Track saw

[Walkingthedog]

No that won’t do. Just go without food.

[sandy]

Funny you should say just had 3 teeth out and on a liquid diet. No its not beer.

[Walkingthedog]

Quick buy some tools.

[twalton1145]

Funny you should say just had 3 teeth out and on a liquid diet. No its not beer.

Ouch!!
Take Care.
Ted

[yelrow]

hi, Steve, i use a Trend, 5 foot lockable straight edge. Simply clamp on any ply sheet, then use rechargeable saw. Done this for 20 odd years, before track saw invention, methinks. Heather bought me a track to fit any saw when they came out, but old habits, die hard.

[Tricky Dicky]

hi, Steve, i use a Trend, 5 foot lockable straight edge. Simply clamp on any ply sheet, then use rechargeable saw. Done this for 20 odd years, before track saw invention, methinks. Heather bought me a track to fit any saw when they came out, but old habits, die hard.

As I said before running a circular saw down a straight edge will give a good cut but it is still possible to wander a bit with a circular saw especially on a long cut. A track saw gives such cuts another level of accuracy as the track saw sole plate has a channel that runs along a protrusion it is not possible to wander off straight.

Another issue with circular saws is that no matter how you try it is impossible to prevent splintering on the top side. A track saw can produce splinter free cuts due to the splinter guard on the track which is a stiff rubber strip initially over size but is cut with an initial run of the saw down the track. The result is a strip that just touches the saw blade and prevents splinters without all that nonsense of sticking tape on the cut line and hoping for the best. On my Makita there is even a quick setting that enables a scoring cut before plunging to the full depth.

I have used both methods mentioned and a track saw wins hands down.

Richard

[Steve M]

I decided that what my track saw needed was a decent workbench to go with it, and a portable one at that.
Apparently, something relatively new is a thing called an MFT and proprietary ones are eye wateringly expensive, but I found plans for this one on YouTube along with a link to a supplier of a CNC routed top.

A couple of days work (with the track saw ) and I managed to produce this. I also repurposed the frame from my old traverser to make a more conventional bench to sit along side it.

20220209_145547 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

20220209_150044 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

I must get on and do some modelling in the shed.

[Tricky Dicky]

I decided that what my track saw needed was a decent workbench to go with it, and a portable one at that.
Apparently, something relatively new is a thing called an MFT and proprietary ones are eye wateringly expensive, but I found plans for this one on YouTube along with a link to a supplier of a CNC routed top.

A couple of days work (with the track saw ) and I managed to produce this. I also repurposed the frame from my old traverser to make a more conventional bench to sit along side

I must get on and do some modelling in the shed.

That looks familiar, is it Peter Millard’s design? You have got yourself a decent tracksaw too you will not regret the investment.

Richard

[Steve M]

Yes Richard, yes it’s one of his designs. I bought the plan from him and couldn’t believe how easy it went together. Even managed to cut all the pieces right first time........with the new saw.

It’s just the inexpensive Mac Allister saw from B&Q but it has the advantage of being compatible with all the Makita accessories. Perfectly adequate for my purposes. Wish i’d Had it when I made my baseboards.

I also took his advice on the fence and bought a length of aluminum extrusion instead of a ‘brand name’ fence and saved over £60 on that part alone.
The CNC top, timber and hardware came to about £100 but considering the proprietary MFT is well over £500 I reckon I got a bargain.