I bought this saw 3 months ago and I’m satisfied with its performance. I’ve been scavenging crating material and repurposing the lumber. There is a lot of 1/2 plywood in one crate. I made a workbench by laminating two pieces together to make the sides and top. The saw struggles somewhat cutting 1” thick plywood but as long as I don’t try to push too fast it cuts fine.
I bought this same setup (saw and powertec rails) about 9 months ago it has worked great. I also up grade the blade to the 6 1/2 inch 48 tooth Fespro by Oshlun. The cut quality is great on plywood cross cuts.
Just wanted to say thank you for doing this track saw review. I tried making a circular saw guide, but I don't think it's straight enough for building a few plywood projects I have planned. This WEN track saw seems a good option that I can use for a while. Great review!
Its a good tool for a few projects and great for breaking down plywood/getting a straight edge. This does not replace a table saw though. Not even a cheap table saw.
My take on the dust collection issue....It looks like the pieces of plastic are from the injection molding process and that left over tide bit is from the nozzle gate....to have a mold that cuts that or "degates" it is a huge extra expense added to the process...thank you for this review
I got this same saw and rail combo myself and I agree with all you said. I also removed the anti-tipping mechanism. It was just a pain. I'll have to do that dust collection modification. It is a pain to clean out. I picked up the Wen 56 tooth blade for it which is probably overkill but it leaves a clean edge. I'm a fan of my Wen 3 blade planer too. So far it's awesome.
I have the same planer and its sufficient so far but I will upgrade it some day. I see no reason to ever upgrade the track saw though. Used it today and its still working great.
a 60$ investment and you got a Makita Festool clone, softstartmodule, blade, brand bearing, flatten the baseplate, check alignment from base to blade, and ofcourse the wobble , 2 shims (0.15) between the pivot points and it is gold.
Obtain a can of Amsoil silicone spray. Clean all surfaces of track and saw that contact each other. Spray all those surfaces. Allow to dry. It will slide way smoother.
I do not have a track saw but want one. I just want one that cuts straight. Lol. No need to spend several hundred dollars for that. The Wen looks perfectly fine for my needs. Great review.
This is actually a good and accurate review....including anti-kickback control issue and the design problem with dust collection. I've been using the 71/4" model and the anti-kickback is also irritating....pops up off track in back of saw w/o any perceptible kickback; would be great if Wen would redesign this 'feature'. I definitely recommend both the Wen saw and the Powertec track combo! I'd rather pull this out to use than my table saw. The fact that it in 'portable' is a hugh plus.
I have one and like you said it does everything i would need it to do, I've use a festool blah blah blah 55 and it felt no different, will it last longer?... i sure hope so for the money.... but the WEN does all the same stuff for $100..... also this saw has been around for years, by many other brands.... so if anyone sees this saw with another name on it for cheaper.... its the same saw... so far the WEN seems to be the cheapest price... oh and great review
I'd guess what you broke out was a safety baffle they had to add to prevent "potential injury" from high speed ejection of wood splinters and ambulance chasers. These days you need to include a warning to not stick your tongue in a light socket. There is a huge difference in cost between these two: - Wen 6 1/2" 10A saw = $97 - Saw and 100" 2-piece track = $164.66 (2 clamps nice clamps for $21.09 more = $186.19) - Kreg 6 1/2" 12A saw = $299 - Saw and track = $398.98 - The Wen costs $234.32 less, or 41% of the cost of the Kreg. You can buy the Wen with the clamps and still be less that 47% of the cost of the Kreg & track. The 10A Wen is just big enough to be real. Most home owners will use it use it once every 5 years as a track saw, and loan it every 1 1/2 years, and get most of its use doubling as a Skill saw. So from a cost/performance perspective, it isn't even close. Wen hits it out of the park. If you do it for a living, then neither saw would make the cut.
Yea. I purchased the top which includes the hinges but no rail. I purchased two 55" tracks and cut them to fit on this table. I use it to break down lumber and as an assembly table.
What is your dust collection set up at the dust ejection port of the saw? I like how you plug into that piece that is attached to the saw. Thanks for the video.
is theres away to calibrate the tracksaw to get 90 degrees went i plunge the blade goes in bit of an angle but the belve knobs are already all the way downto 90 degrees
It looks like there's a setscrew behind the loosening knob to adjust 90. I would remove the loosening knob with a screwdriver and mess with that. Just a guess.
Great video. I just got the same saw and would like to ask how you pulled the 2 tabs out of the dust collection? I was going to pull off the cover but the screws are so tight that if I keep trying there going to strip.
Get a proper sized philips head screw driver and push in while you turn. It was not too tight for me. Remove those 5 screws or however many around the blade guard and with the cover off the piece that goes to the dust collection will pop out. You will see the tabs in there. Grab them with pliers and twist.
I took the cover off and removed the plastic piece and took some snips and cut them out. Used a file to get any uneven edges smooth. Replaced the cover and put a 3d printed cover on blade change port. The dust collection improved dramatically. I’m now working on a copy of the festool splinter guard for the Wen track saw
A table saw is ideal but if you dont have access to one and you're not ready to purchase one I would say yes. You will find yourself fighting the equipment a bit as its difficult to make repetitive cuts the same dimension and square but its doable.
That was a good review. It's a makita clone in black and orange, my fave combo. I'd be interested to see more about the table. Did you buy the bridge from kreg for the rail? I think the bridge is much more convenient than the festool flip up rail system on their mft.
I purchased the kreg acs table top which includes the hinges but no guide rail. Just about any rail will work as long as its over 65" and has the same t-slots underneath. The kreg system is inferior in my opinion because it makes loading lumber more difficult. Imagine laying a 4x8 sheet on a table vs trying to slide it under a 5 inch gap. The track is fixed so the only way to get it out of the way is unscrewing something. Generally I just work around it. Also, I use this table for assembly so I want the track out of the way often. That said, I do like the kreg acs but if the prices were the same I would take the mft lift mechanism.
@@carolinaworkshop7091 Interesting. I didn't know it was a faff to get the rail off. I think for normal cutting, the brifge is better as you don't have to taw the saw off to lift the track. I'm not sure of the origins of this bridge is. I know there used to be a bloke named Dino who had the ez guide system and he invented the bridge idea.
I would not recommend that though its certainly possible. You're not going to get the level of accuracy you need without a lot of fighting the equipment. Track saws can not replace table saws.
Love the PowerTec track but find that the saw is large and heavier than what I need for most 1/2 to 1 1/4 inch cuts ... does anyone have a recommendation for a smaller/lighter saw that fits on this track???
Thanks for the video. I just picked mine up today, power tech tracks will be here tomorrow ( because that’s what most reviews said) plus you save a ton on the saw. My question is about the blade, did you ever upgrade that or are the cuts you are showing with the stock blade?
Im using the stock blade and thanks for reminding me. I will be upgrading it. The finish is fine but on certain types of plywood I get a little tear out. What I showed in the video is the type of plywood that gives me the worst results. Its not a big deal but it can be improved.
I bought this saw 3 months ago and I’m satisfied with its performance. I’ve been scavenging crating material and repurposing the lumber. There is a lot of 1/2 plywood in one crate. I made a workbench by laminating two pieces together to make the sides and top. The saw struggles somewhat cutting 1” thick plywood but as long as I don’t try to push too fast it cuts fine.
I bought this same setup (saw and powertec rails) about 9 months ago it has worked great. I also up grade the blade to the 6 1/2 inch 48 tooth Fespro by Oshlun. The cut quality is great on plywood cross cuts.
Just wanted to say thank you for doing this track saw review. I tried making a circular saw guide, but I don't think it's straight enough for building a few plywood projects I have planned. This WEN track saw seems a good option that I can use for a while. Great review!
Its a good tool for a few projects and great for breaking down plywood/getting a straight edge. This does not replace a table saw though. Not even a cheap table saw.
My take on the dust collection issue....It looks like the pieces of plastic are from the injection molding process and that left over tide bit is from the nozzle gate....to have a mold that cuts that or "degates" it is a huge extra expense added to the process...thank you for this review
I got this same saw and rail combo myself and I agree with all you said. I also removed the anti-tipping mechanism. It was just a pain. I'll have to do that dust collection modification. It is a pain to clean out. I picked up the Wen 56 tooth blade for it which is probably overkill but it leaves a clean edge. I'm a fan of my Wen 3 blade planer too. So far it's awesome.
I have the same planer and its sufficient so far but I will upgrade it some day. I see no reason to ever upgrade the track saw though. Used it today and its still working great.
a 60$ investment and you got a Makita Festool clone, softstartmodule, blade, brand bearing, flatten the baseplate, check alignment from base to blade, and ofcourse the wobble , 2 shims (0.15) between the pivot points and it is gold.
Obtain a can of Amsoil silicone spray. Clean all surfaces of track and saw that contact each other. Spray all those surfaces. Allow to dry. It will slide way smoother.
I do not have a track saw but want one. I just want one that cuts straight. Lol. No need to spend several hundred dollars for that. The Wen looks perfectly fine for my needs. Great review.
This is actually a good and accurate review....including anti-kickback control issue and the design problem with dust collection. I've been using the 71/4" model and the anti-kickback is also irritating....pops up off track in back of saw w/o any perceptible kickback; would be great if Wen would redesign this 'feature'. I definitely recommend both the Wen saw and the Powertec track combo! I'd rather pull this out to use than my table saw. The fact that it in 'portable' is a hugh plus.
Is the 7 1/4 model a bigger saw or just the blade?
How thick can you cut with it versus the 6 1/2?
Thanks.
Hey as someone who’s used dust collection on the Festool, and Makita, it leaves the same amount of dust when connected to the vacuum.
Thanks for an excellent review. I’ll be buying this saw as soon as HD has it in stock.
I have one and like you said it does everything i would need it to do, I've use a festool blah blah blah 55 and it felt no different, will it last longer?... i sure hope so for the money.... but the WEN does all the same stuff for $100..... also this saw has been around for years, by many other brands.... so if anyone sees this saw with another name on it for cheaper.... its the same saw... so far the WEN seems to be the cheapest price... oh and great review
I picked up the Kreg a couple weeks ago now I wish I had waiting and just ordered this one. Thanks for the review
I would be curious to know how you like the kreg. I really like all the kreg products I have.
I love this track saw. It does a great job. I would encourage dust collection. The track can get clogged with dust and stop the saw dead in its track.
Great review. Thank you! Wound up buying one and got the better WEN finishing blade (BL6556)
100 sub right here. Keep up the work, great review.
Thanks a lot.
that 2 pass crosscut was gold
Good review! Noticed you have some sort of hinge at each end of the track. Would love to have something like that. Can you give some details? Thanks
That's part of the "kreg acs table".
Thanks for the review!
Great job and very helpful
I'd guess what you broke out was a safety baffle they had to add to prevent "potential injury" from high speed ejection of wood splinters and ambulance chasers. These days you need to include a warning to not stick your tongue in a light socket.
There is a huge difference in cost between these two:
- Wen 6 1/2" 10A saw = $97 - Saw and 100" 2-piece track = $164.66 (2 clamps nice clamps for $21.09 more = $186.19)
- Kreg 6 1/2" 12A saw = $299 - Saw and track = $398.98
- The Wen costs $234.32 less, or 41% of the cost of the Kreg. You can buy the Wen with the clamps and still be less that 47% of the cost of the Kreg & track. The 10A Wen is just big enough to be real. Most home owners will use it use it once every 5 years as a track saw, and loan it every 1 1/2 years, and get most of its use doubling as a Skill saw. So from a cost/performance perspective, it isn't even close. Wen hits it out of the park. If you do it for a living, then neither saw would make the cut.
Is that the Kreg Adaptive Cutting system table you're using with that Wen track saw?
Yea. I purchased the top which includes the hinges but no rail. I purchased two 55" tracks and cut them to fit on this table.
I use it to break down lumber and as an assembly table.
I like tour videos. You say “umm” a lot but I like your videos.
Thanks. I edited out a lot of umms in later videos.
What is your dust collection set up at the dust ejection port of the saw? I like how you plug into that piece that is attached to the saw. Thanks for the video.
I use a shop fox dust collector. The hose and connector this saw and my smaller tools use is the Cen-Tec Systems 94192 Quick Click.
It is better than Festool honestly considering the price.
is theres away to calibrate the tracksaw to get 90 degrees went i plunge the blade goes in bit of an angle but the belve knobs are already all the way downto 90 degrees
It looks like there's a setscrew behind the loosening knob to adjust 90.
I would remove the loosening knob with a screwdriver and mess with that.
Just a guess.
Great video. I just got the same saw and would like to ask how you pulled the 2 tabs out of the dust collection? I was going to pull off the cover but the screws are so tight that if I keep trying there going to strip.
Get a proper sized philips head screw driver and push in while you turn. It was not too tight for me. Remove those 5 screws or however many around the blade guard and with the cover off the piece that goes to the dust collection will pop out. You will see the tabs in there. Grab them with pliers and twist.
@@carolinaworkshop7091 thank you
I took the cover off and removed the plastic piece and took some snips and cut them out. Used a file to get any uneven edges smooth. Replaced the cover and put a 3d printed cover on blade change port. The dust collection improved dramatically. I’m now working on a copy of the festool splinter guard for the Wen track saw
Would you use this to use installing oak stair treads and risers? That is my next project staining and polling them now.
A table saw is ideal but if you dont have access to one and you're not ready to purchase one I would say yes. You will find yourself fighting the equipment a bit as its difficult to make repetitive cuts the same dimension and square but its doable.
That was a good review. It's a makita clone in black and orange, my fave combo. I'd be interested to see more about the table. Did you buy the bridge from kreg for the rail? I think the bridge is much more convenient than the festool flip up rail system on their mft.
I purchased the kreg acs table top which includes the hinges but no guide rail. Just about any rail will work as long as its over 65" and has the same t-slots underneath.
The kreg system is inferior in my opinion because it makes loading lumber more difficult. Imagine laying a 4x8 sheet on a table vs trying to slide it under a 5 inch gap. The track is fixed so the only way to get it out of the way is unscrewing something. Generally I just work around it.
Also, I use this table for assembly so I want the track out of the way often.
That said, I do like the kreg acs but if the prices were the same I would take the mft lift mechanism.
@@carolinaworkshop7091 Interesting. I didn't know it was a faff to get the rail off. I think for normal cutting, the brifge is better as you don't have to taw the saw off to lift the track. I'm not sure of the origins of this bridge is. I know there used to be a bloke named Dino who had the ez guide system and he invented the bridge idea.
Great vid. I'm new to track saws but looks like this can cut dados with some repeat passes pretty well. Or would this not be as easy as I'm picturing?
I would not recommend that though its certainly possible. You're not going to get the level of accuracy you need without a lot of fighting the equipment. Track saws can not replace table saws.
@@carolinaworkshop7091 I see. Thanks;)
Love the PowerTec track but find that the saw is large and heavier than what I need for most 1/2 to 1 1/4 inch cuts ... does anyone have a recommendation for a smaller/lighter saw that fits on this track???
Thanks for the review. Can we get one on the planer?
Ill probably do a review of it soon. Its done well for me so far.
Appreciate the video
Thanks for the video. I just picked mine up today, power tech tracks will be here tomorrow ( because that’s what most reviews said) plus you save a ton on the saw. My question is about the blade, did you ever upgrade that or are the cuts you are showing with the stock blade?
Im using the stock blade and thanks for reminding me. I will be upgrading it. The finish is fine but on certain types of plywood I get a little tear out. What I showed in the video is the type of plywood that gives me the worst results. Its not a big deal but it can be improved.
Great review...
Hmm...... yeah
Can you provide info on your track?
Im using one 55 inch POWERTEC guide rail with a 10 inch piece I cut from a second 55 inch rail joined together with guide rail connectors.
Wen=titan=macalister the same saw....