get cut to size for free. However we are left with a whole pile if offcuts, that we need to cut in house. This saw is perfect for this application as these materials are mainly plastic and are a lot thinner than wood and much easier to cut. Thank you for this review it helped me in my final decision.
1. Didn't touch on motor at all ! 2. Covering hole on guard would fix dust pickup . 3. Spring change = $ 3.00 4. Mount a Makita / Dewalt blade ? 5. Total upgrades = $ 45.00 6. Good track saw for - = $ 275.00 7. WINNER !!!
Keep in mind, the saw won't wobble much in use because you are very likely to favor one side or the other. The test cut I did was very short and the wobble didn't really have an opportunity to occur. On a longer cut, I would suspect the wobble would be more of a factor as you have to change arm/body position. In my opinion, the tearout is what it is.
Well it absolutely has to change the angle of the cut. Not sure how much it will affect the final result during use but I imagine it has to be a factor at some point.
Mark; as a weekend hobby woodworker I just couldn't see my way clear to lay out 4 to 6 hundred bucks for a dedicated pannel saw. So when Grizzly put this saw on the market for $246.oo including a rail, rail conecting bar, clamps, & shipping included I didn't blink but orderd one. It came in just 5 days, & I'm as happy as a clam over the job it does. No wabble, almost perfect edge cut, tillt control, & locks on to the track for 45 degree cuts. The only thing left to buy is a 2nd. track section.
Does your review include the original (included) blade or did you install a quality blade like the blade in your festool? That would be the real apples to apples comparison.
Sure wish you put a different blade on it, maybe the one you use on the Festool. The only real problem I see is the wobble. That is a deal breaker. I live close enough to Bellingham to go to Grizzly and find one without the wobble.
Tear out varies with blade quality. My Forrest chop saw blade, for example, cost as much as my budget Ryobi chop saw. And the cut is ultra smooth. But the Grizzly wobble is a deal breaker.
Tom, they changed the position of the glide strips so newer ones don't wobble. Older ones can be modified by moving the glide strips further apart on the track.
because a different blade would mean more money. I'm comparing what you get out of the box to what you get out of the box with other products. If one company stocks a higher quality blade, then good on them. The tools are compares "as is."
The festool tracks have one up, one down t track. That may affect the alignment. But if you are just after the connectors to lock 2 festool tracks together.........I don't know. The festool connectors are pretty inexpensive.
Very informative! Very good review I think you covered everything that is to say! I noticed that this saw is sold under different names like Scheppach cs55, Woodstar Divar 55 and Kity 550. Thanks :)
I love that you are comparing this to a circular saw instead of other track saws--that comparison makes sense given the price points. I wonder how it would compare with a good circular saw in a track adapter, e.g. the Kreg Accu-Cut. Is having a dedicated track saw better, even if it's poor quality, or would it be better to get a good circular saw and adapt it into a track saw?
Only regret is not having enough time to finish the damn thing! I have been working in there for months now without proper storage and it's getting old. But one thing I do wish I had done during basic construction is the inclusion of a closet for the cyclone. But I still don't know the exact dimensions I want it to be so it's just as well.
Thank you for the review. I appreciate the time and effort involved in this production. I had considered this saw, however, your review indicates it would not be the appropriate saw for my application.... and as always, great video.
"Clamping dealywacker" LOL - Remember, it is vitally important, at all times, to know & understand the exact, precise technical differences between a doohickey, a thingamajig, a whatchamacallit, and a dealywacker. ;)
Painters tape should help with any tear out. Mark, have you considered the possibility of using Rockler's "Nylo-tape" to counter the "rocking" of the saw on track? Also, the spring could possibly be replaced with one that's "lighter", from Fastenal or Graingers. Been a customer of Grizzly's since the late 80's, never had any problems with any of their products.
I think that the track is awesome. I only wish I had a jig to where I could turn the circ saw in a table saw on site so I could trim small strips. I often use left over wood on job sites to make dowels and molding or smaller square stock. To add, I have a 20 year old beat up Craftsman 120v circ saw that I would like to replace and should have replaced years ago but it keeps working for some reason. Using Diablo carbide construction blades, I'll get about 20 cuts with no tear out. With tape, I'll get another 30+ cuts but tapes not free. The Diablo blade is thin, which is the trick to a clean cut. So I know that the blade can one of the main factors once the RPM's of the saw gets over 4000. So I change my blades out just as soon as I see tiny amounts of tear out. I have a diamond dust sharpening jig and it takes about 5 min to renew the carbide tips on a whole blade.
Question: what was that wax/lube you used on the track? Do you use it on your Festool track? I’d be curious how that saw would do cutting let’s say a 2” thick piece of walnut or ash….something very hard.
There was concern about the wobble when the saw sat flat on the track. It seemed to rock back and forth from left to right. Did you find out if more pressure to your left or right would change the angle of cut? I mean ... if you ripped a 2x8 would you be creating a French Cleat without trying? (not that you would rip a 2x8 with a track saw, but somehow I hope you understand what I used almost my total allotted number of characters to ask in my own blithering way and can answer easily - eh?)
Good honest overview. I don't believe anyone would expect a $233.00 grizzly would be as good as a $1,000.00 festal tracks saw. For the money I think my grizzly is a bargain for what I want it to do. Thanks for the video.
I think it's worth saving up for a festool or higher end saw. If you $230 to spend, have patience, save more and buy something that will give you awesome quality. Every time I have purchased a tool based on lower price, I almost always need to upgrade later on. That costs me more money. Just my thoughts though. Pete
Seems this is a badged product sold under different brands. A German guy (Cosmas) also did a review on the same thing branded as Woodstar. He also made alterations to cure the wobble by setting the plastic strips further apart and removed some of the spring to make it less tight.
Thank you for showing the Grizzly track saw, I'm looking to purchase a track saw and do some work inside, ( I'm a outside work guy) even in the winter here in Michigan. I am leaning toward the Makita track saw. I would be concerned about the wobble, so I thinking Makita is the best choice for me.
One more strip between the t slots would have rectified it....but extra cost. A softer spring, but extra time in R& D. Apart from those two things a reasonable saw. Add a better blade and a festool splinter strip and hey presto.
Could the tear out be caused by the blade? Will any blade work in the saw? I cannot find blade specs at Grizzly. The replacement blade seems to have a rather large hole for the mandrel. Tim
i think it could be upgraded with little work to improve cut quality. changing spring is an easy part, i cant tell for sure what is causing wobbling but probably fast milling action through track would resolve this issue:)
I want to know if the accessories to the Grizzly Track Saw will work with the Festool track. In particular, do the Grizzly clamps and track connectors work with the Festool track? The accessory kit is the most intriguing item in the Grizzly offering and it was left out of the review.
hi and thanks for the honest review. having bought several tools let`s say of the second quality shelf i know that with some of them if you finish the job they would`ve done in the factory you can end up with a decent (rarely superb but achievable) tool, and with some of them no matter how good of a machinist you are you will not make the silk purse. by the looks of the grizzly it seems workable to better quality. what do you think on this subject for this specific tool?
I use a lot more hardwoods than sheet goods, and this is done in my shop rather than on-site as some do. I would think a track saw would be far more of an advantage if you were breaking down sheet goods a lot. True?
Thanks Marc. This is only a guess, but this saw might have a short, but interesting life if the motor is wound for 110V and 60Hz - in a country such as Australia where (hang the expense) we use 240V at 50Hz. Looks like a useful saw and a very practical review. Cheers.
I think that this may have been more geared to the Framing Construction market, where the negligible amount of tear out would not have been an issue. Perhaps it could be modified for fine furniture work but as you say out of the box it is what it is.
Did you ever flip one of the pieces of the cut board and line up the cut edges again to see if the cut was at 90 degrees or if not how off the cut was?
I feel like you answered your own question. Nearly every circular saw does a decent job on the underside. A high quality blade usually results in a nearly perfect cut. So why focus on that? Instead, I focused on the side that is more likely to a problem, which happens to be a problem saws like this are trying to solve. The underside isn't quite as relevant and is a bit of a moot point.
Great video and was really excited when i heard the price was 230$. What blade options do you have with the saw? is proprietary to grizzly or can i use a festool blade in it? I already have a straight jig and circular saw so this would def have to be more of a finish cut and accurate otherwise i just keep saving my money til i can afford a makita. thanks again for the video.
+nico agressor I totally agree. Also, is it just me or does it seem dubious that he didn't show the cut quality of Festool side by side. It is easy to claim the Festool cut quality is better; however it would be more convincing and objective to show the two on camera side by side - using the same blade as you suggest. How bout it +The Wood Whisperer?
The accessory kit with the clamps and connector are more intriguing because that is what I need. I don't need a saw. Incidentally, your review was well done. But, I wish you had reviewed the accessories as well. If those accessories fit the Festool, I bet Grizzly sells a 100 of their accessory kits for every saw they sell.
Enjoyed your analysis but really never understood buying a Trac saw .you can make something that does basically the same thing with a sheet of plywood and even a dedicated saw for way under the cost of any of these I have about 5 of these all in different lengths from one sheet of plywood
I don't use sheet goods enough to warrant an expensive-ish track saw, however I there are times I really wish I had one. I use a circular saw and and edge guide now. I agree with you that the cut quality is not "finish" quality and that is a deal breaker for me. In your professional opinion, how much of that can be attributed to the blade vs the overall design of the saw? From my impression of your demo and the tear out you exhibited, it seems like the wobble on the track had a lot to do with it
Thanks for this. I've been looking a track saws for a while, but don't really think I would need to use one often enough to justify spending 400 on one. I've heard grizzly has some of the best products in their price range, but it's nice to have an independent review of it to see what I would miss out on by not getting the more expensive units.
I think both are an improvement over a panel saw, but I like the panel.saw. You can buy aftermarket kits now to convert any skill saw into a track saw and or also add router plates or other tools. For big shops, they are going to CNC router systems for sheet goods. You don't see panel saws being used anymore, and I've never liked doing sheets on a table saw as one person. A 4x8' of plywood 3/4" or MDF is really heavy to maneuver alone and risk kickback or injury.
Great review as always. Comparing the Grizzly to a Festool is the difference in owning and driving a $14,000 car vs. a $40,000 car. Both will get you from point A to point B, but the higher price car is easier to drive and doesn't wear you out. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Grizzly tools are good tools and I own a couple so I'm not bias against them. I think in the long run, Grizzly will make upgrade mods to the tool to perfect it. At least I would hope so.
great honest review .. you hit the mark on comparison thought this is a base model 'track saw ' - this obviously built for DYI .. and newbies to the track saw mentality .
Thanks for that thorough review of the Grizzly. Over the pond, I just bought a budget plunge saw called a Titan for £90 ($110) which is very similar. There are some differences that might interest viewers. Firstly, Titan learnt from mitre saw technology and have included a "scribe mode" which eliminates tear-out totally. In scribe mode, the saw drops to skim the surface by 2.5 mm. A second pass in normal mode then completes the flawless cut. Secondly, they abandoned the riving knife in favour of an anti-kick cam that prevents backward movement. Thirdly, there is no rocking. The saw sits on the two plastic strips and will not rock. Did you check that your saw strips?
I can't help wondering if changing the blade would improve the cut quality. Even when I purchase cheap power tools, I usually replace the "cutter" (blade, bit, whatever) with something of decent quality. In my experience it can make a big difference. It stands to reason that people buying this tool probably won't go with a $60 Festool blade, but they might go with a $25 Diablo, which in my experience cut a good deal better than the factory blades included with many discount saws.
Yes, it is the same saw, made in the same factory for a lower price. It comes with a shorter track in two pieces, rather than one 55" piece, but you can always just get the grizzly track if you want it. Have fun.
Thanks, Marc, Great reviews. I dont i need more tools now., but i think we all know about Grizzly tools, Their heavy equipments are better than their small equipment. They just don't keep up with high end tools, like Leguna, Powermatic,Bosch, delta and even Jet. Grizzly is trying to make a good and Cheap tools.
Yeah, Scheppach has been selling the exact same saw under the brand "Kity" for a couple of years here. Sad when you think Kity used to be a reference amongst tools makers. I guess it was the same for Grizzly.
I know this is a very old video and hope I get an answer. When showing the Grizzly saw sitting on the Grizzly track it "wobbled". You then placed the Grizzly saw on the Festool track and again it wobbled. It was then you adjusted the cams on the saw so it did not wobble on the Festool track. Why didn't you adjust the cams on the Grizzly saw when sitting on the Grizzly track so it did not wobble there.
I have one question and if anyone could answer it that would be great. Do the Festool blades fit on the saw? Sorry if that was covered I just don't remember hearing it.
Excellent review, thank you. There are other videos out there that talk about modifying the Grizzly for the wobble, and spring tension, and with a good Freud blade, I'm told it's on par with Festool. I will be ordering based on this and other reviews, so thanks again!
I finally bought the Grizzly accessory kit item T10687. The clamps and track connector are compatible with the Festool I guess. They are compatible but not comparable. The Grizzly clamp has 1 1/2" less throat 1 1/4" less capacity. The Grizzly track connector works ok but I don’t expect to have a need to connect tracks. I have a long track for ripping and a short track for crosscuts. Of course, the build quality of the Grizzly is not as good as Festool or Makita.
So, if you tilted it to the right or left to hold the angle throughout the cut, although possible squaring up the cut, that would add to the stress on your hand and wrist when fully extended. I think if I had that kind of wobble in a regular circular saw, I wouldn't buy it.
Lol "it would be a destructive process" ... I've been fairly pleased with my dewalt track saw except for the lack of an off cut splinter guard. I'm going to get the new up coming Festool Req track saw. Looks awesome.
The depth adj seemed more loosly based like my 1st circ saw compared to the festool. I would of kept the saw for when someone comes around asking to borrow a tool.
Note: I upgraded to 48T Oshlun blade before I made a cut ruclips.net/user/postUgkxvWxw4589nheZ_QlYwqaZpnQExQfvjV4_ This said, when combined with the Powertec 71153 track, the cut was glass-smooth and as straight as an arrow with no tear out! I was dubious about the kick-back preventer as it is a very simple, plastic device; but, it worked perfectly and is very easy to disengage when necessary. Simple and functional is often the best way of doing anything! Festool can keep its over-priced TS-55 and TS-75! Who needs such a pricey tool when an inexpensive, simple one does the job?! Very pleased! DFYNT Dtrain - RUclips www.youtube.com
FYI - I just bought this saw and Grizzly has changed the track! They moved the glide strips much further apart (via CosmasB) so that my saw does not have the side to side wobble seen in this video. Looks like they heard the complaint and addressed the issue. The plunge release and spring also seem to have been improved.
2017 I just noticed that, had seen this and a few other reviews but at the Grizzly Bellingham showroom yesterday I didn’t notice any wobble when playing around with their display so I went ahead bought one. Made a few test cuts and the finish quality is quite a bit better than I expected especially with the budget Grizzly
blade. Would like to see follow-up on the new track and possible saw improvements and maybe a finish cut comparison with the Festool and or a few of the other higher priced saws using the same blade.
Reading David's reply, from 3yrs past, will you be doing a follow up and checking with the manufacturer about the wobble and the dust. Would a better blade fix any of the tearout. Being new to this, the price point is getting down to kreg. Thanks
I could never validate buying festol for a HOBBY, but the grizzly looks good for the price point. Thanks Marc
I do understand most people will prefer the Festool track saw over the Grizzly but as a custom cabinet builder I simply have to watch and justify every dollar I spend. I have always lived by the notion I want to buy the best I possibly can but I have been very reluctant to spend the money on Festool for a saw that makes only one type of cut, although a very important cut when breaking down sheet goods. For years I have used a brand named circular saw with a shop made jig for breaking down sheet goods with excellent quality cuts that I would certainly compare with Festool or any other cross cutting saw on plywood. I would prefer a track saw so I don't have to use extra caution to keep the circular saw base against the jig. I will probably buy the Grizzly and learn to maximize the saws potential and make slight adjustments to improve the few items that seam to be an issue. As far as blades go I only use blades made by reputable saw blade companies. I would not use the Grizzly, Dewalt or any other blade that comes with the tool.
Because I was evaluating the tool as provided by the manufacturer, not the tool with an upgraded blade. I analyzed the cut quality the user would see right out of the box. Adding an expensive blade to this tracksaw takes it further away from the bargain it's currently positioned as. And other tracksaw competitors actually do come with high quality blades. The Grizzly blade is pretty good too and not what I would call a bargain blade.
I did. Both the saw and the guide were pretty darn flat and definitely not the cause of the wobble. I think it's the location of the plastic strips that's causing the issue, frankly. And I didn't do any test with a different blade. Honestly, at $230 I would expect it to ship with a really decent blade, and it does. Might not be the best, but it's certainly better than most I've seen on a circular saw.
I've just bought the Scheppack version, for my small sign making business. in this industry we get cut to size for free. However we are left with a whole pile if offcuts, that we need to cut in house. This saw is perfect for this application as these materials are mainly plastic and are a lot thinner than wood and much easier to cut. Thank you for this review it helped me in my final decision.
1. Didn't touch on motor at all !
2. Covering hole on guard would fix dust pickup .
3. Spring change = $ 3.00
4. Mount a Makita / Dewalt blade ?
5. Total upgrades = $ 45.00
6. Good track saw for - = $ 275.00
7. WINNER !!!
Keep in mind, the saw won't wobble much in use because you are very likely to favor one side or the other. The test cut I did was very short and the wobble didn't really have an opportunity to occur. On a longer cut, I would suspect the wobble would be more of a factor as you have to change arm/body position. In my opinion, the tearout is what it is.
Well it absolutely has to change the angle of the cut. Not sure how much it will affect the final result during use but I imagine it has to be a factor at some point.
True. I use mine about 95% for sheetgoods. It is still useful in certain situation for solid wood, but I find it MOST useful for sheetgoods.
Mark; as a weekend hobby woodworker I just couldn't see my way clear to lay out 4 to 6 hundred bucks for a dedicated pannel saw. So when Grizzly put this saw on the market for $246.oo including a rail, rail conecting bar, clamps, & shipping included I didn't blink but orderd one. It came in just 5 days, & I'm as happy as a clam over the job it does. No wabble, almost perfect edge cut, tillt control, & locks on to the track for 45 degree cuts. The only thing left to buy is a 2nd. track section.
I've been waiting for this review for a while. Great to have a pro's interpretation of this product. Thanks Marc for all the info and videos!
If you can get the right spring, I think you should be able to change it out fairly easily. And I am actually Italian/Hungarian.
well yes, there are knobs for setting the bevel angle. But that's doesn't improve the wobble situation.
Does your review include the original (included) blade or did you install a quality blade like the blade in your festool? That would be the real apples to apples comparison.
Sure wish you put a different blade on it, maybe the one you use on the Festool. The only real problem I see is the wobble. That is a deal breaker. I live close enough to Bellingham to go to Grizzly and find one without the wobble.
It was only a 1/2" thick piece of stock so there wasn't much material to check. But it was certainly square enough for what it is.
Tear out varies with blade quality. My Forrest chop saw blade, for example, cost as much as my budget Ryobi chop saw. And the cut is ultra smooth. But the Grizzly wobble is a deal breaker.
studfindingball, I agree, it's a deal breaker, but sounds like they don't all have the wobble.
Tom, they changed the position of the glide strips so newer ones don't wobble. Older ones can be modified by moving the glide strips further apart on the track.
because a different blade would mean more money. I'm comparing what you get out of the box to what you get out of the box with other products. If one company stocks a higher quality blade, then good on them. The tools are compares "as is."
Thanks for the review Marc. Is the wobble due to the plastic strips on the track or is the base of the saw warped?
with the wobble in the saw on the track, did you check the squareness of the cut on both pieces?
The festool tracks have one up, one down t track. That may affect the alignment. But if you are just after the connectors to lock 2 festool tracks together.........I don't know. The festool connectors are pretty inexpensive.
Very informative! Very good review I think you covered everything that is to say! I noticed that this saw is sold under different names like Scheppach cs55, Woodstar Divar 55 and Kity 550.
Thanks :)
I love that you are comparing this to a circular saw instead of other track saws--that comparison makes sense given the price points. I wonder how it would compare with a good circular saw in a track adapter, e.g. the Kreg Accu-Cut. Is having a dedicated track saw better, even if it's poor quality, or would it be better to get a good circular saw and adapt it into a track saw?
Could be a combination of things, including blade quality and vibrations/wobbling
Only regret is not having enough time to finish the damn thing! I have been working in there for months now without proper storage and it's getting old. But one thing I do wish I had done during basic construction is the inclusion of a closet for the cyclone. But I still don't know the exact dimensions I want it to be so it's just as well.
Thank you for the review. I appreciate the time and effort involved in this production. I had considered this saw, however, your review indicates it would not be the appropriate saw for my application.... and as always, great video.
I think this saw is a good candidate for some after-purchase love. A higher quality blade and a spring replacement could do wonders.
"Clamping dealywacker" LOL - Remember, it is vitally important, at all times, to know & understand the exact, precise technical differences between a doohickey, a thingamajig, a whatchamacallit, and a dealywacker. ;)
Kevin Vernon hey!
What about a Thingamabob?
I fell left out!
Painters tape should help with any tear out.
Mark, have you considered the possibility of using Rockler's "Nylo-tape" to counter the "rocking" of the saw on track? Also, the spring could possibly be replaced with one that's "lighter", from Fastenal or Graingers. Been a customer of Grizzly's since the late 80's, never had any problems with any of their products.
I think that the track is awesome. I only wish I had a jig to where I could turn the circ saw in a table saw on site so I could trim small strips. I often use left over wood on job sites to make dowels and molding or smaller square stock. To add, I have a 20 year old beat up Craftsman 120v circ saw that I would like to replace and should have replaced years ago but it keeps working for some reason. Using Diablo carbide construction blades, I'll get about 20 cuts with no tear out. With tape, I'll get another 30+ cuts but tapes not free. The Diablo blade is thin, which is the trick to a clean cut. So I know that the blade can one of the main factors once the RPM's of the saw gets over 4000. So I change my blades out just as soon as I see tiny amounts of tear out. I have a diamond dust sharpening jig and it takes about 5 min to renew the carbide tips on a whole blade.
Question: what was that wax/lube you used on the track? Do you use it on your Festool track? I’d be curious how that saw would do cutting let’s say a 2” thick piece of walnut or ash….something very hard.
There was concern about the wobble when the saw sat flat on the track. It seemed to rock back and forth from left to right. Did you find out if more pressure to your left or right would change the angle of cut? I mean ... if you ripped a 2x8 would you be creating a French Cleat without trying? (not that you would rip a 2x8 with a track saw, but somehow I hope you understand what I used almost my total allotted number of characters to ask in my own blithering way and can answer easily - eh?)
Good honest overview. I don't believe anyone would expect a $233.00 grizzly would be as good as a $1,000.00 festal tracks saw. For the money I think my grizzly is a bargain for what I want it to do. Thanks for the video.
I think it's worth saving up for a festool or higher end saw. If you $230 to spend, have patience, save more and buy something that will give you awesome quality. Every time I have purchased a tool based on lower price, I almost always need to upgrade later on. That costs me more money. Just my thoughts though.
Pete
stock was only 1/2" thick so I'd need to cut some thicker material to determine how far off it is.
Seems this is a badged product sold under different brands. A German guy (Cosmas) also did a review on the same thing branded as Woodstar. He also made alterations to cure the wobble by setting the plastic strips further apart and removed some of the spring to make it less tight.
Thank you for showing the Grizzly track saw, I'm looking to purchase a track saw and do some work inside, ( I'm a outside work guy) even in the winter here in Michigan. I am leaning toward the Makita track saw. I would be concerned about the wobble, so I thinking Makita is the best choice for me.
Very helpful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to post it.
Haven't had hands on with it. But i hear it's at least as good as the DeWalt, which is somewhat comparable to the Festool.
One more strip between the t slots would have rectified it....but extra cost. A softer spring, but extra time in R& D. Apart from those two things a reasonable saw. Add a better blade and a festool splinter strip and hey presto.
Could the tear out be caused by the blade? Will any blade work in the saw? I cannot find blade specs at Grizzly. The replacement blade seems to have a rather large hole for the mandrel. Tim
Hi Mark. WIth the wobble in the track, I expected you to check the edge for square and you didn't. Was the edge square after the cut?
i think it could be upgraded with little work to improve cut quality.
changing spring is an easy part, i cant tell for sure what is causing wobbling but probably fast milling action through track would resolve this issue:)
i know this is an old video... but really wondering why the 45 deg miter and its accuracy/play wasnt tested?
I want to know if the accessories to the Grizzly Track Saw will work with the Festool track. In particular, do the Grizzly clamps and track connectors work with the Festool track?
The accessory kit is the most intriguing item in the Grizzly offering and it was left out of the review.
Is that based on experience?
What size blade? What about the wobble and squareness of cut???
Great review from a guy who knows his stuff.
Thanks Marc.
Great review. Thanks. You have convinced me that i need one of these for truer straighter cuts.
hi and thanks for the honest review. having bought several tools let`s say of the second quality shelf i know that with some of them if you finish the job they would`ve done in the factory you can end up with a decent (rarely superb but achievable) tool, and with some of them no matter how good of a machinist you are you will not make the silk purse. by the looks of the grizzly it seems workable to better quality. what do you think on this subject for this specific tool?
Where do you put the cut line? On the edge of the track or edge of the rubber piece.
I use a lot more hardwoods than sheet goods, and this is done in my shop rather than on-site as some do. I would think a track saw would be far more of an advantage if you were breaking down sheet goods a lot. True?
do you think the trigger when is pushed all then way is to give a score marks on your wood or laminate products
Thanks Marc. This is only a guess, but this saw might have a short, but interesting life if the motor is wound for 110V and 60Hz - in a country such as Australia where (hang the expense) we use 240V at 50Hz. Looks like a useful saw and a very practical review. Cheers.
Good comparison review. Nice to see new applications to old standby tools (circ saw).
I think that this may have been more geared to the Framing Construction market, where the negligible amount of tear out would not have been an issue. Perhaps it could be modified for fine furniture work but as you say out of the box it is what it is.
Did you ever flip one of the pieces of the cut board and line up the cut edges again to see if the cut was at 90 degrees or if not how off the cut was?
I feel like you answered your own question. Nearly every circular saw does a decent job on the underside. A high quality blade usually results in a nearly perfect cut. So why focus on that? Instead, I focused on the side that is more likely to a problem, which happens to be a problem saws like this are trying to solve. The underside isn't quite as relevant and is a bit of a moot point.
id like to see this caparison of saws done again with the same blade in both saws
Great video and was really excited when i heard the price was 230$. What blade options do you have with the saw? is proprietary to grizzly or can i use a festool blade in it? I already have a straight jig and circular saw so this would def have to be more of a finish cut and accurate otherwise i just keep saving my money til i can afford a makita. thanks again for the video.
You had to use the same blades on Festool and Grizzly to compare cut quality of the saws (not to compare cut qualities of the blades). ;-)
+nico agressor I totally agree. Also, is it just me or does it seem dubious that he didn't show the cut quality of Festool side by side. It is easy to claim the Festool cut quality is better; however it would be more convincing and objective to show the two on camera side by side - using the same blade as you suggest. How bout it +The Wood Whisperer?
You didn’t loosen the cams on the festool, when you help the bottom up, you could see the cam was protruding into the slot.
The accessory kit with the clamps and connector are more intriguing because that is what I need. I don't need a saw.
Incidentally, your review was well done. But, I wish you had reviewed the accessories as well. If those accessories fit the Festool, I bet Grizzly sells a 100 of their accessory kits for every saw they sell.
that's concrete with an epoxy finish. Had it done professionally so hopefully it will hold up over the years.
Enjoyed your analysis but really never understood buying a Trac saw .you can make something that does basically the same thing with a sheet of plywood and even a dedicated saw for way under the cost of any of these I have about 5 of these all in different lengths from one sheet of plywood
I don't use sheet goods enough to warrant an expensive-ish track saw, however I there are times I really wish I had one. I use a circular saw and and edge guide now. I agree with you that the cut quality is not "finish" quality and that is a deal breaker for me. In your professional opinion, how much of that can be attributed to the blade vs the overall design of the saw? From my impression of your demo and the tear out you exhibited, it seems like the wobble on the track had a lot to do with it
I don't have it in front of me, but it looks like those green knobs are there to set exactly the 'wobble' (or blade angle).
Thanks for this. I've been looking a track saws for a while, but don't really think I would need to use one often enough to justify spending 400 on one. I've heard grizzly has some of the best products in their price range, but it's nice to have an independent review of it to see what I would miss out on by not getting the more expensive units.
I think both are an improvement over a panel saw, but I like the panel.saw.
You can buy aftermarket kits now to convert any skill saw into a track saw and or also add router plates or other tools.
For big shops, they are going to CNC router systems for sheet goods. You don't see panel saws being used anymore, and I've never liked doing sheets on a table saw as one person. A 4x8' of plywood 3/4" or MDF is really heavy to maneuver alone and risk kickback or injury.
Great review as always. Comparing the Grizzly to a Festool is the difference in owning and driving a $14,000 car vs. a $40,000 car. Both will get you from point A to point B, but the higher price car is easier to drive and doesn't wear you out. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Grizzly tools are good tools and I own a couple so I'm not bias against them. I think in the long run, Grizzly will make upgrade mods to the tool to perfect it. At least I would hope so.
Slightly off topic...just ordered the Mafell MT 55cc track saw and was wondering if you might do a review on that someday?
great honest review .. you hit the mark on comparison thought this is a base model 'track saw ' - this obviously built for DYI .. and newbies to the track saw mentality .
It would have been interesting to see your Festool...to compare the cut and wobble etc. But a well done video.
Thanks for that thorough review of the Grizzly. Over the pond, I just bought a budget plunge saw called a Titan for £90 ($110) which is very similar.
There are some differences that might interest viewers. Firstly, Titan learnt from mitre saw technology and have included a "scribe mode" which eliminates tear-out totally. In scribe mode, the saw drops to skim the surface by 2.5 mm. A second pass in normal mode then completes the flawless cut.
Secondly, they abandoned the riving knife in favour of an anti-kick cam that prevents backward movement.
Thirdly, there is no rocking. The saw sits on the two plastic strips and will not rock. Did you check that your saw strips?
I can't help wondering if changing the blade would improve the cut quality. Even when I purchase cheap power tools, I usually replace the "cutter" (blade, bit, whatever) with something of decent quality. In my experience it can make a big difference. It stands to reason that people buying this tool probably won't go with a $60 Festool blade, but they might go with a $25 Diablo, which in my experience cut a good deal better than the factory blades included with many discount saws.
Wow, really informative and seemed like a really honest unbiased review. Good to see. Keep up good work.
Is there a "model #" or anything for the Renaissance wax?
I want to order some.
Yes, it is the same saw, made in the same factory for a lower price. It comes with a shorter track in two pieces, rather than one 55" piece, but you can always just get the grizzly track if you want it. Have fun.
Thanks, Marc, Great reviews. I dont i need more tools now., but i think we all know about Grizzly tools, Their heavy equipments are better than their small equipment. They just don't keep up with high end tools, like Leguna, Powermatic,Bosch, delta and even Jet.
Grizzly is trying to make a good and Cheap tools.
How much of cut quality is down the blade? What causes the Grizzy to cut worse than the festool?
Would you please be so kind as to demonstrate safely & properly crosscutting 2"x4" lumber with the TS75?
How's the new shop? Any glaring omissions or regrets?
Yeah, Scheppach has been selling the exact same saw under the brand "Kity" for a couple of years here. Sad when you think Kity used to be a reference amongst tools makers. I guess it was the same for Grizzly.
Whats the brand of wax you used on the track
I know this is a very old video and hope I get an answer. When showing the Grizzly saw sitting on the Grizzly track it "wobbled". You then placed the Grizzly saw on the Festool track and again it wobbled. It was then you adjusted the cams on the saw so it did not wobble on the Festool track. Why didn't you adjust the cams on the Grizzly saw when sitting on the Grizzly track so it did not wobble there.
I have one question and if anyone could answer it that would be great. Do the Festool blades fit on the saw? Sorry if that was covered I just don't remember hearing it.
Excellent review, thank you. There are other videos out there that talk about modifying the Grizzly for the wobble, and spring tension, and with a good Freud blade, I'm told it's on par with Festool. I will be ordering based on this and other reviews, so thanks again!
Do you have to hold the thumb release through the whole cut?
Woodwisperer, I do appreciate the review, great job, sir!
I finally bought the Grizzly accessory kit item T10687. The clamps and track connector are compatible with the Festool I guess. They are compatible but not comparable. The Grizzly clamp has 1 1/2" less throat 1 1/4" less capacity. The Grizzly track connector works ok but I don’t expect to have a need to connect tracks. I have a long track for ripping and a short track for crosscuts. Of course, the build quality of the Grizzly is not as good as Festool or Makita.
i like my worm drive circular i like the idea of a track saw but the plunge their is only a few applications for the plunge for me
Thank you for all the videos you post. They are always informative and entertaining to watch.
Continued Success,
Chad
Marc maybe try and fix the wobble and video the fix, I'm always trying to make my tools better.
So, if you tilted it to the right or left to hold the angle throughout the cut, although possible squaring up the cut, that would add to the stress on your hand and wrist when fully extended. I think if I had that kind of wobble in a regular circular saw, I wouldn't buy it.
And isn't the sloppy tippy fit what's causing the tear out? The Festool yields cabinet quality cuts.
Lol "it would be a destructive process" ... I've been fairly pleased with my dewalt track saw except for the lack of an off cut splinter guard. I'm going to get the new up coming Festool Req track saw. Looks awesome.
Thanks for the review. Ive been looking for a replacement for the Festool I lost.
The depth adj seemed more loosly based like my 1st circ saw compared to the festool. I would of kept the saw for when someone comes around asking to borrow a tool.