Thread: Which type of saw?

Just how big a job is this? I ask as the cutting requirement is for a dead straight 1.2m cut; more or less.

For this kind of precision cut, I would think of two possibilities for the home user, a sliding saw, or an electric handsaw running on a track saw rail.

A table saw with a slider attachment is big(ish) certainly getting on the expensive side, but a possibility. Whatever the configuration you will need to securely and accurately lock the material so it cannot move while the cut is happening.

A track saw is going to be extremely cheap by comparison, but with some making of a jig or jigs to hold the material rock solid and the track in a rock solid place, this is probably the way to go.

Have a search on the net for track saws and what they can do. This one is reasonably relevant as it shows a track saw unit building a very simple table saw, so to speak.

Track Saw Crosscut Table - YouTube

Mick.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forum

Agree with the above. Just wondering if you are going to interlock the pattern between the sheets -which would only need the edge sheets to trim accurately (and the skirting would cover some of this normally.) The other thing is that rooms are rarely square and walls often not quite straight.

I think a track saw is going to be the best and easiest as you will essentially be scribing them into the wall. You could also use a table saw but you will probably spend more time setting it to your cuts all the time.
You will most likely have unusual cuts around door openings and corners etc which will be easier to execute with a tracksaw

Tracksaw. Fine blade. Done heaps of them. Set up a good flat bench to cut on.

Originally Posted by kman20451

We are planning to lay a parquetry floor in our new house. We are using square timber panels which are 800mm x 800mm in size. The tiles are going to be laid in a versaille pattern which means that they are laid on the diamond and not on the straight edge.
Now this has confused me as to which would be the best type of saw to use for cutting the panels?
snip
Whichever saw it is would need to be able to handle 800 x 800 size panels. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

I'm going with Festool only because they make a system of tools suitable for this job

you will need
a TS-55 Set, including the 1400 long guide rail -- $1169. There is also a cordless set that costs about $300 more.
a pair of FastAction clamps (FS HZ 160) -- $99 each
a CT-MIDI vacuum -- $965
a multi function table (flat worksurface at a convenient height) -- $1499

so all up, your "which saw" will probably cost as much or more than the engineered flooring.


Not wishing to put you off, but
very, very seriously consider engaging a contractor to lay the parquetry floor. They will (or should) have all the equipment they need and should also leave the work site clean.


However, if you do decide on going the DIY route, you should be able to on-sell most of the "which saw" for around 70% of the as new price.



Of course, others like Makita also make track saws and guide rails and vacuums. The cost is a bit less, but if you are planning on selling when you finish AFAIK on resale Festool holds its value better

If I had no long term plans for more woodworking I would get a Festool TS55, new or used. But I would get the cheaper Bessey clamps on Amazon, and I would get the cheapest vacuum with auto start that I could…something like a $200 Ryobi. You don’t need the mft if you aren’t going to be indexing off the hole pattern, but you do need a sturdy bench at a comfortable height. Makita makes rails that fit the Festool saw for about half the price and just as good. But you can’t mix brands if joining two lengths together.

The Festool system does all work together very well, and they do seem to fetch high resale prices as Ian says.