Issue with blade marks with Makita track saw

[Bennett Ostroff]

I have a Makita SP6000J track saw that's a few years old and has gotten quite a bit of use. I always use it with one of my Makita tracks. One thing I've never been able to figure out is why I get these blade marks on the very first cut, which is usually only 1/4" deep or so. I've made certain that all the knobs are tight and there's no play in the saw sliding on the track. The rest of the cut depths rarely give me any issues. I do 1/2" passes at most in hardwood. This happens with new blades as well. Photo is attached showing the blade marks at the top. It really makes sanding the edges a big pain and I end up with slightly convex ends. Any advice?? Thanks!

[glenn bradley]

I'm having trouble picturing the blades rotation on that picture. Is the top side the top with the saw going left to right? If so (and maybe even if not) if the blade is new (or the behavior is present with multiple blades) my guess is bearing wear although the pattern seems awfully consistent for that. I would do d rigorous alignment check and possibly adjust where necessary.

[Bennett Ostroff]

Good catch. I should’ve mentioned… I had flipped the top over, so this picture is actually upside down. So the saw was actually traveling from the right side of the pic to the left side.

[andy bessette]

Looks like your blade is dull.

[David Buchhauser]

I agree. I also have a Makita track saw with a fairly new blade and it does not make marks like that. It might be time for a new blade.
David

[Lisa Starr]

I'm not familiar with the Makita track saw, but since you mentioned that it happens with new blades, as well as older, could you be using the wrong style blade for the job? I have a Festool EQ55 and blade selection matters. I've produced very similar marks in hardwood with it when I was too lazy to change from the blade I use for plywood .

[Rich Engelhardt]

What blade are you using for that?

[Steve Eure]

Bennett, or anyone for that matter; enlighten me as to why you take multiple passes? If I do that on my table saw, I'll get the same results. Why make a shallow cut, and then another pass? Seems to me you are wasting time. Most circ. saws are designed to make the cut in one pass.

[Jared Sankovich]

Bennett, or anyone for that matter; enlighten me as to why you take multiple passes? If I do that on my table saw, I'll get the same results. Why make a shallow cut, and then another pass? Seems to me you are wasting time. Most circ. saws are designed to make the cut in one pass.

I'm wondering that myself. I have the makita and take full depth passes. I've buried the blade 2" when ripping 12/4 boards.

[andy bessette]

Bennett, or anyone for that matter; enlighten me as to why you take multiple passes?...

I'm guessing because a dull blade (or one with too fine a pitch).

[Jonathan Jung]

A potential few issues I see from the pictures:

1 blade is toed in / out causing the first pass to result in those circular marks - check blade parallel alignment to track edge
2 blade is dirty, causing overheating and the burning - clean the blade
3 blade is dull, causing overheating and the burning - try a fresh blade
4 you shouldn't have to make so many passes - that saw should be able to handle a near 2" deep cut in hardwood with a proper fresh blade without burning
5 the horizontal lines are likely caused by the blade not set at a dead 90deg to the material - you shouldn't have those lines if the track remains in the same position between passes

[Prashun Patel]

Is there any slop on your track slot? Is it possible user error / torquing the travel slightly side to side?

[Rick Potter]

Mine doesn't do that. Is it possible making so many passes, one after the other, the blade is getting hot and warping, causing a burn?

As others have mentioned, what blade? Rip? How many teeth?

[Greg Quenneville]

I don’t know that saw, but is it possible that you have adjusted the track play one way at the front of the saw and the opposite way at the back, causing the saw to toe in (or out) of the cut?

[Dave Sabo]

Check your rail , Makita rails are know for not being quite straight. If it’s straight , then your saw is toed in or out.

And if that’s a rip cut , you need to use a rip blade - 10-14 teeth. The stock blade is the wrong tool for the job and a 28t is still too many from ripping hardwood.

[Bennett Ostroff]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've changed the blade, tighthened up all the adjustment knobs so there's no play in the track, and made sure it's cutting at exactly 90 deg. I'm still getting the blade marks at the very top of the cut, whether I do 2-3 passes or one single pass at full depth. Pics attached. I'm using a Freud Diablo 40T blade.

I didn't use to get these marks with this saw. Are there any more adjustments I could make, or at this point is it worth going the Makita warranty route?

464927

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[Jim Dwight]

How much lead in to the cut do you give yourself with the track? My DeWalt long track is only 103 inches so eight foot rips are a little harder to get completely straight because I only have 7 inches between lead in and lead out which isn't really enough. With careful technique it is OK but I have to be careful. I prefer to have at least 6 inches lead in and would like to have as much lead out. Be fully engaged with the track the whole time the blade is touching the workpiece. I ususally give myself more lead in which I think is best but that pushes my potential issue to the point I am exiting the workpiece.

I think my stock blade is 48 teeth - so a little more than your Diablo. But I doubt that is much if any of the issue. If you don't get the marks full length I would assume it is not the problem.

My rule of thumb is the cuts from my track saw should be as good as those from my table saw. Blades make a difference in both cases, of course. When the track saw is rougher, it is time to clean or change the blade or check my technique if it is only on part of the cut.

[Alan Schwabacher]

The burning is gone, now you are using a blade that's either sharper or more appropriate for ripping, but the score marks at the top remain. If your saw were not aligned with its direction of travel, teeth at the front and back of the saw would deviate most at the top of the cut: one piece would be scored by the front and the other by the back teeth. If you adjust that alignment, the problem may improve. The direction of the score marks tell you which way to adjust.

If this is correct, it has nothing to do with the scoring cut, and if you were to cut halfway through from each face of the stock, the marks would not be significant.

[Chris Luke]

Echoing some earlier comments only because you didn't mention that you addressed them, and some of my own:

- Check the blade is flat; drop it on a known flat surface. There is plausibly either wobble or a tooth is misaligned or maybe even gunk on some of them.
- A rip blade would be better for a big bite like this, less stress on the blade since the gullets won't clog as readily. Are you proceeding slow enough to clear the gullets on that blade?
- Check the track is straight; you mention it's now only doing it in one part of the cut, check that section. A curve in the track to the right would encourage the rear of the blade to contact the material.
- If you can, check the blade is parallel to the track.

[Lee Schierer]

A potential few issues I see from the pictures:

1 blade is toed in / out causing the first pass to result in those circular marks - check blade parallel alignment to track edge
2 blade is dirty, causing overheating and the burning - clean the blade
3 blade is dull, causing overheating and the burning - try a fresh blade
4 you shouldn't have to make so many passes - that saw should be able to handle a near 2" deep cut in hardwood with a proper fresh blade without burning
5 the horizontal lines are likely caused by the blade not set at a dead 90deg to the material - you shouldn't have those lines if the track remains in the same position between passes

Two more very likely cause for the teeth marks and the burning. The blade in use has too many teeth. A ripping type blade with fewer teeth would work better. If the blade doesn't want to make full depth cuts, it is telling you that it is the wrong blade. And, the blade is not lowered far enough below the cut, and or there is a back up board being used that prevents the blade from clearing the wood at the bottom of the cut.

[Dave Sabo]

You’ve still got the WRONG BLADE for ripping. 40t is too many.

You need a 14-16t blade for ripping. 28t might give you acceptable results is something situations , but 40t + is simply too many.

With the lower tooth count blade , you won’t have to sneak up on cutting the board, even on 8/4.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I have the cordless Makita track saw and I'll have to check the model of the blade on it tomorrow. However, it is a high tooth count blade, yet cuts everything I've tried with it like butter and leaves a very nice finish.