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Best Track Saws for Your Woodworking Project – [2024 Reviews]

By: David S. Miles | Last Updated: January 15, 2024

Best Track SawAre you facing trouble making precise plunge cuts for your woodworking project?

You won’t be facing so anymore after you get a capable track saw. Track saws allow you to adjust the saw as per your needs with maximum precision and give similar results.

Buying such a saw is the best decision you can make. But the dilemma of choosing the ultimate track saw is the main struggle.

Which one is the best track saw of all?

Our Top Picks

Image Description
Editor's Choice
Makita SP6000J1 Plunge Circular Saw (Editor Rating: 4.9/5)
  • Voltage: ‎110 Volts
  • Speed: ‎5200 RPM
  • Weight: ‎16.98 Pounds
  • Power Source: Hardwire
  • Dimensions: 75 x 14.75 x 24.25 Inches
PREMIUM QUALITY
  • Speed: 4000 RPM
  • Voltage: ‎60 Volts
  • Weight: 12.5 Pounds
  • Power Source: Corded-Electric
  • Dimensions: 61 x 12 x 15 Inches
BEST VALUE
  • Speed: 5500 RPM
  • Voltage: 110 volt
  • Weight: 13.55 pounds
  • Power Source: Corded-Electric
  • Dimensions: 14.06 x 11.61 x 10.63 inches
GREAT FOR PLYWOOD
  • Weight: 18 Pounds
  • Voltage: 120 volt
  • Power Source: Corded-Electric
  • Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.1 x 9.1 inches
GREAT FOR PORTABILITY
Festool 575387 Plunge Cut Track Saw (Editor Rating: 4.8/5)
  • Speed: 7300 RPM
  • Voltage: 120 Volts
  • Power Source: Ac
  • Weight: 7.69 Pounds
  • Dimensions: 39.5 x 29.5 x 32.5 Inches
  • Voltage: 120 Volts
  • Weight: 10.2 Pounds
  • Blade Length: ‎6.5 Inches
  • Power Source: Corded-Electric
  • Dimensions: 14.4 x 9.5 x 9.45 Inches
PREMIUM QUALITY
  • Speed: 4000 RPM
  • Voltage: 60 Volts
  • Weight: ‎12.5 Pounds
  • Power Source: Cordless
  • Dimensions: 12 x 10 x 10 Inches

5 Best Track Saw Reviews

The search won’t be easy. That’s why to make it easy for you, I have made this list of the track saw reviews including 5 of the best track saws of all time. Hope you find your desired one among them.

1. Makita SP6000J1 6-1/2 Inch Plunge Circular Saw Kit

Makita SP6000J1 Plunge Circular Saw Kit

Great performance is ensured with a great motor. If you want smooth chip-free cuts, you need a saw like this one from Makita. Its 12 Amp can ensure superior power to make successful cuts in each attempt.

Its highly powerful motor is capable of delivering variable speeds. This helps the saw in attaining versatility for making cuts in different materials. It includes a handy dial right beside its handle to give you quick access for adjusting speed as per your requirements. You get a speeding range of 2000 RPM to 5000 RPM.

The Makita track saw has a bevelling capacity to assist you in making bevel cuts. You can make long bevel cuts accurately with the help of the track. The best part, this saw has a unique anti-tipping feature for more secured cuts. This will keep your saw on track even if it’s bent to a wide-angle.

This corded track saw can make bevel cuts, miter cuts, rip cuts, crosscuts, and plunge cuts. You get to choose your own depth and make your desired cut. This depth range is wide to make deeper penetrations. Besides this, the saw has a special feature for helping you make score cuts. You can use this to make delicate.

You can make all your necessary cuts with comfort. Its handles are over-molded with rubber to provide a better grip. Firm grip ensures maximum control of the tool and thus you can manage it any way you like.

Features at a Glance:

  • Smooth running 12 Amp motor. Can deliver a variable speed from 2000 RPM to 5000 RPM.
  • Has an anti-tipping feature. Useful for avoiding unwanted tipping off from the track while making bevel cuts.
  • Has a unique score-cutting feature. Useful for making delicate cuts in materials prone to splintering and chipping.
  • Both the handles have rubber molding on them. Increases grip and comfort.

2. DEWALT DCS520ST1 60V MAX Cordless Track Saw Kit

DEWALT DCS520ST1 60V MAX Track Saw Kit with 59-Inch Track

Now time for a cordless track saw. A cordless saw can give you a lot of benefits. The most important one is portability. You can carry it anywhere you want and use it any way you like. You have full freedom in how you manage it.

This free-moving capability ensures a great feature for you. It is something you cannot do or will find difficult to do in a wired saw. This saw allows you to cut from any side. That is, you can reverse the cutting direction as per your necessities. It is really helpful during making complex cuts.

The dewalt track saw is powered by a 20V battery that comes along with its charger. You do not have to buy anything separately. All its necessary components come in a set nicely packed in a sturdy stack box. This box is very useful for storing and carrying everything together.

A highlighting feature of this saw is its cleaning facility. It has a universal dust port of 1.25 inches to assist in vacuuming all the sawdust. Your working space will always remain holistically clean when you use it. It can ensure a 90% efficiency of cleaning.

Features at a Glance:

  • A cordless track saw powered by a 20V battery. Easily portable.
  • Reversible saw that can be used to cut from any side.
  • Its battery and charger come as a set with the saw in a very useful stack box.
  • Includes a very efficient dust cleaning facility. Can clean 90% of the sawdust.

3. WEN CT1065 6.5-Inch Plunge Cut Sidewinder Circular Track Saw

WEN CT1272 Variable Speed Plunge Cut Circular Track Saw

Even if you are on a tight budget, you can get yourself a great track saw. This Wen track saw is one of such high-quality ensured saw that offers high performance but comes at a very affordable price. Hardly you can find a competition coming near its capabilities.

The first thing that you can notice on this wen track saw is its colorful adjustment settings. The settings are very distinctive from its main body. They can be easily traced and used. A simple wingnut facility is used in this for keeping it simple to use. You can adjust the measurements on the go for having the right cut you want.

One cool feature of this affordable track saw is its blade tuning setting. It has a single dial for providing 3 different options. The first two are for adjusting the depth of the cut. You are going to make a score cut or a deep cut, you can choose from this simple dial. And the third option is for blade changing. You get all the 3 options in one place and close by the hand to select the option fast.

Depth is a significant issue for a plunge saw. It needs to penetrate to a certain depth inside the material for making successful cuts. for different projects, you need different depths.

It is better to have a higher penetration capability for getting a wide range. And this cheap track saw ensures just the thing you require. It can go as deep as 2.33 inches inside the material you are cutting without causing any splinter or chipping. You get the right cut in every attempt.

Features at a Glance:

  • High quality ensured saw at an affordable price.
  • Has colorful wing nut adjustment settings. Has a very simple mechanism.
  • Unique blade adjustment setting with 3 different options.
  • Can go as deep as 2.33 inches without chipping or splintering issues.

4. Kreg ACS2000 Adaptive Cutting System Saw + Guide Track Kit

Kreg ACS2000 Adaptive Cutting System Saw & Guide Track Kit

Big projects require versatility both in cuts and material. It’s better to buy a single saw like this one from Kreg than to buy multiple saws doing one work at a time. This special saw is one versatile saw that allows you to make different types of cuts on different materials. And all this is possible for its variable speeding feature. It lets you choose your required speed needed to specific cut on a particular material.

No matter what cut you are making, you get the best results out of it. No chipping or splintering. Even the kickback effect it may cause for reverse movement is restricted by its effective anti-kickback feature. You will be able to move only forward while using the saw on the trail having this feature activated.

Its dust collecting system is on another level. The saw comes along with a cool dust collecting bag. It’s small in size just like the size of a small water bottle but very effective in its work. When you connect it to the dust port it collects all the sawdust in it while working. It is really effective in keeping the workspace clean.

Clean the sawdust is important for keeping the cut line clear and visible. This helps in making precise cuts. Another important aspect of making precise cuts is the proper measurements. Many saws include the scaling indicators but hard to understand the markings. But this saw is different from them. It has visibly bright markings to help you make accurate measurements for accurate cuts.

Features at a Glance:

  • Power saw with a variable speeding system to cut different materials.
  • Has a sophisticated built-in anti-kickback feature. Ensures maximum safety against kickback.
  • Consist of an effective dust collection system including a dust bag.
  • Has clearly visible scaling indicators. Effective in making accurate measurements during adjustments.

5. Festool 575387 Plunge Cut Track Saw Ts 55 Req-F-Plus USA

Festool 575387 Plunge Cut Track Saw

Safety is a must for every cutting tool. They are manufactured ensuring all kinds of safety for you. This saw from Festool is no different. It includes a really effective plunge lock system. The saw is threatening when the blade starts revolving. That’s why this saw gives you the control to start the saw when you are ready. You need to manually unlock it to let the blade plunge and work.

For making all the cuts precisely, the Festool track saw includes scaling indicators. They help in making accurate measurements and make the cutting process easy. But the best part is, this saw gives you not one but two measurement scales for depth adjustment while working on or off the track. It is a unique feature that you can hardly find in others. This helps you in both cases for working on or out of the track.

The track of this saw is highly functional with so many sophisticated features. One of them is the groove bottom to except guide clamps. This helps in holding the track tightly to your working table when you are working on something big.

Blade changing is a super easy function for this saw. An Allen wrench is included in it, strategically placed inside the handle. You can get it whenever you are changing the blade without having to search the whole workshop for the right match. That’s how simple is to work with this saw.

Features at a Glance:

  • Has a safety plunger lock system. The blade will only go down when the button is pushed up.
  • Two-level depth gauge system for depth adjustments while using the saw with or without the track.
  • Has a convenient groove on the bottom of the track to except guide rail clamps.
  • Includes an allen wrench cleverly stored in the handle to help the blade changing easier and faster.

Things to Consider Before Choosing a Track Saw

Things to Consider Before Choosing a Track Saw

A simple buying guide can make a huge difference in taking decisions. I hope this guide will guide you to find the best plunge saw quite easily.

Anti-kickback Facility

It’s one of the most important inclusions in a track saw. When you are sliding the saw on the track, you can move it both forward and backward. However, the backward movement while cutting can be dangerous. This may cause kickback effects.

To avoid such an unwanted problem, the track saws include this anti-kickback facility. It is a simple inclusion but is very effective. You may find a small key or knob on the saw that prevents it from going backward while sliding in a track.

Likewise, even by mistake, you won’t be able to pull it back to cause the kickback issue.

Simple Adjustment Settings

track saw Guide Rail

In a track saw you need to make a lot of adjustments. A track saw gives you the facility of measuring the necessary angle of your cut, the depth of your cut, and also the facility for linear measurements.

You have to set your saw as per your required measurement yourself. If the adjustment system of the tool is a complicated one, half of your time will be wasted just to adjust it. And you definitely do not want that.

That’s why it is highly emphasized that you always get a saw that includes simple settings with an easy adjustment system.

Depth Capacity

Knowing the depth capacity of the plunge saw is important. The depth capacity of the saw determines its working capability. Saws with little penetration capacity won’t do the same job as the higher capacity ensuring one. In this case, the higher the deepness of the cut, the better it is.

You may find differences in the scaling system for depths in different saws. Some are given on imperial units, some on metric, and others. It’s better to get the one with which you are familiar.

Different projects need different depths of cuts. You need to make sure your saw has a wide range of options to offer you.

Bevel Capacity

Track saws are capable of bevel cuts and give you a wide range from which you can choose your desired angle. These saws have bevel locks on both sides. You can choose from the angle scaling on either side and fix the lock from both sides. Such measurements give maximum accurate results in every cut.

The bevel capacity of track saws mainly ranges from a solid 90o angle to around 45o angle. This may fluctuate a little for different saws.

In some saws, you may find it deflecting a second time to around 47o angle after reaching the limit of 45o angle. Such saws are also likely to have a negative bevel capacity.

Smooth Movement on Track

Track Saw Reviews

Smooth gliding on the track is an important aspect of a track saw. The saw won’t deliver smooth cuts if it fails to move freely on the track. The more friction it experiences while moving the worse cuts it will deliver. The smooth movement ensures smooth cuts.

For delivering the best results, most saws have tracks that include plastic strips. This reduces friction while sliding. The frictionless movement lets the saw slide along with the cut and helps to gain chip-free and splinter-free cuts.

Advantages of  a Track Saw

The saw responsible for safe cutting and perfect cuts are the track saw. If you don’t have any experience using a saw before, we highly recommend you to buy a track saw. This saw has the easiest functions compared to other types of saw.

The advantages of owning a track saw are listed for you with unknown facts about the machine that you’re about to buy.

Safe Cutting

The track saw provides you all-round protection while cutting because the blade is open in only a part of the machine. The other part of the machine is covered with protective handling parts. As a result, you can cut using this machine without wearing too much protective gear.

Perfect Cuts

A phenomenal advantage of using a track saw is that it only cuts along the track. It makes perfect and smooth cuts without any problems. The main objective of this machine is to cut perfect lines that lead according to how you set the objective.

No Experience Required

Unlike other saws that require sometime to use properly, using a track saw effectively is very easy. Just set the tracks and roll the saw over it gradually making your desired cut. You don’t need to learn how to balance or use different techniques to get a high-quality finish.

Sawdust Protection

Saws are well-known for creating tons of sawdust while working. The sawdust can affect your body if inhaled or may blind you if it enters your eye. But while using a track saw, the sawdust falls directly to the floor without flying towards your eye. This is because of the machine’s mechanism that stops most of the sawdust from flying outside.

Angular Cuts

It’s quite impossible to make perfect angular cuts while using saws like electric saws or table saws. The process requires high expertise and higher knowledge and still, the chance of cutting smoothly is next to zero.

This is where the track saw is the perfect machine to have because you can set the angle, depth, and direction in which you wish to cut the desired object. After that, just slide the saw across the track and you’ve got yourself your desired cut.

Advantages of a Track Saw Infographic

FAQs about Track Saw

In this section, we will answer some of the most common frequently asked questions about track saws. Hopefully, they will help you make up your mind for the finest. Let’s scroll down and have a quick look at them.

Is a track saw better than a circular saw?

Ans. Each saw has its own purpose. They are made strategically to serve specific purposes effectively.

As for a circular saw, it gives the best results while making rough cuts. It can cut through thick wood boards and deliver the best performance.

But precision working is not for a circular saw. That’s when track saw makes the entry. A track saw is a saw which looks similar to a circular saw but has a different purpose. It includes a long track that assists in making the most accurate cut possible. It is used for ripping, trimming, plunging, and cutting long wood panels without causing any chipping or splinter and as per the fixed measurements.

You can make a wide range of versatile cuts with maximum precision using a track saw. Judging from that point of view, there is no way a track saw is any less than a circular saw and at times performs better than it.

What safety features does a track saw have?

Ans. Being a cutting tool, a track saw includes several safety features for ensuring maximum safety for you while in use. Little details can save both your working material and you from unexpected dangers.

The first thing that will catch your eyes is that the whole blade of the saw remains shrouded. This helps in avoiding unwanted contact with the blade.

The most important feature for a plunge saw is the lock system. For triggering and lowering down the blade, you need to manually unlock it. It safeguards against accidental starting.

Another effective aspect found in track saw is the anti-kickback feature. It is basically a key that prevents the saw from moving backward while cutting through materials using the track. This feature helps the saw to avoid causing kickback effects.

Such simple but highly effective additions in track saw are really significant for ensuring safety.

How deep can be cut with a track saw?

Ans. Different track saw has different cutting limits. It depends on the power and blade of the saw how deep it may cut. The depth limit remains mentioned on the specifications of the saw.

Track saws cutting about 2.156 inches deep can assist in various projects. Normally the highest limit remains around it. In this review list, some saws have a depth limit up to a massive 2.33 inches. The wider the range the better performance can be gained.

How to change a blade of a track saw?

Ans. Changing the blade of a track saw is very simple. The modern track saws are made including such facilities that make the blade changing super easy.

The first step for blade changing is to take out the allen wrench. With maximum track saws, the allen wrench is given with the saw and stored within it. Then unlock the blade lock and plunge the saw so that it locks in a way that the center of the blade remains exposed. Now using the allen wrench rotate the screw counterclockwise. Likewise, the blade will be released and you can pull it out.

After getting the blade out, place the new one properly maintaining the center. Put the screw on and tighten it using the wrench. Thus, the new blade is ready to be used for your next project.

Will the track move out of a direction because of vibration?

Ans. No, the track has a sticky lower surface that will support it to firmly grip the material while you work on it.

Final Words

Track saws are not complicated power saws. They are easy to use and are quite similar to circular saws.

If you have ever used them, you know about their qualities. But if you have never tried one, I recommend you should get yourself one soon. The difference it makes in cuts is significant.

All the five plunge saws that you have gone through are worth purchasing. They are quality-ensured and standard-maintaining saws that can deliver the best results without any question.

Now it’s up to you which one you go for. Just keep in mind that whichever you choose, it will be the best track saw on the market as all the others on this list.

You May Also Like:

Top 5 Corded Circular Saws for All Time.

Top 5 Compact Circular Saws for All Time.

Top 6 Circular Saws for DIYers & Professionals.

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