An early Festool tracksaw

[Derek Cohen]

Fairly recently, I picked up a Festool tracksaw which I consider to be something of a bargain. Others here might think of it as a novelty.

Those familiar with my work would recognise me as primarily having a preference for hand tools, although I have a very well kitted workshop with higher end machines. There really has not been the necessity for a tracksaw, and indeed my small double garage/workshop does not spare the space for a tracksaw-friendly bench. Part of the reason for the tracksaw is that I can see occasions when it would be the preferred tool over a Hammer K3 slider, such as trimming ends of house doors, cutting large panels, and bevelling panels. Part of the reason, also, is that I am a tool junkie, and was curious to see what the fuss is about.

I decided to build a small bench, which could also house the systainers which have been slowly appearing. This is 1200mm long x 600mm wide. Also, while one of the systainers contains a Domino DF500, all joints here were full-on mortice and tenon. I believe they will resist movement better than a domino.

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Peel off the 1/2” black rubber pad (great for glue ups), and there is a 1” thick foam for cutting ..

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Underneath this is a wooden bench top …

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It’s not going to replace my workbench … https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/Smileys/default/smiley.gif

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On to the tracksaw. It is a AT 65 E, and likely dates back about 18 years ..

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Now I don’t mind old power tools, if they are quality tools. I have a few Festo sanders (which became Festool) and 4 Elu routers. But the thing about this tracksaw was that it was essentially new. And very cheap.

Open up the steel body and it is spotless …

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These teeth have hardly cut anything …

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48 teeth should be good for crosscutting ..

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I made a dust cover (one of the common recommendations to improve dust collection) …

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In a separate thread I asked about the best length track for my purpose - noting that I only work with solid wood, and do not cut up sheet goods. I was thinking the 1080mm but it appears that this may be too short for 800mm wide doors. I have a 1400mm Makita, which is cut into 800 + 600 (purchased a year ago for use with a router). A test with the 800 quickly revealed that this may only do a 550mm length. A little more testing to do. Your recommendations?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John Kananis]

Derek, congrats on the new toy...ehem "tool", definitely meant tool. 😉
You're correct that you can't use the entire length of the track as the entire saw needs to ride in the channel for a straight cut. I put a little sharpie mark on my tracks so I remember where the plunge occurs. 1400mm will give you the most usage I feel. You can use it for the smaller cross cuts in solid and 55 inches should give you enough length for almost any door. You can add more tracks later if you need to.
Also, just fyi, if you find yourself trimming lots of doors, the dewalt can trim while the door is already hanged.

[Jim Becker]

That's a beautiful find...and really pristine! Congrats!

Like I mentioned in the Festool users group discussion, I have a short, medium/regular and long rail. I don't use the long one very often, but sometimes it's the right tool for the job, such as straightlining a board that greatly exceeds my slider's wagon length. I use the short rail the most in the shop...it's good for utility but doesn't hang off too far. I think it's close to the 1000mm length you mention...it happens to be a Makita rail.

[Jacques Gagnon]

Derek,

Great find; I am sure you will find many opportunities to put your new acquisition to good use.

The workstation is very nice. You have, once again, combined creativity and craftsmanship to produce a nice looking, practical unit.

Regards,

Jacques

[Greg Quenneville]

Derek I think the 1400, which is sized to crosscut a 1200 board. You may think about the utility of a 3m track as well for long rips in boards, at least as a first operation. It is more accurate than joined tracks, and the Makita version works and is <half the Festool price.

[Derek Cohen]

There is a huge range between the 1000, which Jim mentions, and the 3000 used by Greg. I’ve been focussed on crosscutting a maximum width (house doors) of 800mm, and getting a track for this, but it has only this moment dawned on me that I could be ripping the full length of the bench. Why house doors? Well, we will downsize in a few years, when I am finally allowed to retire, and there will be lots of renovation to do in the “new” house.

As an aside, the bench top is 1200mm long and, at present, is 600 wide. I plan to add a flip up side, which will extend it to 900mm wide.

There is a project coming up, one which I could easily do on the slider, but might be fun to do part using the tracksaw. My son recently got married. He and his lovely bride stayed with us for a while before moving back interstate. They stayed in a guest bedroom, and asked if I could make them the same bedside tables, as they loved the ones there. These have mitred case joinery, with internal bevels along the front - all perfect for the tracksaw.

I think I see a 1400mm track in my future for rips, as well as a 1080mm for crosscuts. If I stick with Makita track, then I am almost there. Is there much to gain with Festool track? I am okay with buy once cry once. Is there an issue having both?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Zachary Hoyt]

The bench looks very nice, and so does the saw. I have a dumb question about the metric system. I use it when building fiddles, since that's how the plan is drawn, but mostly I am still a dinosaur using SAE. Why is it customary to use mm instead of cm even for measurments that are a whole number of either? From my outside view it seems like it would be simpler to use 100 cm than 1000 mm, for instance, though 1014 mm seems like it could be easier than 101.4 cm. I am sorry to bring up something so irrelevant. Someday when I make the switch I'd like to be able to use metric terms in the proper way.

[Derek Cohen]

Zac, not a silly question, and indeed one with which I sympathise.

I was raised with Imperial until around 1960, when all went metric. I continue to live with both. They have pros and cons.

I think better in Imperial when using large units, such as feet and inches. These are easier to visualise. However, when working with small numbers, or when calculating parts of large numbers, the Metric system makes it so much easier.

So why not cm instead of mm. Some things are indeed measured in cm, but the rule is to go to mm to avoid confusion.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Greg Quenneville]

Derek, the lug on the Makita is 0.5mm different (I forget in which direction) than the Festool. You have to adjust that cam on the saw for a snug fit on the track, then do your first plunge cut to trim the plastic edge piece which makes the system work.

If you have two different brands of track then you will have to readjust the saw every time you swap over with perhaps inconsistent results.

I am selling my various Festool tracks and my MFT since the Makita became my shop standard track.

The other things to note are that the Festool plastic strip does not have a long adhesive life-especially in our summers. No problems thus far with the Makita. The Festool and Bessey track clamps are much nicer than the Makita ones, and they work on either track.

On metric: I have the same fluency in both systems, but I never use centimetres. Even in construction its simple to call out millimetres.

[Jim Becker]

I actually think that you'll enjoy having the track saw in your arsenal, Derek. It opens up a lot of cutting options where you can bring the cutting to the workpiece if that's more effective/easier/practical, rather than taking the workpiece to the tool.

[Jacques Gagnon]

Zac,

As is the case with Derek and Chris, I also use both systems. I grew up learning imperial units then Canada officially switched to metric. Millimeters gives you "direct" reading off the ruler/measuring tape/caliper, as opposed to moving the decimal (... did I do it, or did I forget to do it? :eek:). It works for me.

Regards,

Jacques

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Jim. It is always fun to discover new tools and new techniques.

You and Greg appear to have opted for Makita tracks to go with Festool tracksaws. Was this on price/better value-for-money? From reading, I was under the impression that the rubber on the Festool tracks was superior. Any comments?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Greg Quenneville]

Derek I switched to Makita because of the $400 savings on the 3m track. Once there I decided to also get a 1400 owing to the slight difference in rail dimensions.

I have never had either brand slip when used properly, and as I mentioned the plastic splitter tongue on the Makita is superior, and cheaper to replace.

Since I mostly recovered from OCD it mostly doesn’t offend my sense of propriety to have an off-brand track.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks Jim. It is always fun to discover new tools and new techniques.

You and Greg appear to have opted for Makita tracks to go with Festool tracksaws. Was this on price/better value-for-money? From reading, I was under the impression that the rubber on the Festool tracks was superior. Any comments?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Only my really short track is a Makita...'bought in in the Classifieds here at SMC a few years ago from another community member that had multiples. That said, the Makita tracks do tend to cost less.