For this exercise, I didn’t use the angle guide but simply aligned the track with measurements I had made. After placing the sheet on the build table, I was able to comfortably and accurately saw the sheet to size on my own. But with a few calculations, I was able to set the depth to 21 mm (a hair over ¾ inch, for us old guys).Ĭross-cutting on the table saw in our shop has always been a two-person gig because the left-hand outfeed is just 2 feet wide, but it was a breeze with the Makita Track Saw. You can just think of a track saw as a circular saw that comes with guide rails which provides tracks for you to make long rip cuts without deviating from the straight line of the rails. The depth scale is in front of the motor and, although it's well laid out, it's in metric. Track saws on the other hand are like upgraded circular saws that come with slides or guide rails that help the user perform long rip or crosscut accurately. The first real test was to cross-cut some ¾-inch cabinet-grade panels. The result of my first cut was a clean, accurate, chip-free finish. (21) 21 product ratings - Makita XPS01PTJ 18V X2 LXT 36V Cordless 6-1/2' Plunge Circular Track Saw Kit. This feature reduces chipping of the veneer because the saw doesn't bring panel waste up through the cut from below. Makita XPS01PTJ 18V X2 LXT 36V Cordless 6-1/2' Plunge Circular Track Saw Kit. Makita’s innovative “score” setting restricts the depth of cut to less that 1/16 inch with the push of a green button mounted on the side below the trigger housing. Also, as part of the setup, you'll need to make a pass through from a piece of scrap, which aligns the chip guard (the black rubber edge on the outside of the rail) with the blade.įirst cuts. Plunge saws are perfect for making smooth, straight cuts and are often used with a track or guide to improve accuracy. When you first use the rail, adjust the two round knobs on the saw’s rail slides until you have no lateral movement while maintaining a smooth sliding action. The guide rail has several rows of gripping strips that contact the work surface and do an amazing job of keeping the rail in place. The rail was perfectly straight and flat when laid on sheet goods and held its place well. The saw was accurate right out of the box and needed no adjustment for 90, 45, or 22.5 stop sets. Makita also sent along a guide rail, rail clamps, and a rail angle guide, all of which were equally well packaged and undamaged. The saw arrived in mint condition in a formfitting, stackable hard case. I'm always on the lookout for new tools to add to my inventory, so when asked me to review the Makita Track Saw (model SP6000J), I was intrigued.