Dewalt Tracksaw first use and pictures

Mike Heidrick

Member
Messages
127
Location
Bloomington, IL
Many of you may have read my threads on woodnet or saw mill creek about the Dewalt Contest I am a finalist in. One of the tools we were given (to keep) is the upcoming Dewalt Tracksaw that is soon to be out in the US. Thought I would share this thread with you folks as well in case you are interested in this saw. Enjoy.

Tracksaw came in today. Started to use it to get the feel of it.

Packaging is standard Dewalt fair. Huge plastic box for the saw with cardboard sleeve and zip tie holding case closed. Guide was in a cardboard box with 1/8" hardboard on the bottom. Packaging was just fine. my saw had a pair of clamps in it as well but that may have been added by Dewalt before shipping the saw to us.

There is a manual in the case and a small color quick start guide zip tied to the saw. The QS guide walks you through setting up the saw (includes mounting on the rail and removing any play while mounted on the track) and making the two zero clearance cuts on the rail edges - one on each side. The QS Guide also explains how to change the blade. I had read the manual online last night so I was familiar with the controls of the saw. If you follow the steps in the QS guide everything makes perfect sense.

I choose some 1/2" Birch Plywood scrap piece for the tests. I first made the cut using just the wood on my laminate table and the guide on that. The guide did not slip but the wood did. I found if I used a router anti-slip mat under the wood it worked great. The rail I have is 59". The work piece was 30" or so. I used strips at the ends of the rail to help support it across my table.

The saw moves on the guide SUPER smooth. You seriously can use this setup with one hand. The plunge action is also perfect. The Saw has variable speed but I have just used the max speeds so far. It cuts perfectly.

The guide is very nice and not flimsy. I also played with the anti-kickback setting - very slick idea. I was even able to make a dado with it. I am very impressed.

I lastly mounted it on the panel rack. Makes a slick table for pieces under 40" wide and 8' long plus. Again supports for the rail make the use very nice.

Also wanted to let everyone know that the inside diameter of the dust port is 1 3/8". I had some adapters and rigged up the shop vac using the hose from my PC 7336 ROS. The dust collection with just my shop vac and that 1 1/4" hose was darn near perfect. Maybe a little leading dust on the cut but very acceptable. Also the saw is MUCH quieter than my full size Dewalt circular saw. It does not scream nearly as much.

I will try and get my friends TS55 and do a heads up comparison.

tracs4.jpg


tracs1.jpg


tracs5.jpg


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tracs3.jpg


tracs7.jpg


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tracs8.jpg


tracs10.jpg


tracs2.jpg
 
Very cool, Mike. Looks like DeWalt has been studying German. For those of us who don't keep up with SMC or Woodnet, what was the contest?
 
And from looking at your website, you appear to have your own Crappie pond?

Those are some nice crappies you got there...
 
Mike, that is very cool, I'm happy to see other makers get into the track saw game.

I'm a happy owner of the Festool TS55, but I'm not blind or stupid enough to think it cannot be improved upon. I VERY much like the idea of the double sided track, I was really disappointed with the Festool set up, when I put the ripping blade on the saw, and after the fact, found out that the ripping blade was just slightly wider than the regular blades. :doh:

The double sided track would solve that, one side for ripping and the other side for everything else.

What is the street price on the saw with track enough to handle knocking down a 4x8 sheet of plywood?

In the fourth picture...........

dewalt_tracs_speed.jpg
... it looks like that is a speed controller?

Does this saw have the feedback control so that the motor does not bog down under load?

Certainly looks like a nice unit, thanks VERY MUCH for the review.

I still love my TS55, it makes my small shop work, but I also very much like the idea of competition, I hope it will make Festool up their game as well.

Cheers! :wave:
 
That's really neat, Mike. Guess I've been hiding under a Bushel lately,:rolleyes: as this is the first I've heard about that setup. Thanks for the review. Any idea of the price range?
 
Some more info.

The saw is made in the Czech Republic. The kit I have, with the saw and 59" track, was being reported that it will be for sale at $499. Now Dewalt does not do MAP pricing so that price will most likely vary between vendors. $149 for the 102" track was also reported. Come on amazon magic!

Saw will come in the 520 corded version I have and a 341 cordless version which will be more $. May even be two cordless versions - 18V and 28V. The corded one is the most powerful and has the most cut capacity depth wise.

http://www.dewalt.com/us/tracksaw/

On cuts where you go up one side and down the other the double sided track is a great idea. No need to flip the track.

I have only cut the 1/2" plywood and it did not bog down at all.

It is variable speed - just like a router. When is that a good idea to use I do not know.

The contest I won was the Dewalt Top 17 Finish carpenter contest. I submitted a built in library project and an idea to build a play kitchen for my daughter. I was selected as on of the 17. I was given a new DW717 10" Sliding compound miter saw, this tracksaw kit, a trim compressor, a newly designed Dewalt 15ga air nailer (1" to 2.5"), and the new 16ga air nailer (1"-2.5"). I get to keep the tools. I use them to build my kitchen and we compete amongst the top 17 projects. Then the public votes for their favorite around Dec 1st on Dewalts site, and that person wins another 4K in tools, a carhart prize package, and a Nascar weekend with the Dewalt driver and pit crew.

www.dewalt.com/us/top17
 
Nice Saw, Thanks for the post!

In the the spirit of new terminology...

You Stinker! ...Ahhh .....no .... you rock!
 
It looks like Festool has some serious competition. Like Stu, I really like the idea of a track that can be used on either side.

What is the length of the power cord? The short cord that came with my DwWalt tools in the past was a big source of irritation and, with this type of setup, the cord should be at least 10 feet long.

Does DeWalt support other tools on thier rail -most importantly a router?
 
...What is the length of the power cord?...
In the case of the cordless models like Mike received, the length is zero. :p

Seriously, you raise a good question.

Congrats on winning the contest so far Mike, and here's wishing you the best of success with the rest of it.
 
Thanks for taking all the great shots and typing up the review. That is by far better info than I have gotten anywhere else on this bugger.
 
I know from looking at the UK site that the track can also be used with their routers although I'm not sure all of them.

Thanks for the review and best of luck with the competition mate
 
Vaughn, what are you talking about? -The saw in the pictures has a cord.
I'm daft. :doh: I mis-read Mike's post and thought he ended up with the cordless model. This, of course, was after I'd looked at the pics. I'm obviously not real observant today. :p

Or maybe that's just the cord to the remote battery pack? Yeah, that must be it, :rofl:
 
Great info Mike, and good luck with the contest :thumb:

The speed control on the TS55 comes into play when you want to cut things other than wood, Festool, and I'm sure DeWalt, have a whole range of blades to cut just about anything, and some of the blades, you slow the saw down to get the right cut.

Cheers!:D
 
Thanks for the info on the variable speed use.

I do have the corded version. I am happy for that - I am not much of a fan of cordless circular saw.

The cord is super long - I will get a measurement on it tomorrow.

I will try and get a comparison of the TS55 as well. Buddy owns one.

When the accessories are out I will own the router shoe as well. I have seen pics of it with a 621 and I am sure that my 618 will fit as well.
 
Thanks for the info on the variable speed use.

I do have the corded version. I am happy for that - I am not much of a fan of cordless circular saw.

The cord is super long - I will get a measurement on it tomorrow.

I will try and get a comparison of the TS55 as well. Buddy owns one.

When the accessories are out I will own the router shoe as well. I have seen pics of it with a 621 and I am sure that my 618 will fit as well.

Mike, on the DeWalt site you linked to, they show a list of accessories, (including the router shoe), and if you click on each of the accessories, they have pictures and a description. On the Router accessory, it says that "Most" routers can be used, and that the attachment will fit PC and Dewalt Routers, and gives the router model numbers, (unfortunately, my DW625 is not on the list):(

The list shows three lengths of rails and connector bars, and three blades (IIRC), a squaring head, a mitre attachment, rail clamps (for special purposes), etc. I don't know if all of the accessories are available yet though.
 
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