Milescraft makes a track saw

[Packard]

Milescraft makes cheap tools and accessories. They look cheap. They feel cheap. But from my experience, they all seem to work just fine.

Now they are making a track saw system. The reviewer likes it. No one at FOG will buy it, but I find it interesting and clever.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Is it a "race to the bottom" now?
Cheap versions like Parkside and Wen have been around a while now. I don't really see the point in going lower?
Sad as it sounds, seems like the difficult part of the system is the track.
I have used quite a bit of Makita equipment over the years, but even their tracks are lacking. They might be ok for a large percentage of people, but if it really counts.....

 

[ChuckS]

The Milescraft, only slightly more expensive than Kreg's accu-cut, seems to be more robust as it's not plastic. Between the two, I'd take the former if it passes my user test.

I sold my TS70 (without a loss!) after realizing it was just taking up my shop space as I seldom handle sheet goods. For breaking down material or odd-shape cut -- if ever needed-- I use my Sears circular saw and a straight edge. Everything else, my SS PCS will take care of.

​

 

[peter halle]

This seems to me to be a step backward. Before I got my TS55 back in 2006 I had bought similar products to mount my circular saw and use an extrusion like a track. I never did use the mounting plate but they were available back then.

Peter

 

[onocoffee]

No one at FOG will buy it, but I find it interesting and clever.

This has actually been on the market for quite some time. I almost bought this before I got my TS 55 - when I was still in the "Festool prices are outrageous" stage. Luckily, my local Woodcraft didn't stock this so I wasn't able to buy it. Oddly enough, they had the track, just not the circ saw sled. Would have mounted my old DeWalt 364 on it.

 

[PaulMarcel]

I was stuck once needing metric brad point bits. I bought a Milescraft 7-pack of bits. Worked fine! Couple months later, needed a different size. Shaped like a banana. Tested them all, 2 are bananas, 1 is banana-adjacent. Worthless. It worked for the size I needed when I bought them, but discovered their crappy-factor after the return window. I have them here on my desk to remember to buy a real set now that I'm not needing them right away.

 

[peter halle]

I was stuck once needing metric brad point bits. I bought a Milescraft 7-pack of bits. Worked fine! Couple months later, needed a different size. Shaped like a banana. Tested them all, 2 are bananas, 1 is banana-adjacent. Worthless. It worked for the size I needed when I bought them, but discovered their crappy-factor after the return window. I have them here on my desk to remember to buy a real set now that I'm not needing them right away.

Amazon - Fisch Brad Point Sets. A couple of years ago, once I stopped working outside primarily, I decided to bit the bullet and replace my drill bits. I went for the Fisch sets of metric and then imperial breakpoints. Montana regular. and then Bormax foresters. Still have s Christmas stocking present cheapie set of regular for tossing in a tool bag for outside or destruction.

Peter

 

[Packard]

I”ve only used their molded plastic items. They make a cove molding holder for one-man installation of cove moldings. Worked fine. They make a drill guide (a $10.00 version of the Gator drill guide). Works fine. I have both.

Durability on the MIlescraft piece is suspect, but functionality is on par with the Gator.

Their stuff seems on par with Kreg (which is largely plastic too).

 

[Michael Kellough]

I”ve only used their molded plastic items. They make a cove molding holder for one-man installation of cove moldings. Worked fine. They make a drill guide (a $10.00 version of the Gator drill guide). Works fine. I have both.

Durability on the MIlescraft piece is suspect, but functionality is on par with the Gator.

Their stuff seems on par with Kreg (which is largely plastic too).

If you only want 1/4 as many hole sizes.

 

[ChuckS]

Is it a "race to the bottom" now?
Cheap versions like Parkside and Wen have been around a while now.

Definitely not. It's all market-driven. Or, in some cases social media driven.

Where is demand, there's supply. Most DIYers don't have the budget or the kind of project for a premium track saw. Some fo them don't even recognize the importance of dust collection to understand the premium feature of dust extraction that a premium track saw gives them.

 

[onocoffee]

Fisch Brad Point Sets.

I learned this the almost hard way. I never gave drill bits that much thought. The Warrior bits from Harbor Freight worked perfectly fine for the random drilling I had been doing. Then one day, I needed to use a brad point for a critical bore. It needed to be precise and perfect. Put that Warrior brad point in the drill press, turned it on and you could see the tip wobbling like a 7mm random orbit sander. I didn't even attempt the bore. Went to my local Woodcraft, bought a small set of Fisch Brad Points and they've been rock solid. Totally with you on this.

Most DIYers don't have the budget or the kind of project for a premium track saw. Some fo them don't even recognize the importance of dust collection to understand the premium feature of dust extraction that a premium track saw gives them.

I think this is an important aspect to bear in mind. I myself am not so far removed from the "doesn't know any better DIYer", but like in coffee: everything has its place. Some may be to remind you why you're lucky to have the tools you have, others because other users may not have (or be able to direct) the same resources towards higher quality tools.

 

[peter halle]

I learned this the almost hard way. I never gave drill bits that much thought. The Warrior bits from Harbor Freight worked perfectly fine for the random drilling I had been doing. Then one day, I needed to use a brad point for a critical bore. It needed to be precise and perfect. Put that Warrior brad point in the drill press, turned it on and you could see the tip wobbling like a 7mm random orbit sander. I didn't even attempt the bore. Went to my local Woodcraft, bought a small set of Fisch Brad Points and they've been rock solid. Totally with you on this.


I think this is an important aspect to bear in mind. I myself am not so far removed from the "doesn't know any better DIYer", but like in coffee: everything has its place. Some may be to remind you why you're lucky to have the tools you have, others because other users may not have (or be able to direct) the same resources towards higher quality tools.

RE: Drill Bits. My older brother got into woodworking late in life doing maintenance on his partners home. It has been interesting to watch him accumulate tools, and he is happy with his tool assortment. I have purchased various items for him that he has appreciated and used like some Bridge City Tools, Stihl chainsaw, etc. when it was either Christmas or I heard he had a need and a lessor tool that could be replaced. He was talking about Forster bits and how long it took to drill holes with them. I bought him a set of FOMAG. Like many of my purchases he was astounded the first time he used one chucked into his Ryobi drill.

Peter

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I was stuck once needing metric brad point bits. I bought a Milescraft 7-pack of bits. Worked fine! Couple months later, needed a different size. Shaped like a banana. Tested them all, 2 are bananas, 1 is banana-adjacent. Worthless. It worked for the size I needed when I bought them, but discovered their crappy-factor after the return window. I have them here on my desk to remember to buy a real set now that I'm not needing them right away.

I learned the lesson of cheap drill bits many years ago, long before I ever heard of Brad point, when drilling metal. The bit snapped and everything went haywire. I still have the scar in my opposite wrist to this day.
From that day on, I have avoided off-branded/cheap drill bits, though I have had to a time or two.
A lot of the time, even in the woodshop, I have gotten by with regular twist drills, Forstner bits, or even spade (or paddle) bits. I went straight to Fisch, when I needed good clean Metric bits. They are great, but I really prefer normal twist drills, for the ability to sharpen them by hand.

Definitely not. It's all market-driven. Or, in some cases social media driven.

Where is demand, there's supply. Most DIYers don't have the budget or the kind of project for a premium track saw. Some fo them don't even recognize the importance of dust collection to understand the premium feature of dust extraction that a premium track saw gives them.

Well, that is what I was suggesting. Is there really a market for even cheaper? I would think that, at some point, the degradation of quality/fitness for purpose, makes them un-sellable. A guy being "that cheap" would just run a regular circular saw along a straightedge of some kind.
I would think that a legit track saw would be outside the realm of a DIYer. Maybe not, but I really don't know "where" the need for one begins? Surely, once someone is at least attempting to make money, it becomes "worth it."

I myself am not so far removed from the "doesn't know any better DIYer", but like in coffee: everything has its place. Some may be to remind you why you're lucky to have the tools you have, others because other users may not have (or be able to direct) the same resources towards higher quality tools.

For some of us, it is not luck at all. It's an investment in a system that improves speed and quality, at the same time.
Those same people, who would say it was luck, are also the ones who would refuse to pay the price.

 

[Packard]

I’m not sure it is cheaper. It does not include the saw. It includes an adapter for the saw that you own.

 

[luvmytoolz]

For some of us, it is not luck at all. It's an investment in a system that improves speed and quality, at the same time.
Those same people, who would say it was luck, are also the ones who would refuse to pay the price.

I think a large portion of these people generally see all tools as equal in outcome and only different in price, as it's purely down to the person who has the skills and experience.

Very hard to argue ergonomics, efficiency and return on investment with many having this singular mindset.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I think a large portion of these people generally see all tools as equal in outcome and only different in price, as it's purely down to the person who has the skills and experience.

Very hard to argue ergonomics, efficiency and return on investment with many having this singular mindset.

That is a completely unfair assessment. They don't expect the same from a Mercedes Benz as they would a Ford Fiesta, or any other consumer product, for that matter.

 

[luvmytoolz]

That is a completely unfair assessment. They don't expect the same from a Mercedes Benz as they would a Ford Fiesta, or any other consumer product, for that matter.

Sorry, maybe in the forums it would be unfair as it's usually frequented by fairly like minded people who aren't averse to investing in and appreciating quality tools.

But I was mainly alluding to social media other than forums, for example on Insta this mindset is extremely common, sometimes even just mentioning Festool or Mafell in a post will very commonly bring out a multitude of rabid responses.

 

[onocoffee]

Sorry, maybe in the forums it would be unfair as it's usually frequented by fairly like minded people who aren't averse to investing in and appreciating quality tools.

But I was mainly alluding to social media other than forums, for example on Insta this mindset is extremely common, sometimes even just mentioning Festool or Mafell in a post will very commonly bring out a multitude of rabid responses.

I find this to be very true since I frequent other woodworking forums. They can be quite... "festive".

Indeed there are those who, by the mere mention of "Festool" or "SawStop" get pretty riled up about the price, how it's "not worth it", etc, etc. Then there are the "I've been doing this for 30 years" puffers. And then there's the participants whose main presence seems to be to ridicule anyone who asks what they deem to be a "basic" question about the craft.

This forum is unlike those forums. Here there is community and open discussion amongst new and inexperienced and experienced with more than 30 years in the field. It's also a group that can acknowledge the cost of Festool but knows its value. To be honest, I never mention this forum in the others I read and participate. There's too many on those forums who make it unpleasant. I don't want them to come here.

 

[Cheese]

Well this post started with Milescraft and I will do my best to get back to Milescraft...even though I'd love to comment on so much of the above content because so much of it is very valid.

Milescraft is probably one of the largest producers of junk products in the US. I've purchased 3 of their items and have trashed 2 of them. The 3rd item is still a piece of crap but I have a hard time parting with it because it's only been used once. I feel that there has to be someone out there that may like the item but I feel guilty offering it for sale as it will likely lead to further substance abuse. Thus I've owned it for 6 years...used it once and still really hate it but can't just toss it.

 

[luvmytoolz]

@onocoffee It's really sad people are like that. I've had loads of the very cheapest of the crappiest tools available, and top end tools, but I'd never ridicule those with cheaper tools, or brands I don't use or know anything about. The hate that Ryobi users get makes for sometimes funny memes, but a lot of people are very serious about it.

But just don't mention resin, that seems to set them off even more! ;-)