dantastic Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I have a big heavy corded circular saw but I'm going a lot of cabinets and finer work at the moment so I wanted something lighter and without a cord. All my other cordless tools are DeWalt so I really want to stay on the same battery system. The Dewalt DCS391 seems to be the most obvious choice. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeWalt-165mm-Lithium-Ion-Body-Circular/dp/B006XBSXAE) But what I really want is a track for it. It's for finer work where I need a clean edge and if I get a new saw I don't want to have to clamp a guide to the piece, I should just get the right saw for the job. In terms of DeWalts offerings that's the only saw the size that I want but also on the same battery system so I'm really not sure what to do here. I know people make their own tracks out of ply but they are a bit **** as they also needs to be clamped down and they add to thickness. This makes beveled cuts tricky, I've tried this already. So I don't really know what to do. Anyone any ideas or suggestions for other saws? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Don't know if you could use something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeWalt-Router-Attachment-Guide-Rails/dp/B0013LI8U4 And adapt it fix to the DCS391 Bed somehow. This of course would push the track further away from the blade a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 A guy I knew was into making dolls houses, the posh ones. He made all his own tools which all fitted into a single car garage and all folded away so he could get his car in at night. It was pretty impressive to see to be honest. He used sliding door tracks for his circular saw, they had roller bearings inside so were very accurate and remained very straight and were long enough to cut through a full sheet of wood. It was mounted to a fold out contraption from the wall so he could just throw a sheet of wood on the move the saw side to side and forwards and backwards to make the cut he needed without having to mark things up and clamp things on the wood. Might be something in it. Alternatively for my router I made a longer guide out of aluminium then got someone to tig it together for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Having used circulars with a home made guide and then used a track saw, the track saw is like night and day. I'd say its akin to going from a hand saw to a normal circular! I've used used a couple of different friend's Makita ones and they're great. I'd definitely buy one if I was did more work with sheet wood. The Festool one is also supposed to be fantastic, but attracts an even higher price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Isn’t the idea with a plunge saw that the guide / track doesn’t need to be clamped? Somehow the saw action pushes it down onto the workpiece and it’s stickiness holds it there. I watched a joiner cut a worktop and I’m sure that was the advantage. If so, I’d swap my corded circular saw any day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 55 minutes ago, Peaklander said: Isn’t the idea with a plunge saw that the guide / track doesn’t need to be clamped? Somehow the saw action pushes it down onto the workpiece and it’s stickiness holds it there. I watched a joiner cut a worktop and I’m sure that was the advantage. If so, I’d swap my corded circular saw any day! Yeah, a track saw doesn’t need a clamp to hold it in place. I’m still amazed at how it can grip even the most dusty surface. Plonk the track on the board, line up the marks, shove the saw on and off you go. I reckon when I did my workbench build it saved me a couple of sheets of ply. Being able to have such a neat straight cut to start from quickly meant I made less mistakes or losses when starting from what would have been a dodgy edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger110 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 9 hours ago, dantastic said: I have a big heavy corded circular saw but I'm going a lot of cabinets and finer work at the moment so I wanted something lighter and without a cord. All my other cordless tools are DeWalt so I really want to stay on the same battery system. The Dewalt DCS391 seems to be the most obvious choice. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeWalt-165mm-Lithium-Ion-Body-Circular/dp/B006XBSXAE) But what I really want is a track for it. It's for finer work where I need a clean edge and if I get a new saw I don't want to have to clamp a guide to the piece, I should just get the right saw for the job. In terms of DeWalts offerings that's the only saw the size that I want but also on the same battery system so I'm really not sure what to do here. I know people make their own tracks out of ply but they are a bit **** as they also needs to be clamped down and they add to thickness. This makes beveled cuts tricky, I've tried this already. So I don't really know what to do. Anyone any ideas or suggestions for other saws? It does depend on your budget regarding other saws If you want a track saw, ie a correct plunge saw and track then expect to pay £150 upwards. These will be corded jobbies. If you want a cordless, then festool do one, which isn't too bad as you can double up on batteries with the tool depending on the job. Expect to pay £1000+ for a saw, track and at least 4 batteries ( they are doing a deal at the moment where you get a free battery ). Having owned one for some time, it wasn't worth the extra cost to have cordless, but some situations it did help, but wasn't a game changer. Remember a circular saw like you have listed is completely different to a plunge saw which does sound like where you want to be. A plunge saw is quicker, neater and a damn site easier to work with than a circular saw. The track doesn't require clamping, just drop it on the timber and away you go. I've not used a circualr saw in 4 years since owning plunge saws. All my tools are Bosch now and i can say the Bosch plunge saw is great, but Screwfix do their own brand of plunge saws fairly cheap and they do the same job as any other more expensive tool. https://www.diy.com/departments/erbauer-1400w-220-240v-185mm-plunge-saw-erb690csw/3663602628255_BQ.prd?ds_rl=1272379&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiILsBRCGARIsAHKQWLPlath2WH7B3nHYdwa3PGDcP06o4O3ITYJxJz8cJgtktWzjdH-7cYwaAoCTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds It only comes with a 700mm track but you can buy extra ones should you need them. Once you have a plunge saw, you probably will never use a circular saw again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantastic Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 I did use my mates plunge saw a while back and I was blown away by it. The track is awesome. I don't think I can stretch my budget to a Festool but I really want a cordless one. That bit is actually more of a need than a preference. If I'm adding a new battery system anyway I will add the DeWalt 54v. I was hoping that I might be able to modify the base of the circular saw to use the track but maybe I should just cry once and buy the proper plunge saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 The hole for a sink that I saw being cut was done only with the plunge saw. There was no need for any holes in the corners. The plunge was done away from them and with the saw right down, the cut was made right into the corner. I’d only bought a circular saw a few weeks before seeing this plunge saw in use. ☹️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 A few ideas here maybe? https://www.homemadetools.net/site/search?q=Circular+Saw+track&Search= or here... https://www.instructables.com/howto/circular+saw+track/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger110 Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 9/17/2019 at 8:38 PM, dantastic said: I did use my mates plunge saw a while back and I was blown away by it. The track is awesome. I don't think I can stretch my budget to a Festool but I really want a cordless one. That bit is actually more of a need than a preference. If I'm adding a new battery system anyway I will add the DeWalt 54v. I was hoping that I might be able to modify the base of the circular saw to use the track but maybe I should just cry once and buy the proper plunge saw. I do have a track system for my bosch cordless circular saw which is gathering dust now, maybe google the Dewalt system to see if they do a similar thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 Parkside saw, Festool rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 On 9/24/2019 at 3:19 PM, rusty_wingnut said: Parkside saw, Festool rail. This. The Lidl saw is fantastic for the money. The supplied track…not so much. I’ve yet to stump up for the Festool track, but I’m told that the Evolution track also fits. Does it *have* to be cordless? I know that once you go cordless, it’s hard to go back. But, when I use a tracksaw, I’m usually setting up saw horses, a spoil board….etc. Point is, as there’s some set up involved, running an extension lead is no great problem. It’s not like a drill or angle grinder, which you take to the job. So unless you’re building your own off-grid ranch up a mountain in Wales, I don’t think you’ll gain much from a cordless version, save for an emptier bank account. And, frankly if you’re not using an extractor on a tracksaw, you’re just creating work for yourself. Their design means that they are much more effective at capturing dust than a circular saw. My cheapo Screwfix ‘titan’ ‘shop vac has a power take off which I plug the saw into. As long as you keep the saw running for a couple of seconds after the cut, you can drastically cut down on the dust. I do this even when working outside. As for clamps…in my mind, even the cheapest OSB is too expensive to make a mistake on, so I always clamp it. You can get special thin clamps that slot into the bottom of the rail (£18 from Amazon), or sacrifice a couple of clamps by trimming them to fit with an angle grinder – assuming you have the right type to begin with. Finally, somebody mentioned the 'DIY' approach by building your own rail for a circular saw. Chalk and cheese. Even with my cheapo Lidl with the factory blade, it produces far, far cleaner cuts than my previous attempt to build a rail. That, and after a while my 'exterior grade' plywood rail warped, despite being stored in a dry garage. Don't bother. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan75 Posted June 24, 2022 Share Posted June 24, 2022 And when the quality of the finish of the cut matters, a plunge saw will always provide the highest quality of cut possible with no splintering, something hard to achieve with a circular saw. Using a plunge saw on guide rails ensures clean, accurate cuts. Plunge saws will provide much more accuracy than circular saws 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Not really looked at these before but looks interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 On 6/25/2022 at 5:52 AM, Mossberg said: Not really looked at these before but looks interesting! Once you have one you will never look back. Clean accurate cuts which just cannot be achieved with an ordinary circular saw. I have even got rid of my table saw now, as this does all I used to do with that, but better. You must look after the track though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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