Dewalt Track Saw

[tom goede]

I am ready to pull the trigger on a track saw. I have decided on the Dewalt. Decision based on economics, reviews and tool experience and reliability.
The one piece that is not clear from reviews is the need for the long track or join 2 tracks. Does the joint cause a potential spot for the saw to hang up is one concern and how difficult is it to true the 2 pieces to ensure a straight cut. Any experience feedback is appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

[Jim Dwight]

Tom,

I have had a DeWalt track saw for several years but I have never joined the tracks. I got it as a 3 piece set with the 102 inch track and the 59 inch track so I have never needed to join tracks. Later I bought the 46 inch track. From what I read, it is very possible to join the tracks and get it straight but those with Festool or other brands frequently talk about using two connectors which we cannot do. The threads I've seen talk about trueing the joined tracks with a long straightedge. There is also a device that claims to align the tracks without this step but I don't know if it works on the DeWalt tracks. I like having the long track and put it on my lumber rack (horizontal) when not in use. My current shop lacks ceiling height to store it vertically.

There is a thread on a parallel guide on this website which is good. I built mine but have switched to using a track positioning jig I've posted pictures of because I like clamping the track - be sure to get the DeWalt clamps. Our tracks also do not work with Grizzly track clamps and probably also other brands. I have the router jig from DeWalt too and have used it. It works well. Kind of pricey for what it is but I still recommend getting it.

Lastly you will need some sort of worktable to get the most out of your tracksaw. I built a 3x7 workbench with holes on top (like a Festool MFT) and a crosscut jig based upon Ron Paulk's plans. I like it a lot. I used the woodrave router base and pegboard to create the holes. There are lots of other ideas on the Festool owners group website. They are pretty polite to those of us with different brand tools.

I encourage you to proceed, I am confident you'll like the DeWalt a lot, and consider getting the 3 piece setup with some clamps.

Jim

[Cary Falk]

I have the DeWalt and started with 2 short tracks and a connector. I eventually got a good deal on the long one and have not used the connector since then. I didn't have a problem with getting the tracks straight. It was pretty easy with a strait edge. My tracks did cause the saw to hang up where they met. You can bend the tracks slightly to get them to meet better and not catch the saw. I worry less about flopping the long track around then I did with the 2 and the connector. It could go out of alignment if you don't handle it correctly If you have a piece of plywood with a twist or cup/bow it is going to cause a problem at the connection point .

[Jim Becker]

My experience has been the same as Cary's...I started with two shorter ones and the joiner, but eventually bought the longer rail for those times when I needed the length. (Mine is Festool, but the principle is the same) I would say that if you believe you are going to be making those longer cuts with reasonable frequency, the longer rail is worth the investment, IMHO.

[Ben Rivel]

Tom,

I have had a DeWalt track saw for several years but I have never joined the tracks. I got it as a 3 piece set with the 102 inch track and the 59 inch track so I have never needed to join tracks. Later I bought the 46 inch track. From what I read, it is very possible to join the tracks and get it straight but those with Festool or other brands frequently talk about using two connectors which we cannot do. The threads I've seen talk about trueing the joined tracks with a long straightedge. There is also a device that claims to align the tracks without this step but I don't know if it works on the DeWalt tracks. I like having the long track and put it on my lumber rack (horizontal) when not in use. My current shop lacks ceiling height to store it vertically.

There is a thread on a parallel guide on this website which is good. I built mine but have switched to using a track positioning jig I've posted pictures of because I like clamping the track - be sure to get the DeWalt clamps. Our tracks also do not work with Grizzly track clamps and probably also other brands. I have the router jig from DeWalt too and have used it. It works well. Kind of pricey for what it is but I still recommend getting it.

Lastly you will need some sort of worktable to get the most out of your tracksaw. I built a 3x7 workbench with holes on top (like a Festool MFT) and a crosscut jig based upon Ron Paulk's plans. I like it a lot. I used the woodrave router base and pegboard to create the holes. There are lots of other ideas on the Festool owners group website. They are pretty polite to those of us with different brand tools.

I encourage you to proceed, I am confident you'll like the DeWalt a lot, and consider getting the 3 piece setup with some clamps.

Jim
Any chance youve got a link to that thread by chance?

[Rich Riddle]

I have a Festool track saw and several tracks. No matter how hard I tried, getting the smaller tracks connected never offered results I liked. Some might have better experiences and more skill at aligning the tracks. I didn't.

[Eric Schmid]

The two 59" tracks are going to give you more room to start and end the cut without running out of track; compared to the 102". The joined tracks are also more difficult to handle once assembled. The 59" tracks travel and store easier. There are pros and cons to both, but you can get the same cut with the joined tracks; within acceptable tolerances.

Remember the saw follows the raised portion of the extrusion and the saw is adjusted to remove the slop in the guide base of the saw itself. Align the tracks at the guide in the middle of the extrusion and put the anti splinter strip on the line. I use a level to align the tracks; put the edge against the guide point on the rail and squeeze the tracks closed.

With a little practice the joined 59" rails work just fine. On sheet goods or jointing edges of long boards, I make all my long cuts first; tracks joined. Sometimes I have a stack, so I make room for a long surface to set the tracks when rotating sheets/boards. The tracks need to be handled from the center, one hand on each track. Once joined and aligned the tracks usually stay that way, with proper handling, through the task at hand.

One rail is easier to handle in use, but I personally think the 102" track is short for full length cuts in sheet goods; which takes away the one reason to have the longer rail. Some have mastered those tight starts and stops, but I prefer some running room on either end which keeps the saw base engaged in the guide bar. Festool makes more rail lengths and the Dewalt saw is designed to run on their rails, but prices are a bit higher.

[Van Huskey]

Some have issues with the 102" track not being long enough, I would like and extre few inches BUT after the first few times using it for 8' cuts i learned where to place it and have no issues, it just requires a little more care getting it in the correct place for starting and overrun at the end than a longer track would.

My suggestion is get the long track, if the shorter tracks had positive resistration and required zero fiddling and checking I might feel differently but it is nice to never have to question "straight". The only issue is storage or transport, mine rarely if ever leaves the shop and you just need to find a place (like above cabinets) where it is out of the way and not in harms way, I kept the wooden shipping box for storage.

[Jim Dwight]

Any chance youve got a link to that thread by chance?

You already heard from the author, Cary, on this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?201175-DeWalt-tracksaw-parallel-guides

It's a good solid design that works somewhat like the Festool parallel guide. By that I mean it lies outside the workpiece and thus blocks clamping the track. That is the only drawback I see. I do not see any way to avoid it because Cary used the only area available, the underside of the rib that guides the saw, and that requires the parallel guide to be outside the workpiece.

I built a set and then came up with these. They are not nearly as clever a design but they allow me to clamp the track which is often an advantage. They slip over the guide rib on the top and position the track but they are not in place when you make the cut. I have one for cutting a piece ahead of the track and another one for then the track is on top of the "keeper" piece. I position the track at one end, clamp it, and then move to the other end, and then come back and check the first end. Not nearly as quick as using Cary's parallel guides but the track doesn't move when clamped, it sometimes will (for instance with a warped board or plywood) if it isn't.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have a Grizzly track saw, and have used two connectors to join two tracks together, and it worked quite well. I am not convinced that using just one connector would have done that.

Doc

[tom goede]

Thanks Jim I agree I thing the few extra bucks for the long track makes sense.

[tom goede]

makes sense, thanks

[George Bokros]

I have the Eureka Zone track saw and it uses three connectors and I do not have any trouble keeping the two tracks joined true.

[matt dale]

Has anyone had problems with the rail on the tracks not being the same size? I just bought the dewalt with a 59" and 46" track, but the rail the saw rides on is slighty larger on one track than the other. So I have to the adjust the saw to each track when just using one but if I join the tracks I have adjust to the larger rail and then deal with the slop on the other track. Is this normal or should the tracks be dead on the same size?/

Thanks
Matt

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Save Money. Get both tracks first.

[Eric Schmid]

They should be the same size.

[Glenn de Souza]

I recently bought the Makita kit. It came with a 55" track. The longer one was obnoxiously expensive plus oversize LTL shipping cost due to the size. So I bought a $25.00 sheet of 1/2" MDF and made a 110" track for lengthwise cuts and a 72" track specifically for 5x5 Baltic Birch sheets. It was pretty easy to install rabbeted rails to mimic the Makita track. I sprayed the underside of the homemade tracks with a rubberized coating from Home Depot and they seem to grip very well though I still use spring clamps out of caution.

[john lawson]

I have the DeWalt and when I got it new I purchased 3 55" tracks. That is all I have ever used. I did this because of the issue of 102" being borderline for an 8' piece of ply. They have worked well for me with no issue where the ends join together. One of the good things about the track is the dovetailed piece of steel used to join them is long enough to give a smooth transition.

If you do go this way one of the benefits is the short track is really nice when you are doing cross cut dados on ply, or using the track saw for modification work such as trimming a door bottom. The short length is a real benefit in this situation.

[Patrick Curry]

I'd love to see some photos of your shop made tracks.

I also have a Makita and choose to buy an additional short track along with two Festol connectors. Used the setup for about 4 hrs today and didn't have any problems but love the thought of making my own lengths

[julian abram]

I purchased the Dewalt saw with the short track and long track 2 years ago, I love this thing. I figured I would be using it mostly sheets of plywood which I have, but have found so many other uses as well. Last week I joined the short and long tracks to cut some 1-1/2" x 10' strips of Formica, the joined tracks worked great. I purchased the factory joining bar with the set screws and have used it several times straight lining long lengths of rough lumber. I purchased the (2) track clamps with the saw but have never used them.

[Jim Dwight]

I now have all three DeWalt tracks (102, 59, and 41) and I have still not joined them, I don't even own the joining bar. All three of my tracks have the exact same size guide rib.

[Fatih EROL]

I purchased the Dewalt saw with the short track and long track 2 years ago, I love this thing. I figured I would be using it mostly sheets of plywood which I have, but have found so many other uses as well. Last week I joined the short and long tracks to cut some 1-1/2" x 10' strips of Formica, the joined tracks worked great. I purchased the factory joining bar with the set screws and have used it several times straight lining long lengths of rough lumber. I purchased the (2) track clamps with the Dewalt Track saw (https://handtools-reviews.com/dewalt-track-saw-kit-reviews-and-accessories-new-2021/) but have never used them.
Do the joined tracks still work?

[Jim Dwight]

I commented twice on this thread that I have never joined my DeWalt tracks but that is no longer true. I have all three DeWalt offers. I made a 10 foot dining room table earlier this year and I used my track saw to cut a glueup ready edge on the 6 boards that make up the top of this table. I joined the 103 to the 59 using the DeWalt connector I now have. Worked very well. There were a couple joints I recut after checking but it was by far the easiest way for me to get these boards ready for glueup.

You can only use one connector with the DeWalt track. I now use an Evolution track saw when volunteering and we only have two 50 inch tracks for it. It is Festool style tracks and we have connectors but I still typically just use one. It works. The only "trick" I recommend is to use a long level or something else straight to align the tracks before tightening the grub screws. I did not do that with the Evolution track saw, Wen track, and I got a not terribly straight track. Saw bound on it some too.

Last point. Powertec makes a 55 inch track for DeWalt track saws now. Another option.

[John C Bush]

I have both long and short rails for my Dewalt track saw and didn't get the joining bar--didn't know they had one. I milled purple heart "bars" to fit in the aligning slot, leave one in each end of the tracks,
and slide it out to engage the adjoining slot as needed. Butting the track ends has been easy and accurate for straight cuts. They stay in the slot so I don't have to look for one for a long cut. I use it mostly for ripping long slabs 2"++ thick and make multiple passes at a reasonable depth to be kind to the motor and the tracks stay put --I always use the clamps. To finish the cut I pull the tracks apart, flip the slab and realign the tracks. The homemade bars make the change quick and easy. This is for occasional hobby projects but should work for "pro" applications as well.

[Jim Dwight]

I googled it to be sure but DeWalt offers a connector, I saw a couple places that offered it for less than $30. I didn't know if I would ever use it when I bought it but it came in handy when I was making my table.

[Dave Sabo]

Get the TSO connector(s) for whatever brand tracks you want to join.

Other than Mafell, Bosch/ Metabo which use a flat connector of a better design.

[Michael Schuch]

After tons of research I went with a Mafell track saw and Bosch tracks specifically because of all the reviews about how superior the system for joining two tracks together is compared to other brands. I have not been disappointed in the saw or the track, both work beautifully. I often join the two 63" Bosch tracks I own for cutting 8' sheets. I have never felt the need to purchase a single long track. Storing the 63" tracks is enough of a hassle, I don't need a longer track to mess with too. I have considered cutting ~8" off one of the Bosch tracks. It would be a little easier to use for 4' cuts and still give me plenty of length with the other 63" track for 8' cuts. I haven't run into any longer than 8' cuts so far.

[Jack Frederick]

I recently had to rip some 1x6 VGF for replacement floor boards. Material was 13’. With my Festool 2-54” (?), and 1-30” (?) tracks joined I set up my laser to confirm the line. That provided a nice fat fuzzy line so next I got out some fishing leader and pulled a straight line, nudging the track to line. I made the several cuts to the same method and checking each board with the line am satisfied with the result