www.toolstop.co.uk: Plunge saws are a big deal, but for many in the UK they aren't seen as being an essential tool in the kit.
For some, the reasoning goes that a circular saw will do what a plunge saw can do, and maybe a jigsaw can sort those fiddly little jobs in between.
However, we'd argue that a plunge saw is an essential power tool for joiners, carpenters, kitchen fitters, anyone who works with laminates, insulation or needs to make lots of cuts in small work pieces.
10 comments:
The plunge saw is a great tool but the thing that he did not mention is the amount of cost associated with the saw versus a standard circular saw. Depth adjustment is as easy with both and the amount of time you save with the track can be offset by making a guide for a standard circular saw. The one main feature I really like with the plunge saw is the fact that the blade retracts fully when not in use and it is much more difficult to get fingers and loose clothing into the tool. It is a more refined tool than the standard circular saw but it is a luxury tool. In a theatrical shop the ruggedness of a standard circular saw may be preferable to the extra features that come with a plunge saw.
I have conflicted feelings over these types of articles. They make these tools sound like little pieces of wood working miracles. (this one is not so dramatic but still). Luke makes a good point about plunge saws that once done making the cut the blade is fully retracted inside the body of the tool so as the tool spins down it is no longer leaving a moving blade exposed. I personally find plunge saws to be usefully namely because of their ease of use with tracks but plunging any moving blade is a dangerous task that can easily go wrong and is my issue with an article like this that only outlines how easy it is to make straight cuts with the track and the mitoring capability but doesnt touch on the added hazards with using such a tool.
As someone who knows a little about tools, but not a lot I found this article pretty unhelpful. I had never heard of a plunge saw before reading this article. From what I understand it's a type of circular saw that can slide along an axis. The article never explained this to me and I think that it should have started off explaining that basic fact. The things that they said about plunge saws all sound great to me, but I don't feel like I can trust the the writer that it's actually a good tool. The article sounded like an ad to me because it never talked about the down sides of plunge saws and because they only talked about the plunge saw made by DeWalt. This made me feel as though I couldn't trust anything that they said. I wish that this had been a more informational article so that I could learn more about this type of tool.
Overall a very nice saw and the one I have used in the shop is a very nice saw. The 6 reasons to buy one are not all very strong. Reasons 4, 5 and 6 seem to be good reasons.
6- Cutting the door was pretty awesome. I was impressed.
5. Cutting the laminate is yet again a very handy feature. I am VERY intrigued WHY one would not need to tape the laminate. What is the difference in force upon the material that changes the laminate.
4. Then cutting the insulation is great, because no one likes to breath in insulation.
On reason 1, 2, and 3 I was not that impressed.
1. A well made jig for a circular saw can do the exact same thing the plunge saw guide can do. Also the guide that is in the shop, the anchoring tape or whatever that is on the bottom is not 100% and you could add that to a shop built jig.
2. Having a well made jig, I think will defeat this reason.
3. Also why would not have a miter saw.
Overall the increased saftety of this tool in comparison to a regular circular saw is the reason for its price. Same as the saw stop, you pay more money now so you don't have to pay an arm and a leg later, literally. If the saw has stops to set it at certain depths and override the plunge feature when gutting straight into a sheet then I would see no reason why every circular saw should be replaced with this one. Safety is #1!
The plunge saw seems cool and useful, but it's not cost efficient and most of its functions are luxuries as opposed to necessities. I think that its safety features, such as the retractable blade, would be a valid reason to buy one, but if you already have a circular saw you feel comfortable using then there no need to switch.
I have used a plunge saw (known also as a track saw) a few times. I found the tool to be useful and accurate, but not nearly as versatile as a circular saw.
That being said, the six reasons the article lists for purchasing a plunge saw are all great features of the saw, but I don’t think it has a place for daily use in the entertainment industry. Setting up the guides and rails for the saw takes time. An experienced user could cut a line with a circular saw in the time it would take him or her to even set up the track.
Yes, it is great to be able to cut compound miters or doors still in the frame with ease, but how often do we really do that in the field in the theatre?
This saw might be more useful in smaller shops or academic shops that don’t have a full size panel saw, or that lack experienced users that can cut miters and irregulars with a circular saw alone. This saw could also be considered as a less hazardous alternative to a circular saw.
Also worth noting is that the article makes no mention of the cost of these saws, their guide tracks, or required consumables. Some take standard circ blades, others do not.
I’m not saying that it shouldn’t have a spot in the tool room, but if you can only bring one saw, it shouldn’t be a plunge saw.
The plunge saw looks like it can be a very useful tool for certain applications and situations. I don't see it be being very useful or cost effective in a theatrical shop but for carpenter or someone who works on houses and needs to do the operations shown very often it would probably be an essential tool. For those carpenters who would use it all the time, it would probably save them money just in work hours. Being able to make very precise cuts in small pieces very quickly would make it invaluable. I also thought that the ability to trim a door while still on the frame was a very useful feature. Overall I think it looks like a cool and useful tool, but only for those that would use it constantly every day so I'll be sticking to a good old circular saw.
Reading this article and doing a bit of other research has given me the impression that it is effective for many hobbyist-type individuals, but not for a whole shop. It seems to be best at large sheets of wood, but harder to set up than a table saw. Other uses like dadoes, rebates, and various lap cuts seem doable with a plunge saw, but they can also be done with the more convenient (and arguably more necessary) table saw.
I would consider purchasing one personally, but the price is comparable to a decent table saw, which I'd rather have.
Other plunge saw articles:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/tool-reviews/plunge-cut_saws
http://www.coptool.com/why-a-track-saw-is-better-than-a-table-saw/
He makes some interesting points, however someone can make almost the same exact videos with a standard circular saw using a shop made guide. Now most shop made guides are made with a piece of masonite or ply as the plate the saw tracks on with a plywood or 1x rail as the guiding edge, but that's mostly because those items are easily salvaged from scrap materials around the shop. Which means they're easy to repair or replace should they become damaged - which isn't the case with a fancy aluminum guide plate. However, if you felt compelled to do so had the proper tooling you could also make a fancy aluminum guide plate for your standard circular saw, which might actually be kinda sexy.
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