Do I need a riving knife in a track saw?

[Sam Blasco]

Riving knife on the DeWalt is spring loaded, so works fine on non-thru cuts or plunge cuts seamlessly. What I really like about the DeWalt system, and the main reason I chose it, was the centered position of the track rail. You can cut from either side, not just from the one side like on the Festool or Makita. For me, it makes a huge difference when you have 90 sheets to deal with, like I recently did, you don't have to keep re-positioning the vac hose, vac position, etc. I have both Festool and DeWalt tracks now, but being able to cut left and right handed was a game changer on this big, interior paneling job. As for is a riving knife needed on plywood I will add my two cents. Plywood will, on occasion, release tension when being cut, enough that it will severely clamp on a blade sometimes. Maybe not with the force of a healthy piece of oak, but I would recommend a riving knife on any circular saw, hand held, table saw, you name it.

[Andrew Joiner]

For me, it makes a huge difference when you have 90 sheets to deal with, like I recently did, you don't have to keep re-positioning the vac hose, vac position, etc. I have both Festool and DeWalt tracks now, but being able to cut left and right handed was a game changer on this big, interior paneling job.

Sam,
Don't you have a slider? Why not use it to cut plywood?

[Frederick Skelly]

So I went back and forth 3 times : "Yeah, the riving knife might help out some day - buy the Dewalt." Then, "Geez, I like Makita tools a lot and theirs looks a tad more functional." Back to "Get that riving knife, just in case." (Warren's video below just kept bothering me.)

On the Makita, I liked the feature that locks it on the track for bevel cuts - the Dewalt doesnt have it and it looked perhaps unsafe to hold the saw on the track. Also was concerned because the Dewalt has a different plunge mechanism that I didnt know if I could live with. But about 1 in 20 times (5%) there are reports of a bad track or bad base on the Makita and I didnt come across any examples of that with the Dewalt. (I hate going back and forth with a vendor to get a good part.) Then, I saw 2 cases where guys had kickback issues with the Makita. Again, very small percentage and could be user errors too. But none surfaced on the Dewalt (it has a lock).

Felt like a yo-yo (or a dithering fool). So I decided this was one of those times when I just had to put my hands on the tool. I don't always feel the need to do that if I've done my homework. But this was a dead tie. I couldn't find anyone locally with the Makita in stock. But I did find a guy with the Dewalt. I called him and told him all this and asked if he'd unbox one and let me look it over and decide. I assured him that if I chose to buy the Dewalt, Id buy it from him right then and there. He was glad to do it.

I looked at all the things that were bugging me with the Dewalt, and decided that none of them were going to be a problem for me. The man was asking $40 more than online, but I felt like he provided me a valuable service, and it was worth paying a little more to get that service.

Edit: For me, the lesson learned is, when you aren't sure, GO PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE TOOL.

So thanks for all your help and advice folks!

Happy Easter!
Fred

I was working with apprentices (with our local college, developing resources) and used this video to impress upon them the need for safety. It's about circular saws, but the point is clear -- if rather graphic.

https://www.worksafebc.com/en/resour...ckback?lang=en

[Rick Potter]

OH NO!

You got the DeWalt?? Let me tell you about all the problems I have with mine.


None.

So, don't worry, be happy.

[Frederick Skelly]

OH NO!

You got the DeWalt?? Let me tell you about all the problems I have with mine.


None.

So, don't worry, be happy.

Now THAT'S funny!

[Jim Dwight]

I still like my DeWalt and think you will be happy with it. The only issue I've had is with changing blades. That is not a strong suit of the DeWalt since the process is complicated. I had to get out the instructions each time. But the last time I did it, the mechanism was jambed, I think from sawdust. And I forced it. So I broke a little piece off the aluminum casting. Fortunately, the saw works better without it. It is the piece you push down to change blades. Without it, there is nothing stopping you from moving to the blade change position. So in a way, it improved the saw. I use it to rip solid wood sometimes and have been happy with it doing that too.