I don’t know what Dewalt was thinking with this…
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2023
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The DeWalt track has 2 sides because Europeans have a circular saw that has the shoe base of a track saw (DCS 576). One side of the track is for 90 degree cuts and the other side is for 45 degree cuts because the circular saw alters the splinter guard based on the angle
I am a tablesaw amputee. My accident happened after I had been making a living as a professional woodworker for over a decade using a tablesaw every day. I couldn't agree more about the safety benefits of a tracksaw. Will a tracksaw replace a tablesaw? Absolutely not!! However it does allow you to take far less risk especially when working alone.
Table saws are the most dangerous tools and shoukd be banned. Any tool where you have push the timber is dangerous. Why they have discontinued the Radial arm saw I'll never know. A quality sliding table saw like Felder is 100 % safe because the timber is clamped and your hands a far from the blade. Plus you are moving the table slide. The track saw is a great tool
@@neilarmitage6632 the most dangerous equipment found on construction sites is something that you may just have in your house or garage: a ladder.
@@neilarmitage6632 radial arm saws are still around. Far more people are injured or killed in vehicles so start your van everything agenda in the right lane.
@@neilarmitage6632 radial arm saws are the most dangerous woodworking tool. Ever.
Banned, seriously.
Are you from England ??
Imagine what your saying.
That's funny.
We should ban hospitals and Doctors also, since almost everyone that visits a doctor dies.
Thank you for this video. I’ve had this saw for two years now and you’ve nailed almost every annoying thing with it. Regarding your segment about the off cut being cleaner than the cut part, I scratched my head over this for the whole 2 years as well. What I ended up finding was the plane of the blade is not parallel to the saws base groove that straddles the track. Even with adjusting the mating screws to try to compensate, the saw blade is still 1/32 off parallel, this results in the blade skewing inwards at the tail end of the cut (back), leaving saw marks.
Do you feel as though this was done intentionally for less blade drag ? Or just an engineering flaw Thanks.
The difference in surface finish between the two sides of the kerf remind me of the same issue with table saws with the blade out of alignment with the miter slot(s). For this, alignment requires a fixture with a dial indicator or establishing a fixed point and feeler gauges. Fixtures for table saws are available from several accessory manufactures and the feeler gage method is outlined in some OEM manuals. So, it could be that the "marrying" of the saw-to-track allows for the blade to be out-of-parallel to the track since the two-point adjustment actually permits a less-than-perfect set-up.
@@dustyroads834 Wouldn't this CAUSE more drag?
Sounds like grounds for a recall/replacement. That's ridiculous.
_absolutely_ ridiculous and unacceptable. Together with the bent guard, looks like a lemon that someone was kicking around... Or QC fault. Just return it and try a new one, give them another chance. @@gtd6288
The pantographic plunge is so the riving knife has a kerf to goo into when you plunge cut a kerf mid board. It has been about ten years since I adjusted the plunge depth on my Dewalt, but I don’t remember it as being difficult, or hard to figure out.
I learned more about track-saws watching this video than I knew. Thank you, this taught me more about what to look for and check before I buy any track-saw. It is also a quick primer on track-saws for the un-schooled. This is a fine video.
The DeWalt saw is compatible with the festool & Makita tracks, so you could always get one of them to adopt the TSO system. Now with this new TSO adapter youve got access to DeWalts substantially cheaper tracks.
I use my De Walt cordless saw on Festool track no problem. I feel that I've just wasted 18 minutes of my life listening to this guy enjoying to the sound of his own voice. Couldn't be bothered to finish the vid. Nothing he said was of any value to me (pro carpenter/joiner).
Dewalt came out with their TrackSaw around 13yrs or so ago. Festool was the only brand at that time with one. So I think some of the cons are due to dewalt trying to avoid patent issues. The aftermarket brands never jumped on the bandwagon until recently when more brands began making TrackSaws. I bought mine around 2013 and love it. Have had zero issues. Looking forward to the tso square
Festool had a ton of patents on that thing. That's why so many brands came out with track saws around the same time. The patents started to expire.
As long as the other makers managed to do a great job, it is a problem with Dewalt. See how many people love Bosch ones, Makita or Milwakee.
I may be mistaken, but I seem to remember an Elu track circularcsaw that plunged way back about 1991. Nearly bought but went into IT away from kitchen scratch building
Mafelle had a track saw at that time not just Festool
I agree plus I have lots of dewalt tools and dewalt batteries and did not want to change. I do not have a problem with the riving knife.
Ive had this saw for 4 years now. I adjusted the base to the blade as soon as i got it and have had perfect cuts from the get-go. Totally agree on blade change 'contraption' in fact i broke mine on the 1st blade i changed and now just hold the blade when chaging it out. PITA.
Doubled sided track means you arent changing rubbers out as often and better in limited space. Riving knife stays in box as i typically use thinner blades.
I picked up the corded version a few years ago and it has been flawless. Has a different blade than the 60V model, never had a problem with the finish of the cuts even in 2" hardwood.
I own the 60v DEWALT track saw using the Festool track. I was great no problem with it. Cutting with it was dead on accurate. I even use the new Festool FS-WA angle stop it work great!
I have the track saw, and purchased it because of the parallel plunge (double hinge you call it), due to it being more ergonomic for your wrist, and works better when doing a two-handed operation of the saw.
The riving knife on mine was straight from the box, no problems there.
I cut a 8/4 thick white oak 3.8m (12.5') with a semi dull blade, and absolutely zero rough marks on either my off cut nor my main piece. So blade-saw-track parallelism adjustment is defenately a part of your challange.
Biggest downside I have with it, is the rubber on the track is not having enough friction, so the track skids arround.
I got the dewalt corded before there were other options (I’m a Milwaukee guy). I read the manual and the quirks never bothered me. I get butter smooth cuts on both pieces. Check the alignment of the base on the track, you blade is attacking the wood at a small angle outwards making the leading edge of the blade cutting the off cut (to the right) and the trailing edge on the up cut is scarring the wood under the guide, if that makes sense. The alignment is tricky but once you dial it in you’re good. Thanks for the vis and glad they have accessories for my saw now!
Best honest review I've watched. Rationally explained. Excellent.
Your video was well thought out and provided an amazing amount of great information regarding track saws. I’ve had a table saw for years and to this day I have a lot of respect for it and a heathy amount fear of it. A neighbor had a Festool track saw but never realized their versatility until you spoke of it. Thank for sharing this well produced video.
Really excellent videos! Iv'e seen your videos in the past and this came up in my feed and had to subscribe. I'm not in the market for a track saw but love tools and really appreciate in depth honest tool reviews.
Great video! Always love and appreciate your detailed testing!
I own the corded Dewalt track saw and really like it. All of the things you didn't like about it are things you get used to and aren't a problem. The 102" track bends easily and I wonder if the Milwaukee track would be stronger. The hard push down start button is bothersome to me. having the cord come out the left side also can be a pain to deal with, but still better than carrying the weight of a battery and having the saw worthless when new battery tech makes it obsolete. My saw will last 30 years with medium light duty..... good video. new sub. thumbs up.
I’ve had my a DeWalt corded track saw for ten years. It has served me well and given the choices at the time were either a $600 DeWalt or a $1000 Festool, I regret nothing. I mostly use it to break down plywood. I over cut the pieces a little and then take them to the table saw for the final cuts. Yes, the blade changes are mystifying but I’m not going to replace my saw until it stops working. It still works like a champ.
Very thorough and fair review. I *HATE* how you have to go through gyrations to change the blade. But allow me to rebut. I like that you can screw down the track fit screws. Gives me a piece of mind. Benchdog makes a native square rail but you *do* have to take the rubber off where the square locks in. So I just bought the Festool track (works fine with DeWalt) because it has the most number of accessories. In remodel scenario, there are times when not having to rotate the track in limited space can come in handy. But I agree that it's not worth the "lack of accessories" price. I'm glad TSO is making the parallel guides though. Dust extraction is great - especially with your hole cover-thingy. The vacuum port does fit with many hoses and I'm happy they added the DeWalt twist lock hose compatibility. And finally, I never noticed the depth of cut because I always add a tiny bit more (don't care that it cuts into the insulation foam board. But then again, maybe that's why I started doing that! :)
Well said.
The saw sounds ok for a weekender but not the guy who needs it daily. Too much time with the little things. Time is money and the quality of the cut is vital. Great review.
exactly. for $100ish more you get so much more efficiency and accuracy (and joy)
The double hinge is to keep your hand in the same orientation to the saw....the same angle as a hand saw. It's weird at first, but I like now I'm used to it
"The fatal flaw and why I don't recommend it is because you can't use an aftermarket accessory... oh wait, I have one here in a box that apparently works great."
My thoughts exactly, all these "dealbreakers" for an advert at the end, a "really well thought out money maker for him" 🤣
Bench Dogs here in the UK make a rail square, repeat stops for the square and parallel guides that fit the Dewalt track, brilliant products!
I am so thankful i found your video. I just had to replace my Makita corded and was considering the Dewalt. I do not not have an issue with an extension cord tagging along so I did buy another corded Makita for a little under $400. BTW, I had to replace the Makita because I abused it by taking full depth cuts on 8/4 pecan slabs! It did well for a while but I burned it out eventually. Won't do that again.
I bought the corded model (DWS520CK) in 2018 for $629.99 with two tracks (59” & 102”). I remodel houses and this saw has made a lot of cutting tasks much easier. The reversible track comes in handy in situations when work space small which is often. The saw is quite powerful, light weight, easy to use. I particularly like the saw for cutting new doors to fit into existing door frames, trim work, flooring, etc. I do wish that the accessories were available for this saw but im very happy with it nonetheless.
I also do remodels and new build and find myself cutting alot of doors to fit. I almost never use my Makita track saw. Instead I just use a really good Skilsaw with a precisely secured straight edge. Works like a charm if done correctly. The key is to never, ever use the saw you want to be precise with for anything other than that. You'll tweak the deck/blade alignment if you do
@@dilldowschwagginz2674that’s the way i used to do it, but the tracksaw does it so much faster, easier and cleaner… not sure why you wouldn’t use the better tool for the job if you already have it.
@@dilldowschwagginz2674 Not to be rude, but any first year woodworker knows you can clamp down a straight edge for rip cuts. By the time anyone has gotten to the point where they want to spend $600 on a track saw, they obviously don't want to do that any more. Or want something even more accurate for things trimming doors for existing frames.
I have this saw, mostly because of the collection of other yellow tools sharing the same battery. But I am using it with Festool rails without any problems, including rail square and parallel guides for Festool rails
Yep, Milwaukee's copy of the previous generation Festool is spot on. Pity it's the same price as the newest generation Festool in the UK. There's a reason that the yellow Black and Decker is the cheapest of the bunch...or several reasons, obviously.
This is a fair review ! have this cordless saw . and also the Festool system . I feel the power from the 60 volt system is unparalled ! The double sided track is a huge plus for me ! Flipping those long tracks is a pain. The quality of the track is reflected in the price .
I have invested heavily in the Dewalt 12/20/60 volt platform and almost equally as much in the Milwaukee 12/18 platform . I have both Milwaukee and Dewalt cordless tablesaw's ...Dewalt cordless hand tools are a bit lighter in weight , which as a pro makes a huge diff !
I have had motor problems with Flexvolt chopsaws , just days outside the warranty ...! Also have killed some Dewalt brushless impacts and was advised that the brushless tools can't be pushed as hard as the brushed ones !
I'm also a fan/ user of the TSO system . I ordered the Dewalt adapter !
Thanks for the heads up !
Oh dang!! Ive had the dewalt 60v tracksaw since it was released. Everything you said was dead on (except I never had an issue with my riving knife). Ive pretty much adjusted to most of those issues you mentioned, but to this day, I still pull my hair out with blade change. I always seem to forget the process and have to go back to UA-cam for instructions. Im a Dewalt guy, but when people ask, I tell them to go elsewhere or wait for Dewalts gen2
I use a 3m Makita track in my 2.5m wide workshop. I sometimes wish it was double sided as I have to walk out the workshop to spin the track around.
The only other benefit I can think of is if one wants to run 2 different blades with different kerfs. One splinter guard can be trimmed up match each.
That’s actually a great point!
Thank You for a most thorough evaluation...You sold me on the Milwaukee.
Solid choice.
Great video, I have been a furniture maker for 43 years.
1st, I love most all tools,
2nd as with most all people that use power tools, we mostly grew up with Dewalt tools and have an expectation of Dewalt being pretty good quality. What's amazing is you were so gentle and hesitant not to offend the Dewalt lovers, but the truth is the truth. Sorry for the haters you will get, but this is why I watch. Your honest. Thanks
Great video.
Thank you for a very detailed analysis. Brilliant
I've got the dewalt track saw. I think it's a pretty good thing to have on a job site. I had to buy the clamps for the tracks and track extension for ripping claddings. But I think the benefit of having all dewalt batteries with this saw is bonus. I have to say that I used to own a corded makita before, but the motor is nowhere as powerful, and the accessories wasn't as good as dewalt. If you want to do more precise woodworking, I think Festool is the way to go. But for using it on a job site I found that my dewalt is quite robust and lasting me a few good years so far.
Great in-depth look at this machine.
I was really surprised how much cutting power (and torque) this saw had out of the box. I've used other (10" saws) previously and was pretty surprised with the speed and cutting ability of this Dewalt saw.I have bolted mine to a table to minimize movement which I highly recommend.This is a Great saw ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxPeGkHOMe05FySypTOvYumxMn-xi39oRe with a light to see your cutting line (not a laser line).I'd recommend this saw fro anyone looking to upgrade from a 10" miter saw.
I could never understand why anybody needs a track saw at all, much less the latest and greatest to hit the market. I've been making my own track on jobsites, usually from scrap lumber, since long before track saws became a thing. I guess I'm just old school.
That's what I do. But, now retired, I wish I could justify a good tracksaw with accessories to do most of what table saws and mitre saws do. Faster, neater, less dust than circular saw with my own 'track'. My new corded Makita circular saw has a track attachment and works very well
@@cuebj If I was retired (soon, I hope), that would be justification enough 😁. I can see keeping a track saw with various length tracks stored neatly in a shop. I was thinking about jobsites, where the less tools I need, the better. Congrats on the retirement! 🎉🥂
Have you ever used one? It will change your mind.
@@ltandrepants No, never needed one. If I did more custom cabinet or high-end trim work, or if I had a workshop, then I could see investing in a good one. But for my work I would rarely use it.
I was having trouble with the riving knife. It was working its way to the blade so I took it out. This is not one of my primary tools so I don’t use it much. After watching this video I decided to revisit the riving knife but first a blade change because I didn’t remember it being as difficult as you found it to be. I fought it and fought it following the instructions in the manual like a good boy. After some prayer (I should have done that first)
I figured it out. It only works when the saw is pushed down to full depth!! I had the the cutting depth limited to something less than full depth. The riving knife will have to wait for another day.
Glad I saw this video. As a DIYer, I'll never remember how to deal with quirks. I still don't know how you change the saw blade after your demo, nevermind in two years when I want to use a track saw again.
I am so happy you did this. Upstanding and outstanding, Drew. I’ll watch this again just so you get the view back.
Thanks Ryan! I will value your view more than the 6k I lost 😞
I’ll give you another one as well.
Don't know if anyone else has touched on this, but I recall another review of this saw and it works with Festool tracks so, you could have used your track square all along.
I have the corded makita and it is great. I use it with the Festool dust extractor.
I'm not in the market for a track saw just yet, but this video gives me some important things to consider when I'm ready to make that investment, and unless things change between now and then, DeWalt isn't looking like the top contender. While I'm a DeWalt fan for many things, I don't mind going with multiple battery platforms in order to get the product quality, tool accuracy, ease of use, AND affordability that I desire. Case in point: All of my yard tools are Greenworks, while most of my power tools are DeWalt-but my trim router is a Bosch, and corded to boot.
My rule when considering a battery platform is that I must be able to answer "yes" to the question, "Do I currently own, or intend to buy, other tools that use this battery brand/voltage?" I care less if everything is on the same platform and more about whether I have only one tool-and thus, likely, only one battery and charger-on any given platform, because that creates a point of failure that could result in delays on some part of a project, especially if it's a tool I don't use enough to warrant keeping a spare battery around, because the spare would only end up collecting dust.
Where are you using your tracksaw (plan to use, rather)? If you're not using it on jobsites, frankly I'd recommend getting a corded version of whatever saw piques your interest, rather than being pushed into this subpar offering, or having to buy into yet another battery platform.
If youre working in a shop, it seems reasonable that getting power wouldn't be an issue, and you're very likely to have it hooked up to dust collection anyway. However, I will admit when I'm working in my home shop, it has been super convenient to be able to throw up some sawhorses outside, grab my M18 and just make dust outside. Likewise, replacing soffits and trim around the house, it's been super nice to just carrying sawhorses and tracksaw from one side of the house to the other. But, I could have done all of that with a corded saw, an extension cord, and slightly more set up time.
Anyway, there's lots of great options to choose from these days, and it's almost a good thing that the dewalt saw is so bad, because you don't really even have to consider it, meaning you have as close to an unbiased choice of the rest of the market as it's possible to get! Good luck.
The best part of those TSO parallel guides is the quick adapters for Festool guide rails. Instead of having to slide the parallel guides from the end then screw them tight, you just slap it down on the guide rail, when finished you just pick it up off the guide rail.
I know! I’m so impressed with the TSO engineers. Always blows my mind.
Bought into DeWalt, and don't want to spend extra money on batteries for other platforms if possible. Still appreciate the critical, informative review. I'm sure each brand has areas they could improve on and DeWalt is definitely not an exception, so thank you for letting us know what we're up against.
Notes on DeWalt's marketing wankery concerning batteries:
Nominal voltage of the 60V Max system is 54v, nominal for 20V Max is 18v. The 54v batteries are really 3x 18v with either a series configuration for a combined voltage of 54v or parallel configuration for extended capacity which is annoyingly marketed on the 54v system to show the 18v combined capacity, not the 54v. So a 9ah 60V Max DeWalt battery is really a 3ah 54v battery or a 9ah 18v. Dumb marketing, really dumb, but also how DeWalt managed to not have to slot multiple batteries to the track saw.
Gotta ask how exactly were you able to figure out the battery voltages etc?? Please help me🙏. I own all Makita tools (They usually have the best quality materials in their tools that imho separate them from most competitors though admittedly not necessarily the best design and their main downfall by far is that their tools usually always cost significantly more) All that said here's my dilemma/question I desperately need help with) please respond back or anyone else reading this that is knowledgeable to answer PLEASE RESPOND
So I'm in need for a new miter saw and table saw. I'm only interested in the cordless setup after countless hours of research I'm shooting for Milwaukees 10" miter chop box and Milwaukees 8-1/4" table saw... Anyways here's my question to you finally.... What would be the issue "if any" if I add my Makita 18V LXT 5Ah battery's to the aftermarket Adapter that then slides into place where Milwaukees M18 battery "Redlithium HD8.0 or HD12.0" Would it matter? How can I figure out the voltage or whatever's needed so I can be sure I'm not damaging the motor or frying the saws?? Id actually even prefer Dewalts table saw right now since it's on sale but I've got no clue if it would work with my Makita batteries since their battery table saw takes "FlexVolt 60V Max 9.0 Ah". I'm curious if I found an attachment for Makitas NEW "40V Max XGT 4.0AH" be enough or would I have to buy makitas highest 40V Max XGT 8.0AH which is freaking😒$389 alone! Please PLEASE Respond back someone. I've got to figure this out. No I am not trying to just cave in and buy each brands battery and charger. I'm a loyal Makita guy and I would much prefer to get over on all of them for a change, than they getting over on all of us with todays ridiculous pricing! Thank You China for making the adapters which helps save our middle blue collar class Americans by-pass our unaffordable system. It's absolutely ridiculous how an average tradesman would have to struggle for many many months to pay off one's tools HAHHAHA yeah my fault 🤦♂️ for the little rant
@@bostonloyalty4804 The milwaukee HD8 and HD12 batteries are a massive step up over the 5ah batteries. They use 21700 cells vs the normal 18650 cells, a whole battery size up that has major improvements in current handling and capacity. It would be unwise to attempt to use the multi voltage packs with an adapter, it sucks but getting a battery or two means you're not using up your makita batteries as well. A single HD12.0 will last you a long time, my 5-6 year old 1st gen milwaukee 9.0 battery in a m18 fuel sawzall was able to demo an entire kitchen, 8 2x8 joists and 3 walls all on one charge while being used to cut conduit as well for a whole week. Unless you are just spending all day ripping boards on the table saw or mitering, I'd expect a single battery to last you most of a day.
@@bostonloyalty4804 good luck. I know you must use matching batteries for best performance. I would just buy a good extension cord, and forget batteries for large tools. It simply can't be worth the cost & effort unless you work in the deep woods. Battery powered motors under severe loads will have more problems, and shortened life if batteries aren't fully charged at peak loading. I have milwaukee, Dewalt, rigid, ryobi, and craftsman tools and batteries, as well as old ridgid and Milwaukee nickel cadmium battery tools. I buy when things are available, at yard sales and such, and buy new batteries as needed. Don't sell your soul to be loyal to one company. Especially festool. Good luck.
Great work! I really like the style of your videos!
Thank you
I like your reviews. They are very thorough and explain objectively why you're giving the opinion you're giving. They are also very entertaining, thanks! Fortunately for me though I learned how to use a table saw 50 years ago, and while they are very dangerous to use to cut down 4 x 8 sheets of plywood I'd never switch. A few side tables and/or adjustable infeed/outfeed supports plus knowing to never take ones off the infeed part of the fence. Works for my needs. I like these new track saws I just wouldn't change now but glad my grandkids will. (Bench Tool Rule #1 If the piece I'm working on disappeared where would my hands go? Don't place your hands to be pushing at those points.
I have a Bench dogs square on my Dewalt track it works brilliant
I have the same problem with the riving knife being bent. Opened a case with DeWalt support. They told me i need to send the whole saw back to service shop. Crazy waste of my time and productivity. Otherwise very happy with this saw and the interoperability with Festool track was a bonus as the track accessories are more available.
Thanks for reviewing!!
I've always used my Dewalt track saw for rough dimension cuts. I never rely on it for the final cut. I reserve that for the table saw. And I have not found a situation where I needed to do a full plunge cut.
I bought a Festool and it's bloody amazing.
Nice review. Seeing the rotation possible with setting the saw to the track I wonder if you have the saw at an angle to the track and the rear after following teeth one side are causing the roughness. I have always wondered why reviewers do not use some of the highly accurate engineering kit to test equipment. If a saw is meant to cut an inch deep, measure it. It the angle says 45degrees, then measure it. My small de Walt circular has the base slightly out of line with the blade, which is not easy to alter. Cutting against a long straight edge causes the saw to lock up after about 3 feet and become very difficult. Not too different to what you are experiencing. Again good measuring kit shows the problem. Test the blade to the guide, front and back and see if you are 20 thou out or so. This is more difficult to do, but good luck with it.
I understand what you are saying, but the saw was meant to cut more than 2" deep. It couldn't make it through a 2" piece of wood on it's max setting. He doesn't have to have a precision measuring tool to know that it's depth of cut is inaccurate since it couldn't cut 2" when set to it's max depth of 2 1/8".
My Makita corded saw sounds just like yours does when it starts up. I never thought much of it.
I don't typically get my track saw out of the tool trailer. I do regularly need to make precise, very straight cuts but I almost always use a straight edge whether that be a clamp edge, 8 ft level or sometimes a 12' stick of MDF baseboard that has been jointed if necessary. The key is to always have at least one circ saw that you only use for precision cuts. Personally, I keep a Skilsaw in a separate lock box that is only for this purpose. It doesn't get used for anything else for any reason that way the shoe and blade alignment stays true. I have a Makita track saw setup that works very well but it doesn't produce better results than I can get out of the method mentioned above. What I WOULD like to have though is a track saw setup for a 4" wet circ saw. That would be helpful because using a secured straight edge with a wet circ saw is a different ballgame and it doesn't always work as well
I do the same. I have a worm drive skill saw with Ole Bessy written on the side. Only used for my precision cuts. Works great. A 10' level, two clamps, and a high quality blade is just as good as a track saw.
I’m definitely a fan of DeWalt, recently I’ve had an interest in track-saws, I don’t know much at all about them ( the details that you’re talking about) it looks like I want be getting that cool case.
Great review. I've owned the Corded Makita for several years now and it is truly a great value if you don't need cordless. My only negative is the depth scale is metric & I don't use the saw often enough to remember the conversions in my head. I keep forgetting to make my own marks on the scale for common depths of 1/4, 1/2, 3/8 etc , otherwise a great saw. I noted yours does indeed sound off & noted some arcing at the brushes - might be time for new ones.
Or, he hasn’t used it much, and they need to wear in.
or you could just switch to metric altogether
I use dewalt corded track saw with festool midi vac so no need to worry about Bluetooth, I love the dewalt air lock system on the vacuum I run a festool domino with the same vacuum I much prefer the dewalt air lock to the festool system. The depth is a slight gripe but as a cabinet maker of over 20 years I have learnt to never fully trust a scale anyway so just get it set up correctly irrespective of what the scale says. My biggest issue with the track saw is the rail connecting two rails together is always a bit of a faf, could do with two straight parallel joining bars rather than one, find it is tricky to get it straight but again once it's set. it's set! Personally I prefer the tstak boxes over the festool I know I can stand on the tstak as the plastic is kinda rubbery and doesn't split if in the back of van etc the festool box I've never stood on mine as I'm pretty sure it would crack in a heartbeat also pretty sure the festool box will smash all to hell if you dropped it. on hindsight I should have gone mefell but for budget, and I'm already in the dewalt system.
This was excellent. Many Thanks
A master class in fixing what isn't broke.
A tool doesn’t have to be broken to not work well. A poorly designed tool is a broken tool.
Festool tracks are definately the way to go. I accidentally dropped one off of my truck onto an entrance ramp of a busy highway. It got ran over all day (the metro area is a million people), and then I went looking for it after work. I found it and tried using it. It worked exactly like it was supposed it. Just a couple scratches on the face of it.
Sure it did buddy. I'm sure no one stole it after sitting out all day in million people traffic.
@@IliadDreyfus-js9oe I still have it and use it to this day. You can choose to believe it isn't true, but that doesn't make you correct.
I have the corded version of the DeWalt (no table saw). Didn't know about how the double-sided track prevented attaching square guides (or, to be fair, that track guides we're even a thing) when I bought it, but have been feeling the absence since I learned about them. So I'm super excited by what's in the mystery box.
That’s great! I think the mystery box will unlock a lot of efficiency
Got the dewalt plunge saw but I use it on a festool track no worries
Here’s your view back. Good work, I’ll gladly rewatch this, looking into track saws now and invested in the Dewalt platform. Leaning toward the Kreg after watching your videos
Dyllin you’re the best! Kreg is okay. A little heavy. But good value. I like the direction it goes (opposite everyone else)
@@wittworks the cut direction is a big plus for me! Thanks for the reply!
I’ve 45 cut many pieces of of hardwood with the makita tracksaw to make ceiling beams. Many pieces need both edges cut (for the beam bottom), so I have to flip the track around after every cut. So I can definitely see the benefit of having a double sided track, even though the track is annoyingly wider. Sounds like I’d still prefer makita though.
I own the corded version of this saw and, like you, have been frustrated changing blades and operating the depth gauge. I’ve been in search for a square for the Dewalt track for years. So thanks for the TSO tip. Despite the quirks, I think the saw is awesome. Although I might upgrade to the cordless version.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who found those functions difficult!
The cordless saw motor is 360W (60Vx6A), the corded version motor is 1300W. For sheet goods, that's probably not an issue, and the power cord is always in the way. If one is doing 2" cuts in hardwood, the corded one probably is a better choice.
@@johnhaller5851 great to know! Thanks
Having been a wood worker for 40 years, I don’t get the track saw. Free hand with circular saw for unexposed edges, a straight edge for exposed edges with circular saw. A track saw would make sense for a big shop, but then why not buy a panel saw that cuts 4 sheets at a time, as I did at my first job at a production cabinet shop where I worked in the 70s. I just don’t get this tool!
Thanks for the info as the lack of a guide rail accessories has been my biggest gripe about the Dewalt tracksaw (I have the corded version). BUT.... having said that, you didn't mention one of the amazing features of the saw!!! It's compatible with Festool tracks! (hence why there's a second guiderail hole on the saw base). Until this video I was going to purchase the Festool tracks to solve the accessories issue, and now I don't have to :)
Some thoughts about the issues you've had so far:
My riving knife works as advertised and did not come bent (sorry you got the 1/X bad unit :(, and it's saved me a few times cutting some thick stock (1.5" Poplar) that was starting to try and pinch the blade (as did the anti-kickback feature).
Also I haven't noticed any issues with the depth gauge, but I haven't done a specific test to measure for accuracy either. I've only been setting the blade about 1/8 of an inch longer than what I'm cutting and it's been fine, I'll have to try a full 2" cut and see if it has this issue.
Regarding the double hinge, I wonder if this was a way to guarantee that you've fully plunged the blade BEFORE moving the saw? If it was purely on a hinge, you could start pushing the saw forward before the blade has fully plunged into the material. With the double hinge it allows me to make sure the blade is fully plunged before I even begin to move forward. I personally like this, but this is the only tracksaw I've used and I'm familiar with it.
One feature of the dual sided track is when it comes to their router guide rail accessory. To use the router accessory properly, you need to pull the guide rubber off of one of the sides. So one of my tracks has a side without the rubber for the router guide, and one side with the rubber for the tracksaw. Not sure if that was something they had in mind when designing it, but it comes in handy.
Also I haven't noticed the same cutting issue as you where the off-cut side was clean and the keep side had saw markings through it? I'll have to keep an eye for this!
I have the Dewalt track saw, and I use it almost every day. After figuring out how to change the blade😅. Everything else works just fine for me. I cut a lot of melamine with it, and it does a good job.
Damn DeWalt design team, take notes. Super valuable design insights!
I think the coarse texture on one side of your cut would be the back of the blade dragging on that side. That in turn may be connected to the difficulty marrying the saw to the base. If it's a little scewed it would set the back of the blade against one side of the cut.
That makes sense
Yes, it reminds me of results I had been seeing on my table saw until I realized the rip fence wasn‘t perfectly parallel to the saw blade. Fortunately, it’s adjustable on my table saw.
I'm a professional Cabinet maker. My first tracksaw and current one is a second hand corded Dewalt, purchased for only $200. Before that, I borrow a corded Makita from a friend. The problems and flaws were just stuff to get used to. Overall i found that it wasn't too much of a difference compared to the Makita, especially when I mainly use them to break down sheet goods. My only gripe was the horrible tracks. Trying to connect two tracks to cut 8foot length wise was a painful ordeal. They almost never align and where im from, the long Dewalt tracks are impossible to purchase. I simply gave up and got the long Makita track instead. Resorted to cutting off a few millimeters off the Dewalt tracksaw foot to fit into the Makita track ( to avoid the anti-tipping recess)
Overall still a great saw and i have nothing much to complain about. Might convert to the Festool in the future.
I have every 20v Dewalt tool but I did not like some of the problems with their track saw and bought the Makita brushless cordless track saw and love it.
I'm a carpenter from Syria.. I have always admired dewalt because of the power.. and the miter saw they have.
I beleive what you have said about the track saw is very true.. These details makes all the difference. I do not want to deal with a saw that requires too much to set up..
For track saws. Dewalt is not the best choice.
Never knew it didn’t exist. I made my own square for the Dewalt track about 10 years ago with a track connector and scrap of plywood.
And, DeWalt did make a protractor for their track. Don’t know if it is still cataloged.
Really great video. Thank you for the time and energy you put into this!
Hello,
Just watched the video about the Dewalt 60v track saw and appreciate all the info.
I have a corded Makita tracksaw and several rails including the 118in rail.
However I have switched from cordless makita tools to Dewalt mainly due to availability. I have a Bomgaars store near me and they have amazing deals on Dewalt.
I now have about 40 Dewalt 20v tools and a couple 60v tools so in the field cordless is my go to so I am looking to add the Dewalt track saw. I agree some of the shortcomings of this saw are not you being nitpicky, Dewalt should have done better. But, for me, the matching battery platform will outweigh those shortcomings. I like the idea of having one charger and being able to swap batteries from tool to tool. I'm glad to hear the Dewalt will fit on the Makta track so I can just buy the bare tool.
One thing that confused me that you said was that Dewalt was marketing this saw as a 60v but it was just an 18v. Maybe you meant it truly a 54v?
Anyway, thanks for the indepth review!
Took me like 30 minutes to figure out how to change the blade on my new DeWalt job site table saw. They over think that! I LOVE my Makitas. They are so simple (as long as you don't loose the key!)
Not sure If others have said but your main gripe can be overcome by using a festool track (it works with other brands) the other thing is it is both a 60v and 18v battery well actually 54v but for some reason Dewalt markets them as 60v in America. It has a super cool switch inside converting it to 54v to be used in flex volt tools but also works in 18v tools.
The depth and angle gauges are definitely a big negative. I’m still tempted because it saves me having to have another battery platform.
Great review 😂. Thanks. Ok with the quirks I guess. Have festool corded. Dog on power. Use the Dewalt platform so kinda stuck.
excellent video, thank you
Great Review. You mentioned alot of things ive never noticed. Im on my 3rd Dewalt battery op tracksaw now. reason for this. is i use it a couple years then think i no longer need one and yep.i miss it and buy it all over again. have done it twice now. and im
not letting go of my final one. I personally love it. i did however wonder the same thing on the blade cuts leaving those marks. plus ive always had a problem with the handle being too tight to put my hand thru it. was surprised that one was not on your list, but anyway i have always loved how reliable it has been hence the reason i have stayed with the same one for all 3 purchases
I’ve had this track saw for a few years now no problems at all. I use the festool tracks better than the dewalt ones I think 👍
Good to know
Most of the track saw blade is not parallel to the base, that's reason the off cut look smoother. I think they adjust it that way to prevent kick back.
I have the same saw. My riving knife was as bent as yours. I agree with all your criticisms especially the inaccuracy of the depth. I just have to keep in mind that it's 1/8 off which is not what I want. I also want to add that I think the Dewalt is heavy. I did not know how heavy till I used my buddies Milwaukee. Thinking of getting a Festool track as well.
I wonder if the riving knife is creating pressure on the saw which led to the swirl marks on the maple wood. As an example of "industrial design" quality, it makes one wonder if Ruby DeWalt (daughter of Rube Goldberg) was behind the non-ergonomic aspects of the product. I own a corded Festool and a 40V Makita track saw. Such tools are so expensive that it's disappointing when they have any type of quirk.
9:15 This is the correct way to do it. The other methods may be easier but they will be prone to vibrating loose in use. I have never once touched a circular saw that didn't shake like crazy. DeWalt's method LOCKS DOWN the adjustments so they won't go anywhere. Yes, it's a bit more fiddly to set up, but it will STAY set up day in and day out.
Great video, I currently don't have a track saw, though I have been thinking of getting one. I do have a tablesaw which is a load of 💩 the fence is a pain to adjust and get straight and is made of really cheap aluminium and as a result is damaged. It was a fair bit cheaper than the well know brands when I got it. Though because of these things I don't use it. Plus I already had an accident, totally my fault, which could have been a lot worse. I was ripping some mdf I think it was and tried the catch it before it fell and clipped the blade on two fingers. Luckily it didn't result in any serious damage. I have a collection of tools from Ryobi, Dewalt, Makita and Milwaukee. If I was going to get a tracksaw it would be from either Ryobi or Milwaukee as these are the only brands I have batteries/chargers for. Having said that I wouldn't be able to get Ryobi as for some unknown reason they don't sell the battery powered tracksaw here in Australia. The Dewalt & Makita are corded tools.
Sounds like you have two defects. One: The Riving Knife was bent, maybe prior to assembly and not caught by QC. Two, the Depth Stop may be out of calibration due to some assembly mistake or part defect. I would have contacted DeWalt immediately upon discovering these issues. For the cut being rough on one side, as stated in a previous post, I would check parallel on the blade and try to adjust. If still off, again, this is a call/email to DeWalt. As to the Battery being some "Nominal 18V". If not already mentioned elsewhere, the 60V Flex battery is a DUAL voltage battery. 60V for larger tools like the Track Saw and 20V for all 20V compatible tools. You can NOT use a 20V battery on this unit. BUT you can use the 60V Flex battery on 20V tools. They work REALLY well on the 20V Hand Router. (Keeps the unit from shutting down from the battery overheating due to draining fast on long hard cuts).
Just a bit of info. DeWalt is a subsidiary of Staley Black & Decker. DeWalt is _assembled_ in the US from parts manufactured in Brazil, China and Mexico.
Dewalt fanboi here😂 seriously though, I think you made some valid points worth considering if you’re comparing brands for the purchase of a track saw.
But for those of us that already have a yellow track saw… I personally love the double hinge feature. It’s far more ergonomic and gives less potential for kick back on the initial plunge. However, I can definitely see why people might not like it. So I ain’t mad at you.
I do have to say I have never liked the Dewalt track. So I run mine on a (sssshhhhh don’t tell no one) **cough cough Milwaukee** track. So I can assure you that you’re absolutely not stuck with the double sided track. But I do have to point out that the now goofy track was their way at dodging patent infringement with Festool. Since Dewalt didn’t choose to do the same thing every one else did and simply wait for the patent to expire.
I actually like the need for a tool to adjust the saw to the track. Maybe that’s the diesel mechanic in me, but I just feel like it is a little more secure than a tool-less design.
The riving knife being bent is 100% unacceptable for the cost and I’m positive they would warranty that. But would the new one be any straighter? Being stamped, it’s a 50/50 shot.
And I don’t like the depth gauge either, so I agree with you on that. But I never use the scale on anything from woodworking because the machinist in me doesn’t like the inherent inaccuracy of VIRTUALLY ALL woodworking scales. So I always set the depth by eye and miters and bevels with a square.
Excellent video though! Definitely earned yourself another subscriber 🙂
I have owned the old cordless 28 volt Dewalt track saw I think I bought around 2008. It's not a whole lot different than the new one. Back then, it was half the price of Festool and may have been the only competitor, I'm not sure.
I've not noticed any of the issues, except the double hinge. It's weird, you're not expecting it to do that, but you get used to it.
There's two tracks on the saw, so you can use Festool track and accessories if you like as I understand. So far I haven't bothered. All other things equal, you could just buy this saw, and Festool track. One advantage of the Dewalt track is your hand is in line with the guide rail and not askew.
The other issues I never knew were issue until I watched this. Blade changes and track dial ins are few and far between, but yes, they could be easier. I guess I use my eye rather than the depth guide, due to different blades. Tilted cuts are fairly rare for me, but I never noticed an issue there, nor the riving knife.
I don't get the saw marks you do, but am not cutting 2 inch maple, mostly just plywood and decks.
When I got it, I was just happy I didn't have to use a clamped board and skillsaw any longer, and the cut was superior. Nor did I have to use my rigged up Porter cable tracksaw I made out of aluminum that was an adventure to use. Both of those taught me the value of having the guide rail in line with your hand, although I guess I never hear complaints about that on modern tracksaws.
I'm surprised my batteries haven't died yet, and now they're not replaceable since they discontinued the 28v line. That's my main gripe, but the 60v seems like it is here to stay.
Thanks for the video. I'm on the fence between M18 and FlexVolt and this helped a lot. I'm already heavily invested into both (I guess 3 where I'm running 60V grinder?) platforms so this was really helpful. Probably leaning towards m18.
I use this dewalt track saw and I’m very happy with it
It has so much power and cuts so smooth
It’s a very good saw but needed a lot of attention to meet my standards
I ended up removing the riving knife due to the same issue you were having
I also do not use the dewalt tracks
I use only Makita tracks with all TSO accessories
I know it’s a different saw than typical but it is very good
Good for you! I was impressed with the motor. I probably needed a better blade.
I'm curious if you have seen the same issue of a smooth offcut and marred keep cut as he had in video, and if so, was it rectified by putting a better blade on the saw, or adjusting how the saw marries to the track?
@@thepewplace1370
Proper calibration and a good blade makes all the difference for any saw
Very interesting. I’m really trying to figure out that double hinge…so weird but I know it’s for a reason
I bought this saw 4 years ago and love it. No riving knife problems, and from reading comments here it sounds like maybe they had a some sort of QC fail there. Your criticisms are all fair, just nothing that really bothers me when I use it. One thing that is probably another QC fail is the depth of cut, I do get the full depth cut they mention in the specs. That fact that you are not AND the depth stop is off could mean another QC issue, maybe with the plunge mechanism?
Good to know! It’s a recent saw, so my guess is a bad batch?
Most of my hand power tools are Dewalt. I bought a Milwaukee track saw. I also have a Makita finished nailer. On high performing tools I go to ease of use. So 3 batteries at this point.
Don’t know if anyone else’s has mentioned this, I haven’t read all the comments, but the dewalt will work on festool, makita etc guide rails, also, benchdogs make a nifty guide square for the dewalt guide rails. One more thing, the dewalt rails being able to cut on both sides means, you can use one side for 45 degree cuts and the other for normal cuts. Not saying the other makes aren’t better and I agree about the plunge depth guide being flimsy, but it is still a capable saw.
I asked TSO about the parallel guides, as they come as a left and right pair, but you can only install one on the square. So, unless one gets 2 squares, the parallel aspect isn't there, and the accuracy is limited to the factory cutting the board at 90 degrees, and in a long cut, the accuracy will be limited by the relatively short square. Still, i bought the parallel guide system and the new Dewalt square. Unfortunately, the discount code only worked on the square, and they reverted it to a 5% discount on both. I hope you still get the affiliate link credit, as your video is definitely what drove me to the TSO site today.
Thanks John! There’s screw holes on both sides of the GRS D. So I think you can screw the left hand parallel guide to that, but you’d need two rail squares. Probably cheaper to get a Festool or powertec track and just use the slide in T adapters for parallel guides
Yep same with mine. Used it yesterday. Rivot knife is so bent it stops the blade from plunging and track moves on the material im working on. I think im going to remove it today
Amazing mate well done!