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Been doing lots of woodwork and renovating over lockdown and, apart from a decent planer/thicknesses, I want a track saw. I already have makita tracks I used for my cordless trim router but torn between their plunge saw or their circular saw. Both have track compatible bases, and 2x18V but the latter is available in the new 40V and is on offer with an extra battery.
Plunge saw:
£320 bare
Easy plunge cuts on track
Has variable speed up to the same max rpm but smaller diameter so slightly slower
Can do -1deg for slight undercuts on butt joints etc
Looks safer with the fixed guard and no rotating guard to catch on edges
Circular saw:
£450 with 2x 40v 2.5ah batteries and charger
Fixed depth more useful for other tasks like when away from the mains chop saw
Bigger blade (190mm vs 165mm) but only 5mm deeper cut (60mm) as the motor looks bigger and presumably has more torque
40V is newer and obviously better..but will mean I can buy a big 1/2" impact wrench when they bring one out on 40V
I am leaning towards the circular saw and maybe just fitting a depth stop for those times I really need to plunge into something when on the track.
Circular saw if you'll do things off the track. Plunge saw if dust extraction is important. You can work faster with the plunge saw if you're doing track only stuff. But that time saving only matters in situations where you're spending more time cutting than thinking about the next cut.
Plunge Vs circular saw
Different tools.
I have the cordless Makita track saw and it's fantastic. I also have their smaller cordless circular saw which is also fantastic.
Depends what you do most of. Also sounds like you know what you fancy.
I'd have said get the plunge saw but that's clouded by my use of it.
Get the circular saw 👍
Do you really need to be getting into the 40v system? As makita say; it’s for select heavy duty tasks. I’m a keen hobbyist woodworker and I like my tools to be top notch but an 18v plunge saw is working great for me and not lacking power. I wouldn’t want to be encumbered with an overrated system. Unless this 1/2” impact is because you’re actually a lorry mechanic?
Take the plunge.
Aha! 😀
I think I'll have retired before I go cordless everything. I can see the benefit on sites where you'd otherwise need to be lumping a 110v tranny around but for household joinery? I find my cordless combi drills last two years max before the batteries or the chargers pack in. If I ran everything cordless that presumably means I'm buying a new battery every 3 months at £70 a pop? By contrast I still have a corded Bosch drill that I bought in 1986.
Love my Makita 36v track saw. I have a circular saw and table saw too but hardly use either now, with the garage so packed it's often easier to just work on the impromptu bench (two sawhorses and a couple of bits of OSB) I have outside - plonk the rail down, cut, done.
40v doesn't make sense for many tools IMO - Makita have said 18v LXT is going to keep being developed and it's a big range of tools (my garden strimmer and hedgetrimmer are LXT) - 40v will mainly be the heavier end stuff - big saws, drills, grinders - with some core common tools like combi drills so that some people can stay on the one system.
For woodworking I'd actually quite like the little 10.8v drill and impact but the last thing I need is another battery system and charger.
f I ran everything cordless that presumably means I’m buying a new battery every 3 months at £70 a pop?
I run almost everything cordless (plunge saw being the exception as until someone comes up with hose-less dust extraction the saw is always tethered to a dust extractor)
I'm not buying a new battery every 3 months - I haven't had a battery fail for years and I've never had a charger pack up. Some of my batteries are close to a decade old.
Well I guess my tools do get a kicking. But I have tried Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Metabo all to no avail.
Having spent 5 weeks using a 165 hilti tracksaw compatible circular saw ....
I'd go the middle ground and get a 165 circular saw that is track compatible.
Functions well as a circular saw , much lighter than my 185 wired circular saw
The track is excellent
Downsides....genuine hilti blades are really really good. Much thinner than offbrand replacements which makes an odds.
Have not even got my circular saw out the garage since this arrived. Total revelation.....downside...need to buy one for my self once my dad goes home. -- it won't be hilti.
Seems most actually in favour of the circular saw, I like the idea of being able to plunge cut on the track but I don't like the idea of trying to use the plunge saw as a circular saw...I know I will end up buying a circular saw as well in the end.
Have a table saw...bought it for cutting large planks that are not flat enough for the track to sit on. What I should have bought was a decent planer and thicknesser and then just used my track but I am enjoying the accuracy and repeated identical cuts of the table saw.
Plunge will be 36V anyway so similar spec to the 40V, but I have heard the 40V are that little bit better (different cells). I really dont fancy the 40V for everyday drill and impact driver as the batteries are huge. I am actually considering going milwaukee 12V line for some smaller duty stuff, partly as they do an excellent little 12V stapler which Makita don't. I have no interest in the Milwaukee M18 9 and 12Ah batteries - too heavy. The only tools that I kill 18V 5Ah on in less than a day is the random orbit sander (not brushless - shame on you Makita when even erbauer do a brushless one) and the trim router but I tend to use it instead of a big router, taking off lots of small cuts as it's so nice to use.
DeWalt I won't touch any more. Latest experience was a bit extension exploding on my while driving a square bit pocket screw with my drill on low torque.
Talking of which - Makita gold impact bits are incredible. Got a 50mm sq2 for pocket screws and it pulls the bit out of the extension rather than letting go of the screw. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-B-28204-Torsion-Sq2-50-Multi-Colour/dp/B00IDE2DWS
Also these stands from Triton: https://www.toolstation.com/triton-multi-stand/p11124 are a lot better in the flesh and I think might get turned into a bike build stand (front wheel off type_ with some 2x3 when not being used for wood work.
oh and back to the plunge saw. The Festool does have some little features that make it nicer but the Mafell looks like the complete package. Worth the money just for that blade change! Makita wins on £ though and the little clip to hold it to the rail during bevels gets a lot of praise.
Shame the same feature or praise cannot be bestowed on the terrible track adapter for their routers. Will be 3D printing my own when I get a chance that has the same slop adjusters and anti-tip lip.
I am actually considering going milwaukee 12V line for some smaller duty stuff, partly as they do an excellent little 12V stapler which Makita don’t.
They do an 18v though, and paired with a lower ah battery they're great in the hand.
https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/brands/makita/makita-nailer-and-staple-guns/makita-staple-guns
I have an 18v headless pin nailer and it's absolutely brilliant for trims where it's near invisible, but also great for temporary hold when making jigs etc.
You can spend ages weighing up the small differences between the brands but essentially they all get the job done.
Makes more sense to stick to one battery platform. Getting a 12v tool alongside an 18v tool often amounts to the same as getting a different brand altogether.
Makita wins on £ though and the little clip to hold it to the rail during bevels gets a lot of praise.
Yeah the clip is great actually. So simple but a great feature that I now couldn't imagine putting up with not having.
oh and back to the plunge saw. The Festool does have some little features that make it nicer but the Mafell looks like the complete package. Worth the money just for that blade change!
Forget the blade change .... the is the rail that the winner. The rail connectors on festool and compatible rails are a tiresome faff (and the grub screws break). The mafell connector works without having to flip the rail over and work on both sides - automatically straightens the connection as it tightens and you don't spend time hunting around for an allen key - you can just use a coin. (and they're not as vulnerable to bending and they're less likely to slip and the splinter guard doesn't fall off)
As far as I'm concerned tools fall into 3 categories. Those you need because you can't do a task without them, those which save time and those that help you do a better, more accurate job.
I'm not fussed about time but I am about quality. I have both a rail saw and a circular saw. I find it hard to use the circular saw these days.
I own some fancy stuff; Festool Domino and their lovely 10v drill with the right angle attachment as well as the T55 but I have a fair bit of Erbauer and Aldi too.
Might be worth looking at the Mafell KSS or Festool HKC type saws where you keep a special short rail attached to the saw which allow accurate cutting of battens and track/rail compatibility as well . (available corded/cordless)
It really depends on your usage of the saw , whether dust extraction is a priority , track saws are better in confined and workshop spaces - they need less track to overhang the work and are safer due to the blade being retracted automatically , being able to use the same track with a traditional type circular saw is a bonus but only if it fits your specific needs for extra capacity/power and if it is available.
and their lovely 10v drill with the right angle attachment as well
My favourite power tool - really lovely design, just a little under powered.
Worth remembering Mafell are a better version of Bosch (more features) but the rails are identical.
Good discussion here: https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/bosch-gkt55-and-mafell-mt55-are-the-same-saw/
TL:DR - Mafell is better for certain features but Bosch is by far better value.
I have the Bosch track saw, fits the Festool Cleantech vacuum hoses which is a nice feature. Although still spews out loads of sawdust. Next time I'll get a plunge saw just to keep the dust down.