Had to pick between a track saw and a table saw for my mobile setup

I do a lot of kitchen remodels where I'm working in tight spaces, so I had to choose one saw to haul around. Track saw seemed way more portable, but I worried about cutting dados for drawer slides and stuff. Went with the track saw anyway, and 6 months in, I've only missed a table saw twice. Has anyone else made this switch and regretted it on certain jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_cora17d ago

Wow, that Dave situation sounds like a nightmare with the butcher block! But here's the thing I'm curious about, @jake_kelly24: when he had that slip, did he actually stop and think about whether a table saw would've been worth the extra setup time on that job, or was it just a one-off mistake he could've avoided? I get the 2 minute breakdown thing, that's a huge win for a one-man crew. But for dados and drawer slides, I'd lose my mind trying to do those with a track saw, especially if I'm doing like a full cabinet run. Honestly, I wonder if the real answer is that these tools aren't meant to replace each other, they just serve different moods. Like, are you mostly doing sheet goods and rip cuts where the track saw shines, or are you actually a cabinet guy at heart who just got tired of hauling heavy gear?

jake_kelly2418d ago

My buddy Dave runs a one-man cabinet shop out of a van and he went all in on a track saw about a year ago. He was cutting down some thick butcher block for a prep island and the track kept slipping because he didn't have it clamped down right. Ended up with a wonky edge and had to spend an extra day sanding it flat. He told me he still doesn't regret it though, because he can set up and break down in like 2 minutes flat.