Track Saws

[andy bessette]

I found my Festool TS55 kit on c/l for $350, including 55" track and Systainer with clamp, etc. Since then I have added the 118" and 72" tracks. This tool has revolutionized my shop and is worth its outrageous retail price. Very highly recommended.

[Cary Falk]

I was happy with my DeWalt up until a couple of months ago. The motor went out on it. I has lead a pretty easy life, cutting mostly plywood and sometimes straight line ripping some boards. I have had it for 3 or 4 years. I bought it as a refurb but I don't think that had to do with the failure. It still feels like it has less power. I just ordered a new blade for it. The repair was $200. It was just as cheap to have the repair place to fix it as me buying the parts and fixing it myself. Take it for what it is worth. This is the only failure I have read about. IF I didn't have a lot invested in tracks and accessories I would have bought something else.

[Ted Baxter]

I guess I can assume no one has bought or used the Trition TS?

[Randy Heinemann]

I have the Festool TS55. For crosscuts, in combination with the Festool MFT and a great 90 degree square, I get the squarest cuts I've ever gotten. The other thing I've found with Festool tools is that the dust collection is superior to all others I've owned. Does some sawdust escape with the TS55? Some does, especially when merely trimming wood where the blade isn't buried in the wood. However, I believe it's still superior. So, it you plan to use the saw in your shop, this is something to consider. Also, I use the Festool track with my Festool router and that can't be beat (as far as I'm concerned) when cutting dados. Since I do almost no ripping with it, even on larger sheet goods, the only experience I have with that is in Festool classes. It works well for that also.

I'm sure the Makita and Dewalt work well (know the Mafell is a great saw), but I am completely satisfied with my Festool saw.

[William Chain]

I'll second this. The dust collection on my TS55 is amazing. The saw cost me a kidney and my first born, but its a great tool. The cuts are fantastic and the tool just keeps going.

[richard poitras]

I was happy with my DeWalt up until a couple of months ago. The motor went out on it. I has lead a pretty easy life, cutting mostly plywood and sometimes straight line ripping some boards. I have had it for 3 or 4 years. I bought it as a refurb but I don't think that had to do with the failure. It still feels like it has less power. I just ordered a new blade for it. The repair was $200. It was just as cheap to have the repair place to fix it as me buying the parts and fixing it myself. Take it for what it is worth. This is the only failure I have read about. IF I didn't have a lot invested in tracks and accessories I would have bought something else.

That’s one of the nice thing about EZ system it works with any saw. So replacement can be just about anything out on the market when your saw does go.

[Peter Christensen]

I have a Grizzly Track Saw and I mainly use it to break down sheet goods to a size I can handle on the table saw. I've never used any other brands so I can't offer any comparisons. It does have a riving knife if that is important. Grizzly doesn't have a long track so you have to join a pair of 55" tracks. The only minor gripe I had was the F-clamps that fit underside of the track were a little too tight to easily slide into position, so I tweaked them on the belt sander.

[Jim Dwight]

I am another happy DeWalt user (including using a home made parallel guide Cary Falk came up with). One difference is the tracks. DeWalt often offers a kit with a 59 and 106 inch track for about $600. If you want the longer track, that is a good deal. Makita's long track is longer and more expensive. Everything about a Festool is more expensive. You need a place to store the long track and transporting it may be an issue but for in my shop, I love having it. I used it last weekend to taper brick mold putting in a door. Joining two tracks would be more portable and I'm sure it works fine but I like having a long one. DeWalt is the only saw that you can use both sides of the track.

DeWalt also offers a router jig that rides their track, it works great with my PC 690 routers (and is supposed to work with other brands).

My take on the track saw offerings is you have the Grizzly at the bottom price point. Reviews indicate it is not equivalent to the more expensive brands but for roughly half the price of my DeWalt it shouldn't be. With a good blade, I bet it works pretty well.

Next up are the Makita, DeWalt and more recently the Triton. I saw one review of the latter that said it didn't repeat between the scoring cut and the full depth cut. Might have been an issue with one saw, however. All the reviews I've seen of the Makita and DeWalt are pretty good. I think it matters what features you want and what price they are offering when you are ready to buy.

Festool is more, with a 120 inch track nearly twice what I paid for my DeWalt, but the users really like them. And reviews are great. There is also better aftermarket support. The 55 has a smaller motor than the Makita and DeWalt and less depth of cut. The 75 is the biggest.

Mafell is apparently more than the Festool and the only review I've seen was positive.


As I said at the start of this post, I am happy with my DeWalt. I wish I'd gotten it sooner. I bet I would be happy with the others too, however. It's hard to believe it's so much better than a circular saw with a guide but it is.

[Jon McElwain]

I've got a Festool 75 saw with various tracks. System works really well, saw is great, and I use it surprisingly often. Especially when the table saw is covered in projects or tools.

My only complaint is that the plastic splinter guard that adheres to the track looses it stickiness too quickly for my liking. Not an expensive item to replace, but a pain to go buy new strip, pull the old off, clean the rail of adhesive residue, adhere a new strip, then re-cut. Seems like I replace it annually or so. I'd like to see a better adhesive. I've never had to replace the non-skid strips on the bottom of the rail or the glide strips on the top and I have had the saw about 7 years.

Anyone had similar issues with the other brands?

[Robert Pugmire]

I have a dewalt and its good especially with the cordless new ones they coming out with but if i was to buy another one i would go with a makita because all the festool and after market stuff work with the makita tracks which is a huge advantage.

[Warren Wilson]

Upon brief reflection -- I had read many of these track saw threads, and don't remember anyone regretting their choice of brands.

[Frederick Skelly]

Upon brief reflection -- I had read many of these track saw threads, and don't remember anyone regretting their choice of brands.

You're right. The reviews and posts I have read, where the Dewalt and Makita were tested side by side all said you'd be happy with eith of them or the FT (no surprize there).

[Ted Baxter]

I have watched 2 or 3 videos of people using the Festool 55 to rip hard wood 1"-2" thick and commeted that the saw struggled to make the cut One person keep stalling the saw out and went to a different saw to compleat the cut.
It didn't appear he was forcing the FT.

Those of you that use FT what has your experience been ripping thick hard wood?

Thanks for all the comments I was hoping to hear from some Trition owners also but I guess there aren't any out there.

[mark mcfarlane]

I have watched 2 or 3 videos of people using the Festool 55 to rip hard wood 1"-2" thick and commeted that the saw struggled to make the cut One person keep stalling the saw out and went to a different saw to compleat the cut.
It didn't appear he was forcing the FT.

Those of you that use FT what has your experience been ripping thick hard wood?

Thanks for all the comments I was hoping to hear from some Trition owners also but I guess there aren't any out there.

I haven't cut much thick hardwood but I do occasionally cut 2 sheets of stacked 3/4" birch plywood and although the TS55 bogs down a little, it works, you just have to cut a little slower.

[Phillip Mitchell]

I've used both the Makita and the Festool TS75 with short and long tracks. I used them on a job site to trim and bevel custom doors for install. I was impressed with the accuracy and ease of operation with both of them and honestly found that the Makita seemed to run smoother, though it could have been the differences in the conditions of the particular blades I was using.

The TS75 has a couple of "advantages" over the Makita, though it's up to you to decide if they mean enough to you for the extra money.

-Dust collection was a wash. I saw no difference between the two.

-Riving knife - This could be handy for certain applications but didn't really come into play with what I was doing.

- Deeper cut (2" vs 2 3/4" with guide rail) This did not come into play in my situation with doors, but could potentially be a big point if using a saw to try and break down rough 8/4 stock, which is usually ~ 2 1/8" thick. You would want to face joint at least one side before ripping though so that you maintained good contact with the track to the board and could get a square rip cut.

-Bevel cuts that are zero clearance - The Makita may also be able to achieve this, but I didn't get the opportunity to try. I wouldn't be surprised if it had the same capability. The Festool was impressive in its ability to maintain a zero clearance cut with the track on a bevel. Meaning you didn't have to compensate for the bevel when setting up the track for your cuts. You are still able to put the track right to your cut lines and go.

That being said....You could get the Makita with a short (55") and long track (118') for $650-700. The TS 75 with that setup would be around $1100. Quite a difference in price. Unless I had very specific circumstances that require the Festool and the extra cash, I would buy the Makita. Just my 2 cents.