Tool review - Scheppach versus Festool track saws

[Scott T Smith]

A friend of mine recently acquired the Scheppach CS55 track saw, and he brought it by my shop yesterday in order to compare it to my Festool TS55.

At first glance, it appears that the Scheppach system is a clone of the Festool , with enough modifications to the design to prevent them from running afoul of copyright laws.

The tracks – although similar, are not compatible. The Scheppach track is about ¼” wider between the guide rail and the edge of the track, which means that a Festool saw will not work at all on the Scheppach track. Additionally, the spacing is different between the two guide ridges, preventing one track from being attached to the other.

The Scheppach saw will glide down the Festool track; however it overhangs the side of the track by ¼”, negating the benefits of the rubber strip that reduces tear-out.

From a size and handling perspective, the two saws are very similar. They both cut through a 6/4 white oak board w/o any problems; however there was a noticeable difference in the smoothness of the cut between the two saws. While neither saw left any kerf marks, the surface left by the Festool saw was noticeably smoother than the cut left by the Scheppach.

The price of the Scheppach is fantastic though, and unless you need the utmost in quality on your cut it is a worthwhile track saw to consider.


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In the photo below you can see where the Scheppach track is about 1/4" wider than the Festool

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The photo below shows the Scheppach saw sitting on the Festool guide rail. Note that there is about 1/4" distance between the blade and the rubber anti-tear out strip on the Festool rail.

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[George Bokros]

Amazon has this for $199. It comes with two 25" guide rails, wonder if additional can be purchased so you can cover a full 8' sheet of plywood.

George

[peter gagliardi]

Well, you almost always get what you pay for. There are exceptions of course but... Sounds like a good price, but if it doesn't cut great now, it won't get better. Festool tools aren't perfect, but in SOME cases they make the best the market seems to offer. This will appeal to a large body that don't want to pay the green and black tax.

[John McClanahan]

So, with a cheap carbide blade in the saw, the Scheppach track could be cut down for use with a festool saw?

John

[david brum]

Great review. Too bad the track isn't interchangeable. I'm seriously considering the Grizzly-colored version of the Scheppach when it is (supposed to be) available next month. They also will have extra track, blades and accessories. Grizzly shows a parts list for their version, implying that parts will be available if necessary. The whole Grizzly package for cutting a full sheet of ply, clamps included, is around $250. That's much easier for me to justify.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Excuse my ignorance, but do these tracksaws produce superior cuts to a table saw in plywood? If one had a suitably large infeed and outfeed arrangement with a table saw, how would they compare with a tracksaw cut?

I have it in my mind that people buy these because ripping a whole sheet of plywood on a table saw can be a bit awkward, but I'm cogniscent of the fact I might be wrong. Other than not having to manhandle an 8x4 sheet through a table saw, what's the advantage of the track saw?

[Scott T Smith]

Excuse my ignorance, but do these tracksaws produce superior cuts to a table saw in plywood? If one had a suitably large infeed and outfeed arrangement with a table saw, how would they compare with a tracksaw cut?

I have it in my mind that people buy these because ripping a whole sheet of plywood on a table saw can be a bit awkward, but I'm cogniscent of the fact I might be wrong. Other than not having to manhandle an 8x4 sheet through a table saw, what's the advantage of the track saw?


Mark, in terms of cut quality I've found that my TS55 is equal to, but not superior to my cabinet saw. It is ideal for a cabinetmaker that needs to make shop-grade cuts on-site. It also works well for making long, straight line rip cuts in boards, before ripping them to width on a tablesaw. Same thing with breaking down large sheets of plywood that are too large for one person to handle comfortably in a table saw. If your tablesaw has large in and outfeed tables, then no great benny.

[Scott T Smith]

So, with a cheap carbide blade in the saw, the Scheppach track could be cut down for use with a festool saw?

John

Most likely, yes. The Festool track guide rail (that guides the saw) is slightly narrower than the Scheppach, but we're probably only talking .050, which should be within the adjustment range of the guide adjuster on the Festool saw.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Do the guide rails simply rest on the stock being cut (that's how it looks when Tommy Silva uses one), or do the guide rails clamp to the stock? How about the Dewalt guide rail?

[ian maybury]

Hi Mark. The Festool track saws (can't speak for the others) produce very clean cuts. For two reasons it seems: (a) the track functions much like a zero clearance insert in that it presses down on the wood right beside one side (at least) of the cut to minimise splintering, and (b) because the OEM blades anyway cut very cleanly. (which could be to do with accuracy/solidity of the spindle too)

The cut as Scott said is similar to what you get off a decent table saw running a sharp blade - clean (in e.g birch or WBP ply in both directions) unless the blade is starting to get a bit blunt.

Can't speak for the track saw, but Scheppach kit is over here at least not really positioned at the same point in the market as Festool. The floor machines anyway tend to be fairly well designed and made, but of quite light/low cost construction...

ian

[Alan Bienlein]

When you say the festool left a noticeably smoother cut were both saws using the exact same type of blade. In other words same tooth count grind?

I'm trying to understand how one could be smoother than the other but neither one left any kerf marks.

[Matt Day]

Now you need to buy the Grizzly track saw and have all three of them for a shootout!

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Excuse my ignorance, but do these tracksaws produce superior cuts to a table saw in plywood?
I like them 'cause they don't leave scratch marks from running my expensive plywood over a cast iron top.

Every contractor that has used my track saw wants one.

[Richard McComas]

Mark, not all plywood come with a truly straight edge. Cabinet saws cut parallel to the fence. Sometimes I clean up the plywood edge with my track saw prior to cutting on the table saw.

[mreza Salav]

Thanks for the review.
It would be nice if one could test them both with the same blade and compare the quality of the cuts; blade can play a huge factor (I think the most important one) in the quality of a cut a tool produces.

[Alan Bienlein]

Thanks for the review.
It would be nice if one could test them both with the same blade and compare the quality of the cuts; blade can play a huge factor (I think the most important one) in the quality of a cut a tool produces.

That is what I would want to see.

[Scott T Smith]

I just re-inspected the cut left by the Scheppach more closely, and observed some minute kerf marks. I've edited my original post to correct this. Each saw used the blade that was supplied with the saw; if I can get my friend to stop back by we'll try the Festool blade in the Scheppach to see how it impacts cut quality.

[ian maybury]

There's a stock universal blade supplied with the Festool, but also three more options including I think a fine and a rip. Details and selection charts around p 52 in the UK brochure here: http://tiny.cc/8ae9rw The blades have a good thick plate, big chunks of carbide for teeth, and last well - I've one that's been sharpened three times - nothing like the cheapo chaiwanese ones from a box store. Festool have a sharpening service here that returns them to the factory - they come back good as new.

It cuts very cleanly in stuff like cross grain ply - even the universal. The Festool is also part of a fairly comprehensive wood working system - also in the brochure.

If considering a rail saw as an alternative to longer/larger sheet and rip capability on a table saw it's maybe worth thinking of the TS 75 - that's the version with more power and the larger blade. Also the very long 8ft or so one piece rail - I have two standard rails, but find the joiner a little untrustworthy regarding holding alignment/straight line. I have the TS 55 (one of the original late 90s version - very similar in spec to the current model) which has been great - but which can seem a bit short of depth of cut on larger jobs. It can also find itself sailing a little close to the wind for power if (which is probably why there's a rip blade available) ripping in thick solid wood near it's maximum depth of cut with the stock blade.

ian

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks for the review.
It would be nice if one could test them both with the same blade and compare the quality of the cuts; blade can play a huge factor (I think the most important one) in the quality of a cut a tool produces.

I tested some saws when I bought a circular saw for the panel saw I built. You can feel for play in the bearings by shaking the blade with your fingertips. The cheaper saws have wobble when you shake the blade sideways. At the time the Porter Cable saw had the least play of the saws I tested.

With the same blade a saw with even slight bearing play will not cut as smooth as a saw with no bearing play.

[mreza Salav]

You are right Andrew and I know that. In this case though it's not clear whether the lower quality cut is entirely due to the tool or partly because of the blade (or entirely).
So to figure out how the tools compare, one has to test them with the same type of blade.

[Phil Thien]

So, with a cheap carbide blade in the saw, the Scheppach track could be cut down for use with a festool saw?



Most likely, yes. The Festool track guide rail (that guides the saw) is slightly narrower than the Scheppach, but we're probably only talking .050, which should be within the adjustment range of the guide adjuster on the Festool saw.

But then wouldn't you be removing whatever holds the rubber strips that prevent tearout? I have never used one of these saws but assumed there was a channel or something that the tear-out prevention strip inserts into?

[John McClanahan]

Years ago I bought an older ATF55 saw with no track. I made a track, but when Grizzly starts selling this saw, I may buy some track and make it fit my Festool. Since my saw doesn't make money, the Festool track is out of my price range.

John

[Joe Spear]

Do the guide rails simply rest on the stock being cut (that's how it looks when Tommy Silva uses one), or do the guide rails clamp to the stock? How about the Dewalt guide rail?

The Festool guide rails can just sit on the stock being cut. There is rubber on the bottom that usually keeps the rail from sliding around. However, there are also clamps that you can use to make sure nothing moves. When I cut up a sheet of plywood with mine, I use the clamps just to make sure. I lay the wood on a sheet of foam rigid insulation so the blade protruding through the bottom of the cut doesn't cut into the table. I also made a folding wooden frame for the same purpose, but I like the insulation better.

[Mike Cutler]

Excuse my ignorance, but do these tracksaws produce superior cuts to a table saw in plywood? If one had a suitably large infeed and outfeed arrangement with a table saw, how would they compare with a tracksaw cut?

I have it in my mind that people buy these because ripping a whole sheet of plywood on a table saw can be a bit awkward, but I'm cogniscent of the fact I might be wrong. Other than not having to manhandle an 8x4 sheet through a table saw, what's the advantage of the track saw?

Mark

I recently purchased the TS 75 for another reason. Ripping an edge on 8/4 + material. I've been using an EZ rail with my Makita "screamer" and my Milwaukee Worm Drive. Neither have the depth capacity of the TS 75.
The benefits of using it on sheet goods are not lost to me, and I will be using it for that purpose, but I have a tendency to work with long, hard, heavy, tropical lumber species and hopefully the TS 75 saves my back a bit. (16'x34"x8/4) Padauk is outside my physical ability to horse around.:eek:)

[Bill Melin]

I noticed that all of the posts on the thread are over a year old and I was wondering if Scheppach has addressed any of the issues raised.