Thanks for that. That’s an interesting PC saw. I wonder what 4.5" blade availability is like. I was thinking of a regular 7 1/4" just because there seem to be lots of blades available, and because I might need to cut the ocassional 2x.
The homemade guide you describe is what I was planning to make, though I didn’t describe it. It’s the one in the video I posted above.
Cordless? I was hoping not to start a new battery line (I have m12 and corded toools.) I can see how cordless would be good for these long cuts, but I was hoping to save some money (so Mafell’s are out. On some of them, I think they moved the decimal point over by accident.)
The Rockwell-Porter Cable ones - come from my original purchase list and date back to the 1970’s - so some may stll be available as SBD Porter-Cable blades but some may be discontinued.
The one that I use for Plexiglas - seems to have been discontinued:
I wouldn’t use 1/4" lauan for the rail either. I was thinking of using something like MDF or even aluminum channel for the rail, because I don’t trust any solid wood to stay straight here in ultra-dry Denver, or even to be straight coming from the yard.
MDF was not so popular in the 1970’s - otherwise I might have used it. I probably ran the maple through the jointer - and my rails are coated with shellac - but wood (even close grained varieties) do undergo movement. The other side of the coin is that if you are just using the track and saw to break down sheet goods - the final true-square cutting gets done on your table saw.
Are you already invested in a cordless battery system? I do like cordless circular saws for sheet goods compared to the corded version. Especially for longer pieces where the cord can get in the way or become caught causing some inaccuracy in the cut. A good cordless circular saw should not have any issues from a power standpoint either for that type of cutting.
For years with my Porter Cable saw I’d drape the cord/extension cord over my shoulder to avoid it snagging. No vacuum hose with that saw - so less to contend with - and I’d mostly use it setup on the front lawn or driveway so debris may have been less of a issue.
Fast Forward to today - with my track saw I use what Festool calls a deflector - sometimes in pairs :
They are mildly effective - now cost $24 each (outrageous for what they are) - but I guess the $18 each I paid for them in 2014 now looks like a bargain.
Some other things to look at if you do decide on a cordless saw - are:
Cost - buying into a new battery platform will be costly
Blade size (6.5 inch is rather common - but smaller trim saws might be and advantage if you only plan to use it for sheet goods
Vacuum/Dust Collector compatibility
Thanks GML. I have some M12 tools. The M12 circ gets mixed reviews, and the 5 3/8" blade seems a little limiting. I’d prefer a 6 1/2" blade in case I ever need to cut 2x at an angle. So I checked out some 18-v tools. Makita makes a nice 18 v blade-left 6 1/2", but it’s pricier than I wanted, especially since I’d have to get batteries and a charger too.
Yeah, I thought about the cord too. But I guess poor people have to deal with cords! People seem to like that lightweight DeWalt 575 corded circular saw. Blade right, but I guess I could cope. People do!
Thanks again. I’ve used bricks or some other heavy things to keep cords away from my feet, and to leave slack so I can, for instance, move my sander across a board smoothly without getting hung up. I thought about hanging the cords over my shoulder like you do, but I wondered if I might wring my neck somehow in a freak accident.
I didn’t think about dust control. Saws make coarse dust that falls to the ground quickly, and not a lot of it. But that’s a good thought. Both the Makita and the DeWalt have these weird dust ejection ports in the guard, but Makita has these adapters that fit. I think DeWalt doesn’t. :-/
Got ya on the price. However, there are some good deals on cordless circular saws. If you can wait until black Friday / cyber Monday I’m sure there will be more.
Brushless motors seem to have made the step-up to 7-1/4 more practical. Years ago - my crews wanted cordless saws for roof cut-outs - things like skylight-window installs. We were into Makita 18V LXT tools - but ended up buying a Dewalt 36V 7-1/4 inch saw - because - at the time it was the only cordless saw we could find with enough power to get the work done. It was our only Dewalt tool. Today there are lots more choices including saws like this Makita that works with their track.
Yeah I saw that Milwaukee. Screaming deal! Blade on the right, but I would manage. Can’t find many reviews of it though.
I’ll wait on black/cyber though.
I thought a 6 1/2" would be a good compromise for cost and capacity (and a lot of them are blade-left) but it seems like 7 1/4" saws aren’t more expensive, really.
Been happy with my DeWalt track saw setup; but I’ll admit I don’t deal with full sheets(so far).
By the bye, when I had a third garage bay as a work station, I hung a 12ga drop cord from overhead and plugged my corded tools into it and kept the cords out of the way. The smaller shop vac hose fit the track saw nicely; but I did have to watch for the hose “path”. Having a 12foot hose helped.
Thanks for the advice! I wasn’t clear in my post, but a track saw is outside my price range.
That’s a good idea re cords. I guess the extension cord hung all the way to the ground? I’d imagine otherwise the tool cord might pull out of the extension.
I had the cord hanging from a reel mounted above the work area…on the garage door track(door was manual and very seldom opened). The cord reel was indexed/spring loaded; so you could pull a little extra as needed. Fit in the socket was tight OR use the tie in a knot approach to securing it.
I saw the earlier posts and just chimed in with my track saw experience. I had a nice Makita circ saw that I sold when I got the Dewalt. Also “lost” my compound dual-bevel sliding miter saw and contractor table saw when we downsized to the townhouse with no third garage bay. Sadly, I haven’t had all that many wood oriented projects since moving here. A little paint, electrical, plumbing. MIGHT consider making a vanity cabinet for the powder room, since DW wants some storage in there. Shame to pull out a nice pedestal since that works perfectly…dang.