What tool was that?

[Ole Anderson]

Watching the latest episode of This Old House, they were using a circular saw with a short attached track to cut rafters. First time I have seen a tool like that. Seen plenty of track saws, even have one, but nothing like that. Googling it, appears that it is the new Festool HK55 cross cutting track saw. $590.

[Clint Baxter]

Corded tool is the HK 55. Cordless version is also available, HKC 55. A miter saw you take to the work.

Clint

[Jim Becker]

They've had that contractor focused saw available for a couple years now. It's a pretty kewel idea, honestly, because a nice straight cut, even with a knarly blade in construction lumber is a good thing. The cordless version really kicks things up for contractors because, well...you said it: roofs, etc. The fact that the saw and track "stick together" is convenient and requires less hands to manage, too.

TOH is a regular user of Festool because Tom Silva got turned on to the line a number of years ago by "Uncle Bob" (Marino). In some recent videos associated with the TOH franchise, even Norm Abram was fondling them during a project.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

My $.02, I saw that saw and thought awesome I need that! Then as I was looking for it online, the rational thought process started to kick in and I began to wonder if I'd ever actually use it. I can only think of one situation that'd it's be useful in day to day carpentry. That would be cutting the long compound angles that are associated with joining two roof pitches. Now that is done with a worm drive and a straight line and I personally wouldn't be any faster or better at it if I used this saw, so what's the point? Thing is it's carpentry, not cabinetry. Make a super precise joint that is perfect today, and tomorrow the lumber will have moved a little anyhow and it'll open up slightly. There is a limit to the needed precision in the field.

As for using it as a mitre saw in replacement of a chop saw, you'd have to lug it around all day, and still have to move the materials so you are in essence doing twice the logistics to make a cut.

It's kewel, but not enough for me to buy.

[Charles P. Wright]

I got a HKC 55 from the recon sale. It's definitely easier for me to drag around than my 100lb miter saw/cart. I probably wouldn't use it for trim work, wanting the precision of the miter saw instead; and if you are going to cut dozens of things to the same length, the miter saw with stops wins as far as speed. But I had no other battery powered circular saw; so I'm overall happy with the purchase. It can also run along the regular FS rails in addition to the FSK rails; so you can use it in some of the same applications that you would use a regular track saw for, as long as you are not plunging.

[johnny means]

One of my regular tasks that has made me ponder buying one of these is cutting large circles. Right now, I use a TS75 with rails to make a few dozen straight cuts. It's laborious and setting up the rail a hundred times is a time suck. I imagine this guy would speed up the process quite a bit.

[Edwin Santos]

One of my regular tasks that has made me ponder buying one of these is cutting large circles. Right now, I use a TS75 with rails to make a few dozen straight cuts. It's laborious and setting up the rail a hundred times is a time suck. I imagine this guy would speed up the process quite a bit.

Have you tried a jigsaw with a trammel? I have found the Bosch progressor blades will deliver a very clean cut.