Thread: Marble top dresser, the planets align

Fletty

I notice you show a Scheppach track saw in your photo. What do you think of this saw? I have looked at getting one but have yet to take the plunge.

Thanks in advance

Ken

Originally Posted by KAJ

Fletty

I notice you show a Scheppach track saw in your photo. What do you think of this saw? I have looked at getting one but have yet to take the plunge.

Thanks in advance

Ken

Hi Ken, “take the plunge”......... there’s a pun there somewhere ?

Firstly, it ain’t no Festool BUT, at a third of the price, we can’t expect it to be? I usually use mine to reduce large sheets and slabs that can’t easily be manhandled on the table saw. It cuts straight and square and, as every cut face is to be dressed later anyway, the quality of the cut is more than good enough.
It’s plusses are

• price
• acceptable cut quality;
• swivelling dust exhaust outlet that DOES take the Festool dust collector snout
• acceptable build quality
• acceptable dust pick-up
• each track segment is ~1400mm long which gives a good overhang/overrun on a 1200 sheet

It’s minuses (when compared to the Festool):

• It is noisier and more ‘clunky’
• the adjustments are not as smooth nor precise
• it doesn’t slide as smoothly

It’s minuses (General);

• the standard clamp to hold the track to the workpiece is an embarrassment to the post Industrial Revolution World! I guess that’s why they offer a better one as an accessory?

In short, it does everything I need of it and so, given the price difference, it works well for me.
fletty

Good to see the timber being used so quickly!

Originally Posted by fletty

• acceptable dust pick-up

• That would improve (possibly significantly) with a 36mm hose that goes on the outside of the dust port. Currently that FT 27mm fitting is giving you a choke point of 19mm dia, but the port is probably closer to 36mm dia. That's nearly 4x the cross-sectional area.

Btw, what's the OD on the saw port?

Originally Posted by fletty

Today was breaking down one of my precious Australian red cedar slabs and starting to dress timber to rough size. It felt good...

fletty

Nice slab of wood you are working with there fletty . Working that by hand will be a big NICE

Rob

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Btw, what's the OD on the saw port?

38mm diameter

Originally Posted by KAJ

Fletty

I notice you show a Scheppach track saw in your photo. What do you think of this saw? I have looked at getting one but have yet to take the plunge.

Thanks in advance

Ken

In further support of the Sheppach, here are a few pictures taken last week when I made a 50mm thick, ‘bent’ slab of sheoak a bit easier to store AND made a fistful of handle blanks for knew Concept saw changeover kits.

18842193-DE93-4878-ACC6-6CB71EF28F4B.jpeg DA7C1250-7575-4E93-A0C8-504AD4D7EE48.jpeg 77D95885-3932-46CF-87C1-47C8DB1A0F7B.jpeg

fletty

Originally Posted by fletty

38mm diameter

That means the Festool 36mm hose fitting will go over it - it is 38mm ID.

Originally Posted by fletty

Hi Ken, “take the plunge”......... there’s a pun there somewhere ?

Firstly, it ain’t no Festool BUT, at a third of the price, we can’t expect it to be? I usually use mine to reduce large sheets and slabs that can’t easily be manhandled on the table saw. It cuts straight and square and, as every cut face is to be dressed later anyway, the quality of the cut is more than good enough.
It’s plusses are

• price
• acceptable cut quality;
• swivelling dust exhaust outlet that DOES take the Festool dust collector snout
• acceptable build quality
• acceptable dust pick-up
• each track segment is ~1400mm long which gives a good overhang/overrun on a 1200 sheet

It’s minuses (when compared to the Festool):

• It is noisier and more ‘clunky’
• the adjustments are not as smooth nor precise
• it doesn’t slide as smoothly

It’s minuses (General);

• the standard clamp to hold the track to the workpiece is an embarrassment to the post Industrial Revolution World! I guess that’s why they offer a better one as an accessory?

In short, it does everything I need of it and so, given the price difference, it works well for me.
fletty

Thanks for the info Fletty

Looks like that will be my next big (ish) purchase

Ken

Hey Ken ... (dont want to hijack the thread Fetty)

I have the same saw and I made a few changes that improved it greatly.

Have a look at this ... worth the effort for sure

I also have the same saw. Only mod. I made was to manufacture another joiner for connecting the panels. There are now two instead of one - lot more stable. Breaks down full sheets of ply beautifully.

Hi Fletty
Hare n Forbes has a sale atm and have 2 versions of the saw. $275 for 55mm cut and 1.2kw. $385 for 75mm cut and 1.6kw. I reckon I am not likely to cut more than 55mm but I never met a kw I didn't like. Is it worth and extra $110 for the extra depth and grunt ??

Thanks
Ken

Originally Posted by KAJ

Hi Fletty
Hare n Forbes has a sale atm and have 2 versions of the saw. $275 for 55mm cut and 1.2kw. $385 for 75mm cut and 1.6kw. I reckon I am not likely to cut more than 55mm but I never met a kw I didn't like. Is it worth and extra $110 for the extra depth and grunt ??

Thanks
Ken

Hi Ken, don’t forget that you lose about 10mm depth of cut with the track so, if you get the 55mm saw you will only have about 45 left? If you only plan on cutting sheet goods that should be OK but you won’t be able to cut a datum edge on a rough slab?
fletty

I’ve been browsing brochures and American woodworking magazines;

• the cordless Festool plunge saw and track is $1247 AU (Total Tools) and..
• the new Makita plunge saw is equipped with Bluetooth to talk to their dust collector......!

I like that plunger saw system Alan and very affordable on special....
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W874