Track Saw or Table Saw
- Thread starter madlee
- Start date
I asked the same questions before I bought a MFT and track saw. I will give you an unbiased answer that most here do not like. That is you still need a table saw. I would pick up a smaller Bosch or Dewalt model and use the MFT and track for all other cuts. That will also fall short when doing cuts larger then the MFT. You can use the floor and a sheet of insulation.
The biggest shortfall to the MFT is one that I still do not understand why they do not address. That is ripping anything less then 5" or greater then 36" to size. If you have a simple 1x3 8' stick and want to either true up a side or say make it 2" there is no easy way to do it. Actually I still have not seen someone post an accurate SAFE way to do that cut without needing 1/2 et up or other intricate jigs.
The design of the bridge on the MFT has braces on the hinge and lock side that prevent a piece of wood to be placed under the fence it is is longer the the short width of the table. You cannot simply screw 2 tracks together and cut longer wood.
Some use the Qwas dogs instead of the bridge but you are still faced with supporting the track with any piece of wood that does not span it's entire width. Also contrary to what is said the track will not always hold the wood in place without being clamped in some fashion. The biggest problem is the wood being pushed out as you propel the saw forward.
The MFT has some great uses but speed is usually not one of them. Most cuts require thought and other components. Try and cut a simple 45 on a 48" 1x3 for a french cleat.
The track saw and MFT are designed for sheet goods. A smaller table saw isn't safe for these cuts but will do the rips needed for general work. they compliment each other. I can't see how you can possibly do smaller rips on an MFT and even if you look at the more successful table designs they incorporate a table saw.
The MFT is for someone who is doing onsite work where portability is needed. I think most adapted for smaller home use. If you can fit a cabinet saw with outriggers go for it. If not do not think you are buying the MFT and a track saw and are going to do everything a table saw does. By the way track saws can be just as dangerous as a table saw. It is a saw not a magical tool that some here claim to have.
Good luck!
The biggest shortfall to the MFT is one that I still do not understand why they do not address. That is ripping anything less then 5" or greater then 36" to size. If you have a simple 1x3 8' stick and want to either true up a side or say make it 2" there is no easy way to do it. Actually I still have not seen someone post an accurate SAFE way to do that cut without needing 1/2 et up or other intricate jigs.
The design of the bridge on the MFT has braces on the hinge and lock side that prevent a piece of wood to be placed under the fence it is is longer the the short width of the table. You cannot simply screw 2 tracks together and cut longer wood.
Some use the Qwas dogs instead of the bridge but you are still faced with supporting the track with any piece of wood that does not span it's entire width. Also contrary to what is said the track will not always hold the wood in place without being clamped in some fashion. The biggest problem is the wood being pushed out as you propel the saw forward.
The MFT has some great uses but speed is usually not one of them. Most cuts require thought and other components. Try and cut a simple 45 on a 48" 1x3 for a french cleat.
The track saw and MFT are designed for sheet goods. A smaller table saw isn't safe for these cuts but will do the rips needed for general work. they compliment each other. I can't see how you can possibly do smaller rips on an MFT and even if you look at the more successful table designs they incorporate a table saw.
The MFT is for someone who is doing onsite work where portability is needed. I think most adapted for smaller home use. If you can fit a cabinet saw with outriggers go for it. If not do not think you are buying the MFT and a track saw and are going to do everything a table saw does. By the way track saws can be just as dangerous as a table saw. It is a saw not a magical tool that some here claim to have.
Good luck!
NEW2FES said:
I have ripped 10' 2x6 in half using MFT 1080 and roller stand with 2 guide plates bolted together. I have not tried any narrower rips from narrower stock over 4' long.
I have ripped narrow strips from full sheet of 4'x8' plywood using the MFT/3 by extending the support by placing 2x4 by 8' strategigly and extending with clamps underneath the guide plates and the 2x's.
I cannot rip a 4x8 sheet of anything using a tablesaw in my shop. I can rip dimension lumber up to about 10 foot lengths with a tablesaw (I did when I had a table saw) in my shop. My shop is about 9 ft wide by 20 feet working space. With all of my toys and lumber stacked, I just d not have room to work with a tablesaw. Do I sometimes wish I had one? I do, but it is so much easier in my space to use the MFT/plunge saw combo. I just don't agree that it is impossible to work without a TS.
I do think that at sometime along the way, i might pickup a used bench saw, but I have a lot of other goodies that are of higher priority for now.
Tinker
Tinker said:
My shop is only a litle bit larger than yours, more length to the room than width as well. I have the bosch gravity rise, but would be just as happy with this one top of my MFT as needed. Cheap, and nice small footprint for corner of the room storage.
http://www.cpotools.com/factory-reconditioned-bosch-gts1031-rt-10-in-portable-jobsite-table-saw/bshrgts1031-rt,default,pd.html?ref=pla&zmam=31282435&zmas=47&zmac=66&zmap=GTS1031-RT&gclid=CMjVzNicr7cCFcxcMgodSzMAOg
I actually turned my Bosch 4100 into quite a performer with a Forrest blade and ZCI. Feels much smoother with those two things on it. If I didn't love the ease and rigidity of the gravity rise I would get rid of it and use it on a table, since the stand is what takes up space.
No matter how I wraaaastle around with the decision to omit my table saw from my shop, I just can't see living without it. Always gets me out of sticky situations.
Kodi Crescent
Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2010
- Messages
- 791
I'm working on my first cabinets, and need to rip the trim for the face frames and shelf edging. Fairly thin stuff.
I have the parallel guides. Sometimes you can get those to work, sometimes you can't. I find myself wishing for a table saw.
However, I may be able to pin my material to the MFT and use the rail to cut and give me the parts I'm after. Frustrating? Yes. But I don't have the space for a table saw. (Unless Festool releases the TS 75 unit for the CMS and then I'll find the space).
But it works. And at the end of the day, I don't have to find a space to store my table saw.
I have the parallel guides. Sometimes you can get those to work, sometimes you can't. I find myself wishing for a table saw.
However, I may be able to pin my material to the MFT and use the rail to cut and give me the parts I'm after. Frustrating? Yes. But I don't have the space for a table saw. (Unless Festool releases the TS 75 unit for the CMS and then I'll find the space).
But it works. And at the end of the day, I don't have to find a space to store my table saw.
Got tired of waiting for the festool CMS saw to come to the US and got a sawstop contractor saw instead. I also bought the grip tite and gripper systems for even more table saw safety.
I'm sure you could build jigs to make the track saw more like a table saw but for me personally I prefer the simplicity and convenience of the table saw for narrow rips.
Just my 2 cents.
I'm sure you could build jigs to make the track saw more like a table saw but for me personally I prefer the simplicity and convenience of the table saw for narrow rips.
Just my 2 cents.
Kodi Crescent said:
I was looking to deal with cutting thinner strips with the track saw and got some useful input here http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/how-to-efficiently-rip-a-bunch-of-strips-with-a-track-saw/
sancho57
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 7,089
simple really, a rail including splinter guard is 7 1/4".
So if you want to make 1/4" strips cut a spacer 7" wide, but it up against the fence on the MFT or a home made stop, put the rail on top of spacer butt against stop. place wood against spacer under the rail cut. it should give you a 1/4 piece.
BTW I got this from Tom he is a very creative person who freely shares his jigs and ideas. Thanks bud.
So if you want to make 1/4" strips cut a spacer 7" wide, but it up against the fence on the MFT or a home made stop, put the rail on top of spacer butt against stop. place wood against spacer under the rail cut. it should give you a 1/4 piece.
BTW I got this from Tom he is a very creative person who freely shares his jigs and ideas. Thanks bud.
Mavrik said:
Thanks Mavrik.
The way he makes the cove cut is not what i am talking about.
I used my table saw to make somewhat adjustable coves running full length of a board.
By changing the angle of the fence in relation to the saw blade, a resulting change in the radii (It has been many a moon since I studied geometry, but would it be sector of a circle i am talking about.) with a reasonably smooth surface. The cove he shows is the result of a constant radius no matter what the depth of the cut. A lot of sanding per lineal inch would be necessary to smooth the cove.
Tinker
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2007
- Messages
- 13,127
sancho57 said:
Rey hasn't posted in quite a while. What a shame! 47 pages of documentation on a really neat idea. Here's to hoping that he will visit and share some more stuff stored away in his head!
Peter
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