Festool Track Saw For Glue Edge

I’ve not made a rip cut with mine that I would consider glue-up-ready. But then I’ve not really tried, maybe it can be done with some care.

-- Our village hasn't lost it's idiot, he was elected to congress.

If you just bought a new table saw and get it dialed in and get a good blade, you can make glue line rips all day no problem. Not trying to talk you out of a track saw, they are nice. I would just prefer to use the TS for that type of thing.

Some woodworkers are pickier about glue lines than others. While the glue might stick on a joint ripped with a Festool, I’d be concerned about little gaps making the line appear less than perfect. The arbor and weight of the Festool is not that much compared to a contractor saw. You can get pretty clean rips especially on shorter stock with a table saw and a a good quality glue line rip blade.

One thing you can do it clean up the machine marks with a hand plane. I haven’t heard of using a router with the Festool rails to clean up rips but the principle is sound.

One thing the Festool is especially good at is straightlining lumber for ripping to width on the table saw.

Yeah, I think my jig could use some work. I just screwed a piece of 1/2” ply to my board with a “straight” edge indexing on the fence. I’ll do some more research on a better jig setup. I also forgot that I have the ability to joint edges on my router table with my incra wonder fence. Going to try this out too. Still want that track saw though..

If you just bought a new table saw and get it dialed in and get a good blade, you can make glue line rips all day no problem. Not trying to talk you out of a track saw, they are nice. I would just prefer to use the TS for that type of thing.

- SMP

Sounds like you have that “new tool glazed look” in your eyes and will probably end up buying the Festool Track saw-LOL!

As far as jointing boards for glue up-I’d like to suggest you challenge yourself to learn to use a hand tool-in this case a bench or jointer plane. I just finished moving into a new shop, and sold my jointer before moving across the country, so I’m currently without one. For most glue ups, I find a good sharp tablesaw blade and accurately adjusted fence usually do the trick. When they don’t I just reach for my Record jointer plane, clamp the board in my bench vise, and a few passes with the plane will produce a glue-up ready edge.

I have lots of power tools like any other jock here, but have been fortunate in either taking classes, or teaching myself, hand tool skills. They have come in very handy on projects, and I relish the skill in being able to use them.
Another example of what I’m talking about is building dovetail drawers. While I have a older Leigh D3 dovetail jig, the setup time is sometimes more than I want to spend on it. So, my practice has been that if I have 3 or fewer drawers to build, I just cut the dovetails by hand with a Japanese pull saw, and chisel out the waste with a good set of chisels. Doing this often saves me more time than I thought it would.

I’m not a traditionalist, but feel that anyone who wants to call themselves a woodworker should have both hand and machine skills when it comes to their projects.

Hopefully you’re not in a rush to finish the glue up, and take on the challenge of using a new tool-in this case with your hands.

Just my opinion.
Gerry

A lot of variability of the cuts between tracksaws, the blades in them, and likely the end user.

Quickest way to tell if your track saw can do glue ready rips is rip 2 pieces of wood, and approximate them like you would to do a glue up. Do they nest perfectly together without having to clamp them together? If they did glue them up.

Somewhere in there I see blade changes on a more frequent basis then is the norm.

-- Think safe, be safe

Yeah, I think my jig could use some work. I just screwed a piece of 1/2” ply to my board with a “straight” edge indexing on the fence. I ll do some more research on a better jig setup. I also forgot that I have the ability to joint edges on my router table with my incra wonder fence. Going to try this out too. Still want that track saw though..

If you just bought a new table saw and get it dialed in and get a good blade, you can make glue line rips all day no problem. Not trying to talk you out of a track saw, they are nice. I would just prefer to use the TS for that type of thing.

- SMP

- bp2878

Personally, although I have a jointer. I find it quicker and easier to just grab my jack plane(it has a massive camber on the iron) and get the side that is straightest to “straight enough”. What i mean by this is that there are a few points that will maintain contact on my TS fence as I rip the other side. Its a common misconception that you need to get it straight. You don’t. It ciuld look like a ruffles potato chip as long as all the high spots are coplanar. You then run that on your fence to get the other edge straight, cutting just a smidge smaller than the narrowest section. Then flip the board and use the flat side as the reference to cut the other side parallel.

What about a board with a twist.
Or three boards with have some twist bow or let’s say one has a cup across it’s face. What’s the order of operations lay down the track cut some edges then clamp the crap out of them until all the gaps are gone?
Or don’t worry about the gaps because saw dust and glue will fill it.

-- Aj

I can say the edge is nice after using the Festool track saw.

Impressive cut.

-- Petey

What about a board with a twist.
Or three boards with have some twist bow or let’s say one has a cup across it’s face. What’s the order of operations lay down the track cut some edges then clamp the crap out of them until all the gaps are gone?
Or don’t worry about the gaps because saw dust and glue will fill it.

- Aj2

That’s why I consider it a rough cut. I’m usually straight line ripping a curved board before milling, so I don’t care.

I think what we’re talking about assumes a face jointed board .

I don’t totally know the answer, but I think it’s going to depend more on the quality of the cut b/c the track is pretty darn straight.

-- Everything is a prototype thats why its one of a kind!!

If you just bought a new table saw and get it dialed in and get a good blade, you can make glue line rips all day no problem. Not trying to talk you out of a track saw, they are nice. I would just prefer to use the TS for that type of thing.

- SMP

+1. I routinely edge glue boards using my TS and (at times) a hand plane.

-- Woodworking is like a vicious cycle. The more tools you buy the more you find to buy.

Trying to keep my answer simple for once and without crapping on about the physics, cosmetics and quality of the cut compared to TS and jointers… and speak solely from experience.

I have recently bought a Fe$tool cordless TSC 55 KEB

(with bluetooth batteries… sorry for bragging, but I just love it)... already had the Fe$tool tracks.

If done properly, text book style, the cut is glue-up quality…

If you do decide and happen to be able to go Fe$stool dusty on top, the bluetooth is one handy feature… nevertheless, the included bag is not too shabby and can collect possibly 85%+ sawdust.

-- If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

Funny that you know me so well, I just ordered the TS55 track saw this morning. I guess we are all similar here when it comes to new tools.

As far as hand tools go, I do plan to get into that very soon. I know that sharpening is a big part of using hand tools so a set of diamond stones is on my list of stuff to buy very soon before I buy a set of chisels and a plane or two. Thanks for your input!

Sounds like you have that “new tool glazed look” in your eyes and will probably end up buying the Festool Track saw-LOL!

As far as jointing boards for glue up-I d like to suggest you challenge yourself to learn to use a hand tool-in this case a bench or jointer plane. I just finished moving into a new shop, and sold my jointer before moving across the country, so I m currently without one. For most glue ups, I find a good sharp tablesaw blade and accurately adjusted fence usually do the trick. When they don t I just reach for my Record jointer plane, clamp the board in my bench vise, and a few passes with the plane will produce a glue-up ready edge.

I have lots of power tools like any other jock here, but have been fortunate in either taking classes, or teaching myself, hand tool skills. They have come in very handy on projects, and I relish the skill in being able to use them.
Another example of what I m talking about is building dovetail drawers. While I have a older Leigh D3 dovetail jig, the setup time is sometimes more than I want to spend on it. So, my practice has been that if I have 3 or fewer drawers to build, I just cut the dovetails by hand with a Japanese pull saw, and chisel out the waste with a good set of chisels. Doing this often saves me more time than I thought it would.

I m not a traditionalist, but feel that anyone who wants to call themselves a woodworker should have both hand and machine skills when it comes to their projects.

Hopefully you re not in a rush to finish the glue up, and take on the challenge of using a new tool-in this case with your hands.

Just my opinion.
Gerry

- NohoGerry

I already own a festool dust collector(shop vac) that I use with my festool sander. I absolutely love this setup. It will go to use the track saw as well. It has made the worst part of woodworking(sanding) much less of a hassle. Eventually I’d like to have a shop full of festool but I’t is pricey. Worth it though. Next will be the miter saw and then the domino cutter.

Trying to keep my answer simple for once and without crapping on about the physics, cosmetics and quality of the cut compared to TS and jointers… and speak solely from experience.

I have recently bought a Fe$tool cordless TSC 55 KEB

(with bluetooth batteries… sorry for bragging, but I just love it)... already had the Fe$tool tracks.

If done properly, text book style, the cut is glue-up quality…

If you do decide and happen to be able to go Fe$stool dusty on top, the bluetooth is one handy feature… nevertheless, the included bag is not too shabby and can collect possibly 85%+ sawdust.

- LittleBlackDuck

I frequently use a Fe$tool 75 for ripping hardwood slabs, and I don’t think I’ve ever achieved a truly glue-ready cut. The 16 tooth blade helps, particularly in dense/thick material, but I’ve never been totally satisfied with the cut quality for edge gluing; handplaning typically follows. That said, it makes quick work of making long, straight and square edges.