[Jim]

Not really climbing related but I know a lot of the wall builders have them.
I'm fitting our new kitchen this next week and I want to get it spot on so am thinking of buying a track saw.
My local wall builder is off on holiday in a freezer so I can't borrow his.
So anyone got any experience of owning a track saw and if so can you recomend one that is around the 100 fuck-all mark (£250) or cheaper thats worth buying
Ta

[Percy B]

You can borrow mine if you want. I don't think you can get one for under £250, but if you can its probably shite. Hilti or Festool make the best ones, and you are defo too tight to stump up for one of those.

Let me know if you want to borrow it - you can only have it for a week max though 'cos we'll be needing it!

[Jim]

Cheers Percy, Looking at a Bosch one around the £350 mark

[Somebody's Fool]

We used a Bosch one to build the wall in Carlisle. If it coped with that, I daresay it'll manage a couple of worktops. The saw's are decent, but the tracks aren't as good as Festool/Hilti.

I'm looking to buy one in the next month or so. If you wanted to, you could buy a Festool one, then sell it to me?

[Jim]

Being a rent boy must be paying well then SF.
Let me know what you get

[Somebody's Fool]

I think the enigma was right. You would be lauded as a genius, if only the world was populated entirely by 14-year-old boys.

Aside from that, did you even read what I wrote?

[Jim]

Yes, I don't think I can afford a festool and even if I could I wouldn't sell it to you.
Which one will you be buying (the hilti or the festool I presume?)
What was it about the tracks that you didn't like?

[Somebody's Fool]

The rubber which provided the friction on the bottom of the track kept falling out of its channel. It was a bit of a pain to put back in.

[a dense loner]

Jim why don't you borrow Percy's when you come over in nx couple of days like you promised?

[Jim]

Well having done some research, bosch plunge saw with track can be had for £360, the makita and dewalt can be had for £300 all with very similar specs.
The cost of the replacement track is about £40 for the makita and dewalt and £80 for the bosch.
No brainer really - makita or dewalt. now where's that coin?

[Jim]

actually the dewalt saw plus track is £283 and the festool with track is £345.
Is the festool really worth £62 more???

[Johnny Brown]

I can't believe Jim is about to cheap out on a power tool. 2013 is off to a very poor start indeed.

[Percy B]

actually the dewalt saw plus track is £283 and the festool with track is £345.
Is the festool really worth £62 more???

Yes, it is. DeFault is like a re-badged Hack and Wrecker. Don't do it!

[Jim]

Sorry to disappoint but I've ordered the dewalt (as much as I don't like their stuff and as much as I want to own a festool) as there is really is fuck all in it except the price

[boulderingbacon]

Festool are the best jim I have both the ts75 and ts55 but I was always told buy the best you can afford and I'm sure the dewalt one will do the job. The thing with festool kit is that you almost need all of it to make it worth while so all the leads are the same and the dust extractors all work so if your only going to buy one bit of kit then just get the one that does the job well enough.

[Jim]

Thanks, I've only used the dewalt a few times but it seems really good and a mile infront in terms of quality compared to my old circular saw.
I'm really wondering with the amount of DIY I've done over the last ten years, how I've managed wikthout one?

[grumpycrumpy]

Festool are comfortably the best and save hours of time on site ........ However for DIY use why not make your own track ...... Easy enough to do and will probably save you a few hundred quid ........

[Jim]

because simply using a circular saw with a fence will not give you anywhere near the quality of cut, expecially when nearly all the cuts I will be doing with it is stuff that will be on show (ie worktops, end panels, doors, sanded floorboards etc...)

[grumpycrumpy]

Fair enough Jim ....... Although the homemade MDF guide I use is more than equal to the task ...... Sure it's slightly fiddlier to set up, a quick cramp at either end rather than a rubber strip, but it's just as accurate and in a couple of minutes can be re-set for my my router   ........ To be honest I'm only jealous, I'd give my eyeteeth for a festool/hilti or dewalt guide and saw, but the wages of an intinerant chippie don't stretch that far  ........