Spent $150 on a track saw and it paid for itself in one job

I was on the fence about buying a track saw for my cabinet builds, thinking my circular saw and a straight edge was good enough. Finally pulled the trigger on a basic model for about $150 at a local tool shop in Phoenix. First job cutting 4x8 sheets of melamine for a kitchen reno, the edges came out factory clean with no chipout. Saved me hours of sanding and trimming - has anyone else found track saws worth the money for panel work?

2 comments

2 Comments

max80816d ago

Did you actually test that against a good straight edge setup with a decent blade? I've been using a $40 Skill saw with a clamping guide for years on melamine and plywood, and my chipout is near zero if I take my time and use the right blade. A $150 track saw seems like overkill for one job, especially when you could've bought a nicer blade and a better straight edge for half that. I just don't see the payoff for occasional use.

lindaw2916d ago

@max808 I get your point, but track saws have one big advantage that jigs don't. You can carry the saw to the work instead of the other way around. That alone makes a huge difference on bigger sheets. Clamping a straight edge perfectly every time is also harder than it looks, especially on uneven floors. So for me, the extra cost is worth the time and headache it saves.