Are track saws usable for cutting small pieces?

[Bill Waslo]

I've been making sections for horn loudspeakers, requiring numerous compound bevels in plywood. They've been doable and turn out well doing it with sleds (with clamps custom placed for each type piece), but they take a long time to set up each time.

I've been reading about track saws, which are said to be accurate, easy and safer to use. And they don't take up floor space like a table saw does.

But all posts I've read about them talk about how great they are for cutting large plywood pieces. How about for small plywood pieces (say 12" x 4", cutting a bevel diagonally across an end)? Is this feasible or should I stay with my floor-hogging table saw and home-made sleds for that kind of work?

Any advice on this?

Thanks,
Bill

[ed vitanovec]

The size you mention seems real small, maybe you can contact the manufactures tech support and ask them.

[David Wong]

It is feasible to cut small pieces with a track saw, especially pieces with consistent depth like plywood, but it is not especially convenient. My experience is with a Festool track saw, and a 12"x4" piece is not large enough to adequately support the track. For the Festool system, you really have to jig up something that will securely hold the piece and support the track so it does not move or bend under the weight of the saw. You may also want to investigate the Eurekazone track system, which has some provisions for clamping small pieces to the track.

[Harvey Miller]

You could try asking on a Festool specific forum, but I'd imagine a track saw with the Festool MFT (multi function table) might do the trick. Would a sliding miter saw with a auxiliary table and fence (a la Fine Woodworking #181 or http://www.startwoodworking.com/post/how-tame-tearout-miter-saw) work?

[Myk Rian]

What you want to cut is perfect for a RAS.

[Jeff Duncan]

Why not use a chopsaw for something that small...much easier and quicker than setting up a table saw???

As far as the track saws it's ideal to have at least 6" of material width or so in order to get the full contact of the grip strips. So narrow stuff is tough and short stuff is just awkward and probably not worth the juggling you'll have to do.

good luck,
JeffD

[Bill Waslo]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have room for a chop saw and would still need a tablesaw for the long pieces.

What's an RAS?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

BIll,

Welcome to the Creek!

RAS = Radial Arm Saw

[Brian Kincaid]

You can always attach a small 'clamping sled' under the tracksaw guide. Then you get the best of both worlds.
-Brian

[Greg R Bradley]

Bill,

A track saw will cut pieces that size but isn't the ideal tool for the job. If you add the MFT table, then it becomes very good for your requirements. I would still choose a mitre saw for the end cuts.

What you are doing sounds a lot like one of my customer's shop. They use a track saw and mitre saw mostly. The big table saw is used mostly for 90 degree cuts. The trick with a mitre saw for accurate cuts is 10" blade and non-slider.

[William Adams]

The new small circular saws such as the Craftsman Trak-Cut Multipurpose Mini Circular Saw seem well-suited for this when they have suitable jigs:

http://toolguyd.com/craftsman-trak-cut-mini-circular-saw/


but I haven't seen many jigs which would do a compound bevel, and I wonder about the finish quality of the cut surface (I was wondering about getting the Rockwell version to cut off box lids).

[Michael W. Clark]

I don't have a track saw, but use a guide made for a circular saw and it would be awkward for small pieces like this.

If you are looking to get rid of the table saw, Myk's suggest for the RAS seems like a good fit. You can rip on a RAS, or you could do the the sheet break downs and long rips with a track saw, do the cross cuts and compound angles at the RAS.

If you are keeping the table saw and don't have room for a chop saw, then you won't have room for an RAS either.

[Jon McElwain]

There is a book by Malcolm Tibbitts called "The Art of Segmented Woodturning." I know you are not looking for a woodturning book, but the book has extensive writing with excellent photos relating to cutting small pieces of wood. He makes woodturnings with literally thousands of individual pieces. I would recommend going to your local woodworking store and thumb through the book. I am confident that there will be some ideas in there that you can use to cut the small pieces that you are working on. Malcolm is a woodturner, but he is in effect a master small-wood-parts-manufacturer too!

I have a Festool Track saw, and I'm not sure I would attempt to cut small pieces with it - perhaps with the MFT table, but as someone else said, it would probably be even harder than the table saw. I know you said that a miter saw would not fit in your shop, but it really would be the best tool for the job.

[kirk doyle]

I use the Eurekazone track saw and with their clamping system I have been able to make cuts an pieces much smaller than you are looking at ... i.e. shave 1/2 kerf width on a 2" x 2" piece.

The page on the clamps that fit the system are below.

No affiliation, just a happy user.

http://eurekazone.com/product-catalog/ez-clamping

[Bill Waslo]

I really appreciate the advice here. Great and many responses.

The EZ clamp system looks promissing. Is the accuracy good on bevel cuts? How hard to set up?

I really don't even have room for the tablesaw, when it is usable I have to park outside, and winter is coming. Not easily moved out of the way. If I got a chop or radial arm saw, I'd still need the table saw for long cuts so that's out.

Thanks
Bill

[Harry Hagan]

+1 on the MFT

[johnny means]

I have a Festool ts55 and have on occasion had to use it for cutting smaller parts in the field. IME, as long as the piece spans the entire width of the track, its fast and easy. Once you get any smaller the going gets a lot slower. I actually found a hand saw and miter trimmer to be faster and more accurate. As far as the MFT or other clamping systems, they do make a lot of things possiblet, and are great for that oddball task. But using a work around for dozens or hundreds of cuts can get tedious.