Cordless Tracksaw Comparison | Makita 36v vs Dewalt 60v vs Festool 36v

[@727shane2]

Great video nice to see the view point of a lefty thought of

[@ThekiBoran]

727 Shane Everyone is born right handed, only the great ones overcome it. Go lefties!!!

[@MsElijah16]

Kroban3 haha

[@carterscustomrods]

Lol I was a lefty until I lost use of my left arm/leg to a virus. And I've realized how shitty is is being a righty and using a track saw. It amazes me how so many people have used these in unsafe ways. I'm now having to wait until next year when Bosch comes out with a left blade Strongarm (track capable, AND 7-¼" ! Righties and tracksaw users have been suckered for years.)

[@bartfoster1311]

I picked up the Makita tracksaw kit at a pawn shop almost brand new for $220. Absolutely no regrets, love this saw!

[@jronmanbuilds]

the Flexvolt tracksaw does not come with a 9.0 in kits. One thing nice about the Flexvolt is it works on all three track used in the video.

[@MsElijah16]

JronmanBuilds it's comes with 2 x 6 amp in nz

[@Thoughmuchistaken]

I've got the corded version of the Makita, no complaints.

[@andrewv5104]

The one thing you didn't note was that the festool saw can use all of their batteries other than that CSX line. So while the 18V may not have a lot of tools if you have a 15V festool drill those batteries will work on the TSC55. Makita still has a ton more tools but the flexibility on the festool is worth a note. The cost comparison isn't quite fair the dewalt is dang expensive as well $700 for 1 battery 1 charger the saw and a track, add another battery and charger to make up for the few cuts and the cost isn't as drastic compared to festool. The makita wins this hands down though. Huh sounds like that Makita is the one to get.

[@TheTylerWhit]

Note: I upgraded to 48T Oshlun blade before I made a cut kzbin.infoUgkxvWxw4589nheZ_QlYwqaZpnQExQfvjV4_ This said, when combined with the Powertec 71153 track, the cut was glass-smooth and as straight as an arrow with no tear out! I was dubious about the kick-back preventer as it is a very simple, plastic device; but, it worked perfectly and is very easy to disengage when necessary. Simple and functional is often the best way of doing anything! Festool can keep its over-priced TS-55 and TS-75! Who needs such a pricey tool when an inexpensive, simple one does the job?! Very pleased!

[@joeychgo]

Greatest thing about this video is -- it clearly shows the centipede is wobbly and not something I want

[@josephdestaubin7426]

I don't see the point of having a cordless tool when you have to plug a vacuum Intuit anyways. Throw some zip ties between the vacuum hose and the cord so you only have to deal with one obstacle and save your back the extra weight of the battery.

[@hasandilek92]

you can makitas bluetooth vac

[@weedylock]

You are clearly not a carpenter or a kitchen fitter

[@kadencurrie9475]

Joseph DESTAUBIN so you have the option to be completely cordless. You don’t need the vac on it. What if your in the field with other trades and are all trading off the power. Corded limits where you can cut. And it’s just one more cord to trip over and get caught. Never mind dealing with extension cords. I can charge battery’s at Home and never need a cord or a plug in. They make cordless vacs also. Save your back 😂 dude your putting it on a track all u have to do is push it. It’s pretty clear you’ve never worked on a job with any obstacles. Or other trades. Cords are the past.

[@reves74]

@@kadencurrie9475 cordless vacuums aren't hose-less too. Don't get me wrong, cordless in often necessary, but there is an obvious trade-off (power loss). I own Festool track saws, and I can tell you that Festool is not a sturdy tool to be dragging around in the field. Tracks are easily bent, and the saw is crazy easy to break and/or bend by just a small drop (mine broke in two places when it fell off the a table). It cuts good, just don't let it knocked around or it will be irreparably damaged.

[@kadencurrie9475]

Travis Coake in the field there’s a lot of times I will not need a vacuum. And I’m sure many others are the same there’s times you don’t need it so being able to go trim a door down outside and not worry rather than setting Up inside with a vac and still making a small mess.

[@propellerhead9197]

I got the Makita. But I like the corded model. For me the cord isn't a big deal. I think the batteries add to the weight and cost of the tool. Cordless is great for a drill and driver, but the rest of my tools have cords.

[@markf.4063]

The true beauty of cordless saws, track or otherwise, is the ability to use them in places and situations a corded unit might not be an option. For instance, I cannot transport full sheets of ply. I can however break it down in the parking lot and then fit it into my vehicle.

[@urablahblah]

@@markf.4063 This is a great point I had not considered when considering cordless. I was locked into thinking in terms of use in my garage. Thanks!

[@reves74]

The review did focus on some good points, but there are some details that were overlooked. I have festool track saws, but have recently been comparing others and thought this video would add something I haven't seen. It didn't, but this review was certainly biased against Dewalt. For instance the test cuts for longevity, they replaced the battery that comes with it 9.0 amp/hr with a 6.0 amp/hr battery and concluded dewalt comes in last (obviously if you do that). The advantage of not having a -1 degree option on bevel is that you are less likely to accidentally make cuts that aren't square. The Dewalt saw will work on festool tracks as well as their native tracks. The plunge mechanism on the Dewalt helps eliminate kickback when starting a cut. This is typical if you're cutting material that is nearly the length of your track. Festool makes good products; however, my first saw accidentally fell off the work table when I tripped over the vacuum hose it was connected to. It fell from a height of about 32 inches and the impact was enough to crack the aluminum skid plate and hinge mechanism, thus definitely not a tool you want to "toss" around in your truck. Festool makes the gear mechanism between the motor and rotor to the blade built with intentional slack (don't know why, but festool does this with all their tools, not just the saw), but it makes the saw sound like its breaking or already broken internally and doesn't leave a smooth feeling. However, its cuts are superb, so not complaints there. the Festool saw does have a heat sensor to avoid over heating and risk burning up the motor (this has undoubtedly saved mine several times). These saws are a must have though. Cross cut plywood, quick straight edge on raw lumber without wasting any unnecessary stock, etc.

[@entstudio63]

You've forgot to mention that Festool TSC55 will work with 1 battery as well and that is very important.

[@morganstanley2344]

Proving the Festool is the least powerful as it is running only 18 volts compared to 36 and 60

[@Patrick-857]

@@morganstanley2344 This simply isn't true from an electrical standpoint. Voltage means nothing, it has no bearing on power. Learn Ohms Law my friend.

[@ericulator391]

3:26 - It looked like the *Dewalt had a default setting of -1deg,* and the user has to move it to the 0 position..... especially when you tilted the saw *through the full range* - the indicator became *level with the 47deg marker,* but was about *1deg below the 0 marker...* *Why didn't you guys bring out the angle gauge* to check the blade angles? That way you could rate the *Actual* degrees along with the *Accuracy* of the scales on the saws..

[@MsElijah16]

Eric Ulator you could probably trust a festool angle but dewalt prob not

[@MsElijah16]

Good point

[@photonashville]

Plywood and MDF are consistent materials whether you are "ripping" or "crosscutting" the sheets. There is zero need to change blades depending on the direction of the sheet you are cutting. Sheet goods are not solid wood with grain in one direction. It would have been better to use only 1 blade for all the saws to test # of cuts. They all have 20mm arbors. The Festool ships with a 48 tooth blade as does the Dewalt, but the Makita has a 55 tooth blade. Not using the larger Dewalt battery lessens its ratings too. Ultimately all three saws will complete the same tasks just fine.

[@morganstanley2344]

MDF is consistant each direction but with plywood there are grains and that plays a role, especially for clean cuts. Lower tooth blades are usually used for rips as they go with the grain and have less resistance. Cross cutting blades have more as there is more resistance and more chance of splintering. Higher tooth count blades have a tendency to wear batteries down faster as they have more friction giving all other factors being the same.

[@photonashville]

A very textbook response there. I use these tools all the time. If you are cutting any sheet goods, you put on a fine toothed blade and cut it all regardless of "rip" or "crosscut". When you are cutting actual wood boards and not manmade stuff, then yes, rip blades matter, crosscut blades matter. No one changes blades on track saws for rip versus crosscut on sheet goods in the real world, that's just plain silly. No different on a table saw. When cutting sheet goods, just put on a high quality 40T or 60T blade from Tenryu, Amana, Forrest, Carbide Processors (I own these), and proceed to cut, rip or crosscut, and get exceptional cuts every time. I'm not going to change to a rip blade to cut MDF or plywood, that's plain silly.

[@MsElijah16]

photonashville changing blades blows

[@seanr444]

@@morganstanley2344 in each layer of plywood the grain direction is offset 90° that's what gives it the stability... So long as your making a square cut length or width wise it is the same thing. Maybe minor variances if it's made with directional deflection and sheer strengths in mind.... Like others have said use a medium tooth count for more aggressive cuts and potential battery saving, and a quality higher tooth count for a nicer finish with less tear out. Low tooth ripping blades are for actual lumber so as to have a large enough gap between teeth to clear the chip so to speak.

[@jimd6192]

You used the festool saw on the makita trail? :/ 15:57

[@Patrick-857]

They are all cross platform compatible. Handy really. In this case Makita seems the only manufacturer that puts out a 3.0 metre track. Most force you to join 2 1.4m tracks.

[@stevenvachon9745]

My question is...why do all track saws have right sided blades? Ripping strips off a sheet puts you in an awkward position or forces you to use you left hand, as shown in the video. I just think that track saws would make more sense to have left sided blades so you can use your right hand on the handle and walk beside the sheet as you are cutting.

[@Colpens]

Because many years ago - skilsaw was the first to make a circular saw - they patented the design . The only way other companies could bring out their saws was to change the design to get around the patent - by putting the blade on opposite side.

[@jronmanbuilds]

I don't mind since I am left handed but I have always thought it would be nice for every saw to have the option of blade right or blade left. My theory is they started as blade right and to change sides would require a lot of money because you would have to retool quite a few parts because of the change of blade side.

[@krisruchomski9294]

To me it makes sense. You set the tracks on your marks and just slide it along, no need to control it so it doesn't come off the line. Second reason is dust and chips flying in your face - on my track saw I am away from it all but on my circ saw which has the blade on the left side I have chips and dust flying in my face and it's no fun

[@larryshreve9076]

Having the blade on that side of the motor allows the use of standard right-handed bolts to hold the blade. That's why worm saws have to use left-handed bolts.

[@robertknowles3677]

@@cmmartti There are also other circular saws that are on the left not always on the right.

[@johnftirrell5042]

Nice review. You cleared up some questions for me. The only question remaining is: close cutting next to a wall. Do all the saws cut very close? And which saw is easier to use while cutting close?

[@WorkshopAddict]

Like a standard circ saw you will never get "close". Look at the handle design and if you are right or left handed.

[@libman1597]

You would want a zero clearance saw for getting really close cuts next to a wall.

[@T.E.P.]

superb review ... great job. I'm mostly black and yellow and owned their track saw and everything you said is true about it ... sold it.

[@yashmaval]

Examplary review. Thanks! It has been a while since the last time I saw a meaningful, usable review. These days most reviews are crap.

[@dannyh.7490]

I have a less expensive plug in knock off which works great for breaking down large panels before they go in on the panel saw but it would be nice to have a top of the line cordless model with more power and convenience.

[@vaanes]

It's hard to imagine a review being any more comprehensive than this, great work.

[@bobd.]

You didn't talk much about dust collection. I have the corded DeWalt and the Festool TSC55. The TSC55 with the dust bag does an amazing job, almost as good as when connected to the dust extractor. Also, the track on the DeWalt may be two-sided, but there are few , if any aftermarket or third party accessories for the DeWalt track system. I like that the Makita locks on the track, but other than that I like the Festool track system AND the availability of various clamping accessories which you didn't mention at all. Festool makes a number of cordless drills. The TSC55 can use their 15v or 18v batteries in any combination you have. You can mix and match 15 & 18 volt batteries, or just use one battery. So the TSC55 can operate at 36v(18x2), 33v(18+15), 30v(15x2), 18v, and 15v. Can the Makita be used with one 18v battery? For me, I would pick the TSC55 over the other two cordless track saws you compared it to. The price is slightly more but the features make it worth while to me.

[@WorkshopAddict]

Bob D. The Makita is a 36 volt tool so it needs 2 batteries to run.

[@Oregon4now]

Thanks for one of the best tool reviews I've seen. Can you please let me know what type of hose you're using on your vacuum, it appears to be some kind of elastic, and I would like to purchase one. I would appreciate it. Thanks again

[@x3dominator28]

Interestingly no one seems to carry the DeWalt track saw. Amazon shows it out 4 months, Home Depot doesn’t stock it, Lowe’s doesn’t stock it. I’d love to have one, but I can’t FIND one.

[@sullysays]

www.toolnut.com/on-sale/dewalt-flexvolt-free-battery-promotion/dewalt-dcs520t1-60v-max-6-1-2-165mm-cordless-tracksaw-kit.html

[@loucifer4205]

Nobody carries track saws you have to get them on line I asked Home Depot why they don't carry them they're not big sellers

[@robertphillips4155]

I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on migrating from a corded to uncorked for a DYI dude. I have all Makita so batteries are not an issue with 2, 3, and 5 mAh batteries. I already own the corded version of the Makita track saw. Just wondering if there is really any value, based on your experience, in me getting the cordless and sell my corded. My emotional side says “get cordless” my practical side says “you don’t need it”. Any thoughts?

[@310Bishop]

What is the break down of which tools will work on which tracks? Will the Makita work with DeWalt and Festool track? Will the DeWalt work with Festool and Makita track? Will the festool with with DeWalt and Makita track? Thank you for the review!

[@morganstanley2344]

He showed the tracks and differences among them. They aren't cross compatible in these 3

[@bobmedic3214]

The Makita, Festool and Triton (not reviewed) all can use the same tracks. The anti tip feature of the Makita will only work on the Makita track.

[@CRD53]

The Dewalt will actually work on the Festool track, but not the Makita. However the DeWalt track and Festool track cannot be combined.

[@ThePhiloctopus]

Morgan, the Makita and Festool are compatible, except that the Makita track has an added lip for the anti-tilt function. Each saw will run on the other track.

[@MegaWingman7]

Do you clamp the tracks or do they stay in place?

[@davemctube]

how do you get the vac to auto start with the cordless saws?

[@WorkshopAddict]

You don't

[@krisruchomski9294]

You can now get Bluetooth remote controls for both Festool and Makita, not sure about Dewalt

[@hasandilek92]

@@krisruchomski9294 are you sure there is a remote for the aws vac, if there is i need one

[@danieljulian4426]

Do the tracks stay in place or do you find they move around? Can you clamp them down if necessary?

[@WorkshopAddict]

Depending on the cut and angle, they will mostly stay in place. For most cuts you will clamp them.

[@jobandknock427]

I use clamps for about 1 cut in 100. I am a fairly heavy user having worn out two bases on my original TS55 so that estimate is bases on many thousands of cuts over the last 10 years

[@lucasharju]

Does the makita have a riving knife?

[@WorkshopAddict]

Lucas Harju it does not.

[@dominicvanlievenoogen6407]

It does not. It features a electronic controller ( Like Mafell & Bosch ) to limit kickback

[@OneManBandWoodworks]

Yeah mate no riving knife and I’ve had some bad kickbacks with it

[@whitacrebespoke]

Lucas Harju no it does not but I’ve been using my makita for a couple of years now and if your using it right it’s not a problem

[@Patrick-857]

@@whitacrebespoke This.

[@jufriazziq]

do these tools cut accurately straight? did u test

[@Zamboni-0805]

Why is the Makita track bending @ 21:23? Very nice review, just wished you were not reading from a script at times

[@BZ1340]

Any update on this comparison are you still Makita as your go too

[@aaronallgrunn7845]

It appears that festool has flimsy plastic in the green areas, saw a bit of flex in the depth of cut gauge. Any info there?

[@JasonShowell]

Not sure why so many people struggle to understand the flexvolt range. He was not testing with a 6.0 or a 9.0 battery, he was testing with a 2.0 and 3.0 battery. If you look at what dewalt achieved on the 2.0 battery compared to the 5.0 battery from makita, it's a completely different result. Such a shame the reviewers don't understand what they are testing before they give spurious results.

[@VictorGarciaR]

people forget about Watts=volts times amps (or Ah if you are looking at Wh)

[@RyanPrice01]

“If you look at what dewalt achieved with a 2.0 compared to makita’s 5.0” is kind of a ridiculous statement given the huge difference in voltage.

[@JasonShowell]

Ryan Price not really a huge difference when you consider the 36v 5.0 compared to 54v on 2.0 for dewalt. It's only a 3rd more. Doing the maths it still goes in dewalts favour.

[@morganstanley2344]

You are guilty of what you are complaining of also. It is a 2.0 Ah battery but it is running at 60 volts. You have to go by Wh for a realistic comparison.

[@JasonShowell]

Morgan Stanley it is only 60 volts in America as they can't understand how nominal voltage works but at 54 volts I would be happy to do the maths. Whatever way you look at it, my original comment still stands as he is providing misinformation and is not giving a fair or educated assessment.

[@juanrangeljr4958]

Regardless of what people think what tool is best it comes down to the tools we trust..mine regardless of what people think hands down the Dewalt!

[@abdouldmml]

It's just really down to what you've got isn't it if your dewalt your not moving to makita or vise versa

[@MsElijah16]

abdouldmml I'm Milwaukee soo I have a life changing decision to make

[@notan...]

How would you rank them in terms of noise level? Also will Festool vacuum hoses work natively with the Makita?

[@lcotler]

If you were to add one or two OTHER cordless track saws to this comparison, what would they be? Would April Wilkerson's Triton be among them? Is it competitive? And how about the Milwaukee or the Bosch?

[@DanPonjican]

More info on that base you are using as sawhorse/workbench please. What is it and where can I get one?

[@Braderlinger]

Great video I just want to make sure it looks like the dewalt doesn’t have a locking mechanism that locks the saw to the track is that correct Thank you

[@ejicon3099]

Do you have to use Festool Saw Blades with any of the Festool saws or can I swap in a diablo or another brand from HD/Lowes?

[@WorkshopAddict]

you can swap brands.

[@MrDINODINO74]

... did you try the rip fence from Festool if it fitt Dewalt? I asked because I see the same allocate place for a rip fence on Dewalt but Dewalt doesn't say something about that.

[@richardphillips2362]

MrDINODINO74 dewalt saw will fit on festool rail but festool won’t work on dewalt rail

[@MrDINODINO74]

@@richardphillips2362 ... I am asking about the rip fence , this one www.healystool.co.uk/Festool-Parallel-side-fence-PA-A-HK-85-574670-id76092.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-Mr0BRDyARIsAKEFbedFF3sqXQAlI9sVx_SxZWwd1MZQeoZRu-ERpzf1NuCJWTHMSqUJLYQaAlh2EALw_wcB or this one www.healystool.co.uk/Festool-Parallel-Fence-for-HKC-500464-id64160.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-Mr0BRDyARIsAKEFbedzFxtqRlimJTOhqnyLsYKZvjGVkiXLpkyfVc8rW4LeBMcLk7UqdSgaAvAQEALw_wcB

[@simonsays5979]

I like the way the makita and festool plunge but i ended up getting the Dewalt because it came with a battery, charger, saw, box, and track and it cost less than the makita and the makita didn't come with a track

[@joemontague7404]

Everyone I've talked to says makita has a lot more power than festool

[@hkrsescort]

Joe Montague festool saws require a higher amperage connection than most tools but that's a requirement of the tool not a disadvantage

[@stevenmarshall7118]

Have to agree! Had the TSC55 and I sold it for the Makita. Not worth the money, not powerful enough and the runtime wasn’t great

[@hkrsescort]

Steven Marshall I'd have the ts55 over the makita any day of the week

[@SammyInnit]

cliff owens I think many would but I'm not sure why.

[@pravoslavac10]

Got rid of my TSC55 for the Cordless Makita also and happy I did. Cuts clean and smooth with noticeably longer run time.

[@jimnordgren8133]

When was the last upgrade change done with all 3 manufacturers

[@lrl81278]

Why don’t you have affiliate links for all these saws in your description? Your missing a big opportunity! Thanks for making this video👍🏼

[@ptabz3112]

Hi, my question is not related to the tracking. I'm curious about the hand tools in the background. Are those tools set in foam on cabinet doors? How do they stay in place? Thanks

[@michaelhechmer590]

Excellent review but it still left me with one question.I have a Fesstool router, but haven't yet purchased a track to go with it. if I buy the Makita tack saw will I need to buy separate tacks, or, are they interchangeable? BTW, I agree with the comment which suggested that once you add dust attraction there is little advantage in having a cordless tool.

[@wuddude1599]

What did you buy?

[@djfglobal3377]

WiFi remotes for cordless extraction. Makita and festool tracks are interchangeable . You Probably know this by now as your comment is 1 yr old 🍻

[@jinchuljeong694]

I have both corded and cordless festool track saw and I do not use cordless track saw since the battery runs out so quick and it is not as powerful as corded track saw. I use cordless for only cutting thin materials like, 10mm MDF.. I think it is better to have makita or dewalt track saw as you can share the batteries with other powertools.

[@josepadilla4944]

How about prices? I know the festool must more expensive then the rest but is it worth it?

[@djfglobal3377]

Is there any reason why you couldn't share a track between a cordless and corded(makita). Blade thickness for cordless typically smaller but was thinking about just using a cordless blade on a corded

[@michaelrobert8090]

Anyone know where they got the folding table legs used in the testing?

[@WorkshopAddict]

They are from Centepede Tool. See Here amzn.to/2WObYQ2

[@TheNottonight]

Can you use dewalt saw on any of the other tracks?

[@ericolejkowski4701]

Renato Selvaggi no you cannot. Makita and Festool tracks are interchangeable ,but Dewalt has their own system. I have Festool and use Makita tracks because they are half price .

[@seanr444]

I believe on Concord carpenter he said that the DeWalt works with festool track. However I don't personally know.

[@booboo-nl3wi]

@@ericolejkowski4701 do your homework dude

[@booboo-nl3wi]

@@seanr444 yes it works on both, it has two grooves in the base plate

[@noconz0727]

The Dewalt comes with a "9.0" battery but in fact only has 3.0ah when run at 60V

[@canismason]

Noconz0727 MC, that's physics for ya. And it would be rate at 180 Ah at 1 volt. 180 watts is 180 Watts. Unsure what your point is?

[@canismason]

Noconz0727 MC 6A*20v is 120 Watts. So is 2A*60v ... So is 120A*1v. Watts is a unit of power. The battery has the same power regardless of if it's discharging at a current of 6A or 2A, because the voltage is not static. Hence, "flexvolt".

[@williamoloughlin8298]

isnt the 20v a marketing gimmick? It may say 20v when it comes off the charger but if under load drops to 18v, its really an 18v system. well done Dewalt.

[@canismason]

I believe that it's the cells themselves that sum to 18v. AeV did a breakdown and bench testing of the DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee batteries. Milwaukee had the most powerful batteries on the market.

[@eliadbu]

physically AH(ampere*hour) is measurement of electric charge. amps is current which is charge/time and when multiply the current by time you left with charge. by the law of conservation of charge the charge does not disappear or shrink therefore it can't just go from 9 AH to 3 AH the voltage at the cells also stay the same regardless the mode you are using due to law of energy conservation if you had them to 20 volts and you raised the the voltage to 60 volts you gained 3 times the energy same for the other way around (energy can be defined as voltage*charge) what the battery is actually doing is using DC to DC convention circuit to convert the output voltage from whatever the voltage is at the battery (the voltage of battery cells changes as the battery charge changes) to 60 or 20 volts depending on the requirement.

[@mulisakbulisak6099]

Thank you much, please, which one is best for boxes with mitered corners, waterfall grain? Lada

[@kosinskiarek]

Amazing review. Question any experience with rails sliding some people complain that dealt track slides too easily. Second, any experience with long 108 inch track saw vs two 59 inch connected? I am planning to buy a dewalt or marital but my main concern is long rip cuts that need to be straight. Thanks

[@jobandknock427]

No mention of the pros and cons of the riving knife. Why not? Also, using a track saw with the material inadequately supported, as you do in the tests leads to inaccuracy, especially when doing bevel cuts - the material being cut needs tobe fully supported so that it stays flat and cannot flex Other than those two points, god review

[@MsElijah16]

Job and Knock how do u support it so that you don't munt the end of the cut?

[@juanchaidez3569]

Can you use the makita on different tracks?

[@tcr_tagger3738]

juan chaidez yeah, it fits the festool track

[@ejicon3099]

Great review and super great video overall. Thanks for sharing. I came back to watch your review again in it's entirety.

[@AlisGuitars]

What is that folding work table called?

[@WorkshopAddict]

centipede

[@phillipkelly233]

With regard to the Makita's plunge being to smooth!!! Really? It won't kick back, as it has a anti-kickback on the saw bed.

[@nathantaylor9829]

Had the festool for over three years now. It's OK but I did end up needing to get the corded version which I much perfer. It's just doesn't last. I bought four 5.2 batteries and I tend to use 16 or 28 tooth blades, but it just doesn't last anywhere near as long as my throw around 18v Dewalt

[@wagbjorn]

One thing to remember is also the advantage of running your machine on one battery rather than 2. Means you always need to bring 2 to a job side, rather than one. If you bring 2 batteries for DeWalt, one charges while the other does the job. For Makita or Festool you need 4 batteries to do that. Also, not sure about the US but in Germany we use a lot of lumber rather than plywood. And these saw are often used to cut down the bark. Good luck trying that on oak with the Makita... What is true is that Makita built a simple to use, solid tool while the DeWalt is much more fiddly to set up (depths, bevel cut, blade change). If you use the tool daily, in my opinion you re better off with Festool or Dewalt due to the power. And then it boils down to easy to use vs. running on just one battery. If you need to look at cost, you will probably go for Makita. One way or another, if you are already on a battery platform, you won't swap. And DeWalt has a huge 18V (20V) range too for which you can use the 54V (60V) FlexVolt batteries. And DeWalt is releasing some tools on that platform that Makita will never be able to because even with 2 batteries, if lacks the power. By the end of the day, all 3 saws are beautiful pieces of engineering and will deliver great results!!

[@ericolejkowski4701]

wagbjorn Also although I am fan of Makita tools, they made an error not including riving knife with their set up. hardwood such as oak or maple tend to pinch the blade.

[@wagbjorn]

@@ericolejkowski4701 Agreed. And it's a bit of a shame that something as simple as a riving knife isn't a standard feature for all tracksaw. That's said, the Dewalt Flexvolt tracksaw has another kickback mechanism that prevents kickback if you re using the machine with the Dewalt track. Not as good as a built-in riving knife, but still better than most.

[@corin164]

I wonder why Festool does not add a Riving Knife to their saws?

[@incync6551]

They do have a riving knife

[@riba2233]

You blind?

[@corin164]

@@riba2233 You are right, I must be blind.

[@an1ma169]

what's the expanding support/table system?

[@dannym670]

The dewalt battery is only 2ah at 54v (60v)! Not 6ah, only when used on an 18v machine would this be the case, so in terms of linear feet cut the dewalt smashes the other 2 as they both have around 10ah!

[@Patrick-857]

This is meaningless though. Don't fall for DeWalts attempt to ass cover. It's a footnote on their marketing strategy, a disclaimer. DeWalt knows it's consumers largely don't understand anything about electricity. Here's the deal: amp hours are a retarded way to measure battery capacity in a market where there are many different voltages now, but we are stuck with it. The reality is that amp hours don't tell you how much energy is in a battery unless you know the voltage. The best way is Watt hours, since watts are an actual measurement of energy. Watts = volts x amps, so 2AH at 18V is very different to 2AH at 54V, because at 54V it's 3 times the capacity in watt hours. Wait what? 3 times the capacity? Yes that's right the Flexvolt battery has exactly the same number of watt hours in it, regardless of whether it's used at 18v or 54v. Guess what else, the battery pack is capable of putting out just as many watts at either voltage too. There is absolutely no practical reason for the battery pack to be "Flexvolt" at all, since it's increased power output comes from using fifteen 21700 cells, rather than ten 18650 cells, a whopping increase in both capacity and continuous discharge current. There are only two really good reasons for Flexvolt to exist. (remember Milwaukee has stuck with 18v, and brought out similar size batteries capable of comparable performance on certain tools) Firstly it prevents nitwits from frying smaller batteries on very powerful tools, or complaining their new super, extreme, better-than-corded performance tool sucks because they were too cheap to upgrade beyond a 1.5 AH battery, believe me this crap happens. Dont run your circ saw on a 1.5 or 2 AH battery. Just don't. The second reason is that DeWalt gets to sell more stuff at a higher price and go nuclear on their marketing wanketeering. Flexvolt is a genius idea, but only from a marketing perspective. Technically it's no more capable than 18v, trust me I've done all the math based on the cell manufacturers specs and Ohm's Law. It's not hard, it's math a 10 year old can do.

[@seanr444]

@@Patrick-857 A S C E N D E D W H I T E M A L E The higher the voltage, the smaller gauge copper you are able to use on the motor windings to get the same amount of useable power. While I like the build quality of a cordless milwaukee skill saw its motor is noticeably larger/heavier than the flex volt skill saws. And regardless as to which batteries are mated with either the flex volt definitely crushes in regards to absolute power. However no load or light load run time on the flex volt is terrible compared to the other lower volt batteries. If you run it hard bucking things up from a demo or ripping aggressively you definitely get the most cut per charge. I was never a brand person before.. I would pick the tool that was specifically best for my needs, however with battery operated tools things become a bit different. Any bias that I had would be more on the pro makita side of things. However the DeWalt flex skill saw made me change to the dark side because it was most definitely the best performance saw for framing. That and dewalt also has the biggest used tool market to take advantage of for a reasonable price (at least in Canada anyway) I would assume that the flexvolt batteries,if used aggressively with 60 v would probably suffer the most premature battery death being that there is no parallel power draw (all cells are in series) and with excessive amperage draw especially while using in the cold you'll end up seeing more flexvolt battery deaths than the others will. I agree that DeWalt makes more profit by having flexvolt. But would have to disagree for that being the only reason. Voltage and amperage and discharge rates definitely play a roll in the effectiveness of a product even if the overall capacity is the same across the board. After all we don't transmit power, nor do we power our electric vehicles at 18V for a reason.

[@Patrick-857]

@@seanr444 I'm aware of the lighter motor thing, but I'm not sure it's a big factor. The DeWalt Flexvolt and the top Milwaukee 18v recip saws both weigh similar amounts, and both have similar performance. I think the difference in weight from the copper windings is negligible tbh. I stand by my statement that it's a combination of devilishly smart marketing and an ingenious idiot-proofing mechanism that allows DeWalt to make tools that can utilize the bigger and more modern lithium cells to the absolute limit without user error causing battery fires, and without a totally different platform, eg the almost defunct DeWalt 40v. It allows in some cases (the 54v rear handle saw for instance) cordless tools outperforming corded in terms of raw power. I'm not denying that higher voltage doesn't have it's advantages, but objectively, you can get the exact same anount of work out of 15 lithium cells, regardless of configuration, all other things being equal. My investigation into Flexvolt has uncovered another disturbing fact, which you did elude to: DeWalt is without much doubt drawing more current than what the cell manufacturers rate them for. How they get away with this is beyond me, but the maths don't lie. The rear handle saw is supposedly 2400w, and that would mean at 54v it's drawing over 44A. I'm not aware of any 21700 cells with a CDR that high, and if they do exist, I would suggest it's unlikely they would exceed about 2000mah. As it stands, DeWalt use 20700s in their 6ah batteries anyway, with the 9ah and 12ah getting the 21700s. I'm fairly certain that the 6ah battery could be exceeding CDR of it's cells, and if that's happening with those, it's definitely happening with the 12ah, since safe continuous discharge current goes down as amp hours goes up. It's hard to find exactly what cells they use though.

[@chrisdurgala5548]

How much are the other 2 paying you to throw DeWalt under the bus? DeWalt flex volt battery's are worth the few extra ounces.

[@WorkshopAddict]

This is not a paid review and it is Andy's thoughts after using all of them. He spent a lot of time with all the saws and did a complete review! If you watch it all, you will see it. Dewalt may be "the one" for you, but it might not be the bast for all. I like the FlexVolt option, but also feel the larger battery packs are not the best option to use on smaller 20 volt tools. Everyone feels differently about this stuff. We just want to help people.

[@RyanPrice01]

Sure they are...if you like high power and short runtime. Seemed like a pretty fair comparison to me, and I own four different flexvolt tools and 10 batteries and love them. The flexvolt track saw’s battery mount is simply a design flaw that amounts to a major nuisance if you use it for an extended period of time. I think they made the right call here- given the price and platform advantages of the makita, it would edge out the slightly superior feature set of the festool in my book, too.

[@oldporkchops]

Thanks for your very informative and in-depth review. Since some time has passed since the video, would you still go with the Makita today? Would a Milwaukee equivalent be considered as well? Thanks.

[@ptman3]

Great review. Quick question...anyone know what hose he's using with the dust extractor?

[@sqftfarm]

Rockler makes a kit that adapts the fittings on track saws to just about any size vacuum hose.

[@robertjames-life4768]

Really well done comparison review.

[@jbravo70]

Although I would choose the dewalt cause I love Dewalt products and I think Dewalt is top 3 along with makita and milwuakkee, the makita is a very nice looking tool. I think makita tools pay close attention to detail.

[@hfxadv]

great video! where would one find that collapsible ripping work surface?

[@Don-cs7fe]

Home Depot & Lowes used to sell it, Lowes in the store but I think they stopped carrying it.

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Fantastic! I'm heavily critical on review videos and this one answered every question i had. Great job. I am in the market for a track saw that fits my work flow. I used to have a corded TS55 and was about 80% happy with it. I am confident that the cordless makita will fill those gaps for me that the corded TS55 didnt. I think this video will save me money and will make me money over time

[@WorkshopAddict]

Michael McDonald Thank you

[@renaissancemen1]

Thanks for the review. I won’t be buying any of these now. I’ll stick with my corded DeWalt track saw. I use it all the time. No regrets on this purchase.

[@saulgoodman2018]

Makita and Dewalt you can walk into and HD or Lowes. So if something happens, maybe they will exchange it. What's the warranty? Anyway, I'll stick to a regular circular saw and a piece of scrap wood.

[@chrisj9008]

Festool has the better warranty and will get you a replacement tool as well from what I hear. I don't own festool, but the guys I know that do are hook line and sinker into the line and service is a big deal for them.

[@mikesmicroshop4385]

To be completely honest there is only one Festool that I would consider buying, and that is a Domino! They are the only ones to make anything like it that is as versatile. Everything that Festool makes while a great tool is MASSIVELY over priced! Having had the opportunity to take part in some tool tare downs and comparisons, there literally is NO GOOD REASON for their tools to be priced so high! All brands have draw backs, but Festools is the most impactful and that is price, everything else is just minutia for the most part. The things that may be better on Festool are not game changing and definitely not worth the cost! I have worked with every major brand of power tool over the last 40 + years of work and none of them are perfect. I still remember the first time I worked with a guy that had heavily invested in Festool and I was impressed with most of their offerings, but when he told me how much he had spent I almost passed out! For a contractor that does renovation work and may have the need to be ultra clean or can wright off the cost on taxes, then go for it. If you have a ton of money to spend and want great tools regardless of the price , go for it. For the rest of us Festool is just to costly!

[@jamesbirk7508]

Mike's Micro Shop I agree Festool is just simply overpriced but disagree totally on the one tool to purchase potercables face frame biscuits are not as strong but work Festool edge bander the conturo has no comps therefore it is my only Festool must. I do however favor makita over all the the tools they both make, Festool is simply to bulky and lacks makitas top notch quality. Festool has too much plastic!

[@mikesmicroshop4385]

The Domino will do MUCH more than what a biscuit joiner will, It is a floating tenon tool. Floating tenons are as strong as a traditional mortise and tenon join, but takes a fraction of the time, and it can be used in place of biscuits! I as well as most nonprofessional woodworkers do little edge banding, certainly not enough to ever justify buying a dedicated tool to do it with. However I as well as a great many others do use Mortise and Tenon joints regularly, and cutting, drilling and chopping them out takes a fare amount of time even if you have a hollow chisel mortiser! The Domino can cut the mortises in both sides of the join in less time than it would take to cut a mortise in just one piece even with a hollow chisel mortiser!

[@PassionforWoodworking]

I am a professional and I wouldn't spend the money on Festool as I am in complete agreement with you. The domino is the one tool I would possibly consider but the cost vs number of dowels I will ever need to use is still not enough to warrant it. My manual center dowel guide is all I'll ever need. For the most part I instinctively reach for a Bosch 90% of the time simply because for the cost of the tool I know that most of the time I will be satisfied with the product and it will at a minimum be comparable to the other brands. As far as track saws go from anything I've seen the Makita is actually the best one on the market and is the one I'll be purchasing when the time comes.

[@mikesmicroshop4385]

I hear that If I did a LOT more furniture than I do the Domino is a good call, but I am as you are using a doweling jig. I am thinking about the Rockler Beadlock Pro. www.rockler.com/beadlock-pro-joinery-kit as a way to do loose tenon joints without spending $900!!

[@MNhockeydude35]

If you look up comparison videos the dominos have been shown to be significantly weaker than traditional mortise and tenon. I would have initially thought otherwise but there are quite a few videos documenting this including fine woodworking's comparison. I will admit that they are stronger than biscuits but you would be surprised that it is not by a lot. Now if you are looking at the DF 700 and doing huge dominos for faster work in large pieces then it is going to be a different story. But at $1400 just for the DF 700 that is more than my 17" band saw or my 8" spiral cutter jointer. They can't justify the price... I wanted to justify a domino if the strength was equal to that of mortise and tenon but the fact is that it is not. I will stick with a homemade dowel jig, traditional mortise and tenon, and biscuits... I will put the money toward a Saw Stop...

[@robertpaget809]

So you use two battery’s on the festool and makita and use the smallest flexvolt battery on the dewalt in other words your being bias 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎

[@stephenneill2621]

It’s a right handed saw😂😂😂

[@sc0368]

Festool is the Porsche of tool. Do I need porches? no Corvette might do just fine or lesser brand tools.

[@redrhino3041]

Ma man you like festool check out mafell, they make festool look like Chinese eBay special

[@joewhittle801]

Red Rhino 💯

[@jeffb321]

I have the makita and use it almost daily. I love it. Just wish they had a imperial depth gauge. I now have the 36v AWS vac I bought to go with the 36v AWS 12" miter saw. I think I'm going to have to pony up and get the new AWS track saw 😁😁

[@MsElijah16]

Jeff Brooks are u American?

[@kevinr3263]

It is amazing

[@jeffb321]

@@MsElijah16 yes

[@SkinnySkinch]

nice review man thanks for taking the time to do this it was very informative. I am looking at the dewalt or the Festool. only thing is I already have a plethora of dewalt batteries and dont own any cordless Festool stuff so would need to also invest in Festool battery and charger. One note.. docking points bc of something that only affects left handed people is kinda odd seeing as only 5-10 out of every 100 people are left handed just my two cents maybe add it as a note. I was about to stop watching the video and buy the Festool until at the last second you mentioned "this only affects left handed people" haha I was like oh thank god I couldn't believe dewalt would make such a poor placement for the battery

[@jonathannewsham6102]

Full no nonsense review..very very good

[@doubleb_tv]

Great review! I thought you did a very good job in explaining the essential details of how each tool worked. I remember hearing about the Makita not having a riving knife, however that did not seem to bother you.

[@jronmanbuilds]

I have the DeWALT Flexvolt tracksaw and find no issues when using my left hand but I only use the 6.0/2.0 battery which is a bit smaller than the 9.0/3.0 battery

[@davecooper9170]

Centipede K200 XL looks like the fold out work table!

[@rodneydavis1122]

Centered k200

[@Krillekris]

Great in dept review. I liked it a lot better than a fast one. And I agree with choosing the Makita, but I'm a Milwaukee guy so it was a shame they did not have a contender.

[@MsElijah16]

Krille's Garage I'm Milwaukee as well :( think I'll get dewalt cause I want to use their cordless dust extractor as well and table saw

[@hkrsescort]

I can't believe how the makita was rated so highly, I've been working with festool plunge saws for over ten years without a hitch compared to one year with a Makita before it had to be stripped and rebuilt. I have some dewalt tools by default unfortunately and will use until they break but the festool lineup is ridiculously reliable, accurate and has a quality feel above most others

[@binershock]

No riving knife on the Makita but otherwise it's sweet

[@phillipkelly233]

I use my Makita a lot. Not having a raving knife hasn't been at issue..... so far. In fact when cutting out an aperture it has an advantage of being able to cut closer to the starting point.

[@ThielTube]

when you are crosscutting or ripping most 99% of sheet goods you dont have much need for a riving knife as sheet goods dont warp and bind like straight grained pieces of lumber. I have never had a bind problem with my Makita

[@syproful]

It can’t bind because of the track. No tension left or right. Except when dealing with warped material. But then you don’t use this. But it does bind in the dive motion if you dive to fast. Can be dangerous if you hold hands on the track infront of the machine.

[@binershock]

I ended up buying the Makita and it kicks ass

[@jimdawson8343]

You can only plunge into the wood as fast as the material and blade will allow.

[@riba2233]

Interesting, on another review makita track saw was by far the most powerful and almost 3x as efficient as festool (in number of cuts per wh)

[@redstihl9027]

Mafell now have a cordless track saw, which is interesting

[@MsElijah16]

redstihl is mafell german?

[@r5cpt]

How did Festool lose this comparison? It had all the usability features as well as performance right up at the top... and then Plot Twist, Makita wins? Wow, that was unexpected. I would still get the Festool, though.

[@MsElijah16]

r5cpt plot twist

[@foetusdeletus6313]

Probably the price difference

[@jeffwiebe6913]

What's is the benefit of a cordless track saw when you want a Vaccum hose anyway? Also can the cordless version trigger the Vaccum to self start?

[@Don-cs7fe]

Because with the cordless you have one less thing to keep out of the way. Outside wear a mask & nothing is in the way. I believe Makita has a version with a coupled vacuum & quite certain Festool does.

[@trig]

Not much point in having a cordless saw when you are going to have the extractor hose on the saw. Using the saw on the track without the extractor hose means you have to clean the track after every cut or the saw will jam on the track. Im sticking with my corded Festool. Great review, thank you very much for your hard work.

[@LDBecker]

I have the corded TS 75 and the cordless TSC 55 - and I agree with what you're saying EXCEPT that the bag that's included with the TSC 55 is really pretty good - not quite as good as using it with my CT36, but still ok for most uses. It is so much easier to lug around than the big TS 75 - but when I need corded power and deeper cuts, it's good to have both.

[@jpk2742]

Totally agree!

[@CRD53]

I also have the TS 75 and had the pleasure of getting to review the DeWalt cordless. Unfortunately the DeWalt did not come with a bag. Since this was a pre sale model, hopefully they fix that issue. Since I had no bag, I came to the conclusion that a cordless tracksaw was not a benefit in a shop environment or any instance where dust collection is desired.

[@LDBecker]

I mostly agree, but I'm discovering that I SELDOM reach for the TS 75 unless I'm making pretty heavy cuts. For most of my cutting, the TSC 55 is the one I reach for. If I'm outside, the bag is just fine; if I'm inside, I hook it to the CT36. If it were my only saw, I'm not sure I would go cordless. But it's good to have options. But just to reiterate, the bag on the Festool TSC 55 REALLY IS GOOD at picking up debris. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Don't discount all cordless track saws just because the demo DeWalt didn't come with the bag... Thanks for the review.

[@CRD53]

I had a couple of dust bags lying around from other manufacturers, but unfortunately they didn't fit. I did use the Dewalt with a dust extractor and it performed well. If the bag does well, then it might be worth the extra cost over corded models. That said, I've had other tools that came with bags that performed very poorly in dust containment. I'm actually now retired from contracting and bought a CNC machine to toy around with. I don't find much use for very many of my old power tools now.

[@isaaczeitoun7767]

That was an excellent review!

[@Stonebird13]

would be nice if you could put makita battery on festool

[@eva2k0]

I have a question about the cut length for each battery. You say Dewalt made 13 cuts at 8 feet each for a total of 104ft. Makita made 21.5 cuts at 8 feet each for 258? My math says 172 ft. The math for the Festool comes out to 240ft as well. So where did these numbers come from? What am I missing?

[@ScottAnders62]

Hey, great review! Very thorough and systematic.

[@dory1651]

Same as buy a Ute. Festool like Mercedes Xclass. makita more like toyota Hilux. Then dewallt is Ford ranger. which one is better? hard to say. They all good. But when you drive on site. which one will you willing to dust it and pay less care about that.

[@MsElijah16]

Dory where r u from?

[@wolfgangselle4307]

I think he is from Australia because there they call a truck a UTE

[@Patrick-857]

@@wolfgangselle4307 Yeah Americans have no idea what that word even means most of the time 😂

[@Patrick-857]

Great anology. Unfortunately the seppos dont get it 😂

[@joewhittle801]

Best analogy and pretty spot on comparisons to the models too 👍

[@jamesconnors5653]

Thanks. Have Festool, will stick with.

[@PhoenixRevealed]

If I'd spent as much as a Festool costs I'd feel the need to use it to make toast and iron my clothes as well as woodworking.

[@weedylock]

Your video takes the cake but i was watching it with a grain of salt :D

[@miguelmendez4718]

Great video, 1/2 impact gun, what the best blade to use, I like the Makita.