On 10/21/2010 1:17 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:59:27 -0500, wrote:

The Makita needs it because it is prone to kickbacks as it does not have
a riving knife; and I think the Makita might also cut a bit past 45
degrees (48?), which, both of these issues combined, would make it a
necessity, IMO.

Why on Earth would a circular saw on a RAIL need a riving knife for
kickback protection? Especially when it's primarily used on panel
products which, by nature, don't get the urge to close up like
improperly dried hardwood lumber might.

In my estimation, and use of the saw, and because it's a PLUNGE saw, the
Festool riving knife mitigates the tendency of the saw to kickback
toward the operator upon a plunge cut away from the edges of a panel (a
cut I use quite often now that I have the ability to do it easily).

It is upon the use of this very cut that the Makita's tendency to
kickback is most notable according to its owners.

Neither Festool saw needs the "anti-tilt lever" for bevel cuts. I've
done a few of these cuts in plywood and have no idea why one would be
remotely necessary.

I haven't yet used one (plugged in) so I can't tell you from
experience.

But I can ...

But if you're hanging the motor off the edge of the rail,
I'd think you'd want both clamps for the rail and a catch on the saw
to keep it more steady.shrug

You would think .. but in actual practice, that thinking goes out the
window and is inoperative.

A bit of practical, hands on experience with the Festool TS55 and TS75
would do wonders to remove those erroneous preconceptions.

I have to admit that, as a new user, I was very reluctant to forego
clamping the rail down prior to making the first few cuts.

After gaining some experience you learn to trust the system for what it
was designed to do, and you find that you very rarely need to clamp the
guide rails to the workpiece, even on beveled cuts.

It's a new way of working ... and thinking.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)