On Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 12:19:13 PM UTC-5, -MIKE- wrote:
On 2/7/19 10:58 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 5:40:40 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 2/6/2019 2:53 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: On Wednesday, February 6, 2019
at 12:10:21 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 2/3/2019 6:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 11:54:56 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
Looks like Kreg is getting into the Track Saw game and it appears to
offer features much like the Festool track saw and the Festool MFT
table
for cutting.
Something interesting is the fact that the Kreg track saw is a lefty
version. And it appears to possibly be made much like the Festool
track
saw, it has a lot of the same features for adjustments and methods
of use.
The system is is a basic copy of the Festool system but with added
features. I really like the table folding up and being moveable with
built in wheels. The Festool MFT only folds up and then you carry it
around.
Just the saw and a track long enough to cut across 50" will be
$400.00.
The cutting table with wheels kit will be $500.00
The Master kit that includes all of the above, $900.00.

Like the Festool set up, you could probably get by with out a
table saw
and with the added benefit of portability.


https://www.kregtool.com/landing/ada...px?source=1677


What do you mean when you say "get by without a table saw"?


The better track saws can replace a table saw. My Festool track saw
cuts as accurately as my cabinet saw and delivers an extremely clean
cut.
These days I break down sheet goods, and the larger pieces are cut TO
FINISHED DIMENSIONS, with my track saw.

The TS affords the ability to cut dado's and groves and cove cuts but if
you only need beveled, straight cuts, or miter joints, most any track
saw will deliver all you need.

If you are doing a lot of building, the TS is still the more comfortable
tool for repetitive cuts and ultimately quicker for those cuts. But if
you do not have a good TS a good track saw would probably fill 99% of
your needs.

You obviously do more (and much better) wood working than me, but I'm
still
having trouble seeing that. Granted, I don't have a track saw to compare
a TS with, so I have some questions. None of this is push-back, even if
it sounds like it is. ;-)
Not a problem, I would be asking the same questions.

"Remember" the Festool MFT and the NEW Kreg track saw and "table" make
things easier for all aspects of cutting small parts.



How do you handle cuts that you would use a sled for? Small panels, etc?


The MFT table allows you to raise and lock in an angle over the work.
The work sits against an adjustable fence. That fence is set at 90 to
the track or at an angle to the track. If necessary you can shorten the
length of a board 1/64". This works similar to a RAS except instead of
changing the boom angle you adjust the fence angle.

Go here and scroll through the picture examples of the saw and table.

https://www.festoolusa.com/products/.../495315---mft3



What is the depth of cut? I can't rip 8/4 S2S boards with my circular saw
and homemade luan straightedge, so I rip them on my table saw.
The Festool TS-75 will cut to a depth
of 3" at 90 degrees and 2.125" at 45 degrees.

On the current project I needed to cut at a 7 degree angle on two pieces
of same sized 3/4" thick pieces of MDO. I stacked the two pieces,
clamped them together laid the track along the line to be cut, and made
the cut.


How narrow of a board can you rip?
With a little creative setting up, probably 1/2" or so. You place same
thickness wider boards behind the narrow piece to support the track.



Can you produce thin strips for edge banding?
Absolutely



Can you joint an edge?
Absolutely and I do this when I buy S2S material.

(I only ask because I don't have a joiner. For
my current bench project I built a joiner fence for my table saw. It
works really well for boards up to about 3 feet where it's fairly easy
to keep consistent pressure on the fence. Joining 5' long 1-1/2" boards
for the seat didn't work out as well.)

You do need to add the appropriate length track to accomplish this. I
have 3 track lengths. When put together the two longer ones will rip an
8' long piece of plywood.

Thanks. Here's a real life example that I ran into last night:

Picture my table saw with no fence installed and the blade lowered below
the table. That's my typically set up, since I often use the TS as an extra
work surface (small shop).

I needed a piece of 1/4" plywood cut to 9" x 12". I had a 24" x 24" piece.

I slapped the fence on the TS, raised the blade, made one cut. Moved the fence,
made the second cut. Lowered the blade and hung the fence back on the wall.
2 minutes tops and I'm back to where I started.

How would you accomplish that same task with the track saw?

(Yes, I probably could have made 3 cuts with my miter saw, but that takes
more set-up (measuring, etc.) and makes more of a mess. Let's just compare
TS to track-saw for this task.)


For that, yes, quicker on the TS.
But let's add a couple factors.
1. Let's say, you need the same from a full sheet of 3/4" ply.
It's always soooo much fun to cross cut full sheets on a tablesaw in a
small shop, right?
2. Let's say you need to do the same thing, on a job site.

#1 means that I should have both. Then I can stand outside my shop and
look at all the nice tools that I can't use because there's only room
for the tools. ;-)

A full sheet in my shop would essentially be the shop.


Generally, it's easier to move whatever is smaller across whatever is
bigger.
In your case, it's easier to move a 24"x24" piece across a tablesaw.
In the case of a full sheet, it's easier to move the tool across the
piece.

But that's not happening in my shop. So I guess it's a track saw for the
garage and a TS for the shop. SWMBO will be so pleased. ;-)



Same with a router vs. router table.

Which brings up the other issue. My router table is built into my table
saw. If I replaced the TS with a track saw set-up, I'd need to built a
dedicated router table. Now I'm back to the space issue.

Can a router table be integrated into a track saw table like it can
be with a TS?


As for a track saw. There are a couple guys who are prominent on social
media who build a LOT of really nice built ins and that's pretty much
all they do.
Both of these guys have recently blogged that they are doing it all
on-site with their track saws and don't use their table saws at all.

Most track saw makers also make router guides that fit their tracks, so
it makes it just as easy to switch to the router for dados and rabbets
on-site.


How are small pieces dealt with on a job site? Do you guys haul around
bench top router tables?