rail/track saw options

[Alexx]

I was looking at an entry level track saw or rail saw (not sure what is the best name) and I was eyeing the Evolution  R185CCSX+ as it seems to be a interesting DIY option. The saw cost £90, the 2800mm tracks cost £77, but when I started checking the reviews of the track, it seems to be crap, not accurate. As I'm planning to start doing a lot of DYI and get more into woodwork, I was hoping to get something that is not crap, but also not expensive. Is there something decent around the £150-£250 mark for a saw + track of decent size or should I be aiming at a lot more?

[PeterW]

Correct term is plunge saw …

 

What are you cutting with it and what length are you looking for..? Keep an eye on Facebook market place as decent 110v makita ones come up for £100-150.  Evolution are rubbish, Rutland not much better. 
 

If you have a decent circular saw then the Kreg kit is nice and not expensive. 
 

https://ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Kreg-Kma2700-647096807177-50In-Accu-Cut-Circular-Saw-Track-Guide

 

[Alexx]

  On 09/08/2022 at 22:02, PeterW said:

Correct term is plunge saw …

 

What are you cutting with it and what length are you looking for..? Keep an eye on Facebook market place as decent 110v makita ones come up for £100-150.  Evolution are rubbish, Rutland not much better. 
 

If you have a decent circular saw then the Kreg kit is nice and not expensive. 
 

https://ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Kreg-Kma2700-647096807177-50In-Accu-Cut-Circular-Saw-Track-Guide

 

Expand  

 

Thanks! I started looking for plungesaws, it seems I may be better off getting a second hand on ebay, still looking for a good deal

[Big Jimbo]

I have got the Festool and the 2 1400mm tracks that join together for cutting longer boards. Expensive but very good.

[markharro]

  On 09/08/2022 at 22:02, PeterW said:

the Kreg kit is nice and not expensive. 

Expand  

hi @peterw do you have this kit? How do you find it? I have a Makita 18V circular saw and thinking it may be a good way to avoid the cost of a plunge saw?

 

[lstevensuk]

I have the dewalt but the tracks are rubbish - bought the festool tracks and a real game changer

[AdamSee]

I have the makita plunge saw....its goods, but same as Istevensuk, the tracks are naff. One has a slight cup to it, so the saw can wobble ever so slightly, no amount of adjustment seems to get it to cut consistently. 

 

The other thing I don't like about it is the track length. When cross cutting an 8 x 4' the track is too short, unless you're at maximum plunge depth. The track adjustment knob (used to take the sidways movement out from between the saw and rail) just slips off the rail end, leaving a crappy cut for the last few cm. Very annoying. 

[Tims]

I got a scheppach plunge saw again the tracks aren't the best.  To be fair the only time where I've really needed to use the track rather than using my dewalt circular saw and cutting by eye was trimming some granite work tops. I ended up thinking I'd have been better served just buying a better skill/circular saw. 

[Tosh]

  On 13/08/2022 at 10:58, Big Jimbo said:

I have got the Festool and the 2 1400mm tracks that join together for cutting longer boards. Expensive but very good

Expand  

Same here, very happy with the tracks and good resale prices should I ever want to get rid.

[SimonD]

  On 13/08/2022 at 10:58, Big Jimbo said:

I have got the Festool and the 2 1400mm tracks that join together for cutting longer boards. Expensive but very good.

Expand  

 

  On 02/12/2022 at 23:21, Tosh said:

Same here, very happy with the tracks and good resale prices should I ever want to get rid.

Expand  

 

I have those tracks too, mostly used with the Festool HK85 rather than the TS plunge version. I have the Mafell plunge saw which uses both the Festool tracks and the Mafell tracks. After 4 years of use I found the Festool tracks to be really robust apart from the splinter guard which always peels off. The biggest issue is aligning them even with the self-aligning connectors I bought. Always have to check with a straight edge, especially for 2nd fix and making cupboards/cabinets and then if you knock them while moving about...... Overall I'd have to say I prefer the Mafell track system, which I think Bosch also uses.

[Tosh]

  On 03/12/2022 at 14:39, SimonD said:

Mafell

Expand  

I've heard and read very good things about Mafell though never used any of their kit. I only use mine on 1st fix, any inaccuracy in the kit would be more than offset by my skills 😬

[SimonD]

  On 03/12/2022 at 20:52, Tosh said:

I've heard and read very good things about Mafell though never used any of their kit. I only use mine on 1st fix, any inaccuracy in the kit would be more than offset by my skills 😬

Expand  

 

I really liked my Festool HK85. It was a beast until I experienced the so called 3 year service included service from Festool. My experience from this was that they do the absolute minimum they can. My HK85 went back twice and the second time I was getting some pretty bad noises and vibration from the saw within a few weeks of receiving it back from them the first time. The second time it came back supposedly fixed but with smaller noises and vibration and very much not right - the cutting blade vibrates slight against the saw body when you start it up but apparently this is fine by them. Funnly enough, if you send the same product back after the 3 year service has expired they'll charge you for making the saw like new. After this experience, I won't be buying Festool again.

 

I've found my Mafell to be very robust and if I was going to buy a cheaper saw I'd probably opt for the Bosch GKT 55 as it is essentially a Mafell with some differences.

[joe90]

I have never had a track, I use a long straight edge (a piece of ply) two clamps and mount it xy mm from where I want the cut, works great.

[Onoff]

  On 03/12/2022 at 23:20, joe90 said:

I have never had a track, I use a long straight edge (a piece of ply) two clamps and mount it xy mm from where I want the cut, works great.

Expand  

 

Same here. I made the mistake of buying a stand-alone, clamp on track from Lidl. At only 1m long it's no good on an 8'x4' board!

[Adrian Walker]

  On 09/08/2022 at 18:36, Alexx said:

I was looking at an entry level track saw or rail saw (not sure what is the best name) and I was eyeing the Evolution  R185CCSX+ as it seems to be a interesting DIY option. The saw cost £90, the 2800mm tracks cost £77, but when I started checking the reviews of the track, it seems to be crap, not accurate. As I'm planning to start doing a lot of DYI and get more into woodwork, I was hoping to get something that is not crap, but also not expensive. Is there something decent around the £150-£250 mark for a saw + track of decent size or should I be aiming at a lot more?

Expand  

 Peter Millard has some lovely videos about selecting and using track saws -

 

[Dave Jones]

use a festool track with a dewalt saw (already have dewalt kit).

 

had the track as i bought the festool cordless insulation saw for the compound PIR cuts.

[markharro]

  On 20/11/2022 at 18:54, AdamSee said:

The other thing I don't like about it is the track length. When cross cutting an 8 x 4' the track is too short, unless you're at maximum plunge depth. The track adjustment knob (used to take the sidways movement out from between the saw and rail) just slips off the rail end, leaving a crappy cut for the last few cm. Very annoying. 

Expand  

Hi @AdamSee can I check which length of track you were using for the cross cut? I think Makita do 1400mm and 1500mm lengths? Were you using the 1400mm? Keen to know as I need to buy some track soon. Thanks

[AdamSee]

 

  On 01/01/2023 at 15:22, markharro said:

Hi @AdamSee can I check which length of track you were using for the cross cut? I think Makita do 1400mm and 1500mm lengths? Were you using the 1400mm? Keen to know as I need to buy some track soon. Thanks

Expand  

Remembered to check today. The tracks I have are 1400mm long. Explains my issue with them.