Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
I’m starting to think I might “need” a track saw down the road. Undecided on brand as of this moment, though if I were to buy ‘right his very second’ the Makita is in the lead. My general question is this: manufacturers are beginning to release cordless track saws… Given that 90%+ of the time it’s gonna be used with dust collection, what’s the appeal? You already are dragging around a hose… and on the Festool, the power cable is already a part of the dust collection hose anyway, right? (home use, I’m NOT a pro contractor)
Also, any current or past users, how do you like what you have, and any tips and tricks to share?
BK13 wrote:
1 hour ago, BK13 said:I’m starting to think I might “need” a track saw down the road. Undecided on brand as of this moment, though if I were to buy ‘right his very second’ the Makita is in the lead. My general question is this: manufacturers are beginning to release cordless track saws… Given that 90%+ of the time it’s gonna be used with dust collection, what’s the appeal? You already are dragging around a hose… and on the Festool, the power cable is already a part of the dust collection hose anyway, right? (home use, I’m NOT a pro contractor)
Also, any current or past users, how do you like what you have, and any tips and tricks to share?
The hose and cord are separate but they do have a sleeved version with both in it (I’ve got one). As far as cordless, I’ve got the cornered TS55REQ and the new HKC55 which has a cross cut sled and can run on a track or as a regular skill saw. If your using it in the shop, the benefit is always breaking down sheet goods in a safe and accurate fashion with dust collection. Naturally I’m a Festool guy but o wouldn’t think two about getting the Makita, it is awesome. The new Dewalt
looks pretty sweet too.
The plus to the Makita / Festool is the tracks are interchangeable
Mike
With certain tools I would stick with cords over batteries especially if you are not a pro user. A lot of my corded circular saws, drills, sawzalls, routers, miter saws etc are over 15 years old. Most battery platforms will change in that time frame. So I would not want to be stuck with an unusable tool or searching for usable batteries to keep my tools working.
When I have a lot of cuts to make with a festool track saw I just tape the cord to the vacuum hose to keep it at bay. The hose cord combo would be nice but that is a pricy option.
One of the things I love about festool is the ability to use the same cord with all their tools. I wish their was a standard between manufacturers, but that will never happen.
I do not own a track saw but we have a Festool track saw at work that I use often, and love it.
Sometimes the extra weight of the battery negates the pluses IMO. I recently ran a Ridgid Cordless laminate router and was not thrilled with it. With a 4 amp battery on it, it felt top heavy and was about as heavy as a PC 690. It was nice not having to worry about a cord, but meh… I have the same router in the corded version and prefer that one.
I agree with all comments.
My Festool tracksaw never leaves my property except on rare occasions once a decade.
Since I use dust collection having a cord hooked up with it is no big deal.
It would be a great option if I was mobile with the saw but since I am not, I really dont want to be thinking about buying a couple $100 batteries in a few years.
I’ll likely get the FlexVolt track saw. I hate table saws in the field as much as I hate them at home and I’ll break them down as safely as possible regardless of where I’m working.
Auto-On with the vacuum on Festool etc. is very cool though. Love the Festool thoughtful design regarding chipout/splintering.
I currently own the makita, no real issues with it. Ive just let it get a bit beat up. So im currently in the market to replace it, im looking at the mafell, price gap between that and festool isnt much over here in Ireland. Main reason is the tracks. Ive never really being impressed with the way of joining on makita etc but if your willing to buy the 3m and can easily store/transport then makita and festool are great aswell. All have some features the others dont, so basically look at them and see whats more suited to you.
It’s depend on the type of work you are planning to do. If you are doing framing/rough construction, you don’t care about dust collection most of the time and it will make more sense to get a cordless one. Although I would say the Festool HKC would be a better design than a regular track saw in this case. Hopefully, we are going to see some ‘clones’ down the road that are a bit less expensive 🙂
If you are finish guy, I don’t see why you would need a cordless one as you’ll probably have it hooked up to a shop vac anyway. One caveat though is if you are working on the road. Sometimes there is just one outlet available to plug in your saw and your vacuum and you end up tripping breakers. Cordless can be a nice option in theses cases.
I really love my Bosch GKT55GCE. Poor man’s Mafell, lol.
NAINA, but I like to be different.
The TSC55 will collect around 90% just with the bag attached from my experience so it’s decent in that regard. The new 18v x2 Makita has Bluetooth to connect to a Bluetooth vacuum so when the trigger is pulled on the Saw it switches on the vac (as far as I know). No need to plug the vac into the wall or the tool into the vac – perfection!
I have the cordless Festool TSC55. With a small basement shop and small kids the ability to throw some sawhorses out with a piece of ridgid foam on the driveway or garage has been priceless to me with the dust bag. 2 minutes of setup and you are cutting. Having the option for one battery in a pinch for sheet goods also proved to be quite useful.
Pouet wrote:
On 5/22/2017 at 0:56 PM, Pouet said:It’s depend on the type of work you are planning to do. If you are doing framing/rough construction, you don’t care about dust collection most of the time and it will make more sense to get a cordless one. Although I would say the Festool HKC would be a better design than a regular track saw in this case. Hopefully, we are going to see some ‘clones’ down the road that are a bit less expensive 🙂
If you are finish guy, I don’t see why you would need a cordless one as you’ll probably have it hooked up to a shop vac anyway. One caveat though is if you are working on the road. Sometimes there is just one outlet available to plug in your saw and your vacuum and you end up tripping breakers. Cordless can be a nice option in theses cases.
Just homeowner stuff… breaking down sheet goods, fixing stuff that breaks, maybe in the future building some furniture. Once I get moved, it will probably never leave the shop.
wildroamer wrote:
On 5/22/2017 at 4:13 PM, wildroamer said:I really love my Bosch GKT55GCE. Poor man’s Mafell, lol.
NAINA, but I like to be different.
I’d love this, but I’m just too lazy to do the legwork to get it. LOL
rrmccabe wrote:
On 5/21/2017 at 3:48 PM, rrmccabe said:I agree with all comments.
My Festool tracksaw never leaves my property except on rare occasions once a decade.
Since I use dust collection having a cord hooked up with it is no big deal.
It would be a great option if I was mobile with the saw but since I am not, I really dont want to be thinking about buying a couple $100 batteries in a few years.
There’s the battery replacement issue, too. I can’t really see me getting any other cordless tools if I went with Festool, so no hoarding batteries like I’ve done with my M12 stuff buying kits, LOL.
Much thanks, fellas. I think when I make the plunge (sorry!) it will be 110v.
Now I can beat my head against the wall as to Festool or Makita.
You have far more options than Festool and Makita. Bosch (as wildroamer has mentioned), DeWALT, Triton and even Grizzly has one out there. Check out the Wood Whisperer on YouTube, he has done few reviews and comparisons between Festool and a few others. Don’t forget to figure in the cost of the tracks when you do the math on purchasing a saw. Buying some of them separately can be a bit of a cost. Good research is the key to getting good value.
Makita tracksaw hasn’t ever disappointed anyone 🙂 neither did the ts55 ofcourse 😀
There a reason the new Makita cordless doesn’t have a riving knife?
Probably because the corded one doesn’t either
This was taken from the FOG forum comparing the Maffel track saw to Festool:
“There is only ONE feature about the MT55 that SOME users MAY need, but can’t get—
the riving knife.
Apparently, it’s very difficult to get permission in Germany ( or the EU) to even make a saw WITHOUT a riving knife… but Mafell jumped through those legal hoops to make it happen. WHY? Because they know the riving knife on a small circular saw is USUALLY superfluous. The only time we really need that riving knife is when we rip solid timber, especially if it is not properly dried.
You’ll note that ALL the BIG timber-framing saws Mafell makes DO have riving knives for that reason.
The Makita also has no riving knife. Since I use that at home for plywood or KD only, I have only had one instance of kickback, and that was because the tracks were dusty and I didn’t use the clamps. Keep clean tracks and use clamps, you’ll never have a kickback with plywood or engineered lumber. So long as we are cutting sheet goods or good dry solid lumber, you don’t need a riving knife. As soon as we start cutting BIG TIMBERS, or wet wood, then that riving knife is a good thing!
Therefore, If I was doing timber framing anymore, I’d go with the Festool TS75 ( at the bare minimum) or one of the other Mafell LARGE saws with riving knives.”
Seems like a cost cutting measure rather than it being some superfluous feature. “Use clamps! Clean your track!” That’s like not caring about dust extraction because you can wear a dust mask.
Grumpy MSG wrote:
On 5/23/2017 at 9:51 PM, Grumpy MSG said:You have far more options than Festool and Makita. Bosch (as wildroamer has mentioned), DeWALT, Triton and even Grizzly has one out there. Check out the Wood Whisperer on YouTube, he has done few reviews and comparisons between Festool and a few others. Don’t forget to figure in the cost of the tracks when you do the math on purchasing a saw. Buying some of them separately can be a bit of a cost. Good research is the key to getting good value.
AFAIK, the Bosch isn’t yet available in NA (I hope I’m proven wrong soon!)…
I don’t really like DeWalt very much…
I might take a look at the Grizzly…
@marsh942
I was unaware of the new Makita x2 tracksaw having bluetooth. I thought it was only the new miter that has bluetooth.
The way things are heading is cordless tracksaws will be used in conjunction with cordless bluetooth vacs. I feel like a hose would be easier to manage than a power cord.
@BK13
Heres what my take is on your options. Hopefully I didn’t miss any saws.
Mafel is a good unit but pricey. The blade change seems like it is one of the best. I would guess the Mafel has the best dust collection since the blade is completely enclosed from the side. Mafel is available in the states but I didn’t find many places to buy it. I don’t know for sure but I think the Mafels are metric only. I havent heard of any being converted to imperial units.
One unit you may consider but I would not recommend is the Grizzly. Mark from the woodwhisperer tested the unit. The saw does not provide finish quality cuts which may be something to consider. Areas in which it is not as good as other units is the cut quality, dust collection, safety release for plunging, and wobble on the track. Another thing to note is the saw does not work properly with Festool track. For the price you pay it is much better than a traditional circular saw. I am not sure what accessories are available but Mark indicated there were some available.
Mark also tested the DeWALT corded track saw. I would guess the flexvolt would have similar results. This is my top pick for your situation. The price is not as much as the Festool but quality is very close. In Mark’s tests he said the DeWALT had better keeper piece cut quality (which surprised me) than the Festool but the offcut piece had more tearout than the Festool. Dust collection is good as well. An added bonus is it fits Festool track. One cool feature it has is the active kickback protection. If I understood this feature correctly, it prevents the saw from traveling backwards from kickback but only if you enable the feature.
I do not know much about the Makita unit but from what I have heard it doesn’t have a riving knife. This may not be a huge issue but if safety is a concern then it may be something to consider. Like the DeWALTs, Makita’s fit Festool track. From what others say I feel like I could recommend this unit or the x2 unit. The Makita corded and the DeWALT corded are within the same price range. I would guess when the x2 comes out in a few months it will be priced similar to the flexvolt. The corded units are only a $20ish price difference according to Home Depot which isn’t enough to choose one over the other going by price alone in my opinion.
I don’t know much about the Triton unit. Triton tends to have midrange tools sometimes with neat features. They aren’t homeowner quality but not pro quality either. I’d say just below pro quality. It is in a similar price range as the Grizzly unit.
The Bosch from what I have heard is a good unit but is not available in North America. I wouldn’t recommend this unit for this reason unless you really want to get one from overseas and convert it to work here.
It’s hard to go wrong with a Festool. Just about everything is great. Good features, lots of accessories, and great build quality. The only thing is the price is premium and some units may still only be available in metric which for us in the states may take some getting used to.
DeWALT, Festool, and Triton offer an accessory to use a router with the track. If this is something you desire in the future then these may be options to consider. Festool has many other track accessories and I would guess other Festool tools may be able to work with the track as well.
I know the most about the DeWALT and Festool units because I have done the most research on them and they would be my top 2 picks but if I would have to pick a number 3 I would choose Makita
Jronman wrote:
4 hours ago, Jronman said:It’s hard to go wrong with a Festool. Just about everything is great. Good features, lots of accessories, and great build quality. The only thing is the price is premium and some units may still only be available in metric which for us in the states may take some getting used to.
Festool track saws are available in metric and imperial now.
Not only that, I have been selling imperial labels for Festool track saws and routers for at least 5 years. Have sold over 800 of them in US and half dozen other countries. The new TS 55 comes with imperial and metric labels as setbuilder said. As far as I know the routers are all still metric only. 1010, 1400 and 2200.
rrmccabe wrote:
4 hours ago, rrmccabe said:Not only that, I have been selling imperial labels for Festool track saws and routers for at least 5 years. Have sold over 800 of them in US and half dozen other countries. The new TS 55 comes with imperial and metric labels as setbuilder said. As far as I know the routers are all still metric only. 1010, 1400 and 2200.
routers may be metric but I think they may include imperial collets. I could be mistaken though.
rrmccabe wrote:
5 hours ago, rrmccabe said:Not only that, I have been selling imperial labels for Festool track saws and routers for at least 5 years. Have sold over 800 of them in US and half dozen other countries. The new TS 55 comes with imperial and metric labels as setbuilder said. As far as I know the routers are all still metric only. 1010, 1400 and 2200.
Would like to get one for my Bosch, doable?
Probably right. Mine came with 1/4 and 1/2 and I later added a 8mm.
SetBuilder wrote:
On 5/28/2017 at 6:21 PM, SetBuilder said:This was taken from the FOG forum comparing the Maffel track saw to Festool:
“There is only ONE feature about the MT55 that SOME users MAY need, but can’t get—
the riving knife.
Apparently, it’s very difficult to get permission in Germany ( or the EU) to even make a saw WITHOUT a riving knife… but Mafell jumped through those legal hoops to make it happen. WHY? Because they know the riving knife on a small circular saw is USUALLY superfluous. The only time we really need that riving knife is when we rip solid timber, especially if it is not properly dried.
Can’t imagine it’s that difficult. All Makita circular saws with a cutting depth of 65mm or less don’t have a riving knife anymore.
Is a riving knife solely for helping prevent binding? Does it help with straighter cuts?
Binding/kickback. The track is what provides laser straight cuts.
@Bremon I was talking about normal circular saws. Ones without a track base.
I’ve never seen a riving knife on anything but a track saw or table saw. Not even sure our beam saw at work has one.
Here is a little something I wrote for TIA a while back
To Track or not to Track
I know that some of you are thinking I would really like to have a track saw but, do I want to spend my hard earn cash on such a luxury item. Before I start this is not a comparison or review of anyone Track Saw it is just an article on the benefits of having and using a Track Saw.
For some clamping a straight edge down works just fine or using a table saw is all that they need. For someone like myself that works alone most of the time it is a major time saver. One of the biggest negatives I hear all the time is the cost. It is true cost is a factor. You can spend a few bucks for a straight edge up to seven hundred plus dollars for a top of a line Track saw. The second negative is “I already have a circular saw so why would I buy another one.” That is a good point but they make kits that you can use your saw for around two hundred dollars and get ninety percent of the benefits of a true Track Saw. You will notice that I did not say one hundred percent because the design of a Track Saw adds to the benefits. Dust collection and cross cut splintering are a plus of a true Track Saw.
There a few players in the Track Saw market DeWalt DWS520SKH comes with a 59” track $459 or the DWS520CK comes with a 59” and a 102” track $600. The Makita SP6000J1 comes with a 55” track $420. Bosch makes the GKT-55-GCE but it is not available in the US market. Festool Has the TS 55 REQ 6 ¼ blade 1 15/16th cut depth $615 comes with a 55” track and the TS 75 EQ 8 ¼ blade and a 2 ¾ cut depth $725. Fox Shop and Grizzly track saws same manufacture (they are injection molded in different colors). The Grizzly T25552 comes with a 55” track $245 and the Shop Fox W1835 $192 Track sold as an accessory. Now with all of that said I personally have the Festool 55 REQ and the TS 55 EQ. My first Track Saw was the DeWalt and I had issues with it. It may because it was their first attempt at a track saw. The saw was at their repair center more than I had it but that was many years ago and now from what I hear they are much better.
Now let me tell you what I see as the biggest benefits to owning a track saw are.
1. It is not just a fancy circular saw with a straightedge. A lot of engineering has gone it to the plunge mechanism, riving knife for kick back protection and blade pinching and dust collection. It may look like a framing saw but it is not.
2. Mark your pieces set your track and make your cut. Rubber like strips on the bottom of the track holds it in place. You can use clamps but it is not necessary.
3. Portability easy to carry and set up and it is good for tight spaces. If you do not have room for a table saw and it takes up very little room in your vehicle.
4. Dust collection. The shroud just does not protect you for the blade it makes for an effective dust channel. If you cut a lot of MDF you will love this one benefit alone.
5. Long cuts, long miters and, odd angles there are no limits on what you can do. The only limit is the length of track you have. You can overcome this with a coupling system that each track has. However, there is one downside. Unlike those other saws, a track saw does not have a built-in miter gauge, so setting up miter cuts can be slow. If you do many long miters, you might want to spend $50 to $100 on a miter gauge that locks onto the track.
6. Clean cuts. You will be hard pressed to get a smoother, cleaner cut from a circular saw or table saw. I am not saying that tis will replace a table saw because it will not. You can do more with a table saw but a track saw will make your life easier. These are just a few of the benefits that I see that can make your work more time effective and safer. You will no longer have to wrestle sheet goods on to your table.
I hope this helps those that are on the fence. If you take your time and do your research, you will find the answer that is wright for you. Good luck
Bremon wrote:
3 hours ago, Bremon said:I’ve never seen a riving knife on anything but a track saw or table saw. Not even sure our beam saw at work has one.
someone said something about makita saws with less than 65mm or whatever it was do not have riving knives. I didn’t know if larger saws had them.
I mean if u keep a strong hand on your saw u should be able to prevent kickback, well thats me speaking from experience because i always just cut up my sheet material on sawhorses. And id constantly get the saw wanting to come back at me from the material either sagging in the centre. Anyway i stepped my game up since. I just ordered the mafell mt55 and im gonna throw together some kind of portable bench for breaking down sheets because this saw will be getting treated with love not like my makita
Jronman wrote:
On 6/1/2017 at 4:58 AM, Jronman said:someone said something about makita saws with less than 65mm or whatever it was do not have riving knives. I didn’t know if larger saws had them.
In Belgium larger saws do have them. If your sawing 3 inches deep and that binds up your saw will kick like a mother f*ucker.
Yep, our beamsaw at work is probably the 3rd or 4th scariest tool in our shop lol.
I’m a weekend DIYer. I use the rear handled Makita 36V with an edge guide for household projects but find myself spending a lot of time setting up for cuts that meet my standards. I do not frame and I rarely rough cut, and a table saw is out of the question due to lack of storage space. This got me thinking about dumping my circular for the Makita 36V plunge saw. I think I understand all the benefits of a track saw; however, I still had a few more questions:
1) Is there anything a circular saw can do better than a track saw besides cutting 3/8″ deeper, being more portable, and hanging on rafters?
2) How accurate are the track saw cuts? On the money? +/- 1/32?
bee-man wrote:
5 hours ago, bee-man said:I’m a weekend DIYer. I use the rear handled Makita 36V with an edge guide for household projects but find myself spending a lot of time setting up for cuts that meet my standards. I do not frame and I rarely rough cut, and a table saw is out of the question due to lack of storage space. This got me thinking about dumping my circular for the Makita 36V plunge saw. I think I understand all the benefits of a track saw; however, I still had a few more questions:
1) Is there anything a circular saw can do better than a track saw besides cutting 3/8″ deeper, being more portable, and hanging on rafters?
2) How accurate are the track saw cuts? On the money? +/- 1/32?
Im in the boat about wanting a track saw for breaking down plywood. I made a edge guide from plywood and find it a pain to use. It moves on me and just doesn’t give the best cut.
If you already have a reg circular saw I wouldn’t get rid of it. If you have the funds to get a track saw I would. The saw cuts wherever you put the guide rail at. That is the point. They have a lip on the edge that you cut off with the first cut and that is your line.
bee-man wrote:
5 hours ago, bee-man said:I’m a weekend DIYer. I use the rear handled Makita 36V with an edge guide for household projects but find myself spending a lot of time setting up for cuts that meet my standards. I do not frame and I rarely rough cut, and a table saw is out of the question due to lack of storage space. This got me thinking about dumping my circular for the Makita 36V plunge saw. I think I understand all the benefits of a track saw; however, I still had a few more questions:
1) Is there anything a circular saw can do better than a track saw besides cutting 3/8″ deeper, being more portable, and hanging on rafters?
2) How accurate are the track saw cuts? On the money? +/- 1/32?
I’ve got a table saw. I never use it to cut stock sheet goods at 4×8. Its hard for me in the basement shop to do so safely, and I’ve got a Sawstop. I use a piece if 1.5” ridgid insulation and cut my sheets down to size before using the table saw. Accuracy is 100%. Dust…what’s that? Does the tracksaw replace the table saw? No, each has a very specific mission in my shop, but my tracksaw is hands down my favorite power tool (the Domino actually ties it).
rrich1 wrote:
35 minutes ago, rrich1 said:Im in the boat about wanting a track saw for breaking down plywood. I made a edge guide from plywood and find it a pain to use. It moves on me and just doesn’t give the best cut.
If you already have a reg circular saw I wouldn’t get rid of it. If you have the funds to get a track saw I would. The saw cuts wherever you put the guide rail at. That is the point. They have a lip on the edge that you cut off with the first cut and that is your line.
Rich, you probably do this already but use those Makita, Festool, Bessey….clamps at both end and you can purchase friction tape which will help a ton without going through the cost of buying a tracksaw from Makita, Dewalt, Festool etc. though Grizzly arguably makes a pretty inexpensive tracksaw.
@rrich1 @ChrisK Marc from wood whisperer did a video on the Grizzly and doing his best to not unfairly favor his Festool stuff over the Grizzly he definitely found it fell short of the Festool especially in cut quality. He also reviewed the DeWALT and found it was comparable to the Festool especially in cut quality. When compared to a standard circular saw Marc said the Grizzly cut was basically night and day compared to the standard circular saw. If you want better cuts than a normal circular saw then the Grizzly is better but you will find it is not as good as DeWALT, Festool, and other higher end track saws.
Jronman wrote:
1 minute ago, Jronman said:@rrich1 @ChrisK Marc from wood whisperer did a video on the Grizzly and doing his best to not unfairly favor his Festool stuff over the Grizzly he definitely found it fell short of the Festool especially in cut quality. He also reviewed the DeWALT and found it was comparable to the Festool especially in cut quality. When compared to a standard circular saw Marc said the Grizzly cut was basically night and day compared to the standard circular saw. If you want better cuts than a normal circular saw then the Grizzly is better but you will find it is not as good as DeWALT, Festool, and other higher end track saws.
Yeah, I watched that video a few years back but the suggestion is merely a cost alternative to the buyer. Personally, like every tool I purchase, I try to find a video or well written article to help make a determination. Of course I have the TS55REQ and have never thought of another 👍
@bee-man A plunge saw has its place and I suggest getting one but like @ChrisK has said it is not a table saw replacement. I would say it more complimentary to a table saw. They do the same or similar functions but certain functions are safer on one saw vs the other. when I am ripping down lumber I would use a table saw. Many times the lumber is not as wide as the guide rail and I’m not sure how easy it would be to cut with a plunge saw. If your talking plywood then the plunge saw is your friend. I personally wouldn’t want to manhandle a 4×8 piece of plywood on my tiny job site table saw. It is harder and more dangerous than cutting smaller boards. The plunge saw will cut the plywood safer and easier than the table saw. As long as most of the guide rail is supported either by the workpiece your cutting or other means and the workpiece is secure during the cut then the tracksaw would be fine for most cuts. How have you been cutting narrow pieces? I’m thinking lumber that is maybe less than 3 inches.
Thank you for all the responses. I just reread my 1st question and that might have caused confusion. Just to make it clear, I was not attempting to compare anything to a table saw – sorry. My problem is that I spend too much time setting up for accurate cuts with my rear handle 36V Makita circular saw, and I was thinking about replacing it with the Makita 36V track saw. So let me try rephrasing: besides cutting 3/8″ deeper, being more portable, and hanging on rafters, what can the rear handled 36V Makita saw do that the 36V Makita track saw can’t? If I’m not a framer, I’m thinking that the track saw should cover all my needs with better accuracy.
Jronman, if I needed a narrow piece, I will cut it from a larger piece. I don’t really waste time trying to cut anything less than 3″, but I suppose I could secure it on the side of a larger piece if I really needed to… also, I have a corded miter saw for smaller pieces. I know there will be a bunch of you saying I should just keep the rear handle saw, but I’m kind of a tool whore. lol
@bee-man I’d buy the track over the rear handle but if you need more power than what the plunge saw can provide then you will want the rear handle. The rear handle is built for speed and power. Unlike the plunge saw which is built for accuracy and quality of cut. 2 advantages of the rear handle you haven’t listed over the plunge is a good line of sight and better power. I don’t see any reason to keep the rear handle if the plunge will be sufficient. There isn’t really a reason in your specific situation that the rear handle provides that the plunge saw does not. Also with the guide rails you should be able to use a router with it as well which makes the plunge saw purchase that much more versatile.
I think there is some confusion on the term track saw. A track saw is not necessarily a plunge saw. Bosch and Dewalt european circular saws can ride on a rail. And look at the kss saws by Mafell (or festool hk clones) to see how great a regular circular saw can be. And plunge saws can be used without a rail (with an edge guide for instance). So if you need a saw that rides on a rail, it doesn’t have to be a plunge saw even though we don’t have a lot of choices in north america in that department other than the festool hk and hkc models.
Now about a plunge saw vs a normal saw. I think you need both just like you need a free handed router and a plunge one. A plunge saw is useful if you want to do precise plunge cuts (obviously) or if you want almost perfect dust collection (since there is a cover over the blade). It is also great when you are cutting sheet goods and you wan’t to avoid chipping on both sides of your cuts (since you can put splinter guards on both sides of your blade, something you can’t do with a regular circular saw). This is why a plunge saw is so useful to trim carpenters and cabinet installers who work inside with finish materials.
The benefits of a regular circular saw though is that it is much easier to handle it when you are ripping or cross cutting narrow stocks since your saw doesn’t need to be supported by the wood piece you are cutting. The balance is also much better since you are not plunging your saw in your cut.
So I think a plunge saw could make a lot of sense in your case especially if you are working inside.
Jronman, excellent points on speed, power and line of sight for the rear handle circular saw. There is something about using this cordless beast that just makes me feel like He-man (less the gay ball-hugger speedo) when I pull the trigger. But in the end, accuracy and cut quality is the most important to me. Yes, I am able to make accurate cuts with my edge guide and circular saw, but I feel like replacing it with a track saw will better suit my needs.
And thanks Pouet, for the additional information on track saws. I am heavily in the Makita LXT platform, so the only track saw on my radar is the 36V cordless Makita XPS01PTJ. I do not work inside, but it’s good to know I have the option for dust collection. It might be one of those luxuries that I never knew I wanted, so I’ll probably give it a try anyway. I think I’m going to pull the trigger on the combo kit at Homedepot that includes extra bonus batteries and a track for $499.
Thanks again!
@bee-man if the x2 rear handle is like the flexvolt rear handle then you should be able to get a dust collection adapter.