Darren1972
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Hi guys and gals can anyone give me the lowdown on plunge saws IE the main benifits as to a circular saw what is the main difference and why choose one over the other thanks
Plunge saw or circular
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jmbfestool
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One cuts circles the other cuts straight.
One gives you splinters other leaves a baby smooth cut.
One covers you in dandruff the other allows you to breath fresh air.
One might jump up on you causing you to poo your self the other guarantees you will never loose your fingers
One gives you splinters other leaves a baby smooth cut.
One covers you in dandruff the other allows you to breath fresh air.
One might jump up on you causing you to poo your self the other guarantees you will never loose your fingers
wrightwoodwork
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Generally plunge saw are designed to be used with guide rail to get nice straight cuts. It's not thier only advantage. Another is as the blade is fully enclosed you get better dust extraction. Also once the cut is made and you take the pressure off the saw it goes back up into its body fully covering the blade. For people who work with sheet goods especially veneered sheet good they are perfect. The disadvantages is if doing traditional joinery like roofs etc as the blade is fully covered you can't see the blade where you might want to when performing certain like birds mouths etc in when performing free hand cuts it can be advantageous to be able to see the blade
Darren1972
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Basicaly asking the pros and cons of each i use a circular cutting mostly 18 mm ply and osb boards just sick of getting a wood shower every day so i gather you push the saw down and the blade comes out on some sort of spring action is that correct
Darren1972
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Helpfull thanksDovetail65 said:
Darren1972
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erm okjmbfestool said:
Darren1972
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Thankyouwrightwoodwork said:
Darren1972
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Thanksjacko9 said:
jmbfestool
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Darren1972 said:
You asked for pros and cons [tongue]
I'll help... the first part of each sentence refers to the circular saw the last part of each sentence is the plunge saw.
If you are cutting sheet material you said 18mm I wouldn't even bother with a circular saw. Buy a plunge saw.
All you need to know is a plunge saw is a MUST have tool for cutting sheet material
A regular saw is a must have for roofing, floor joisting etc
In my line of work out of the two I use my plunge saw 89.67% of the time
If I had to choose between one it would be the plunge saw although the regular circular is more versatile than the plunge. Plunge saw isn't very good for cutting free hand on narrow stock. I have tried it a few times it doesn't feel very safe.
Kev
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> Circular saw
--> Portable circular saw
----> Portable circular track saw
------> Portable circular plunge track saw
--------> Portable circular plunge track saw with dust collection
There are other evolution paths, there's also more evolution steps (eg self propelled)
If the benefits aren't obvious, you're probably not trying to accurately and cleanly cut sheet goods!
--> Portable circular saw
----> Portable circular track saw
------> Portable circular plunge track saw
--------> Portable circular plunge track saw with dust collection
There are other evolution paths, there's also more evolution steps (eg self propelled)
If the benefits aren't obvious, you're probably not trying to accurately and cleanly cut sheet goods!
Further to my previous post, I will say that even though I have both a wired and battery circular saw, since getting the plunge/track saw I have only used the portable circular saw once and that was only because I was using it in a place with no power available for customers (timber merchants car park).
The TS-55 is also very good at making internal cuts into a material, particularly when cutting out holes in fitted worktops for sink or cooker installs. You set the blade to its deepest depth of cut, line up the track with your marked line, then line up your plunge saws rear blade mark with the start of your cut and the slide it to the end of your cut and set a stop for the plunge saw (this can be easily done with a track saw clamp and a bit of wood if you don't yet have the Festool stops for this purpose). Slide the saw back and line up the start position again, start the TS-55 and plunge to it's full depth, then slide the saw up the track and stop at your position mark/or stop. Let go of the power switch and let the blade retract fully into it's housing. There will be a small area that will need to be cut (with a handsaw or a jigsaw) but this is minimal and gives a very neat end result (which takes a lot less time to do than to explain. I can see no way a non plunging circular saw could do this safely or as accurately if at all as the riving knife is usually set below the blade, and removing the riving knife on a circular saw is just asking for serious trouble.
I have a table saw and many other power and hand tools and for many years could not recognise or understand the need for a plunge or track saw, and only bought one in the end because I had some money from the sale of my Domino DF500. Since it's purchase I have mainly used the track-saw for my cutting needs unless the cut required is less than 10-12 inches when I would probably use my SCMS and for ripping thin strips or very small pieces where the table saw excels. I have to say that the purchase of the plunge/track saw definitely changed the way I work with wood.
The TS-55 is also very good at making internal cuts into a material, particularly when cutting out holes in fitted worktops for sink or cooker installs. You set the blade to its deepest depth of cut, line up the track with your marked line, then line up your plunge saws rear blade mark with the start of your cut and the slide it to the end of your cut and set a stop for the plunge saw (this can be easily done with a track saw clamp and a bit of wood if you don't yet have the Festool stops for this purpose). Slide the saw back and line up the start position again, start the TS-55 and plunge to it's full depth, then slide the saw up the track and stop at your position mark/or stop. Let go of the power switch and let the blade retract fully into it's housing. There will be a small area that will need to be cut (with a handsaw or a jigsaw) but this is minimal and gives a very neat end result (which takes a lot less time to do than to explain. I can see no way a non plunging circular saw could do this safely or as accurately if at all as the riving knife is usually set below the blade, and removing the riving knife on a circular saw is just asking for serious trouble.
I have a table saw and many other power and hand tools and for many years could not recognise or understand the need for a plunge or track saw, and only bought one in the end because I had some money from the sale of my Domino DF500. Since it's purchase I have mainly used the track-saw for my cutting needs unless the cut required is less than 10-12 inches when I would probably use my SCMS and for ripping thin strips or very small pieces where the table saw excels. I have to say that the purchase of the plunge/track saw definitely changed the way I work with wood.
Holmz
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Darren1972 said:
If you do not have a circular saw, or you are working with sheets then a plunge saw is a no brainer.
If you are outdoors doing construction, then a circular saw on a track may be better than a plunge saw.
Since you have a circular saw, and you mentioned dust, then yes the plunge saw is better. Even the worst one made is still steps better than what you have, and 90% of the way there... But compared to 99%, 90% is 10x better, and 99.9 is 100x better.
But you will need some sort of vacuum. Either a HEPA filter job that takes it all out, or a simple dust vac to grab the bulk of it.
Some of that depends on whether you are working indoors, or out, and budget.
Many will advise you to get the best vacuum possible as the small dust is the worst.
To me it seems like any vacuum gets rid of more dust than no vacuum, and a vacuum doesn't work with most circular saws... So you generally need both.
I was cutting some small pieces of ply yesterday and CBA to attach the vacuum. It was rooster tailing the dust out, but well away from my snout onto the driveway.
At some point plunge saw discussion devolve into the merits of the tracks/rails.
(Without a track it a plunge saw is like having an F1 car in a Saharan desert with no road)
Once someone believes that they need a plunge saw, then some people have factored their decision on which saw to get based upon the rails.
So you have saw, rails, and vacuum... (and more $/¢/GBP).
Darren1972
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Realy good advice festoolions i realy appreciate it one more thing i am going for the tsc55 li since i have loads of 18 v batts and chargers what i need to know about now is the guide ralls the one that comes with it is 1400 mm long i cut max 2400 boards most days cani stop the cut and move the rail or shud i get two rails and a connector thanks for all the info it realy helps
Darren1972 said:
Depends on what you are cutting for. Yes, theoretically you could stop, move it and cut again, I've done it when there's no real need for accuracy as the connectors are a bit of a faff sometimes (opinions differ on that) and two 1400 rails is handy for exactly that. But by far your best bet is to get either a 3000 or a 2700 rail if you can transport it without a problem.
