Tracksaw-Corded or Cordless

[purplezr2]

I know I have had a lot of track saw(Plunge saw) questions lately.

I want to get the best, but also make sure I get what I need too.

I was set on Festool, after my last two threads I'm questioning that, and looking at Makita. I'm concerned with repeatable quality cuts with good to great dust collection.

So after looking at Makita, I see they have both corded(seems to be harder to find), and cordless versions. I have all M12 and M18 tools in the stable currently. I would prefer not to have another battery system to keep track of so I'm leaning toward corded.

I assume corded will be more powerful, I can plug it into my dust extractor(flex) and it will automatically come on. No batteries to worry about.

Thoughts?

 

[Bogie1632]

Have you considered a battery adapter so you can utilize your M18s?

Just a thought.

V/R
Bogie

 

[jdm5]

I'm a fan of cordless tools, but for a tracksaw I went corded - going to always have a dust host anyways so cord doesn't really matter. (and went Festool and very happy).

 

[u2slow]

I still prefer the performance and price of corded tools for all but the very small/ handy/portable items.

 

[cashishift]

I have a corded Track Saw - If I ever get a vacuum to hook it up to, it will have a sleeve over the power cord all in one unit - much like the Festool.

Mine is a Dewalt, while not used often. It's a great arrow in the quiver.

 

[tarbellb]

Dust collection and cordless are a new frontier.

Both Makita and Festool have tried to tackle this obstacle.

IIRC, both mfg have a new model (careful, I know Makita has one without this feature)
that have wireless connection to trigger a dust collector.

I believe Festool also relies on a bagged system that is supposed to have good collection??

A truly cordless+hoseless system would be a welcomed change to the old corded setup.

But, if you dont have the bag, you might as well go corded + plus hose, no real advantage to a cordless tool connected to a hose.
------

Finally, even the Festool fanboys know the Makita is 95% the saw the Festool is at 50% the cost. And they have the bigger blade model now.

 

[Gotcha640]

What are you using it for? Is it a step before tablesaw?

Do you have a cordless circular saw?

If you have a tablesaw, and no other cordless saw, I would go cordless.

I have a cordless circular saw (not track saw) and being able to break stuff down at the hardware store or on the trailer/truck bed is very helpful working by my self.

As far as I know, all the tracksaws will work fine without the track for general rough cuts.

 

[Voi]

I'm a fan of cordless tools, but for a tracksaw I went corded - going to always have a dust host anyways so cord doesn't really matter. (and went Festool and very happy).

Same here. Love my cordless circular saw and am eyeing a cordless jig saw even though I have one of the Swiss made Bosch saws.

But for my Makita track saw and already having the dust collector hose it was an easy choice to go corded.

Also, I like to be sure that my saw is completely unpowered when making changes for bevels or whatever.

I have my track saw plugged into an overhead power strip and it's easy to just reach up and unplug it. Easier than removing the battery from my regular circular saw when changing the depth of cut on that.

Back to dealing with the cord and DC hose, I built a plywood cradle that holds my extractor overhead. It lifts up and down with a kayak hoist. The power strip is attached to the cradle.

It is so much easier to make multiple cuts now. I just lift the saw out of the way and move the track.

I see people rigging up overhead booms on YouTube but I already had the kayak hoist and it is working out well for me.

No pictures. Just moved to a new house and I'm going to completely re-do it with a separator.

 

[bepjrfan]

Pondered this decision as well. Ended up going corded. I have the festool ts55REQ and it has been phenomenal. You will definitely want dust collection as these spit quite a bit of sawdust.

Being that you are already likely going to hook it up to a dust collector, the cord isn't getting in the way any more than the dust hose. I have the CT26 dust collector for mine and just plug it into the dust collector outlet and the combo works great!

I also run the Milwaukee cordless lineup and didn't want another series of batteries to lug around. Also, if you are planning on long term use of the track saw, don't want to have to worry about battery availability in the long term.

 

[acer66]

I'm a fan of cordless tools, but for a tracksaw I went corded - going to always have a dust host anyways so cord doesn't really matter. (and went Festool and very happy).

This and same here.

 

[GrantCee]

I'm in a different position than most: I don't have a fixed woodshop. I use my saws all over our farm; one day I might be in the garage, the next day siding one of the outbuildings, and the next at someone else's house helping them.

Because I don't have a fixed workspace, I don't have dust collection and a hose tying me down. The cordless Makita was the right choice for my situation. It's not a matter of power (the cordless version has all the power one would need), but of convenience and flexibility.

If you're lucky enough to have a woodshop with dust collection, and never go anywhere else you might need a tracksaw, I'd agree the cordless version doesn't make much sense.

 

[Stuey]

I own a corded Festool.

I have a cordless Makita sample I was sent for review. I use the Makita more.

I have a Bluetooth remote on my Festool vac so I can activate it from the hose. It's not as effortless as having a tool plugged into the vac, but it's better than having to go to the vac to turn it on.

I don't always use a dust vac with the Makita, such as if I'm cutting outside.

 

[Voi]

I own a corded Festool.

I have a cordless Makita sample I was sent for review. I use the Makita more.

I have a Bluetooth remote on my Festool vac so I can activate it from the hose. It's not as effortless as having a tool plugged into the vac, but it's better than having to go to the vac to turn it on.

I don't always use a dust vac with the Makita, such as if I'm cutting outside.

Stuey is this one of what they're calling a track ready saw?

I looked around your blog & didn't see a reference to it. Look forward to the review regardless.

 

[Stuey]

Stuey is this one of what they're calling a track ready saw?

I looked around your blog & didn't see a reference to it. Look forward to the review regardless.

It's the Makita plunge-cutting saw.

https://toolguyd.com/festools-corded-track-saw-obsolete-vs-cordless-2020/

I pulled my cored Festool out over the summer and used both back and forth. Indoors, I could go either way. But I put the Festool back in the basement in its storage space, and the Makita in the garage cabinet.

10 years from now though, the Festool *should* still be working, possibly with a new blade and chip guard, and the Makita will need new batteries, which can be a big investment compared to the total purchase price.

If I were buying new today, I'm not entirely sure what I'd buy, but I'd likely lean a little more towards the Makita. There are other cordless track saws, but not for anything as low as the Makita deal. They don't have the double battery promo right now, but they do still have an impact driver and guide rail promo.

https://toolguyd.com/makita-cordless-track-saw-deal-xps01ptj-holiday-2020/

With the Makita, I don't keep any other cordless circular saw at the ready for use outside when I don't need dust collection. With the Festool, I would.

It's a really, really tough choice, and that's keeping in mind that I use both.

I also have access to a cordless Festool - it's somewhere - but the price point makes it hard to recommend over the Makita.

The Makita isn't new - Home Depot sent me a sample a while ago as part of a year-long paid partnership.

 

[Voi]

It's the Makita plunge-cutting saw.

If I were buying new today, I'm not entirely sure what I'd buy, but I'd likely lean a little more towards the Makita. There are other cordless track saws, but not for anything as low as the Makita deal. They don't have the double battery promo right now, but they do still have an impact driver and guide rail promo.

Thanks. To clarify, I already own the Makita corded plunge saw. Well actually I share it with my business partner. We rarely need it at the same time so we decided that he'd buy the saw and 55" rail and I'd invest in extra rails and dust collection plus build him a Paulk like setup.

I also own the 6.5" brushless, blade-left cordless Makita. But since I own a home and a cabin plus the building we work in I've thought about getting a cordless sidewinder, which is the setup I grew up with.

Hence, my interest in the XSO8z, which is a cordless sidewinder with a rail compatible base.

It would be my track saw at the times we both need the plunge saw plus it would be my cordless sidewinder when I need a saw left at two of three possible locations.

Hoping for more real-world reviews before buying.

 

[rrich1]

Cordless for sure. I have the non bluetooth makita cordless and use a miter saw dust collection bag. Works darn well. As food as a vac? No but it collects a lot of the dust and allows me to use the saw anywhere.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Stuey]

Thanks. To clarify, I already own the Makita corded plunge saw. Well actually I share it with my business partner. We rarely need it at the same time so we decided that he'd buy the saw and 55" rail and I'd invest in extra rails and dust collection plus build him a Paulk like setup.

I also own the 6.5" brushless, blade-left cordless Makita. But since I own a home and a cabin plus the building we work in I've thought about getting a cordless sidewinder, which is the setup I grew up with.

Hence, my interest in the XSO8z, which is a cordless sidewinder with a rail compatible base.

It would be my track saw at the times we both need the plunge saw plus it would be my cordless sidewinder when I need a saw left at two of three possible locations.

Hoping for more real-world reviews before buying.

Sorry, I confused you for the OP who was trying to decide between corded or cordless.

I don't know about that model.

Guide rail-compatible saws seem to be a plunge saw-like solution for users who don't really care about plunge cutting or dust collection as much as the lower cost.

Bosch has one coming out at some point. No chip guard, no fine plunge controls.

I bought a track saw because I was tired of straight edges shifting and requiring too much finicking, but also for the dust collection, finish cut quality, and plunge cutting ability.

A guide rail-compatible saw is going to be better than a standard circular saw, but seems like less than a half-measure when it comes to all of the types of things I like about actual plunge-cutting track saws.

It might be worth a look.

A saw would use the same guide rails you already have, and can be used as a circular saw.

Just be sure about your intent. Do you really want another track saw and are considering a rail-compatible saw as a less expensive saw, or do you want a circular saw and see the rail-compatible one as having more features and versatility? If the former, I'd be hesitant. If the latter, than it's probably a good idea, or at least one very strongly worth considering.

Ah wait - you mean the XSH08z ?

Seems a little pricey to me, but it's a brushless guide rail-compatible circular saw if that's what you want.

Compared to the track saw, this has the 7-1/4" blade vs. 6-1/2", and compared to their other 7-1/4" saws, it has guide rail compatibility.

Hmm. Sorry, I don't envy that decision. Personally, I would either look to budget for another track saw kit - which is about what you'd pay anyway if you buy the circular saw and pair of batteries - or look at a purely sidewinder-style circular saw, but my needs are very different from yours.

You could always buy it from a store with a good return policy and see if it works for you. Of come up with a few options and wait for the best deal.

 

[cgv69]

Interesting question cause I'm kind of in the same boat. Even though I have a table saw and a Milwaukee M18 6.5" CS, I'm still wanting a track saw. From the research I've done, I'm leaning towards the Makita over the Festool too.

I am also entirely M12/M18 for my battery powered tools and while I don't relish the idea of adding another battery platform, I am leaning towards the battery powered model.

Mostly because I've become totally in love with cordless tools over the last couple of years and almost hate using corded tools anymore. The only corded tools I haven't replaced with cordless yet is my Milwaukee Super Sawzall and my Bosch barrel grip jig saw because both are great tools but I don't use either enough to worry about it. My full size routers are still corded because there are no battery powered full size routers but I did just get the Milwaukee M18 palm router.

Anyway, sure if you are using it indoors with DC, you will have the hose to deal with but that's OK. I like being able to take it to a remote site and not have to deal with finding a power source or extension cords etc..

We'll see? I can see arguments for and against so I haven't made my final decision yet but that's where i'm strongly leaning right now. Love to hear which way you end up going and why?

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

I have a cordless track saw and vacuum, and I really really like the versatility. Even when I'm just cutting stuff up in the garage, I like not having cords strewn about. I've taken the track saw with me to the hardware store to cut up sheet goods in the parking lot (I can cut faster and straighter with the tracksaw on a truck tailgate than they can with their panel saw and a novice operator), and obviously you can't do that with a corded saw. I haven't done it yet, but I imagine there are some cases where you would need or want to cut something in the backyard or outside of the shop where the cordless would be handier.

But, if I had to switch to invest in a new ecosystem for the cordless track saw.... ehhh... dunno that's a tough scenario.

Track saws don't need to be hugely powerful. They never really bind up when you're using the track, so its not like a D handle Skill saw that needs 15A to power through when you're on your toes ripping the last 3 inches of an 8' sheet.

 

[jdm5]

Track saws don't need to be hugely powerful. They never really bind up when you're using the track, so its not like a D handle Skill saw that needs 15A to power through when you're on your toes ripping the last 3 inches of an 8' sheet.

I think I'd quantify the use case here; I'm sure you're referring to cutting down sheet goods and I'd agree.

But I use mine to joint or resize lumber for furniture, so cutting down 8/4 Maple the smaller Festool (TS55) is insufficient. The TS75 is a better choice.

 

[ScottsGT]

If it were me, I’d base it on are you using it all the time and in different locations? Cordless
Once in a blue moon? Corded unless you use the same batteries in other tools.