Cordless Track Saw Comparison - DeWalt DCS520 vs. Festool TSC 55 K - Is Festool Worth It?

[@pajomaximus]

3 things. If you are changing the blade on the dewalt, hang it off a bench and drop the blade, makes it way easier to change the blade. Also, cover the side with duct tape you get better dust extraction. And C There is depth size with the track. It's the bottom mark. Great video mate. 👍

[@The1stDomino]

I can’t remember if you said this, but the Dewalt saw will work on the Festool tracks also. If you noticed the second channel under the Dewalt saw, you can rotate those cams to operate for that side, which will allow the Dewalt to work with Festool tracks. I have the Dewalt and do like the saw, but wanted the Festool tracks (not really happy the Dewalt tracks) so I got the shortest Festool track and it works great! Now I have all the tracks I need in Festool and run the Dewalt saw and do not have to adjust for fit from track to track like Dewalt’s tracks!!!

[@wwh2694]

I changed the blade on the DEWALT and the cut is smooth. It’s all about the blade.

[@juliaallen7149]

I was a little worried about installing the blade after reading a couple of reviews. But it was amazingly easy. Took about 1 minute. Works great kzbin.infoUgkxjpBI8OOeUXib_iT7UomCrQ-uauwZJ62c . Cuts easily and is perfect for pocket cuts I needed to make for replacing some old deck boards.

[@selianboy8508]

Festools are deffo more refined but at pretty much twice the price for the same parity of kit - don't forget the track in this equation. The next DW is very likely to have splinter guard and blue tooth (not that this is relevant to your review) I enjoyed your review and it seems pretty good. Thank you. However, there are a few things that you did not really point out. 1. Festool needs two batteries and even then there was a slight power drop during the walnut cut - DW requires only the one battery and that is still more powerful that even domestic power-level cabled saws. 2. The DW is compatible with most other tracks whilst the opposite is not the case. 3. How old were the blades? You say that you don't swap out the blades on the DW whilst you do on the Festool. The DW stock blade looks pretty knackered whilst the Festool pretty well new (you have only had the latter for a few weeks you say?). 4. Changing the blade on the DW is simple - you made it look awkward but the truth is that you only have to learn how it is done! 5. DW is a lot easier to type out that Festool, and I note that this is never commented on! 😂😂 6. Festool sounds more like a ferrous sample you might take to the doctor's when you are suffering from too much iron in your diet! 7. There are only two tools in your review so one can only be better than the other... 🤔🤔😉😉😂😂😂

[@markjarman7819]

Had the dewalt and found it a great saw. Hated the blade change and setting it to the tracks I found it would be great on one but tight on another. The festool saw is 100% I can’t fault it. Wouldn’t go back back now. Great review 👍

[@therabman_5606]

Agreed! I’m full dewalt on all my cordless tools, has the corded makita plunge saw changed it to the festool no complaints at all! has everything you want and need as well as loads of after market accessories

[@DuongNguyen-gg3uc]

Hello @Mason Workshop; Excellent comparison and I agree with your thoughts. I have a massive DeWALT collection and as much as I like Festool, I can never come close (replacing DeWALT with Festool) to what I have with DeWALT. It is possible that I will add the Festool cord version soon to share the load with the DeWALT. Thanks for sharing and the great knowledge.

[@SublimeWanderers]

Insider Carpentry did a video on track saws and he said the corded Festool was way underpowered. The battery powered saw from Festool is apparently much stronger maybe they've resolved that issue by now, because the video was a few years old, if I remember correctly. Just something to consider in people's research.

[@MasonWoodshop]

Thanks for sharing, Brian! I continue to be blown away by the power, and was testing the saw on some 1 3/4” maple earlier today without issue. It’s a powerhouse!

[@Minimal444]

Used both corded saws, DeWalt corded is much more powerful than Festool.

[@bret9741]

The Dewalt saw has been out long enough for a major update. All Dewalt needs to do is address the issues expressed by you and other reviewers. Right now Bosch, Mafell, and Metabo have the best track simply because the connection of two tracks is far superior. I’d buy a Dewalt tomorrow If they would update and improve the quality of materials. I just sold my Makita 10” miter and my makita track saw. I bough the new 60v Dewalt miter saw. I just can’t bring myself to buy their track saw. Right now I’m considering the Festool, Milwaukee. I own mostly Milwaukee cordless and I have quite a few Festool speciality tools.

[@kellychevallier4639]

On the walnut a fair test is using same blade on both saws to compare the cut. But in Canada at least it makes sense to just get the festool.

[@TKcustomWoodworks]

Amazing video but you said that you have been using the Dewalt for a long Time and the festool brand-new so the fact that you got more tear out on the cutting board from Dewalt might just be because the blade is older

[@MasonWoodshop]

Thanks Tzvi! The wear on the DeWalt blade likely did play some role, although anecdotally, I did typically experience noticeable tear out (nowhere near as bad as a standard circular saw) with the DeWalt, unless I used tape over the cut. On plywood, this was only on the off it side.

[@BorgDrohn]

@@MasonWoodshop get a nice bosch blade and it will be better. The dewalt blades for nice Cuts are not the best.

[@pajomaximus]

@Sascha Bosch blades all the way buddy

[@JasonLefevers]

@@BorgDrohn Which blade do you use?

[@jesusjesus1327]

Get a brand new blade for dewalt and try again I can see that blade u using in the Dewalt is very rough

[@lukeharrop6467]

My verdict is from using the festool , and dewalt , both are good saws but if you want a perfect cut every time , especially on laminate kitchens the festool is what you want , if you just want to cut sheet goods then the dewalt and festool are both good saws

[@azhdenemin7504]

Important is the blade!😉

[@trashes_to_treasures]

I am already on the DeWalt 54V-platform and I love their tools for my job(s), but in this case, I’d go for the Festool saw. With two batteries, it comes at about a 100 Bucks less than the DeWalt here in Germany; and I have to admit when it comes to track saws, Festool still wins. I would buy a track saw for kitchen installs, so mainly for cleanest cuts possible in worktops or coated surfaces. And that is where the Festool would be ahead, even if the DeWalt had a new, clean blade installed unlike yours 😏 Also, I want to have intuitive, easy-to-use functions and that is where the DeWalt with its fiddly screw-button and the missing indicator for the track at the height adjust would lose points. All in all, I am not a huge fan of having too many battery systems, but the best tool for the job always should be the first choice.

[@user-jx2ei1kh4q]

Can't beat trimming with router .well it should be used for every cut aperture etc .

[@lachlankren4231]

hey mate awesome vid!! l am currently deciding on the 54v DeWalt, 36v Makita and corded Festool and honestly can't decide!! I have all dewalt tools except for my CT Midi and am open to getting the cordless makita as reviews seem to be amazing, but Surprisingly the dewalt kit down here in australia is $300 more expensive than the corded festool kit and the 36v makita kit! also the festool tracks are cheaper than the dewalt even though they are far superior from what I've heard. Have you had any luck with changing the DeWalt blade possibly to a finer cut one as all reviews show it cutting a very rough edge? and after 4 months since this vid came out have you had any further opinions of these saws? sorry for all the questions haha, cheers boss

[@MasonWoodshop]

Thanks for the comment - it’s wild to hear about some of the price differences in AUS. Here in Canada, Festool is much more expensive and the Festool tracks are 2-3x as expensive as DeWalt and Makita. After making the video I sold the DeWalt, so I didn’t do any further testing. Given what you’re saying about the AUS pricing, I’d highly recommend considering the Festool, even if you’re mostly into the DeWalt ecosystem for other brands. The cordless Festool has performed beyond my expectations and having just the two batteries hasn’t been a problem at all - I can work most of the day, then charge overnight for large jobs. Only downside (for me) in going with the Festool track saw was that it got me hooked on Festool and I’ve since added the OF 1400 router, and the hammer drill + driver combo set. Not to mention an absurd amount of accessories and building my own MFT table (I have videos on this build). Good luck with your decision!!

[@lachlankren4231]

@@MasonWoodshop haha I really don’t want to go down the festool rabbit hole, thanks for the reply man. As much as I love dewalt I’m probably gonna have to skip it. The makita kit is drawing my eye as it’s the same price as the festool and is suppose to be on par/just a bit below in cut quality and use/fictionality but damn, hard decisions

[@plakey2001]

@@lachlankren4231i’m having the same tough decision now, and now milwaukee have one out too

[@lachlankren4231]

@@plakey2001hey mate, I actually bought the Milwaukee kit even tho I have all dewalt. Can’t fault it

[@plakey2001]

@@lachlankren4231 cheers man. I’m thinking red too as I mainly have Milwaukee. Except no packout / hard case (in Australia) or wireless / bluetooth control for dust extraction

[@lesbentley4082]

I’ve slowly replaced all tools with Festool, I love their products. However, when I sold my Makita 36v track saw, I kept all the tracks. Just bought the 118” Makita track for $200. The equivalent Festool is $750!! Great Channel, keep it up!!

[@yautjadaslayer]

I bought the Dewalt kit for 400 bucks a while back ago and you just can’t compare them at that price. I’m not even a Dewalt guy I own all Milwaukee but at that time I was makita festool or the brand new Dewalt and I don’t regret my decision

[@MasonWoodshop]

That’s a great deal! Thanks for sharing.

[@Sgten01]

As a builder you should honestly have both saws. Dewalt is really hard to kill, so it cuts all sheet goods, fibre cement and anything else building related onsite. Festool on the other hand I dont think would last very long in those conditions, and its strength is the finish quality, so it's my finishing tracksaw for things like melamine, interior lining materials, hardwood solid doors and many things like that where dewalt would just butcher the result. Get both if you're a builder, or maybe just festool if you're a hobbyist.

[@MasonWoodshop]

That’s some great insight, thanks for sharing!

[@davidclarke3803]

Hobbyist. Mmm !11 quite clearly you’re not a quality carpenter n joiner / Cabinet maker. , stick to digging holes son

[@mdlyonn0035]

I picked up my Festool kit with a 1.4m rail for £500, works out to be around $560. Festool recently ran a promo in Europe and had a lot of their tools are stupidly low priced compared to what they usually are at

[@MasonWoodshop]

That’s a fantastic deal!! We don’t see discounts too often in North America, unless it’s to clear out discontinued items.

[@josepaltan2250]

Do you know which is the best or do you know if something new is on the way? because it cost like $1,000

[@WhatSmellsLikeToast]

Thanks Bud! Very helpful

[@hunterelmore4342]

If you put a better blade on the dewalt will it cut better? I feel like it’s rough because it’s just a standard blade..

[@deepwinter77]

The Makita Corded with the Rails is about €600 including VAT in Ireland atm, seems like a bargain, when comparing the others. The Dewalt seems well built but clunky af.

[@bdm1000]

I THINK the Makita track saws lack any kind of anti-kickback or riving knife. If that's the case I definitely think it's worth the money to go with Festool.

[@alexalexisalexy]

No point in getting the Dewalt unless you're already invested in Flexvolt. If you're on the 18v system, you might as well get the Festool bare unit with 3rd party tracks. You'll end up paying 200 more, but you'll have a Festool system, which is superior. It's a no-brainer. The TSC55 is actually really good value

[@whateyatalkinabout4972]

Dewalt track saw is good, but not great. Power is there, and for cutting fibre cement and yellow tongue flooring or plywood it’s great. Only issues I’ve had is the saw doesn’t cut the best on the track. And the factory dewalt rubber that you cut initially is rubbish. Festool ones are much better. Also the riving knife is annoying, it gets stuck in the groove of flooring so I’ve removed it. Other than that, good saw. But it isn’t amazing

[@NoOne12332]

Dewalt works with Festool tracks also

[@naxxunlockers9431]

Al dcs520 pongale el disco que viene con el kit , el disco que usaste es totalmente usado y viejo

[@vincetedesco7118]

Also, would you recommend the cordless models even though you may not need it out of the shop?

[@MasonWoodshop]

For me, cordless is the way to go as the use of the dust extractor + saw would trip the breaker in my poorly-powered shop. If that isn’t a concern and dust extractor would always be used, corded wouldn’t be a bad idea and the saw would be a good amount lighter.

[@vincetedesco7118]

@@MasonWoodshop that is a good point. I have same issues.

[@andre1987eph]

How do you feel about track compatible circular saws? Some like Makita and Maffell line allow for cutting thicker lumber than plunge track saw

[@MasonWoodshop]

I haven’t looked into those too much, although the extra depth could be handy if going much deeper than 2”. It’s great to see tracks becoming such a fixture in woodworking!

[@andre1987eph]

@@MasonWoodshop thanks for replying. Stay safe 🖐🏻

[@firpofutbol]

I wonder if you tried the Dewalt with a Makita 60T ATB blade (they are compatible), how clean the cut would be?

[@MasonWoodshop]

I did not try any third party blades with the DeWalt, but I’m sure there are some that are compatible - just be aware that it should be the same kerf as the DeWalt blade, which is thinner than standard.

[@firpofutbol]

@@MasonWoodshop The Dewalt manual has the blade and kerf requirements and both Makita 60T blades (TCG and ATB) should work on it.

[@needaman66]

So something i noticed, you didnt try to take the blade off with the festool, also isnt the festool foot plastic while the dewalt is Aluminium? Also the dewalt is also bluetooth capable, also the dewalt will run on your festool track, the problems with blade change were user error. Ive been using the dewalt for years ive vut everything with it, and i wouldn't change it for nothing

[@exigauner]

im from germany and i have a lot of tool brands, i like to use festool at most. ps: in germany ist festool not so epensive😉

[@MasonWoodshop]

It’s really a great system and I’m glad to hear it’s more affordable in Germany.

[@marcorusso14]

I've used both rigorously and 100% will always prefer dewalt. I noticed when you clamped the festool track it was bouncing vs dewalt. Dewalt clamps are better. The tracks are not omni directional. Sorry festool is over priced german fire pit fuel for me. The dust.... Like a chef if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.. I can go on and on about festool and what I dislike about it.

[@wwh2694]

U can also used the DEWALT on that Festool track.

[@n3bux]

there is something odd on this video: the tools are brand new and you say that you used the dewalt alot

[@vincetedesco7118]

Great video. Just wondering were the blades new? Were they the same brand as the each respective brands you were comparing? If they were not new were they used comparably?

[@MasonWoodshop]

Great point - the Festool blade has only seen about 100 linear feet and the DeWalt is probably around 1000 linear feet (still in good condition, but this could impact cut quality a little).

[@andre1987eph]

Toolboxbuzz tested all of these on KZbin

[@MasonWoodshop]

@@andre1987eph Rob and the rest of the guys he has testing those tools are great! I’m eager to see more on the Milwaukee track saw when it comes out.

[@smyteyouall8256]

The dewalt blade is poor. I tend to use the festool blades when possible.

[@bentonrector2641]

Festool makes badass shit, you get what you pay for... There basically like snap-on but for carpentry

[@MasonWoodshop]

That’s a good comparison!

[@aetorres7422]

You just have to babysit the fest tool and as the DeWalt you can use it hardcore at a job site🎉

[@bentonrector2641]

@@aetorres7422 yeah I see your argument, if a Mexican fucked my shit up it'd be cheaper to replace as a DeWalt

[@geofffelsing1283]

Even if you have Dewalt; buy a makita track saw.... makita tracks work for some most fest track saws

[@stevenfoust3782]

I’d go makita 40v or Milwaukee. Most of my tools are dewalt, but the track saw is a fail. Most professional carpenters agree. I’d say no to the festool based on price and not any better essentially

[@joostzegr7193]

you cant compare the finesse interior saw of festool with a diy brand dewalt

[@d7samurai]

i wouldn't say that's a fair classification. green bosch is dyi. maybe ryobi et al. dewalt (along with blue bosch, makita, milwaukee etc) is definitely a _professional_ level brand, but perhaps more geared towards jobsite / construction work. festool, hilti, mafell are _high end_ professional brands, possibly with a bit more "finesse".

[@eclecticgentleman]

The festool looks a lot cheaper and not as rugged but twice the price. It seems like a no-brainer to go with the DeWalt

[@santiagogomez1254]

Yeah i don’t that part why festool tools look so cheap but very expensive . They look a lot cheaper then harbor freight

[@therabman_5606]

“Looks” dewalt is definitely much better for day to day rough days on sites, festool comes into its own where precision matters such as bench joinery and kitchen fitting etc.

[@trelcomultiskilledtraders1334]

​@therabman_5606 whys that? I can cut a millimetre into quarters with my dewalt plunge Or for sizing front doors and fire doors Always supremely perfect

[@twohands475]

​@trelcomultiskilledtraders1334 It just is. I have both these exact track saws. I use the dewalt for construction and the festool for joinery. The festool is a better cut, has more accessories and a thinner kerf. The dewalt is durable and unbeatable on site.

[@EditioCastigata]

That Festool overheats in Summer and throttles down.

[@roko3692]

Dewalt has poor shields. When replacing with a Bosch blade, there is a clear difference in cutting to the plus Dewalt ma kiepskie tarcze. Przy wymianie na tarczę Bosch jest wyraźna różnica cięcia na plus

[@DennyMK007]

Using well used blade on the DeWalt and comparing it with new one on FesTool just doesn’t make it a fair comparison.

[@noelflores2278]

I have both, I go with the DeWalt one battery and more powerful and also you can use the festool tracks in the DeWalt saw.

[@armandokora3153]

Y

[@andre1987eph]

The reports are the Festool is under-powered.

[@MasonWoodshop]

It could be compared to some corded versions, but I was very impressed with how well it cut through cross-grain 2” thick walnut - felt like butter! It seems that the thinner kerf does a nice job compensating for power limitations. I’ll be sure to test some harder woods when I get to a review after a couple of months of use.

[@exigauner]

Look at the festool ts60 will Release in September it is the most powerfull tracksaw ever made 3th Generation brushless Motor

[@MasonWoodshop]

@@exigauner that’ll be an interesting one to follow! It’s not on my radar to buy, but I’m curious to hear how it stacks up against the TS55 and TS75.

[@NWGR]

I haven't had any issues with mine being underpowered; use the right blade for the task at hand. The first job I used my TS55 for was cutting down some butcher block countertops. Quick and easy.

[@MasonWoodshop]

@@NWGR I couldn’t believe how easily this cross-cut 2” thick walnut! My table saw (Ridgid R4512) would have struggled. 95% of my work will be sheet goods, so that power will mostly go unused, but it’s nice to know it’s there.

[@patrickarchuleta9594]

You know why they both suck way overpriced.Bottom line

[@japh4760]

El peor video

[@51percentproductions25]

Cut also depends on what blade you use.

[@patriciaweber9832]

CUT DEPENDS ON BLADE AND YOUVE COMPARE OLD BLADE TO NEW OR ALMOST NEW ONE.... DEWALT LOOKS THE BEST AND IM DEWALT FAN FASTOOL IS GOOD BUT LOOKS CHEP

[@travisedwards9983]

Dewalt just needs to upgrade/change now that the festool trac saw lisence is expired so they can do things better