A track saw is an ideal tool for cleanly and accurately cutting wood as well as other materials. Essentially, a track saw is a circular saw with a shrouded blade that follows the metal rail to ensure a precise cut. All track saws come with aluminium rails that are anywhere between 55 to 63 inches in length. But you can also buy longer or shorter rails depending upon your needs and preference.
Right of the bat, any track saw can exceed the performance level of any circular saw. Track saws are a great tool for not only woodworkers but also for other professionals. They are great for all kinds of cuts- ribbed, cross, bevel, plunge, and minor. Not a very cheap tool, tracks saws can be a smart long-term investment for any individual or group.
So, in this article, we will list down the features that we believe are essential to consider before buying the best track saw.
Easy to Set up
The beauty of a track saw is its simplicity. These saws are easy to set up and use. There is a depth of cut scale on the front of the tool. And there is a locking device on the side to set the plunge staff. Plunging the track saw is very easy. There is a release lever above the trigger. Pressing this release lever allows the blade to pivot down to your cutting piece.
You can simply put the machine on the channels in the release blade. Then squeeze the release lever and the trigger to pivot the blade down. These easy steps will ensure that you get an efficient cut.
Some track saws manufactured by the best brands come with an in-built power cord that makes it easy to use them in situations where the plug point is at a distance, and no extension cords are available.
Safe to Use
The blades of the track saw stay inside a guard until you press the release lever and pivot the top down. This ensures that your fingers stay safe when the saw is not in use. The grip on the handle of the track saws is made with soft rubber moulds that make it very comfortable and easy to hold.
On the bottom of the track saw is a groove that fits into a channel on the shaft. The proper placement of the track saw on the track ensures that the machine does not lose direction and makes a safe and precise cut.
On the bottom of the tracks, there are also rubber strips which ensure friction with the ground. These rubber strips keep the tracks firmly on their place and help in tracking the blade as you make the cut. Track saws are thus a great cutting tool to avoid any wuthering and chip offs.
The best track saws also come with a soft-start feature that eliminates the initial jump that a saw can witness on startup. This feature keeps you safe when you are starting the tool.
Efficient
Take a pencil and draw marks on the piece of wood to get a clear idea about where you want the cuts. Then place the rubber edge of your track on the drawn line. Now all you have to do is start the saw and make the cut.
Track saws come with a speed dial that allows you to select from a range of speed. This can make it a perfect cutting tool for different materials of different thicknesses that require different cutting speeds.
The high power motor of the track saw will ensure that the cut produced will be completely accurate and to the point. No matter how demanding the task, a track saw will always be up for business. You will see a straight line without any wuthering or cracks. The edge of your cut wood will be smooth and sleek.
Dust Collection
Track saws come with a unique dust collection feature. All track saws have a port on their rear end that connects to a 35-millimeter hose of any dust extractor. The dust extractor begins working right after you turn your tool on and stops seconds after you turn your tool off.
If you want to leave the pace of your client clean, this dust collection feature can come in handy for you. This feature is also very helpful for those with a high sensitivity to dust. If you work in a basement that has low-ventilation, then this feature can instantly make your work experience more pleasant.
When compared to a circular saw, the dust extraction feature of track saws is a massive blessing. The vacuum ensures that very little or almost no dust escapes after the cutting process. Because of this, you will have to spend less time cleaning up after your job is done.
Scoring
Another feature to look for in a track saw is its scoring capability. Essentially a track saw has a setting on it that can limit its cutting depth to around 2 millimetres. So you can make a light scoring line across your cutting sheet.
The advantage here is pretty straightforward. When you go back to make a cut if the top layer is already cut, then the teeth rising up from the cut will not have a tendency to chip or stand out of the top layer. This feature comes in handy especially while cutting materials that are prone to get chipped or splintered like veneers or laminations.
Riving Knife
A few of the track saws also have a riving knife in them. You can see it right behind the blade. If you are cutting solid wood, the riving knife prevents the wood from closing up and pinching the blade on the backside. This stops the saw from producing a kickback that can be a potential danger for you while cutting. So if you are planning to cut a lot of solid lumber with your track saw, it is advisable that you look for one that has a riving knife feature in it.
