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Thread: Makita track saw initial track cut.

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by keith micinski View Post
    Well maybe this will be a good reason for me to get a couple new tracks. It’s amazing to me that all the way through product development no one using the saw pointed out its impossible to get a good cut on the ends of the thing you want to be really straight.
    Why do you care if it's cut all the way to the edge? You can't cut to the edge so so why would it make a difference. If you want a straight line/edge for something else, use the other edge

    No one said anything in product development because it's impossible to build a saw that rides on a track that does not need start and end support
    Last edited by Jared Sankovich; 02-22-2018 at 1:24 PM.

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by keith micinski View Post
    I guess one good thing is I see a replacement rubber isn't all that expensive so if it does become a problem I guess I can replace it.
    Half the price of the Festool and sticks much better!

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Hollingsworth View Post
    Half the price of the Festool and sticks much better!
    +1 The Makita rubber is also easier to see than the white Festool strip IMHO.

  4. #19
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    JS--good post.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  5. #20
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    Js, dumb post. The saw is set to the cut by using the piece of rubber as the straight edge set up against your mark. Try cutting a 48” sheet good with a straight edge that has the last 4” on each end not exactly straight or what if I want to combine it with another track to make a longer cut I most certainly will be cutting to the edge of the straight edge. Or helll what if I just don’t want to pay 500 for a straight edge that’s mostly straight. You should know what your talking about before making silly comments that are wrong.
    Last edited by keith micinski; 02-22-2018 at 4:00 PM.

  6. #21
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    Clamp the track down so that the end is on the wood a couple of inches. Plunge the saw down about 8 inches in and very slowly back it up to the end. Left me a nice clean cut of the rubber. It's 55in long leaving enough overhang that the rubber edge you do not trust should be clar of your marks on the wood. Besides on factory edges the corner sections are sometimes "indented" so I always make my marks a couple of inches in from the edge which would ensure you of missing the "bad" rubber.
    Last edited by Bernie Kopfer; 02-22-2018 at 4:38 PM. Reason: additiono

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by keith micinski View Post
    Js, dumb post. The saw is set to the cut by using the piece of rubber as the straight edge set up against your mark. Try cutting a 48” sheet good with a straight edge that has the last 4” on each end not exactly straight or what if I want to combine it with another track to make a longer cut I most certainly will be cutting to the edge of the straight edge. Or helll what if I just don’t want to pay 500 for a straight edge that’s mostly straight. You should know what your talking about before making silly comments that are wrong.
    Lol..
    I don't know i didn't think my comments were that silly... being that I've owned a track saw for years I'm rather confident I know what I'm talking about

    a 55" track will cut 48 inches.. that leaves 3.5 inches of rubber strip uncut on each end.

    You can't cut wood within 3 inches of the ends of the track.. I'll say that again...you can't cut all the way to the end of the track.

    SO why do you need the rubber strip cut all the way to the end. (If you have 2 tracks this is a moot point)

    Only having one guide engage the track is improper use of the tool and defeats the purpose of the track saw.
    Last edited by Jared Sankovich; 02-22-2018 at 5:31 PM.

  8. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by keith micinski View Post
    Js, dumb post. The saw is set to the cut by using the piece of rubber as the straight edge set up against your mark. Try cutting a 48” sheet good with a straight edge that has the last 4” on each end not exactly straight or what if I want to combine it with another track to make a longer cut I most certainly will be cutting to the edge of the straight edge. Or helll what if I just don’t want to pay 500 for a straight edge that’s mostly straight. You should know what your talking about before making silly comments that are wrong.
    I don't know, it seems pretty straightforward to me. If the saw can't cut rubber accurately at the end of the track you're certainly not going to want to cut wood from that point either. Nor would you want to use that point of the track to line up to a mark since you can't accurately cut at that point.

    If you do get another track and plan on joining them just get a replacement splinter guard, it's only about $10 for a new piece.

  9. #24
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    I had this problem and discovered that I did not have the saw adjusted to be tight in the track. There is a cam you can adjust to tighten up the fit of the saw to the track. If it isn’t a tight fit, you get wobble, and that causes a cut in the rubber that is not perfectly straight. I probably should have read the instructions. :-)

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jared Sankovich View Post
    ...I've owned a track saw for years...
    I've owned one for many years. Wouldn't be surprised if, between us, we had much more track saw experience than the OP.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by andy bessette View Post
    I've owned one for many years. Wouldn't be surprised if, between us, we had much more track saw experience than the OP.
    I bought my first tracksaw around 30 years ago when they didn't have anti-spliter strips, have bought a total of 4 tracksaws and it seems overblown to me.......
    It seems simple that if you have only one track, you initially cut it as well as you can which leaves the ends not done perfectly. Once you have more than one track, you connect or line up the track and cut the strips perfectly to the end.
    The anti-splinter strip is a consumable and gets replaced when it isn't good enough to keep using. I have a mix of Festool and Makita tracks and prefer to use the Makita strips on both as the Festool strips dry out in my dry climate and shrink. The black Makita strips are easier to see the edge and the clear Festool strips let you see the line under the strip. Advantages and disadvantages to each.

  12. #27
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    Perhaps I am missing something, but I simply make my measuring marks a few inches in from the edges of the ply, so I can line up my DeWalt short track where the rubber is cut.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  13. #28
    55" is more than plenty for a 48" cross cut. You need more track at the beginning of the cut than the end.

  14. #29
    I have had my Makita track saw for a year now. I’ve never had a problem getting a straight cut on the beginning or end. If you use any kinda of circular saw regularly you shouldn’t have a bit of a problem.

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