Railsaws: Makita SP6000 vs Festool TS55

[@TFfan75]

Festool is better, but for the prize, you get what you need in a Makita.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That is a superbly concise summary of this whole video so I'm pinning it to the top

[@jessicaalvis7063]

I am now 14 minutes in to the video, and everything so far says that the makita is the better choice. 1: It has a better rail when it comes to not sliding. It has the locking system when cutting 45 degree cuts. 2: It has the scoring feature 3: It has a smoother plunge feel, no riving knife that can get stuck (I have never heard of anyone actually feeling the need for the riving knife), AND it does not get stuck. 4: It has a splinter guard as standard 5: It is like 30% or 40% cheaper. I haven't heard others complain about the play and I have seen others cut hardwood without any troubles. So I don't know why you experience this. The festool does most likely have the advantage of holding better up to wear and tear. And no, I am not a makita girl. I am a milwaukee girl. I don't even own a track saw. So I am not biased at all. But your review convinced me to buy the makita and not the festool.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

@@jessicaalvis7063 That's a great outcome! I am pleased if the video has given you enough insights to make a decision.

[@jessicaalvis7063]

@@Alastair_Freebird I already bought it based on yours and a lot of other youtubers praising the Makita - going to use it today for the First time ☺️

[@barryaaa5909]

@@jessicaalvis7063 My boss for boat building was a highly qualified cabinet maker/shop fitter always did say just buy a Makita You just reinforced what he said.

[@thetallcarpenter]

Hi Alastair. Thanks for taking the time to do this video. I find these kind of tool reviews far more honest than your usual, 'tool guy', ones. Showing tools in their intended environments being used by proper tradesmen after many hours of service gives the kind of real information that guys like me who work in carpentry need when considering new tool purchases. Its interesting that I bought the Makita based on an almost identical comparison of the two from a good friend of mine who noted all the same things as you including the worn guide cams on the Makita and how easy they are to replace. I'm not an every day track saw user, so felt that the cheaper Makita would serve my needs perfectly. Cheers.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I think you made a good choice to be honest - we have since replaced the worn cams after finding they were easy enough to get hold of and only a couple of quid! Thanks for the feedback, it wasn’t a perfect review (probably should have put brand new blades in both machines) but I’m pleased you picked up on the intended benefit of seeing well used tools.

[@thetallcarpenter]

@@Alastair_Freebird Your videos look they've been directed by Spielberg compared to mine. You did a great job and have a very clear and calm manor in front of the camera. Hope you are fairing ok through this Covid madness. Happy Christmas. 👍

[@AncoraImparoPiper]

This has been the best comparison so far and I've been watching at least a dozen comparisons to allow me to decide which saw will suit my needs. Not anyone was as detailed as you. I am now definitely leaning towards the Makita. Since I am merely a hobbyist, it will take many years before I wear out my Makita. I will also buy the corded version since they have dropped in price markedly probably because the battery powered saws are now so much more popular. Good time to buy! Thanks for your efforts in making this review. I've subscribed too.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Really nice comment to read thank you! And thanks for subscribing. Sorry I didn't reply sooner

[@brenttaylor4785]

I found adding a third grip strip beside the splinter strip aided my work , also the DeWalt's rail clamps are a great help. Great vid, thanks

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Brent Taylor that’s a good idea, why didn’t I think of that? Is there possible a slight issue with added thickness tilting the saw ever so slightly away from 90 degrees if the base of the real doesn’t have the slight recess to receive a grip strip? (Probably negligible if so, I suppose)

[@brenttaylor4785]

@@Alastair_FreebirdThe grip compress to the thickness of the splinter tape.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

@@brenttaylor4785 ok yeah makes sense

[@freedomfighter5222]

Great review - fair, honest and unbiased. Also very "down to earth" and factual, no "smartness" here. Really appreciate your style and content, thanks!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for that feedback 👍

[@robzilla2165]

I work at a custom furniture manufacturer and have used both the Festool and Makita. I've found the TS 75 takes 2 or 3 passes to get thru 2" material where as the Makita will power thru it on 1 pass with a relatively smooth glue ready cut. I've also noticed the splinter guard as more of hindrance then a help. The Festool feels underpowered in comparison but I do like the extra depth of cut with the TS 75. Great video and comparison, thanks for posting.

[@woodplay13]

Im planing to buy new tracksaw and in the finals play makita dsp 600z (cordless) where I already have makita colony of tools and batteries 😃 then pair it with festool track.....or go with premium festool kebi plus tsc 55, track batteries which is whopping 1400€ here in Croatia. I have one more option 😅 festool tsv kebq 60 with scoring function and price 1435€. Im making furniture and I need it from job to job. Is it festool realy worth that money?? Makita with track without battery is only 490€. Sorry for long story, but Im in heavy doubt 😅 and I will probably spend 10 more hours of my life watching videos 😅😅 any kind of help will be great.

[@robzilla2165]

@markomilutin1984 for me it's a no brainer, I'd go Makita. The dust collection I feel is better and the saw has more power. It works with festool and powertec tracks as well. For the extra €950 you can get something else you could use! Goodluck in your purchase.

[@woodplay13]

@@robzilla2165 thank you for advice. I was planing festool because all carpenters around me use festool for some reason. They said its ferrari of track saws. I have tryed by myself and its beautiful peace of tool. Just feeling to take it from box. But I cannot justify that extra cost of almost 1000€. Thats why I come on youtube just to hear your advice guys. Just that I dont give 500€ for makita now. Then after one year I again go to shop and buy festool which is then 2000€ and doubling same tools im my garage. Its looking realy no brainer for makita. Now Im using corded einhell track saw with cmt blade and its pay itself 5x. And it did jib perfectly with track clamps and little adjustments of niggles. For only 200€. I need to sleepover and then buy makita 😁😁😁 i hope I will be happy and not dreaming about festool 😅 thx robzilla for advice 🫡

[@cchavezjr7]

@@woodplay13 I have the Makita but I have a new Mafell on the way. I did not like the rails and over time they slightly warped which made my 110" no longer glue cut good enough. Also, I cut very hard woods and the Makita really would struggle on full cuts. If Festool is the Ferrari then Mafell would be the Bugatti...

[@marijokrtinic22]

Što si kupio na kraju, kako si zadovoljan? I ja sam u istoj nedoumici kao ti. Lp​@@woodplay13

[@djvasforever]

19:00 quick tip. If you have a Makita track saw, try Festool tracks, they are 0.1mm wider at that point, so the saw grips better.

[@garvielloken3929]

Interesting

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Very good Alastair, enjoyed that! I think the anti-tipping lip on the Makita is only there to stop the saw tipping over at the end of the cut, not to keep it on track during a bevel cut - my understanding, anyway. 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Yes, I agree!

[@kevingerald8286]

I agree - as a new track saw user (Makita) I find that unless you hold the saw well down onto the track, including doing the hand twist Alastair mentions, you quickly get burning of the wood. Every day's a school day.

[@PascalCrypto]

Makita Netherlands do say the anti tipping lip is for keeping the saw on the track during a bevel cut 😅

[@lb3724]

Thank you for this well formatted, informational comparison! We were deciding between festool, Maffel, and Makita and we decided to go w/ makita thanks to your comparison. We won’t be putting nearly as many hours on our tool so I don’t think wear and tear is as much of an issue

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Sounds like a good decision! And as mentioned elsewhere in these comments, the worn plastic cam for the makita was actually very inexpensive and easy to replace

[@jonmars9559]

I have both saws and have some experiences not mentioned here. Now the Festool that I have is probably the first edition they made. It's a little under powered but works well with a sharp blade. Festool may have made improvements since I purchased my saw. I have recently bought the Makita and am not at all disappointed with its performance. Very similar to the Festool at a much more affordable price. The one issue I had with Festool that I'd like to mention is with brush replacement. Festool uses a special brush cartridge that is positioned by a slot in the saw's cheap plastic housing. It's not easy to get at the brushes. The plastic, unfortunately melts at low temperatures and the brush on my saw heated up enough to fuse itself into the plastic housing. I was ultimately successful in extracting the cartridge but there was damage that could have rendered the saw unrepairable. If it happens again, the saw will be made useless for simple want of brush replacement. Makita uses standard brushes making brush replacement painless and easy.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Helpful observations thanks!

[@cso7711]

@@Alastair_Freebird The Festool you are presenting in the Video is the brushless Version.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

It can’t be because I have had to replace the carbon brushes in it! Unless I’m misunderstanding something

[@enemyofthestatewearein7945]

I've seen a repair video of this very issue, it's only the plastic housing so it's not an expensive repair if you can do it yourself. But it does essentially require the whole machine to be dismantled and reassembled and you would expect better from such an expensive machine. The Makita seems to commonly suffer from binding in the pivot, making the plunge very stiff, but this again is not a difficult fix (requires no parts, just cleaning and lubrication) and there are KZbin videos showing how it's done.

[@johngibson2244]

You mention that these are both good saws and I agree. First thing I did was sand off the container latches On the Makita and they work fine now (poor Engineering effort on Makita’s part, I agree). I would agree that the Festool may be a better saw in some respects, for professional use, but many would say the price point on the Makita would make it the winner. I have both (just gave my son the Makita) and would be just as happy with either saw. I do like having the riving knife for ripping a straight edge on hardwood. A very decent review though. Cheers!

[@gramoukdoom]

I just put silicon oil on the latches, works fine!

[@SharpEdgeWoodworking-UK]

Hey Alistair.... I've recently upgraded my plunge saw and I was between exactly these 2 contenders. With fortune circumstances of a promotion price AND access to somebody's staff discount I was able to get the Festool for £280 brand new.... so that was the winner.... and I love it.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Sharp Edge Woodworking nice one!

[@15harry1561]

I've used both, I ended up buying the Festool, had it about 5 years and it's an absolute joy to use. The Makita can do the job but the Festool just feels so much nicer and thats just getting it out of the sustainer !!!

[@johnmackay7789]

A very fair review. I recently replaced those blue cam inserts as I was having similar issues with my makita. It did improve it a lot more IMO. I also use a PTFE spray lubricant on the rail now and then, this also can help. The Makita certainly hasn't been perfect but after 8 years of kitchen fitting abuse it has fared pretty well. Seriously looking at the cordless version now. All the best.👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

John Mackay thanks for that and it’s a fair point that if the cams are cheap and easy to repair, combined with using PTFE spray, then the Makita is a good value professional option compared to the festool

[@chevyimp5857]

Hi .. I'm in the same boat but with the 32v makita.. the the cams are cheap and easy to replace but but design of the festool is better (have the corded festool also)... the minor gripe I have with he Makita is the slightly fiddly depth adjustment.. there both decent saws in my view and I'm happy with both..

[@sirmalus5153]

You can use a DRY PTFE spray on the track, as it doesn't leave any 'stickyness' after use. I will cetainly be using some on the track when I buy my Makita in a few weeks.

[@jrsuk1170]

Great review Alistair. I've owned both of these saws but in the battery versions. After recently being relieved of the ownership of my Festool, with 4 batteries and 2 chargers I opted to replace it with the makita - purely for financial reasons. Imho the festool is hands down better. In particular the depth stop and the dust collection capability with the dust bag means the festool is great. The makita out of the box with thin kerf blade is actually very good but the big problem with the thin kerf blade is it has terrible blade deflection. If you can spare the extra money I would recommend the festool (I'm no festool fan boy btw) but the makita is still very good.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Very sorry to hear you were 'relieved of' some expensive tools!

[@ron1martens]

Jrs U.K. About 20 months ago I had the same thing happen. I had the festool cordless plunge saw, cordless contractor saw, metabo tools festool sander and basically all the tools the thieves could carry cleaning me up in one swoop. So buying a new cordless festool is on the wish list. Lucky I didn't give my corded festool plunge saw away. I'm waiting for metabo to come out with their mafel style plunge saw. Will be cordless though. Work is very quiet so purchase are also slower.

[@annetimms8431]

@@ron1martens .

[@annetimms8431]

@@ron1martens .

[@OptLab]

I wonder why there can be a difference in dust collection. Some blades eject differently the dust. Do you think it could be a blade issue and not shell issue ?

[@ddzz9462]

I'd like to ask : 1. How accurate the angles are with this tracksaw; not only the 90°, 45° and 22.5° but the other angles too, as I don't have enough room in my garage to buy a table saw. 2 Can i use the track for different angles?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi, they are very accurate, but it's possible for them to go out of calibration, so it's worth checking the 90 degrees with a square against the base, blade fully projecting (unplugged!). Festool will recalibrate it if you send back to them. Yes you can use them on the track for bevel angles too

[@ddzz9462]

@@Alastair_Freebird thank you very much.

[@tapsulinka]

Good video. I do cut aluminum profile mats every day. I would say it's hard work for every saw. I have had Festool several years and the quality is the same as the day I bought. It was twice the price of Makita but I think I made best choice. For home usage Makita might be okay. Please remember that it's very important which cutting blade you are using. Choose the right blade for the work. If you cut any kind of materials having glue or plastic, notice that because of the heat, this plastic or glue will easily stick to the blade and make cutting results worse. Buying all the time new blade can cost a lot. You can try cleaning the blade or bring it to special company for sharpening it

[@Greg-fs8np]

Thank you for the excellent, detailed review! Interestingly, I have the Makita and just yesterday I did a 90 degree, end grain cut through 7/8" white oak with no difficulty. I did take care to tighten the cam clamps, clamp the rail at both ends, clean dust from the saw base and rail, and steadily guide the saw through the cut. There were no problems with the saw jamming on the rail or burning the cut edge. I will say that my saw is relatively new with not a lot of use so that might be a factor accounting for my relatively trouble free end grain cut as compared to what you experienced. The take away I got from your review is that the Festool may do better with heavy use but the Makita is just fine for the more occasional hobbyist.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I think that is a correct conclusion!

[@SME_Ste]

Makita for me too. I’m actually an electrician, but for some reason have been involved in fitting kitchens now for 5 years or so. The makita has always done everything i’ve needed it to perfectly. Looked at bosch and festool at the start but couldn’t see the extra cost justifying itself for what i needed it for. My only grip is the depth stop, must remember to add 6mm when used in the rail

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Steven Murphy yeah it’s really not a bad tool and as other commenters have pointed out the shortcomings of the cam grips can be overcoming by keeping an eye on wear, replacing them and using some lubricant spray

[@woodplay13]

Are you still happy with makita 😁

[@SME_Ste]

@@woodplay13 yes pal, no problems what so ever. My only negative comment is the depth adjustment doesn’t include the rail thickness, so always need to add another 3mm or so and the adjuster is a thumbscrew whereas the festool is a quick release type.

[@michaelkaye4998]

Way too many variables to call this a comparison in my opinion. I appreciate the time and effort that went into this quality video. Thanks

[@RolloZx]

Just come across your videos in the last few days - these are brilliant - I have a 19th century house full of alcoves crying out for built in storage and youve been a massive help in demystifying some of this stuff - thanks for sharing your experience & knowledge, it really is appreciated. On the downside i now have no excuses given the ever growing collection of expensive tools in my basement...!

[@tonybrown7847]

Nice overview of the saws I’ve had my Festool for over 15 years, ( closer to 20) and it still cuts like new. Only had to Chang’s the strips on my rail twice

[@Alastair_Freebird]

This is the thing. A lot of people in these comments refer to a disassembly video that claims to show the Festool is poorly built. And yet it seems to run and run, whereas I hear of more build quality problems from the makita

[@geoffmiller9955]

Great review Alastair, I’ve had my Festool at55e for about 30 yrs now and its till going. Bought it in maybe ‘91 ish. The only real issue has been the electronics board has been slowly degrading to the point where sometimes its wont operate at full speed. Its either a repair if the parts are available or a new model , possibly cordless , which interests me because theres been a lot of improvements over the yrs. Anyway I think Festo are ultra reliable from my experience.

[@pauljohn6709]

Hi, I have had the makita for 5 or 6 years now, I use a lubricant wax on the track and base plate of the saw, it does help a lot. The adjustable cams are cheap and easy to replace.

[@brettstanton247]

I do the same, I always hoover it down and spray the track and base with silicone spray as after each use. Works a treat

[@frankpratt529]

@@brettstanton247 Using silicone spray around anything that will be receiving a finish can be problematic. Even the tiniest bit of silicone contamination will cause big problems with adhesion & fish eyes.

[@PascalCrypto]

I use the dry ptfe from WD-40 for every sliding surface, because it’s dry spray it doesn’t leave any contamination on the surface and/or attract dust. So for example your track or miter slots on your table saw it works perfectly. It’s also perfect for your router bits as it doesn’t make burn marks.

[@craigpeel5995]

Love my Makita but horses for courses. I don’t use every day but when trimming door edges it’s brilliant

[@adamguo7910]

Good review. I hv been using makita sp6000 for many yrs,sometimes use festool if i didn't bring makita and festool is the only one on-site. I am not a fan of festool rail saw as i need to bring the saw from job to job and i hv other boys work for me and use the saw. The rule is simple if you are not always working in the workshop-the simpler the better. festool hv to many small parts which are good for joinery works. However,you hv to be more careful to maintaince it and fewer ppl Can use festool properly. It is just like if you are a Uber driver only service general clients,u will choose a Japan car-maybe Toyota camery,but if you only want to serve high-end client,you need a Germany car- BENZ.

[@russellseaton2014]

;-) 😄 I think a Toyota Lexus could serve the high-end customers just fine too.

[@renegutierrez1699]

I have had the makita saw for abut 4 years now, and had been hesitating about getting the festool, until a couple of months ago when a finally got it, in my opinion makita has nothing to envy from festool, actually to me it felt like the festool bogged while cutting 1 3/4 solid doors, which's never happen with my makita, also the blade got dull really fast on the festool. And to be honest the festool seems to be more precise, anyway both of them are great saws, not much different from one another in my opinion, except for the price of course.

[@jameshite4820]

I’ve had both sizes of Festool and liked them but I bought a cordless Mikita and LOVE it. Loads of power and features and the blade that came with it is one of the best cutting blades I’ve ever used and I have $200+ Forest blades etc.

[@renegutierrez1699]

James Hite my only complaint about the makita is that it has some play while riding on the track even though I thigh the knobs all the way.

[@jameshite4820]

@@renegutierrez1699 I don’t experience that. You have the cordless?

[@renegutierrez1699]

@@jameshite4820 nope mine is the corded version, I’ve heard the cordless is awesome.

[@s.a.h.d6575]

I've had a lot of experience with them and Festool is very poorly made...its just wrong how they do it...

[@whomadethatsaltysoup]

Top comparison! I've got the Makita - both corded and cordless - simply on the grounds of cost. My original corded Makita came in a bundle with two tracks in a bag with clamps and a spare blade. And all for around the same price as the Festool alone. Like others, I often work on busy construction sites, where it can be difficult to keep a constant vigil on your gear. It's horrible to read the stories of people having their tools pinched. And, yes, I've had gear go missing too. On a multi-story project, it's not always practical to run up and down 12 flights looking for fixings and material with all your clobber in tow. The spring on my corded Makita started playing up a while back, transforming it into a plunge-only saw. That was after rather a lot of mileage, and it has since been rectified. I've seen quite a few reviews of these saws now, and notice how often people use the various saws and tracks interchangeably. I'm surprised by this, as even with the two Makita saws, with exactly the same blades, if I use the wrong track, I don't get accurate cuts. Anyway, thanks again for sharing. 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for the comment! I agree it is better to dedicate one track to one saw if you want ultimate accuracy (and periodically change the runner strip),. Different projects and different people require different levels of accuracy!

[@whomadethatsaltysoup]

Indeed! I probably don't work to the same tolerances as someone fitting bespoke furniture, but I've always been able to get consistent results using a circular saw and a 6 foot level. So, if I can only hope for near enough, then I can't really see the point. That's why I've actually got several Makita tracks, and a couple of Triton tracks I picked up a couple of years ago (£59 with bag and clamps) and I change the splinter guard as soon as it gets tatty. Again, thanks for the sagely advice!

[@johnlowry4148]

Many thanks for your review of the track saws. It has convinced me that the Makita is the one for me. I do not anticipate heavy use and the additional cost for the festool could be better spent. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad it helped - sounds like a good decision

[@aucomint]

Thank you for sharing your experience with both saws. I'm currently hesitating between those two and your video will definitely help me decide.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Great, thanks for commenting

[@jonnie.sullivan]

Thanks Alistair - great review as was in the market for a track saw and was leaning toward the Makita Cordless and your very detailed and impartial review has definitely helped in making up my mind - so thanks very much buddy!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Jonnie Sullivan you’re welcome!

[@johnbutler7542]

I'm using the Festool 75 for probably 15 years, have a few of them. Cutting average 400 boards annually each, have to change brushes and power connector every 2 years otherwise great saws. Using Makita 3m tracks to save costs, works well

[@TechTins_Projects]

Can someone explain when you would use a minus 1 degree cut?

[@bobbray9666]

165MM is within 0.004" of 6.5", so more options for saw blades in the US. I just buy 6.5" blades at a local big box store. So that is one Makita advantage. Also good to use sharp blades to eliminate burning, so the ability to buy cheaper blades locally is nice.

[@rays2877]

In my research, I found a guy recommending the washers off a regular Makita skilsaw.

[@shifty277]

Absolutely top review and comparison of both saws. My understanding is the 36v 2 x 18v Makita track saw is a newer model with improvements of the sp6000. Thanks for the supreme effort needed to gather your thoughts on both and then record and edit it all. The festool is a wonderful tool I have used it a few times. The only things I didn't like you mentioned yourself the over resistant spring and also the button to bring the blade down was a bit heavy. Subbed and thumbs up.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@nineoneten]

Thanks for the honest review. Just looking to get my 1st tracksaw. One design issue I see with all the models is they are made for left handed people....to trim a small section from a board you stand at the left end and move the saw to the right and this involves an awkward grip on the saw with your right hand. Still at least left handers got a good deal on this one. Also nobody seems to mention the variable speed control on the saw - do people just have it on the higher speed all the time ?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

nineoneten hi to be honest yes it’s always on highest for me! May be some materials that suit a lower speed. I see what you’re saying about handedness but I find it ok.

[@nineoneten]

@@Alastair_Freebird Thanks for your comments. I got the Makita a couple of weeks ago and it is very nice. I decided to use it as if I was a left hander so that hand goes on the top handle/switch and it works fine. The slightly longer track and lower cost of extra bits and splinter guards etc decided me over the Festool one. Keep safe.

[@trig]

I cut a lot of unfinished oak and have found that a quick spray of ptfe dry lube helps the saw slide and the lube has no effect on the oak.

[@rickygray222]

Good tip that, I have the makita and sometimes have found it snags a little on the rail

[@chriswild2458]

P t f e makes the makita systainer catches work much better too

[@martinmoore4333]

Great test bud could you redo with brand new blades on both saws and replace the worn parts on the makita that would then give a fair comparision

[@Alastair_Freebird]

martin moore that would be good. Can’t promise it! Takes such a long time setting up and editing this type of video.

[@adrianwilding2912]

An honest review and comparison, thank you Alastair, and really enjoying your generously given tips and tricks and time. I can personally recommend the Makita saw in the 36 volt cordless version, but it is the only one I have! It isn't without its issues, and suffers occasionally from jamming on the track as yours does. I find using a light rub of silicon spray on both track and saw baseplate helps greatly, and a rail square is also a fantastic addition to obtain accurate right angles cuts. Hope the new workshop is increasing productivity and efficiency and working out well for your business. Cheers!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi Adrian thanks for this comment, I do think the comments thread from experienced users of other machines can be at least as valuable as the video itself for other viewers! Which railsaw do you favour?

[@adrianwilding2912]

@@Alastair_Freebird Thanks Alastair, I confess to being a fan of cordless Makita, but as you know yourself it's easy to get drawn into a brand based on the convenience of a single battery platform. Luckily for me Makita make excellent kit at a realistic price point and other than their nail guns I've not been disappointed. I agree, they do need to involve a designer with their storage cases though! All the best, Adrian.

[@kevingerald8286]

Interesting to see the wear on your Makita's track clearance adjusters. I've just invested in one and the first time I used it across the joint in the guide rails the adjusters caught on a slight burr and were turned out of adjustment; a gentle file to smooth the track's joint solved this but it is a weak point in the design compared with Festool. Having said that, as DIY user this is not a big enough issue for me to justify the extra cost of the Festool. I find the anti-tilt device very reassuring when cutting a bevel.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Kevin Gerald yeah you can work around the limitations of those cams and replace them and still have a serviceable saw at less money than festool!

[@kevingerald8286]

@@Alastair_FreebirdGood point. I've skso found that out of the box the blade was a perfect 90 degree but after doing a mitre cut and returning it to 90 degree using the weight of the saw it was no longer 90, but if I invert the saw so the Baseplate was the only weight it goes to 90 OK. Do you gave a trick to ensure you get back to 90 degree each time? (I am considering adjusting the grub screws to be 9p degree without needing to invert the saw.)

[@Alastair_Freebird]

@@kevingerald8286 a benefit of the makita is you can adjust those grub screws on the base plate whereas Festool make it a little less accessible to adjust - the manual actually only recommends getting festool technicians to do that sort of calibration! I think it makes sense to adjust your makita grub screws to make the saw angle sit right quickly under normal use conditions

[@charlesenfield2192]

I just purchased the Makita cordless version, and I had the same problem where the tracks joined. 30 seconds with 400 grit sandpaper was all I needed to fix it. After watching this review, I may purchase some replacement cams so that I have them on-hand when I notice they're worn. I also like the anti-tilt. I agree with Alastair that it's not really necessary while cutting, and if I don't apply some counter-rotating force while cutting, the bevel angle can vary by a degree or two. For me the value of that feature is that I feel less likely to drop the saw before and after the cut. The last thing any of us wants is to see our $500+ tool bouncing off the shop floor.

[@charlesenfield2192]

@@kevingerald8286 Thanks for noticing that. I overlooked it. I'll check my saw to see if I have the same issue. FWIW, my saw's baseplate was perfectly adjusted to 90 degrees to the blade, but the Makita track doesn't sit perfectly flat on the workpiece, so the blade wasn't perpendicular to the work when using the track. (The grip strips are thicker than the splinter guard, so the track rocks slightly.) I don't anticipate using this tool without the track very often, so I adjusted the screws by trial and error to provide a right angle cut while on the track. When I need to replace the splinter guard I'll address this somehow. I may add some thin material (laminate perhaps) between the guard and the rail, or see if I can find some slightly thicker material to use as a splinter guard. I'm hopeful there's some off-the-shelf weather stripping suitable for the application. Perhaps I'm too fussy, but I find it frustrating that no matter how much I spend on a tool I end up fixing things that the manufacturer overlooked or ignored.

[@andrewroberts6158]

I’ve had my makita about three years and it’s working great, you obviously do more cutting then I do. I’ve checked mine for wear and at the moment it shows no signs of any. Good unbiased comparison video, ps locking casters on that workbench would be a good addition 👍🏻

[@Alastair_Freebird]

The bench did have locked castors! But not enough. Thanks for the comment

[@NickBR57]

Also stated that the blade had more use on the Makita which implies maybe the saw overall had more use than the Festool in which case you would expect more wear. There's also the question of maintenance - if you don't maintain your tools the results will deteriorate. The adjusters can be replaced if worn.

[@antomac9529]

I bought the makita about a year ago. As soon as I set it up out of the box I knew the cams were badly designed. If they're tightened to the track, they wear out quickly and if they're loose the saw wobbles about. That blade is a bad one also. I got the same one with my saw and it always had a bad cut and struggled doing mitres. I changed the blade for a different brand one and it's like a new machine.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Interesting thanks for commenting

[@antonistiniakos5175]

Can you use a v groove cut blade with the Makita saw?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Not that I know of

[@jameshite4820]

I’m a Festool fan. I’ve had both sizes of the Festool track saw and ended up liking cordless Makita best.

[@Custom_Tundra_XFire_Audio]

The Makita is awesome, in a lot of cases it outpreforms the festool. I love it!

[@MustPassTruck]

How would you compare the festool boxes to the milwaukee packout boxes.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I don’t own any of the Milwaukee but have seen them and they look tough

[@TheJohn8765]

Damnit. I didn't really know I needed a tracked saw until now. Those cuts are *so* precise it's almost as if you're on a table saw. Real eye-opener.

[@jhart7304]

lol no different than a straightedge and a few clamps with a worm drive.

[@p9917j]

I concur with everything you said in this video. An only mildly connected tip- buy some cmt orange to clean the resin from your blades (don’t be tempted by other more readily available brands). It will reduce how often you’re sending your blades to sharpen and reduce burn even on predominately mdf useage.

[@Heinz76Harald]

as someone else mentioned, use the festool track on the makita saw, best combination. we have both in company for years and i prefer the makita over the festool you will get a very good saw with the festool, but its just not worth the upcost in my opinion as a dayli user for 15y

[@rcts3761]

Does the Makita saw also pivot around the same point, so that you don't have to replace the splinter strip after changing cutting angle?

[@robzilla2165]

The Makita pivots on the rail the same as Festool. You lay down the track on your mark and it cuts exactly where the guide rail is at 45 and 90 degrees. I hope this helps.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Yes it does in theory but I think it is a little less accurate and more prone to cutting into the splinter strip a touch

[@antc5010]

I have the Makita SP6000 and I'm onto my second blade, with no issues of free play on the track. It is still smooth and true, even when crossing the join between 2 tracks fixed together. If you are burning wood on a track saw, I would be looking at the blade, timber or operator. Cross cuts on birch ply first using a scoring pass gives great results, hard to beat with a table saw sled without a scoring blade or scoring pass. The Festool would need to be significantly better to warrant the price difference.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Ant C the burning was due to play from the worn plastic cams, no doubt about it, but I just needed to replace the cams.

[@johnschotz1614]

Got the makita with a festool blade in it when i had to replaced the dull one. Good saw, also for a good price. If i would upgrade it would be the Mafell. Not the Festool.

[@russelldavis7108]

I don't know what Makita were thinking of with their box clips...there horrible!

[@johnschotz1614]

Russell Davis box is indeed absolutely awful

[@gav2759]

@@johnschotz1614 Presumably we all have these tools in order to engage in tasks of varying degrees of methodological difficulty . We are not off to a great start if we find the catches on the storage boxes to be a technical challenge.

[@thefingerwitch]

Yes-the clips on the Makita case are ridiculous.... just plain horrible. Hate em- and I mean hate em!!! Having said that- the tool is a rock star- plenty of power- cuts better than factory- plunge is sooo smooth- and I haven’t missed the lack of riving knife at all. I would buy another one tomorrow if needed. !!

[@orcoastgreenman]

@@thefingerwitch - a commenter elsewhere here stated they sanded down the clips or the part they catch on, and the poorly designed Mikita box was much nicer to live with... Hope that helps!

[@jonathanfield3846]

I have the festool , I've had it for 3 years but previously had the dewalt and a guy I work with sometimes has the makita and in my opinion the festool is hands down a better built and quality tool, the after sales and service from festool is worth the extra in my opinion also. Great video Alistair 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That's a good point - the aftercare from Festool is part of the price

[@jonathanfield3846]

@@Alastair_Freebird yes a mate of mine had his lockup broken into last month and his festool extractor was in there and when he contacted festool the warranty was 1 month over but they honoured it and sent him a new one out next day delivery 👏

[@aeropau]

anti tip mechanism makes difference as safety . I amb searching for the safest track saw due to I have some phisical limitations due to my disability. Others options please??

[@Alastair_Freebird]

A great person to ask about this would be Leo from @hand-i-craft

[@Alastair_Freebird]

www.youtube.com/@Hand-i-Craft

[@mark-jonathanwilkinson2994]

My 36v Makita is a year old now. Easily my favourite tool. Ive found the depth gauge a little off on the makita and never thought to exclude the track height.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Yeah it is a strange quirk they excluded the rail height!

[@keithc1335]

Good video. Both saws seem to startup a little slow which makes me think you might have a voltage drop or be using an undersized extension cord.

[@tonyb83]

How do the pivots compare and is there any play in them?

[@laidbackmedia]

Is the handle at the front just for carrying it to it's box?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

No it is wise to put your other hand on that handle while cutting for extra control and resistance to any possible kickback.

[@sizif717]

Excellent content! It is a comparison review and an comprehensive user manual at the same time!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I’m glad you found it useful, thanks for commenting

[@KlepkeCamper]

Thanks for this awesome video! Does the Makita also pivot around the edge at the 45° cut??? Best wishes from Germany 👋

[@dariuszmakowski2652]

Hi A very interesting movie. I completely agree with you. I use Festool ts55 for over 10 years Makita P6000 I have been working professionally for 14 years. However, I would like to add that taking into account the extreme loads, for example, cutting a few hours in ash wood, Makita will withstand more loads. Festool has a thermal fuse that turns off the saw and does not go any further after even a small overload- needs cooling down. In addition, in the Festool saw I changed the brushes four times in the Makita I work longer for me harder I never had to change the carbon brushes. Besides, Festool seems much more precise in every way. I personally own both and find Makita suitable for hard work. Festool for precision. I absolutely recommend both looking at the price. Makita is a great solution. Thank you for sharing experience .👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That’s a really nice summary of your experience, thankyou. It will be helpful to others if they read it

[@Dumpasaurus42]

Thanks for the honest video and I appreciate the time and effort you put in. It would be great if you could replace those guide bits on the makita rail connection and follow up with your experience at that point. For me (and many others I would guess) I would be fine with replacing small wear parts every few years and saving the hundreds on the purchase price

[@Alastair_Freebird]

My summary after a few more years of using both (and replacing those inexpensive makita parts!) is that the festool just feels more solid and reliable in the long run, but if handled with care the Makita is a perfectly good option.

[@1968rvp]

great review , i just brought the makita after putting my festool in for repairs after 6 hard years on construction sites cutting ply and fibre cement board ! yep i use it to cut 4 to 19mm cement board !

[@krakenhackenla]

Saw on skill builder that the Makita cut better when the power was turned down to number 4, think it was cutting MDF not hardwood though.

[@Grumpyoldtwit]

I wonder if you could 3D print some replacement cams?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

turns out you can order them for a couple of pounds anyway!

[@billybarghahn]

I keep having issues with my Makita plunge spring return. It becomes sticky from sawdust, rendering it a “manual” plunge return. Not the safest. I’ve been sending it to service center for cleaning and repair. Twice this has happened now over 3 years of fairly heavy use. But this isn’t something I use everyday either. This is the cordless version. I am diehard Makita, but considering the Festool now.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I have also had problems with the makita spring

[@sfsherrill]

I wonder if the worn bits can be easily replaced

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Actually yes, cheaply and easily as it turns out!

[@philipb867]

I have mostly Makita power tools, however for the track saw it has to be the Festool every time.

[@corvandervegt1682]

Hi Philip, I bought my first Festool in the early 80s and since then I have worn about 6 pieces. Have had a Makita for a few months now and really can't mention any disadvantages compared to the Festool. And the set I bought costs half of what a Festool set has to pay here in Holland. Maybe you should try the Makita machine at a tool fair. I'm sure it won't disappoint you. Greeting out Rotterdam Holland

[@philipb867]

@@corvandervegt1682 I also have many makita tools but overall prefer the few festool ones I have, they are just better.

[@antonistiniakos5175]

Can you use a v groove cut blade with makita saw? Thanks!

[@anthonymiddlesex6859]

ive owned a Makita sp6000 for about ten years I changed the blade to a freud blade which I do with all tools festool are overpriced and never send them back for repair they replace everything Makita in my view are light in weight and offer good quality

[@nirazincopenhagen]

A very good viedeo. Where or what kind of projects require track saws? I am thinking of doing diy kitchen cabinets and wardrobe and i have only circular saw and very very basic ultra heavy table saw.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi thankyou. A tracksaw allows you to easily cut to an exact line on a board the track edge itself shows where you will cut. It is especially suitable for finish materials that you need a clean cut edge on - melamine and veneers. It is a much more suitable tool for this purpose than a standard circular saw because of the spring that brings it up into it's shell by default. This makes it easy to do a quick scoring cut on the top face to cleanly break the surface; and to control the depth of cut to go through the bottom face. The purpose of the sacrificial rubber strip on the rail edge is also to act as a chip guard, and the festool has plastic attachments for the outer blade edge that serve this purpose too. For easiest cabinet assembly fast, accurate and square you will also benefit from embracing our 3D Assembly square system as show here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqvFY4CbiLOXosUsi=tSLyq0Yl_Ha4juQ_ - unless you want to spend more money on a biscuit joiner or domino jointer, which will also take you more time.

[@SweeturKraut]

A word on those Makita boxes. I’ve got a bunch of them and I sanded down the nubs on the little latches. They open and close much easier.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

good tip thanks

[@ciptrofin]

What is the negative 1 degree bevel for (Makita) ?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I’ve been asked this before and I’m sure there is a good use for it but I find it hard to come up with a specific example!!!

[@ciptrofin]

@@Alastair_Freebird Recently, I found (on some forum) that this kind of cut is useful in case of floor boards, for close butt joints. Makita is interesting with the scoring cut, but it works (I think) only with 165mm blades.

[@mikes6844]

How you all doing? Nice to you see you in the workshop. Makita I bought as a package and is fine but I don’t do the volumes you do and I agree it could be smoother on the rail. On the MFT it works fine. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Mike S I was happy with the makita when I first got it, in fact I thought it felt smoother than the festool at first!

[@jasonlaverty76]

Great review Alastair, I currently run a Bosch GKT55 which uses the Mafel designed Tracks which don't require any cam mechanism, although it does have a set of cams for when used on other manufactures rails such as the Festool. You may want to take a look at one when it's time to retire one of your old war horses. All the best👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That's interesting, I have no experience of the Bosch, but can picture what you mean having just watched Peter's Mafell video

[@KrisH-bt5cm]

When doing the test why wouldn't you put new blades on both saws? Then you start on an even playing field?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That would have been better I agree

[@peterbalasy1656]

Hi, you have mentioned a -1 degree setting on both tools. Why is that so useful that both brand made a ‘quick setting’ available on their tools? Does this -1 degree cut any particular reason? Thank you

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Honestly I’m struggling to think of a reason right now!

[@Fly3rman]

I would love to see a measurement of the 45° angle cuts. How good do both perform? Anyone any expierence? What is the better tool for the job?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Good question! I did have a bit of trouble with the calibration of the Festool early on. The Makits can be adjusted but the festool manual recommends sending it to festool to be done.

[@tapsulinka]

I have Festool and cutting aluminium profiles. I do make angel cuts only once a while but Festool quality is good. Do check out you have good cutting disk

[@eniszulufepustampasic2799]

not boring as most of the videos... very informative...

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad you thought so!

[@harmonicentropy2720]

Hi Alastair, I am needing to cut a fair amount of malamine and was wondering which saw will do a better job? If Makita, what blade would you use for melamine? Many thanks

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi I very rarely cut melamine to be honest but either saw will do it fine I’d say, it’s more about the choice of blade. Try asking Key Blades and Fixings for the right blade (popular supplier on instagram)

[@harmonicentropy2720]

@@Alastair_Freebird thank you, much appreciated

[@DavePawson]

Thank you. Very useful, clearly honest.

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

hello sir hope you are well. Ohhh I just starting using my makita track for a longer cut (120cm ) only to realise that from a cut 0 to 75cm the track is straight, 0 to 85 the track bowes out by 0.1mm and by 0.2mm for a cut of 120cm. did you find your makita track dead straight all along? I should of tested it when i purchased it.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Christopher Claudio Skierka those are very fine tolerances! How did you even measure that? I have found the tracks to be as straight as I needed them to be, but I haven’t really tested them to that precision! Perhaps because when I want extremely accurate cutting (especially for melamine) I still outsource that to a big factory supplier who uses a beam saw or CNC

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

@@Alastair_Freebird ah ,well what I did was put several (3 or 4 ) bench dogs on the MFT top then put the track against it, at varied positions, at using different holes to make sure it was not my MFT top with an issue. Any way I know the paper I have is 0.1mm thick so I see if I can push it between the back end of the track and dog. That is it really. More than likely its the back end side of the track - the bit that comes into contact with the dogs that is perhaps just slightly indented and the cutting length is actually straight. I will need to do the 5 cut test and see what happens, but I am sure I am safe for cuts under 75 cm which really anything else longer will be done by the suppliers - just like you pointed out. I was thinking of adding another MFT top to make a long one (1104mm X 2) now I am not 100% sure, or I may just add a flat top next to it just for the extra flat space .

[@66meikou]

I had a makita and while I usually buy makita tools in general, I used to get a lot of burn marks on my cuts. I'd buy a mafell if they actually had a distribution network here in the US but they dont.

[@tapsulinka]

I have Festool and planning to buy one using battery. Festool and Mafell are for me only ones to choose

[@righthook27]

@@tapsulinka I sold my 1 year old TS55 and got the Bosch GKT13-225L, best decision I made, much better saw with more power. The track is superior and made by Maffell. Bosch and Maffell's track saws share DNA.

[@michael.knight]

The riving knife is probably only useful in solid wood with non-straight grain that might cause binding. In sheet goods it's probably not necessary at all.

[@ruslanmustaev8170]

Great video, thank you so much. That was a problem for me to choose, now it is much easier to pick.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

great!

[@Heinz76Harald]

21:12 to be honest.... this looks like a its not an issue with friction on the track to me, the blade is dull and the saw has way too much play in the track. in combination of both you cant push the saw smoothly as shown

[@adrian-mu3jr]

Great content just as a verbal instruction manual. Just being a hobby user, It took me a while to figure out that the Makita as 0.5 deg toe in front to back (maybe all saws do?) and the problems I thought I had were just user error. Will look out for cam wear. Thanks

[@tonyalways7174]

Good review so thank you. When I was buying a track saw I just couldn’t see how the significant extra cost of the Festool was going to pay me back with extra quality or productivity hence I went Makita. Every tool I’ve ever bought had niggles and I learned that if I changed tool I just changed niggle. Nothing has ever changed my view tbh so I’m happy to stick with Makita but I was interested by your views. Cheers 🍻

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Well, we have finally got around to ordering the little round bits of plastic to replace the worn cam grips on the makita saw. And to my surprise they were only £1.99 each and easy to get hold of here: www.partshopdirect.co.uk/makita-holder-sp6000-p419627-9/. I would like to do a follow up to this video with these new parts fitted to the makita, and brand new blades on both saws. I don’t know if or when I will get round to that. But my current thoughts are that considering the ease and low cost with which those worn parts can be replaced on the makita, it represents a much better value machine!

[@tonyalways7174]

@@Alastair_Freebird that’s good to know and also thanks for the link. I’m not anti-Festool in any way but I always feel that with most portable tools the differences between major brands are generally pretty small so the real differences are in initial price, price of accessories and repair ability. I run a Makita router which is great but I used to own a DeWalt and I’ve used Trend which were both more or less just as good and no way can I ever see a difference in such things as drills, drivers or sanders. The only area where I see a big difference is in the Festool domino which I own and love and I’ve never seen anything compete with that. I’ve subbed to see what else you might be doing. Cheers

[@davidfarnall3211]

That was totally my view too. I run Festool, Makita and DeWalt kit and as you say, nothings perfect, they all have niggles (even the Domino) and changing the brand just means changing the niggle.

[@trig]

I recently replaced my old festool with the newest model. A better saw but I hate the new ratchet on the hose, it just keeps poping of every cut. It got so annoying I hot glued the ratchet in a fixed position. On the old saw I drilled a 3mm hole through the saw casing and through the rotating nozzle so that I could pop a short screw in to hold the nozzle in my prefered position.

[@paeonydotcom]

Very good comparison 👏👏👏. Not earning money with woodwork I will go for the Makita, but I can see why the Festool is so succesfull 👍

[@nirm4077]

This is a great review and help me to buy my saw (Makita). Thanks for this video....

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I’m glad you found it helpful! I’m interested in your reasons for choosing the makita.

[@afnankhokhar5578]

Excellent review and thank you for putting in the effort to make the video

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thank you I'm glad you liked it!

[@tapsulinka]

One good thing about Festool you didn't mentioned is that the electric cord is having quick connection so if your electric cord do damage, it is easy and fast replace, just buy new cord and connect it in 5 sec

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I agree that’s a big benefit. I think I might have mentioned it in the footage that didn’t make the final cut

[@leighcalvert8050]

hello, weird question but what is the overall width difference between each of these saws

[@Alastair_Freebird]

You mean measured across from the flat face to the end of the projecting motor?

[@leighcalvert8050]

Correct! At the widest points. And thanks so much for the response!!

[@rickwaldner8078]

right now im at this cross road. Got my festool saw stolen but they left the rails. I want to replace the saw, stuck between the festool corded or the cordless makita. will be using my festool rails. I have enough batteries to buy just the makita saw for $469 CDN or I buy the Festool corded for $799 CDN, its a money thing, Any advice?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

rick waldner I don’t have any experience of the makita cordless. However I imagine it must surely be less powerful and you may find yourself regretting it, combined with the failings of the rail clamp cams as shown in this video (assuming they are the same on the cordless version)

[@GermanClimaxClan]

5:40 its not all. Attachments from Festool will not fit the makita track. The Kickback-Stop as example.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Ok thanks for that

[@saxyrep1]

You sir deserve every view you've got and more. Exactly the review I needed... Cheers !

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad you liked it!

[@hartmutg.4882]

When the Makita doesn't go smoothly and easy thru thicker plates it can have three reasons: A) worn saw blade. B) worn/not adjusted rail knobs. C) the base plate is not 100% in paralell with the saw blade. This can be adjusted with the 4 screws that mount the base plate to the upper frame.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Helpful thank you

[@johnhughes3963]

Great comparison. I have mostly festool tools however just bought the Makita track saw.

[@woodplay13]

Hi, can I ask why?

[@johnhughes3963]

@@woodplay13 yes..because I also have other Makita tools

[@Ashton351]

Excellent review style! No BS, right into the content. Thank you.

[@futurebr87]

Bevel cut comparison wasn’t really fair since your work bench decided to go for a stroll in the sidewalk when you did the cut, meanwhile it barely moved with the festool.

[@ron1martens]

Excellent review. Very nicely presented. I can only commend you for spending your time in creating this upload. I could almost smell the burning on the makita at the end of the video. I noticed when you clamped the work piece with the ratchet the fence seemed to twist ever so slightly. Whether that makes any difference will be perhaps not critical. The mafel has a fence with clamps closer to the cut than festool, Makita, dewalt, metabo. The Bosch plunge saw has the same system fence as mafel. Now what is interesting metabo will come out with a mafel style plunge saw which I'm hoping has the mafel fence. Metabo have a fence almost the same as festool although the clamps don't fit. I made some clamps to fit on both fences. There is a pre cut on mafel which provides a total chip free cut on Melamine. The only thing is it's a fraction in to the rest of the cut. If you were really fussy you could then follow up with a router correctly set up. People not having time may not consider this. Although I think of you spend the time once making a jig or setting up it will only equate to an extra pass on each cut. Often cuts are cleaned up on hard woods anyway. I no longer work with melamine. I prefer ply wood. It's a lot nicer and can always be cleaned, sanded etc.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Ronald Martens thanks very much for the comment. I’m skeptical about the benefits of the Mafell offset scribing cut. I also don’t really like working with melamine!

[@ron1martens]

Freebird Interiors I watched another post and the person tested mafel and festool. The mafel was clearly a better machine. His only qualm on cheep melamine the scribe actually didn't chip at all. He said he couldn't do a professional job on draws as the gap he claimed seemed to be 1mm which clients may not be happy with although consistent. Personally if I had more work and confidence shipments are not delayed I would get the mafel skin and use my metabo batteries. My next option is wait till metabo bring out a high end cordless plunge saw. I may be waiting years though. Thanks for your reply. I will keep an eye on updates.

[@davidcollishaw2771]

I use both to fit kitchens and prefer the build quality of the makita, the only thing better on the festool is the extra splinter guard and the depth adjuster is easier. cheaper blades and a scribe cut make it better IMO as well as the tip lock for cutting a bevel. I also have a triton which is a cheaper variant of the makita not remade by the factory as erhauer, batavia and a few others..

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Is there anything noticeably worse about the triton and the other cheaper models?

[@davidcollishaw2771]

@@Alastair_Freebird the Triton, Batavia and erbauer are fully compatible with Makita and festool, I was told the electronic bits are the same on the festool owners group. Like most copied kit they skimp here and there on the plastics and alloys used but on the whole they are solid. Nothing is worse the scribe was a good feature for doing walnut faced boards, the anti kickback can be a pain but it works. But there is a second group that make scheppach and clones which are cheaper still and you do see the difference with those.