Dewalt Track Saw splinter guard on the off-cut side? Like the Festool Splinterguard?

So.... I am sure someone has beaten me to this question so I thought I would ask to see what others had to say as I puzzle it over myself.

I purchased a refurb'ed DeWalt track saw from ToolKing a few years ago. Never got it out of the box. Now seems to be the time. I could benefit from using it as I get ready to build my now 2 year old twins some stuff for Christmas. So I started researching up on track saws again. In and around all the marketing videos and write ups I found some stuff that really made sense to me.

Like the new(er/ish) Festool Splinter guard that helps to reduce or even removes tear out on the off cut side of the blade. As I have been trying to make sure I get good looking results for what I want to build and produce the least waste I have been trying to figure out how to protect the off-cut side. Especially with sheet goods it seems like the off-cut side is rarely waste but often just the materials for the next piece/project.

Attached is a picture I found online that shows how the Festool splinterguard is attached and operates to surround or enfold the blade so that tear-out is reduced. All in one nice tidy little picture.

Anybody know if anyone has come up with a way to either use these on the DeWalt? Or come up with their own approach to doing something similar? It seems like something could be made or altered to fit. And that it could be a good idea.

Actually that is a fair question. Does the option/addition work on the Festool tracksaw like the TS 55? Any fellow creekers have any experience with using them?

Would love to get any information, thoughts, or suggestions anyone might have. I would just love to improve the quality of the cut on the right side of the blade they way they did on the other side.

Thanks so much!
Joshua

P.S. and yes I have contemplated just getting a Festool track saw. I would actually love too. But I went online to my favorite places and to the local woodcraft store and well no one seems to have a Festool. A recall happened and well there just seem to be none to buy. And of course while it would be nice to get one it is hard to spend even more money when I have one that has never been used...

The one in the picture is for the TS55. The splinter guard on the newer TS55REQ is retractable.

You best bet to try to fit one to the Dewalt is the one shown in the picture. Don't confuse "REQ" with "EBQ".

Joshua,

Why don't you give the one you have a try. You might be surprised. Here is a shot of a plywood cabinet top cutoff. I got the angle wrong and had to recut it a bit. It is about a half inch thick at the big end, going down to basically zip at the other. Cut with my DeWalt track saw. This is the offcut side.



Attachment 272469


The Festool may do it better, I don't know. Never seen one in use.

Rick Potter

PS: Forgot to mention.....that is a cross grain cut.

I'm with Rick - try what you have first.

There's a lot of times I forget to set the splinter guard on my TS55EQ until after I'm well into a cut.
W/most materials, it's a non-issue.
The only thing that really turns out "bad" is Luan.

Thanks for the feedback. I suppose I am working from a flawed baseline. I was comparing it to the cuts I have made in the past with my fathers old Craftsman circular saw. In thinking about it now while reading this I figure that saw is at least 50 years old and probably still has the original blade on it. I made few cuts and got tear out that was... extreme. I was also really really really no good at getting a straight cut with it. Hence the track saw purchase.

But you are both right. I haven't tried it so I have no idea how well it will cut, and it won't be that hard to try out. I hate wasting materials but at the same time I have the need for some shop projects, like a drawer cabinet for use/placement under my drill press. A little tear out there, should it happen, will go unnoticed under the nice build up layers of glue... I mean finish... I meant to say finish... that tend to coat so much of my shop these days. :)

Thanks guys,
Joshua

Rick,

what blade where you using for making this cut as pictured? Is this the stock DeWalt blade? Or is this a replacement blade?

Joshua

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick Potter

Joshua,

Why don't you give the one you have a try. You might be surprised. Here is a shot of a plywood cabinet top cutoff. I got the angle wrong and had to recut it a bit. It is about a half inch thick at the big end, going down to basically zip at the other. Cut with my DeWalt track saw. This is the offcut side.



Attachment 272469


The Festool may do it better, I don't know. Never seen one in use.

Rick Potter

PS: Forgot to mention.....that is a cross grain cut.

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Some of the Creekers recommended the following blade as a Festool replacement. I have a Grizzly Tracksaw and installed this blade to replace the OEM. My initial results were good, but my experience is limited to 3/4" birch veneer so I will not offer an educated opinion. I got mine at Amazon for about $45:

Freud LU79R006M20 Perma-Shield Coated Thin Kerf Plywood and Melamine Saw Blade for Festool Saws, 20mm Arbor 160mm by 48-Teeth Hi-ATB

if the Dewalt system is like the festool track saw buy your blade BEFORE you use the saw for the first time. The saw cuts the sacrificial edge guide to fit so the edge it exactly on the cutline. Saw blades from different manufacturers have different distances from the face of the blade to the inside edge of the carbide - if your eventual blade has a greater offset then you are cool - it will just recut the edge guide a bit more.... if the offset is less then you have to replace the sacrificial edge molding and the festool version is spendy

Joshua,

That cut is with the original blade. I don't have any others.

Rick P

PS: I highly recommend you get the DeWalt clamps. Got mine from Amazon. Especially if you do any prefinished ply, it's pretty slippery.

PPS: By the way, don't think the track saw is just for big pieces. I recently had to cut nine 5-sided small shelves, in three different shapes (3 each). from oak. Some cuts were less than 5 inches. Once we made some cardboard templates and drew it on the wood, cutting it was a snap.