Family Handyman: When I first laid eyes on a track saw, I thought, “I have a table saw. I have a straightedge to guide my circular saw. Why would I spend $500 (or more) on one of these contraptions?” I was sure it was another tool gimmick for suckers. Then I talked to track saw owners, from cabinetmakers and flooring installers to trim carpenters and remodelers. Every single one of them told me that buying a track saw was a smart move. Now I own one, too.
4 comments:
While I agree with this article about how helpful a track saw can be, I disagree with it's stance that everyone should own a track saw. When working on a set or on a job site, having a mobile tool that can guarantee a straight cut is extremely valuable. It can save you a lot of time that would otherwise be used to go back and forth from your workspace to the table saw. You would also be able to make cuts faster than with a circular saw because of your confidence in the track saw. However, this article makes the claim that every DIYer should own one, which I disagree with. Most DIY projects take place within a persons home and tend to be small scale, you don't have to worry about how much time it would take to use a table saw versus a track saw because it doesn't matter, the only deadline is the one the DIYer sets. If the DIYer does happen to care about speed, or doesn't want to haul their table saw somewhere else, they can use a circular saw. On top of that, the article even gives you instructions in the form of a video on how to easily make your own track for your circular saw. It simply does not make sense for a person who sticks to DIY projects to spend several hundred dollars on a track saw.
First and foremost, I do not believe that these non-slip rubber tracks work forever. I feel like after it gets a fine layer of sawdust (which is easy to do with a saw), it will start failing. Overall, I am sold but unfortunately lack the funds to buy this or even more basic tools. So, David if you feel so inclined… but I will settle for using the one provided. I do see a lot of applications of the track saw especially with any bigger project. Making straight and square products out of wood is one of the hardest things to accomplish as a carpenter. Fortunately, allowances are made around furniture, cabinets, or any other project. Not needing to rely on allowances by using an appropriate tool and a precise hand is extremely satisfying. Over the length of a stage deck, across a twenty-foot tree, or cutting a door to size I can appreciate the usefulness of a tool like this one.
Being pretty unfamiliar with track saws, I found this article very informative. My experience with track saws is relatively limited, so it was helpful to have the key differences spelled out for me. The versatility of a regular circular saw is nice, but a track saw fixes everything I don’t like about circular saws. It’s kind of a happy medium between the table saw and the circular saw. Having worked for a contractor out of the back of a truck in the past, I can easily see how they can be preferable over both. I’ve never thought about making a rough pass with a track saw and a finish pass with a table saw; probably not something we would really do in theater, where speed is vital, but it definitely would have saved me from some table saw fiascos in the past. I also never realized how rough the finish of a circular saw is compared to other types of saws.
Having used many circular saws and the variations of track saw vs regular circ saw vs circ saw with a makeshift track, I strongly disagree with the thought that everyone should own a track saw. I will grant that track saws definitely have their place in the woodworking industry, but it seems like people will often go out of their way to use a track saw when just being careful with a circ saw would work just as well. Another problem with track saws is that the track does not stay pristine forever. When I have used tracks in the past, you always had to offset the track from your cut in certain areas because the rubber strip had been worn down from repeated use. I understand that regular maintenance is required, but just making up a quick track from scrap lumber works just as well for me. A track saw is a more expensive and specialized tool that many people do not need, so I do not agree that this article says everyone should own one.
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