Most The kerf cant "close on the blade" if the correct blade is used and the riving knife is used as intended.
Link? All the video's of festool kickback I have seen are due to not starting on the track fully.
Most do, the TS60 is one of the few that doesn't
The dewalt and kreg both also have antikickback pawls that engage the track.
What? Other than two clamps my dewalt has required no other accessories to use it?
There are a lot of accessories such as squares and repeaters but in no way are "required" to use the saw?
And your pointing out safety lapses and misuse of a product. A circular saw and a Masonite guide has NONE of those safety features to mitigate kickback. What is a finger worth?
“The kerf can’t close up on the blade, IF the correct blade is used, AND the riving knife is used as intended”
-Rining knives can be used or set up incorrectly, or an incorrect riving knife can be used (the riving knife thickness has to be made for the blades plate thickness), and on dome saws, the riving knives don’t retract, meaning the riving knife can’t be used for plunge cuts.
I’ll see if I can find the video, but it’s been a while.
I haven’t used either the Kreg or the Dewalt saws.
The squares, and parallel guide setups may not be required, but they’re sort of needed, to get the maximum precision, quickness, and repeatability, with the saws that can use the Festool track system.
Different length track are also needed, because using a longer track that overhangs a work piece too much, can cause the track to bend, making the tracks less precise, and more importantly, leading to a much higher likelihood of saw kickback.
Longer tracks are also better for longer cuts, even though it is possibly to attach tracks together, although that would require purchasing one or more track connectors, and then tacking the tome to connect and more importantly, align the tracks.
Also, Festool has a habit of selling the saws with tracks that are just a bit too short for cuts across standard dimensions.
Another issue is blade cost.
Blades for track saws are usually “weird” metric dimension blades, that are way less available in the USA, and therefore way more expensive.
There are cheaper options, but most are brands one will never of heard of, or ones that are less expensive than the Festool branded blades, but which are still expensive.
With a USA standard 7-1/4” saw, blades are readoly available at any home center or hardware store, usually in a variety of tooth counts, and from manufacturers or brands that produce quality blades, and the price is routinely $20 or less.
For safety reasons, a saw should really be used with a lower tooth count blade than what is supplied, unless you are using the saw to cut thinner flooring.
I’be used regular circular saws and track saws.
The blades, and the motor power, and the general weight of regular circular saws, plus the blades the saws are usually outfitted with, all seem to help mitigate kickback, although judging by OSHA reports, kickback still routinely happens.
Tracksawsdo have potential extra safety features, but way too many people think track saws are the “perfectly safe” option, and get close to implying tracksaws will eliminate safety issues.
This is far from the case.
