Track saw or jointer for small shop?

[Andrew Gold]

I suspect if you're going to keep at woodworking you'll end up with both machines before too long.

Buy whichever makes more sense for your next few projects, then purchase the other.

[Mark Clemmens]

I'm constantly finding new uses for my Festool TS55EQ track saw.
The sheer versatility of that tool is amazing, to say nothing of the fabulous dust control, accuracy and quality of cut.

To compare a shop made guide to a top shelf track saw is like saying you can use a 2x4 clamped to the top of your table saw as a fence.

Rich, I would love to hear what other applications you use your track saw for that you didn't originally intend on. When it comes down to it, it is obviously beneficial to have a jointer, however I'm trying to determine which will serve my general purpose best for the next couple months. I'm currently leaning towards the jointer, because I like to work with really rough lumber, resaw, etc, but the versatility and accuracy (+excellent dust collection) of a track saw is very intriguing to me.

Considering I do have a planer and a sled, and with the addition of a tablesaw jointing jig +/or router and a straight edge, I can currently produce square lumber; so the idea of being able to add a track saw into the mix could also be a very useful tool.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Boy - where do I start..
That's really a tough question to answer because there's so many of those nagging tough jobs that come up that the track saw is a natural answer to.

(I swore that one day I'd start making a comment in one of the many "How do I make this cut" threads so I could easily post a link to every thread.
I started to once, but, someone here took it the wrong way & slapped me down for "bragging" about having a Festool track saw.)

Obviously, plunge cuts are one such cut. While that type of cut isn't common, when it's needed, it's really needed. I do home rehabs and run into plunge cuts more than the average person. But - even for the average person wanting to repair a hardwood floor for example, that one time can be a real blessing.
Taper cuts are another place a track saw makes a bit of a tricky situation mindlessly simple.
Actually, any time you need an exact, precise and dead straight cut from point "A" to point "B", a track saw makes it mindlessly simple.

Ah - here's another one I just thought of. I have to reshingle my tool shed. There's some very minor water damage to the sheathing. I need to either tear off half the roof and remove a full section of 4x8 OSB - or - make an exactly dead straight 12" wide cut the whole width of the roof, cut a brand new exactly 12" wide by 10' patch to go in there.
Sure, I could use any circular saw and make some type of guide to cut off the old sheathing - but - it wouldn't be an exact 12" wide and it wouldn't be a dead straight (factory type) edge.
W/the track saw - mindless. I just lay the tracks own and make the cut. Perfect.

I'm sure there's a whole lot more. I've lost count of the number of times I've read a post and thought to myself "If you had a track saw, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You'd have already made that "difficult cut that has you stumped" as if it was some common every day occurrence instead of somewhat of a show stopper."

If you haven't already, you might want to go over to he FOG - Festool Owner's Group forum and browse through there.
They have tons of posts of "off beat" uses of a track saw.
One thing to keep in mind about the Festool - - it's a small part of a larger overall system.
Nearly everything Festool makes is made to fit together with all of their other products.

For a non- Festool track saw, you can head over to Eurekazone and check out all the uses for the EZ system.
The EZ system is similar to the Festool in that it's not just one track saw, the track saw is one part of a larger system.
W/the EZ though, the individual parts aren't made by the same company.

[Bill McNiel]

Mark,
Great question, and liable to raise a few hackles around here as there are those who are adamant pro/con on Festool. Your review of the Festool "value" is in line with my own, really well designed and produced but way over priced. Like you my background is in architecture (I am "Registered") and construction and have been working with wood in a variety of shops for over 50 years. I have a 6" jointer and 12" planner combo in my shop.

My recomendation is to get the TS 55 REQ with 55" holey guide and and the 75" guide rail, I've had no issues with combining the two and achieving a dead straight edge. This will provide you with the most versitility for breaking down sheet goods, rough material and a mutitude of other tasks. Someday you may add the 1400 router and then the "holey" rail will pay added dividends. Yes, the TS 55 does a really good job of edge jointing. I recently used it to joint six 6'-3" long 5/4 mahagony boards for a comissioned desk top, much faster than a jointer, also jointed 8/4 Wenge for a dining table and 9' long 7/4, 100 year old fir for yet another dining table. I have used it to trim 1/16" to 0" skew cuts on face frames, try that with any other power tool. Combined with a MFT top and quas dogs one can create a really accurate cutoff setup. I have also used it for long miters in counter tops as well as long tapers.

Two factors you should be considering are;
1) Versatility - the TS adds another dimension to your shop and techniques. Remember there are always many ways to skin a cat or build a project.
2) Big/little as in...tools go to big pieces and little pieces go to tools (example-when dadoing long cabinet sides for shelves, etc. it is easier and more accurate to use a router with guide vs table saw and sled, IMHO).

A sled for your planer, a router sled or hand planing will certainly take care of the surfacing requirements but are marginally more time consuming than a wide jointer.

Good luck and welcome to the Creek, the ultimate in diverse woodworking opinions.

[Andrew Joiner]

Honestly, sometimes I think using the planer sled is EASIER and faster than face jointing a long board.

Mark, You and I think alike. Search some of my sled posts here. I straightline rip all my rough lumber on the tablesaw with sled/jigs. My favorite is 8" long and has adjustable support blocks. It provides a straight edge for the crooked edge to mate to and slide against the fence. On long stock it's faster and less effort than a jointer.

[Mark Clemmens]

Rich, thank you for the info and the insight on the EZ system, I'll have to do sone research.

Bill, I appreciate your response and considering your background, I'd love you talk to you about a few other things.

I had another thought recently also that I thought I'd mention. My thesis year in architecture school I studied Japanese Architecture pretty heavily, especially joinery systems, which subsequently led me into woodworking. One of my books had a description of a planing beam that Japanese carpenters would erect while they worked on site, it was basically the equivalent of a 4x4 set up on short post at one end, sloping downwards to the other end where it would rest against the wall. Long story short, I built my own version which is essentially a main beam built up of (5) 2x10s bolted together, resting upon two posts of the same construction and of equal height at each end, each of which having one large mortise and tenon. One end has a sliding dovetail across the width of the beam with a matching insert which functions basically as a bench dog for planing. I still use this as my workbench, and it works great. I can clamp to it along the whole length if I need to, sit on it to do chisel work, even at times attach a larger surface to the beam itself if I need a wider space.

What I'm considering doing is attaching a 10' long flat piece of aluminum to the side, making sure everything is perfectly square, and then using this for edge jointing. I would lay the board on the planing beam, and then run a router with a flush trim bit along the face of the board with the bearing running along the strip of aluminum to reference a straight edge. The main issue I see is mounting this piece of aluminum perfectly straight (parallel to the beam) in plan. Also, theyes the issue of bit length, but it could also be followed up on the other face with the same flush trim bit.

[mreza Salav]

I have a track saw (TS75) with short and long tracks. Have used it extensively for sheet goods as well as solid wood. I am one of the odd ones who says this tools is way rated (maybe because I heard so many nice things about it before owning one). It is a good tool and it excels at breaking down sheet goods but there is no way (absolutely no way) I'd give up my table saw for it. In fact, I would take a contractor saw over this.
Jointer vs Tracksaw, it's a clear choice to me that as a furniture maker you need a jointer. Tracksaw is nice to have to break down sheet goods but you can do the same with a circular saw and a clamp ruler and clean up the rest on table saw.

[Cary Falk]

I have gone without a tracksaw for many years. A jointer was one of the first tools I purchased. I probably wouldn't have purchased the tracksaw if I didn't get a great deal on a DeWalt. A tracksaw is great for breaking down plywood and I have used it for putting a straight edge on some rough lumber that was really bowed. Truth be told though, I ran the boards through the Jointer after the tracksaw. My choice would be a jointer because I use mine all the time. The tracksaw, not so much. I only have $350 in my saww/couple of tracks and $900 in my 8" jointer w/spiral head. For you it sounds like a tracksaw might be a good option given you are going to do a lot of work with plywood and you can use hand planes. I hate them with a passion.

[Jason White]

I have both a jointer and a Festool track saw and wouldn't be without both.

You can rip a straight edge with the tracksaw, but you'll need a jointer to square up two sides or take the cup or twist out of a board (unless you use a special sled in your planer, which can be a pain in the butt).

[lowell holmes]

You can also make a simple plywood jig that you clamp to the piece being cut. You use a 7 1/2" circular saw and edge of the jig defines the cut line. I have 3 or 4 of them.
I have a very good blade in my PC saw that leaves a finished surface.

I made my jigs out of 3/8" plywood. !/4" plywood would do. I have one for my PC trim saw that is made with 1/4".

I would like to have a track saw, but then I would have to store it when not being used and I really don't need one.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Mark,
Make sure you weigh all the factors of each system before you decide.
I looked at both the EZ and the Festool and went w/the Festool simply because I could go to Hartville Hardware and look it over in person.
(one nice side benefit of a Festool is - heaven forbid you have to sell it, anything Festool holds it's value extremely well AND sells almost instantly)

Makita and DeWalt also make good track saws - but - they are mostly just a stand alone tool.
While they will deliver the same degree of quality and accuracy, that's all they do.
They aren't designed to interact with any other tools.

As far as getting a jointer goes....IMHO, I believe the others are on the right track in saying get one that's the biggest you can afford.

[Mark Wooden]

I built a planer sled which uses wedges to hold the board stable, run that through the planer, then reference the flat face throuh the planer again, without the sled. Works great, just slower. This way I can work with s2s or even totally rough lumber.

Honestly, sometimes I think using the planer sled is EASIER and faster than face jointing a long board.

For flattening short stock ( > 5'), eh, easier maybe as it takes a little less 'umph' than passing it over a jointer. Faster? Probably not.

To compare a shop made guide to a top shelf track saw is like saying you can use a 2x4 clamped to the top of your table saw as a fence.

Well, joint the tubafour and you've got an accurate fence.

What I'm considering doing is attaching a 10' long flat piece of aluminum to the side, making sure everything is perfectly square, and then using this for edge jointing. I would lay the board on the planing beam, and then run a router with a flush trim bit along the face of the board with the bearing running along the strip of aluminum to reference a straight edge. The main issue I see is mounting this piece of aluminum perfectly straight (parallel to the beam) in plan. Also, theyes the issue of bit length, but it could also be followed up on the other face with the same flush trim bit.

I'm reminded of what Tage Frid once said to a student (paraphrasing here)-" Congratulations! You've figured out the most complicated way to do it!". Seriously,with no disrespect intended, don't over think it. A single, mobile machine, whether track saw or jointer, would save you dedicated floor area and do much more.

Again, I'd lean to the jointer because it can produce finished surfaces. But there are many merits to the track saw as pointed out, biggest might be space saving because you can hang it up.

[Jared Sankovich]

Makita and DeWalt also make good track saws - but - they are mostly just a stand alone tool.
While they will deliver the same degree of quality and accuracy, that's all they do.
They aren't designed to interact with any other tools.

IMHO That's one of the big pluses of the Makita (over the DeWalt.) The Makita track is the same as the festool so all the accessories work on it (even the makita "systainer" locks into a festool stack)

Regarding the OP's question on track saw vs jointer, as previously mentioned you will eventual want both. I bought my Makita specifically to have a easy way to make 8' rips in sheet goods.

[johnny means]

Track saws are relatively uncommon in professional shops. Very few of my colleagues had even heard of one before seeing mine. On the other hand, the jointer is pretty much standard equipment in any shop working with solid lumber. I think the key here is that your looking to do this for money. How are you going to be competitive if it takes you hours to do what the next guy can do in minutes?

Also, your wrong about a tracksaw being faster than a jointer. Unlike a tracksaw, a jointer doesn't require a fresh setup for every single cut. Try edging eighty lengths of face frame stock and 20 panel glue ups with a track saw. Probably an all day endeavor. Minutes on a jointer. I haven't even mentioned jointing tasks that can't be done with a track saw. Milling lumber is something that even well equipped shops prefer to farm out because usually someone can do it faster and cheaper. The thought of hand planes and planer sleds being used for routine tasks in a commercial shop is almost laughable.

As much as I love SMC, I must say this may be the wrong forum to be asking about how to go about WWing as a profession. For me the main draw of this forum is the passion for woodworking as an art and hobby that's untainted by profit motives. There are better forums for the jaded truth about how to go about this professionally.

[Harold Burrell]

IMHO...

A jointer. No question.

A track saw is cool, but a jointer is a necessity.