Cutting with Makita Track Saw
#11
Hello all

Just checking to see what the consensus is on cutting with the Makita (or other brand) track saw is in regard to finish side up or down ... or does it matter?  Geometry dictates for a circular saw to have the finished side down ... BUT, given the track is on the edge of your cut on the top and the scoring function of the Makita (like the Festool), does it really matter.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Chuck
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#12
I've got the Dewalt track saw.  Since I'm normally making layout marks on the finish side, the track also sits on the finish side.  Since the track has the rubber zero clearance support, most times I experience 0 splintering or very little that doesn't bother me.
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#13
Thanks Paul ... I suspected since the track is supporting the finish side (UP) that it wouldn't chip out.  Thank you for confirming.
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#14
I can see how they prevent splintering on the track side, how do they prevent splintering on the other side of the blade, does the base of the saw itself have some sort of anti-splintering attachment?
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#15
(04-17-2017, 03:41 PM)Phil Thien Wrote: I can see how they prevent splintering on the track side, how do they prevent splintering on the other side of the blade, does the base of the saw itself have some sort of anti-splintering attachment?

The blade teeth are spinning *into* the wood on the underside of the board so there is no chip *out*.
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#16
DeWalt here also. I'm bass ackward on most things, and like to make my marks on the hidden side, so I'm cutting through to the show side, and I always do my Track Saw cuts into a piece of 2" thick pink foam board. I end up with razor sharp cuts on both sides even on CDX quality ply. On BB it looks like it grew that way
Big Grin
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya

GW
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#17
Always lay the track on the finish side.
Wood is good. 
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#18
The EZ saw system baseplate has an insert on the opposite side equal to the thickness of the track. The insert provides downward pressure on the off-cut side so there is no splintering on either side. Not sure how Makita and Dewalt do theirs.
Train to be miserable...
that way when the real misery starts you won't notice.
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#19
(04-17-2017, 03:48 PM)atgcpaul Wrote: The blade teeth are spinning *into* the wood on the underside of the board so there is no chip *out*.

Right.  But on the top side of the board there are still two sides of the blade and the cut.  One side has the track running down it, which I assume prevents chipout.  But the other side of the blade/cut, what prevents chipout over there?
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#20
(04-17-2017, 10:49 PM)Phil Thien Wrote: Right.  But on the top side of the board there are still two sides of the blade and the cut.  One side has the track running down it, which I assume prevents chipout.  But the other side of the blade/cut, what prevents chipout over there?

Got it.  I suppose nothing prevents chipout on that side, but it's considerably less than my circular saw maybe because half of the fibers are still pressed down by the track--just a guess. At least for me, though, the track side is the keeper side and the non-track side is usually waste and the chipout doesn't bother me.
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