Can a Track Saw Replace a Table Saw?

[LB-1911]

4/9/17 07:50 PM

Thanks again all for the discussion. I think I'll keep the Bosch table saw and save for the Makita track... I'll figure out where to store them another day

Great idea.

 

[MaineGuide]

If you ask Festool, they will say no because they have their own table saw setup. Their tables are tiny and they're designed to rip small stuff.

Maybe, but it's not available in the U.S. so I doubt they'd try to sell you on a table saw that isn't available to you and likely won't be in the future.

 

[Sal Bandini]

Is it harder to use track saw to rip a narrow piece of wood or harder to cut a piece of plywood with homemade guide and circ saw?

There's your answer on utility of each. For me I keep a table saw. I cut plywood infrequently enough that straight edge works fine for me.

 

[1990 Grand Wag]

I finally gave in and purchased a track saw (well, the Grizzly mini track saw) last year. Can a track saw replace a table saw, not really. There ARE things that each does well, and you might believe that one can replace the other...........until you encounter the situation where it doesn't! The mini track saw surprised me, and after some mods, it is surprisingly useful! Will it rip a narrow piece of wood, if you place foam under it, it does surprisingly well (I know this from using it to install engineered flooring), but I had other power tools (miter saw, Porter Cable 3812s table saw) available too. I'm going to purchase the Makita track saw next, so that should tell you what "I" think of the usefulness of a track saw.

 

[KMdef9]

Something to consider when you mention space needed to rip a full size sheet of plywood - on a table saw you need at least 10 feet in front of the blade and 10 -12 feet beyond the blade to allow room for operators and stock. With a track saw you need 10 -12 feet total - that means I can do it inside the garage when the weather is not cooperating. The excellent dust collection means there's very little to clean up as well.

Also, unless the table saw has a large out-feed table, it's a downright pain in the *** to make that cut with one person. With a track saw it's a on man operation all the way.

The above is not a concern if you have a full size shop with full size tools, but if you are doing it in one bay of a two car garage on the weekend with a portable table saw, it's an entirely applicable argument.

I mean the average homeowner. Who, like me, has basement and/or 2 car garage. Both of which has plenty of space to rip full sheets. I've done it in both places. There might be some situations, like finishing a basement where I could see it being an issue. I wouldn't, even though I'd like to, buy a new tool just because of inclement weather.

As far as the mess, I can attach a vacuum to the table saw and it helps significantly (not perfectly).


The biggest benefit of the track saws I see is the single person operation. Table saws aren't impossible to operate by yourself, but require alittle more experience and setup.

 

[Zeke]

Just to add something — dedicated track saws are the bomb but I use my Skillsaw and a guide (actually a couple of different ones). For the major guide I have the sliding attachments for a router. The shorter guide is just a 'bump guide'.

When building cabinet boxes I like to rout my dados across full sheets and then rip them to the depth I need. Never had a problem lining up the left and right dados for the shelves using this method.

But what I don't know is if the dedicated track units have that ability to use other guides for routers and hole drilling guides. I see that Festool does. If I was Tom Silva and Festool was providing me with anything out of their catalog, I'd have the dedicated job. But since these things are not used that often around here, I'm not interested in having $500 sitting on a shelf months at a time.

 

[Git]

Zeke, I do the same thing. Routing across a full sheet before it is cut up into parts is a lot easier for me

Festool has a device to use their routers with their tracks. It is actually reasonably priced at $56 and is called the 492601 Guide Stop Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VFYEJA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The problem is the spacing and size of the rods that Festool uses to connect the router to the Guide Stop Adapter.

The first router in the Pic is my Bosch and the Festool Guide Stop Adapter are the two black devices with knobs that connect to the router with two metal rods. I ended up making a metal 'adapter plate' with some threaded rods since I refuse to buy a Festool Router and the fact that Bosch uses a wider spacing and different sized rods then Festool

The second router in the pic a fairly inexpensive Dewalt router that I have dedicated to the Festool LR32 system - it is bolted to the plate. With the Dewalt Router and don't have the ability to adjust how far it is in relation to the track - you have to move the track while the Bosch setup lets me move the router in and out if I want

 

[MaineGuide]

Just to add something — dedicated track saws are the bomb but I use my Skillsaw and a guide (actually a couple of different ones). For the major guide I have the sliding attachments for a router. The shorter guide is just a 'bump guide'.

When building cabinet boxes I like to rout my dados across full sheets and then rip them to the depth I need. Never had a problem lining up the left and right dados for the shelves using this method.

But what I don't know is if the dedicated track units have that ability to use other guides for routers and hole drilling guides. I see that Festool does. If I was Tom Silva and Festool was providing me with anything out of their catalog, I'd have the dedicated job. But since these things are not used that often around here, I'm not interested in having $500 sitting on a shelf months at a time.

Zeke,

I think Festool is the the only brand with their own hole drilling guide, but I believe Makita has a router adapter for their track saw/rail; if I remember correctly, it only works with a couple of their routers.

P.S.: You and I have the same preference on routing dados for cabinets.

 

[TNBurban]

What does a table saw do?

1. Rip - both excel at this plus a track saw does not have a rip limit, whereas a table saw can only rip the maximum width the fence rails can accommodate. And if setup properly there is no minimum rip width with a track saw
2. Cross cut - both can cross cut
3. Dados - table saw wins here. If you have a track saw only you need a router setup to cut dados
4. Tenons - again, table saw wins here. If you have a track saw only you need a router setup, although you could probably improvise something if you only had a track saw...or break out the chisels.
5. Bevel cuts - both are capable (assuming the track saw model in question is able to, which all I've seen are)
6. Angled cross cuts - both are capable. Table saw uses an adjustable miter gauge. Track saw you set the rail to the angle
7. Kickback - table saw wins here (or should I say loses). Can't think of a situation where kickback occurs on a track saw
8. Jigs and other stuff - table saw wins here, as a track saw is not as flexible when it comes to using jigs or similar things. But a router would probably cover you for almost anything you wanted to do. Cove moulding would probably be one thing a table saw could do that a track saw and router setup couldn't (unless you had a huge router on a nice table).
9. Ripping heavy, large sheet goods alone - track saw wins this one. You can set a sheet of MDF or plywood on the ground (on a piece of insulation) and rip it anyway you want alone, easily. Or set the workpiece up on saw horses. Ripping the same sheet by your self on a table saw is difficult. Easier on a cabinet saw setup with infeed and outfeed tables. But dang near impossible on a portable jobsite table saw (like the Bosch) even with the dinky little work supports some of them have.


Bottom line based on my experience is you can get by with a track saw, but will need a router, preferably one that you can use on the track saw track, to do some of the things the track saw can't.

But for heavy and/or bulky stuff, the biggest thing is with a track saw the blade moves through the work piece, whereas with a table saw, the work piece needs to move through the blade. This can be important when working alone or in confined space.

Now, as far as table saws go, there is no substitute for a good old cast iron Delta Unisaw or Powermatic PM 66 with a Biesemeyer fence and nice size table that can pass the nickel test!

 

[Firebrick43]

DEWALT tracksaw has a router attachment as well

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWS5031-TrackSaw-Router-Adapter/dp/B001J38N9W

 

[manwithtools]

DEWALT tracksaw has a router attachment as well

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWS5031-TrackSaw-Router-Adapter/dp/B001J38N9W

I have the DeWalt track saw and router attachment. I had to modify it to work with my Porter Cable routers, just as was mentioned with the Festool unit above.

I prefer this method to make long dados as opposed to a table saw as well.

 

[bczygan]

What do you need the extra space for?

 

[TNBurban]

DEWALT tracksaw has a router attachment as well

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWS5031-TrackSaw-Router-Adapter/dp/B001J38N9W

And it fits on the festool track. I used it with a Dewalt router until I saved up enough to get a festool router.

 

[Trey T]

Maybe, but it's not available in the U.S. so I doubt they'd try to sell you on a table saw that isn't available to you and likely won't be in the future.

I didn't realized that it wasn't available in the US.

Festool's business model is to simplify the process of building cabinets - any child can accomplish it. Look at the site owner (Ryan), he's a mechanic and don't have a solid background in building cabinets but he's building $7k worth of cabinets for his home/wife and he's willing to spend $8K worth of Festool to accomplish it. The biggest challenge when building a cabinet is the precision and strength of joinery, like others have said about mortise/tenon, and their solution to the alternative is the Domino system. Traditionally, experts like Norm Abram (or Tom Silva) rely on table saw to make tenons.

The point is, even when Festool found revolutionary solution to the joinery, they still can't get away from utilizing table saw. Therefore, table saw will continue to be used for many years (may be decades) to come.

 

[Sal Bandini]

I didn't realized that it wasn't available in the US.

Festool's business model is to simplify the process of building cabinets - any child can accomplish it. Look at the site owner (Ryan), he's a mechanic and don't have a solid background in building cabinets but he's building $7k worth of cabinets for his home/wife and he's willing to spend $8K worth of Festool to accomplish it. The biggest challenge when building a cabinet is the precision and strength of joinery, like others have said about mortise/tenon, and their solution to the alternative is the Domino system. Traditionally, experts like Norm Abram (or Tom Silva) rely on table saw to make tenons.

The point is, even when Festool found revolutionary solution to the joinery, they still can't get away from utilizing table saw. Therefore, table saw will continue to be used for many years (may be decades) to come.

So it's the tool not the craftsman?

In my camera forum this is the same logic that bothers photographers. People see nice picture and say, "oh you must have expensive camera". They discount the skill of photographer.

Creating cabinets is not rocket science. It's a rectangular box. It can be done precisely with lesser tools than Festool. And what strength are you creating with that system? It's basically knockdown furniture assembly once all pieces are cut and holes drilled.

Festool's advantage is in the ease of production level work in a confined space. If you have lots of panels to cut down, if you have to work in the customer's living room, if you want to avoid lots of dust, then Festool is great. It doesn't make a better cabinet. That's on the operator.

 

[Git]

Creating cabinets is not rocket science. It's a rectangular box. It can be done precisely with lesser tools than Festool. And what strength are you creating with that system? It's basically knockdown furniture assembly once all pieces are cut and holes drilled.

Sometimes I think actually making the cabinet is the easy part - the hard part is the finishing work

 

[ishiboo]

Thanks, all. I have the Bosch "portable" contractor's table saw. It folds and rolls (although tires are usually flat...). One man handling of sheet goods ***** with it. Ripping narrow stuff is about all I do with it (well). Looking at track saw info online I can see that ripping a 1 x 4 in half isn't where a track saw shines. The Makita looks like a decent system. Decisions, decisions...

I couldn't live without my table saw... I can (and do) live without a track saw. Definitely ripping narrow stock is not really a job for the track saw. Fix the tires and get some rollers for the table saw and you'll be much happier with it. I hate hauling my 4100 out, but once it's there it's really good at what it needs to do.

 

[ishiboo]

So it's the tool not the craftsman?

In my camera forum this is the same logic that bothers photographers. People see nice picture and say, "oh you must have expensive camera". They discount the skill of photographer.

Creating cabinets is not rocket science. It's a rectangular box. It can be done precisely with lesser tools than Festool. And what strength are you creating with that system? It's basically knockdown furniture assembly once all pieces are cut and holes drilled.

Festool's advantage is in the ease of production level work in a confined space. If you have lots of panels to cut down, if you have to work in the customer's living room, if you want to avoid lots of dust, then Festool is great. It doesn't make a better cabinet. That's on the operator.

It sounds like you are confusing pocket holes like Kreg with Festool Domino that was being referred to, which is an alternative for a biscuit. There is a ton of surface area on the Domino to get glue, so you're creating something very strong. Both Domino and regular biscuits are used solely for glue-up applications, so pretty much the opposite of a knock-down. I would expect anyone building finish cabinetry with a Kreg is also gluing face frame joints and things and using the Kreg system to clamp it. There are definite advantages to both Domino and Kreg for building face frames.

 

[Sal Bandini]

No I have seen Festool's videos where they use 32mm system for alignment and fastening locations. I guess if you use Domino to connect the case then you wouldn't do that.

I wonder how many cabinet makers assemble cases like that.

 

[ishiboo]

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I don't have a Domino set but I have used biscuits for the same way... they definitely are an easy way to ensure proper alignment of stuff that does get screwed together. But I don't think many people are making knock-down cabinets with Domino.

 

[Estley]

Who makes the Grizzly track saw? Looks like it's on sale now and priced lower than the DeWalt and comparable models.

The Grizzly saw is a rebadged Scheppach, it consistently gets "less than stellar" reviews.

 

[derosa]

It can't replace the tablesaw unless you have other tools to work with even for just cabinets. The trim I was finishing up today required cutting down the thickness of the edges, boards were 3/4" and the edges needed to be 1/2" thick so too narrow for a tracksaw and the blade could only come up 1/4" or it would ruin the face of the trim, could be done with a decent rotor table, wouldn't want to hand rout the 20 boards I had let alone the other 30 I need to make still.
The face frames and door rails and stiles are easiest cut to width on a tablesaw though jointer, planer and bandsaw will accomplish the same task with more waste. As mentioned plenty above a track saw excels with sheet goods, I'm converting my handplane work bench into a outfeed table by making a bracket that roller will sit in that can go in the dogleg holes for support of longer boards or sheets. When funds can support I will be getting a good track saw.
I would also never buy from grizzly, their customer service ***** beyond belief and their customer service reps are rude and unhelpful. I own two of their tools but no more.

 

[Kingsteely]

My table saw can accept a moulding head, and I can make thin pieces of custom moulding. I have been known to use my table saw as a disk sander as well. My table saw can do dado work although I don't have a dado blade. And it can do precision cutting with a miter gauge. And my Craftsman floor model saw that I grew up with, can make cheek cuts for mortise and tenon joints.
But I think a track saw and a cordless circular saw is very handy out in the field.

 

[WWheeler]

The majority of cuts I make on my table saw are crosscuts or ripping small boards, for example, rip a bunch of 2x4s into 2x2s or an 18" 1x4 ripped into three pieces. I also cut a LOT of rabbits and dadoes, usually on short pieces less than 2' long.

Much less often am I using it to do a lot of all the way through cuts on sheet goods like I might with a track saw.

 

[nadogail]

Maybe, it depends on what you are cutting.

 

[isr2kba]

Typical German engineer's mentality.
Either they have a product that solves your problem, or "Why would you want to do it that way?"

So, if you ask Festool about cutting a tenon, they'd say you should buy a Domino.

Funny and spot on.

I see a quaint charm in the arrogance.

 

[AEAdam]

I couldn't live without my table saw... I can (and do) live without a track saw. Definitely ripping narrow stock is not really a job for the track saw. Fix the tires and get some rollers for the table saw and you'll be much happier with it. I hate hauling my 4100 out, but once it's there it's really good at what it needs to do.

You can rip narrow stock on tracksaw all day long. If you are ripping a 1x4, you might need another 1x4 to rest the track on. It’s really no problem. Thin cuts, straight cuts on warped (cast) lumber are no problem. I use the hell out of mine.

The other big advantage is not needed outfeed space. You can cut on your kitchen or dining room table or on a finished floor. You can use MDF under the saw to protect surfaces below. I often use XPS foam insulation, just because it’s light and cheap.

Im ready to upgrade and am torn between Milwaukee and Makita.

 

[GrayFlattop]

Table saw almost always is the preferred tool for me. You can go from ripping narrow strips of laminate or solid wood for edge banding, to cutting thick maple slabs.

Sure a track saw is handy for breaking down panels, but so is a panel saw. I’ve had a powermatic 66 and a safety speed cut panel saw for almost 40 years and a makita track saw for about five years. If track saws were available when I got the panel saw, I would have purchased the track saw, but that was not the case.

If I could only choose one, the table saw wins hands down. Try cutting many feet of rabbet joints or dados on a track saw. I’d love to see someone cut finger joints for drawers with a track saw - it ain’t happening. Sure, very clever people could find a workaround, but you will never keep up at a “production” pace.

One saw? Table saw. Buy the best you an afford or stretch the budget a bit, or spend time making excuses.

Limited space? You might have to settle for a track saw, but you will always wish for a proper table saw. Job site work? Depends on the scope of the project, but I’ve brought the trusty PM66 to the job site before, but admittedly that was before track saws were a thing.

You might want to invest in a good book “Table Saw Techniques” by the late, great Roger Cliffe. With it, you will get the most out of your table saw.

All of these tools have their advantages and disadvantages- you can put them all to work. Hell, buy them all, this is GJ…

 

[LWB]

I've always just used a skill saw and guide to rip sheets goods. It's not often I do it but works fine. I'm sure it's slower but that's okay.

https://www.rona.ca/en/product/acculine-tru-line-98-extruded-aluminum-cutting-guide-0704070?viewStore=33420&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=6643563544&cq_con=87425777708&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&&cm_mmc=paid_search-_-google-_-shopping_aw_lia_generic_tools-_-71700000064493394&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9PP04dO_gQMVd__jBx2WpQD9EAQYBiABEgJ4c_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I haven't used a table saw in years and I have 3. I'm not doing dados and tenons regularly though. I do some joinery with hand tools. That's my favorite method of working with wood now and have a small 12" band saw too.

 

[FMC1959]

I see this was an old post that has been revived. I would be curious to know what the OP was referring to as a table saw.

Many responded about how great their table saw is for dadoes and other stuff, which is usually reserved for a full blown cabinet saw. The Op might have been referring to a cabinet saw or a simple benchtop table saw, which are completely different animals. A full size cabinet saw with extension can easily do whatever a track saw does...just as easily and accurately. Heck, with a sliding table, it would a breeze. Of course, a quality cabinet saw start at a couple of thousand $$$,and go up from there. They also require lots of room and access to 220v. Then you get into jigs and accessories, special expensive blades.

However, based on the question, I suspect the OP was referring to a benchtop saw (Harry homeowner does not have a cabinet saw and ask this kind of question). A benchtop can do just about anything, but not very well. Aside from ripping thin pieces, a benchtop will be much harder to use accurately versus a track saw. Rather than looking at it as, if you could only have one or the other, which could you get by with easier.

Forget dados, neither can do these. A benchtop saw is OK, but a track saw is easy setup, easy to operate, and you get great results. Even for ripping thin strips, with equal size material under the track for support, and a bit of attention, you can accurately cut thin strips, although this would be its weakest attribute.

Aside from thin rips, there is nothing else a benchtop saw can do with minimal setup, easy operation and accuracy.

Ask contractors that go job to job onsite. I would guess that almost all of them are changing over to a track saw versus a benchtop saw. Much more functional and less space in the truck. Those that keep a benchtop saw do so because they have repeated thin rips to do.

I personally find that for these ease of setup, literally seconds, ease of operation, accuracy, portability...etc., it is one of the best new tools in the past 25 years.

 

[alinc100]

A track saw has a place but a table saw is better/more versatile for many woodworking operations. Repetitive cuts, thin strips, multiple parts ,dadoes,miters,bevels pattern cutting/shadowboarding,etc. Just 1 example of a common part we make/use 1000's of a year 4" x 4" x 3/4" birch plywood "feet" These are nailed /stapled/glued under platforms,ramps,cabinets,stages etc . The process on the tablesaw begins by ripping all the stock to 4" wide, it is then cross-cut with a cutoff sled to 4" ,ganging 3-4 pieces high .When all material is down to 4x4 the saw blade is tilted 45 degrees into a sacrificial fence with just a portion of the blade exposed allowing a bevel cut to be made on all 4 sides very quickly,all with a single dust collector attached/operating on one machine. Again we use these by the 100's to 1000's monthly. One could rip the material with a track saw,but then you'd need a chop saw/miter saw to cross cut the rips ,and then a router and a chamfer bit to put the bevel on all four sides. And around here(SE Michigan) I can buy a used Unisaw 2-3 times a month in the $3-500 range. A track saw can excel at breaking down sheet goods, and rips/cleaning up rough edges on long stock.In the example above I can use any drops from other cutting to make my 4" feet. The tablesaw doesn't care if its 8 ft stock or 10" drops/cutoffs. While possible I'd think multiple rips on a 10" w x 48" piece of birch ply would be a lesson in frustration with a tracksaw.

 

[FMC1959]

A track saw has a place but a table saw is better/more versatile for many woodworking operations. Repetitive cuts, thin strips, multiple parts ,dadoes,miters,bevels pattern cutting/shadowboarding,etc. Just 1 example of a common part we make/use 1000's of a year 4" x 4" x 3/4" birch plywood "feet" These are nailed /stapled/glued under platforms,ramps,cabinets,stages etc . The process on the tablesaw begins by ripping all the stock to 4" wide, it is then cross-cut with a cutoff sled to 4" ,ganging 3-4 pieces high .When all material is down to 4x4 the saw blade is tilted 45 degrees into a sacrificial fence with just a portion of the blade exposed allowing a bevel cut to be made on all 4 sides very quickly,all with a single dust collector attached/operating on one machine. Again we use these by the 100's to 1000's monthly. One could rip the material with a track saw,but then you'd need a chop saw/miter saw to cross cut the rips ,and then a router and a chamfer bit to put the bevel on all four sides. And around here(SE Michigan) I can buy a used Unisaw 2-3 times a month in the $3-500 range. A track saw can excel at breaking down sheet goods, and rips/cleaning up rough edges on long stock.In the example above I can use any drops from other cutting to make my 4" feet. The tablesaw doesn't care if its 8 ft stock or 10" drops/cutoffs. While possible I'd think multiple rips on a 10" w x 48" piece of birch ply would be a lesson in frustration with a tracksaw.

You are talking about specific production work, making repeated (as you say 1000's) cuts. The comparison you are making is like a typical 3hp router versus a CNC machine.

I suppose the OP's original question; the context of it is most important.

If he is a homeowner/DIYer, I highly doubt he was referring to a cabinet saw.

If he is a professional furniture or cabinet maker, he would have more than enough experience to bother asking this question (he would probably own a cabinet saw + track saw with MFT).

 

[Mandres]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's nothing a track saw can do that a circular saw with a homemade rip fence can't. I have a 4 ft and an 8 ft fence, they work flawlessly for breaking down plywood. Honestly though most of the time it's quicker to freehand cut the plywood and then final cut to exact size on the table saw rather than trying to line up exact cuts while kneeling on the floor. I just don't see $400-$800 worth of value in these systems. It's absolutely no replacement for a table saw in furniture or cabinet building.

 

[FMC1959]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's nothing a track saw can do that a circular saw with a homemade rip fence can't. I have a 4 ft and an 8 ft fence, they work flawlessly for breaking down plywood. Honestly though most of the time it's quicker to freehand cut the plywood and then final cut to exact size on the table saw rather than trying to line up exact cuts while kneeling on the floor. I just don't see $400-$800 worth of value in these systems. It's absolutely no replacement for a table saw in furniture or cabinet building.

Good Lord, I don't want you to keep saying it again and again, but consider the question by the OP, do you see "furniture or cabinet building" in the question.

Maybe he is a troll just looking for people to react. Or maybe he is just getting into buying some tools and wonders if his 1st investment should be a $500 benchtop saw or a track saw.

One thing for sure, a furniture or cabinet builder, would not need to ask such a question.

 

[shoot summ]

Funny to see this revived, but still a good subject. I've gotten by with a table saw for many years. Age is catching up to me and muscling 4x8 sheets through the table saw doesn't make sense, so most of the time I will have the supplier break sheets down for me if it is available, or I use a straight edge and a circular saw. I recently picked up a deal on the Kreg Advanced Cutting System. A fold up table with a saw track installed, and a plunge saw. I really like the ACS, easy setup and repeatable cutting, also used it to give me a square edge on some rough lumber. I'm not ready to give up my table saw, but I am getting a lot of value from a "track saw".