Track saw to joint an edge

[fred henkin]

Anyone use a track saw to joint the edge on rough cut lumber. I've got 8' boards that are 6/4 thick. Don't have a jointer and I'm not sure that I can get a straight enough cut on my table saw with the boards being so long.

[Ed Labadie]

Yup, quite frequently.
I would plane the board first if possible since your edge won't be square to a finished face.

Used to edge all my wood with the tracksaw until I got a jointer.

Ed

[liam c murphy]

I usually use a hand plane or jointer to improve the surface left by the tracksaw. It is quick and easy way to get a straight edge.

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
The track saw should do a good job of giving you a straight line edge. Just be sure not to use the finishing blade the saw probably came with. For the operation you're describing you'll need a low tooth count blade. I use a Freud 14T in my Makita track saw for thick lumber.
Edwin

[Jim Becker]

Theoretically, you can do this, but the quality of the edge is only going to be as good as 1) the board, itself is absolutely flat and 2) you are able to run the saw down the track with as little lateral or twisting movement as possible. (IE, your hands come into play) But it's likely you can get a good enough edge for joining two boards with quality glue.

[Jeff Heath]

You need to flatten one face first, and then plane to a consistent thickness. Whatever choice of tools you use, whether with a powered jointer and planer, or by hand tools, it is critical not to skip this step. Otherwise, as already stated above, you will not have a square edge to the faces of the board. Using your track saw on "rough lumber", as you stated, is only going to frustrate your efforts, as your edges will not be square to their adjacent faces.

You can easily clean up the edge, after using your track saw, with a jointer or jack plane, depending on how long the boards are. I wouldn't want a glue line in a table that is straight from a track saw. Gaps, even small ones, show up like a sore thumb when finish is applied.

[Marshall Harrison]

You need to flatten one face first, and then plane to a consistent thickness. Whatever choice of tools you use, whether with a powered jointer and planer, or by hand tools, it is critical not to skip this step. Otherwise, as already stated above, you will not have a square edge to the faces of the board. Using your track saw on "rough lumber", as you stated, is only going to frustrate your efforts, as your edges will not be square to their adjacent faces.

You can easily clean up the edge, after using your track saw, with a jointer or jack plane, depending on how long the boards are. I wouldn't want a glue line in a table that is straight from a track saw. Gaps, even small ones, show up like a sore thumb when finish is applied.

That was my thinking too. You can cut a straight edge but it isn't necessarily parallel or coplanar or any other relation to any of the other surfaces. Even a track saw needs a good surface to register off of. That still involves prep work. Its a similar problem to why you can't just use a thickness planer and skip the jointer.

Unless I'm wrong in my understanding...

[andy bessette]

My track saw is indispensable for straightening the first edge of lumber, using the 10' track.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I buy 4/4 mahogany in 14' lengths. I use a track saw to dimension it, but I follow up with a hand plane, as in No 7 or 8, or low angle jointer.

[Edwin Santos]

OP, are you trying to simply straighten the edge on a rough board, for further working on another machine or hand tool?
Or are you trying to create a finished edge ready for a glue joint right off the track saw?

I think the answer to your question depends on which of these two situations is yours.

Edwin

[Andrew Hughes]

I say a track saw can cut a very good straight edge. But it cannot create a jointed edge.
Because a truly jointed edge is a flat face with a straight square edge ready for glue.
This what a jointer does a flat face to a square edge that's more then very straight.:)

[Mike Cutler]

Fred

Yes, your track saw is capable of putting an initial straight edge on your lumber. Whether that would be considered a "jointed" edge is a little different.

Here is a thread that is very close to what you are asking about, from a few weeks ago;

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?264931-Jointer-required-after-track-saw

[Larry Edgerton]

I have a big jointer and I do it all the time just because I am old and don't want to wrestle the heavy stock. One thing I will say is don't try to save too much, keep a full saw blade in the cut. If you are half in the blade will deflect out at that point and give you a less than perfect cut.

[Scott T Smith]

We use a Festool track saw all of the time to create glue line rip cuts in long boards. As others have recommended, it's best to face joint and plane to thickness first, and then use the track saw to make your rip cuts.

I like to alternate faces when making the cuts. As an example, on board 1 I will lay the track on the "show side" of the board, and on the adjoining board I will lay the track on the bottom side of the board. This way, if there is a slight alignment issue with the blade it will zero out and the glued boards will be flat.

Hands down, I much prefer the track saw to trying to run long boards across edge jointer. The Festool blade kerf is so fine that no hand planing is necessary.

Here is an example of how straight the cuts and how tight the joints can be with a high quality tracksaw.

386897


386898

[andy bessette]

SS--good post.

[Jim Dwight]

Yes, a track saw is a good way to get a nice surface for glue-up. I do not hand plane after doing this and get results that are plenty good enough for me. If my hand plane skills and hand plane bench were better I might plane the surface. But unless you are really good with a handplane (and I am not) you are as likely to make it worse as you are to make it better. I don't like the surface from my Freud ripping blade, however, as well as the 48 tooth blade my saw came with. I think the higher count blade will make this cut. I've trimmed a softwood exterior door with mine and it didn't seem to be straining.

[Bill McNiel]

I use my Tracksaw to create glue ready joints frequently without any further jointing. I clamp the two boards to be joined together on my bench and run the saw down the joint line. This eliminates any issues with blade perpendicularity, the blade can be at any angle and the joint will perfectly match. The bench top becomes the reference surface. Easy-Peasy.

[Jim Dwight]

A jointer CAN produce a nice square edge with a smooth face. It can also make a board less than straight. A good operator can make a slightly concave edge ideal for glueup. But a track saw requires less skill to operate successfully. The edge is not quite as smooth but it is difficult to get an edge that is not straight and square. But you won't get a concave edge. For me, the edge is acceptably smooth and my glueups do not seem to suffer any.

[Dale Murray]

I used a Makita track saw with a Festool 12 tooth blade to straighten 8/4 hard maple. It cut like butter.

[glenn bradley]

There are many operations where taking the tool to the material works better than the other way around. Long, wide or heavy materials mostly benefit from this. As mentioned, the quality of your result will be directly proportional to the quality of your reference surface. The tool will follow the material or the guide/rail that is fastened thereto. This is a big benefit for things like dados with a router as the small router base follows the irregularity of things like plywood and yields a more consistent depth. In the case of jointing, you are trying to create a reference edge or at least a true one.

[William M Johnson]

I don’t know about other brands but the Festool TS55 will absolutely produce a jointed edge as good as any jointer. FYI I own but don’t use an American made Powermattic jointer and a LN bevel up jointer. The TS55 is my first choice. I built a walnut table for my daughter out of scraps. All jointing was done with either the TS55 or the Kapex. There are probably 35 pieces in the top and there are no gaps.

A couple of tricks

1. Don’t use a rip blade. Seems counterintuitive it cuts faster but it leaves too many tool marks
2. Use the standard blade and just go slow.
3. The base must be set up perpendicular to the blade. Don’t trust the stop or bevel gauge.

Bill

[andy bessette]

WMJ--good post.

Add:
4--Adjust the cams to minimize side play.

[Josh Kocher]

On a perfectly flat board - ie.face jointed - it will give a good result.

[Ross Manning]

I use my Tracksaw to create glue ready joints frequently without any further jointing. I clamp the two boards to be joined together on my bench and run the saw down the joint line. This eliminates any issues with blade perpendicularity, the blade can be at any angle and the joint will perfectly match. The bench top becomes the reference surface. Easy-Peasy.

This!!

I use the same technique & it works a treat.

[Andrew Hughes]

A proper woodshop should have a jointer. Odd shaped pieces or small stuff sometimes need a flat surface to create a new reference. The foundation of fine woodworking and I'm not taking about the magazine.
So might as well get one and learn to use it before the craft gets boring.:p