Track saw Festool TS 55

This (professional) track or plunge saw ever since has been my all-time favorite Tool when it comes to precision, accuracy and versatility on a awesome value for money.

When I started building furnitures I quickly realized that accuracy is very important to gain great results.

High accuracy depends on your skill level but also on the tools you are using. Buying tools which produce great results often are pretty expensive.

Of course I would have bought a table saw but I had not enough money for that. I found out that a track saw also can be very versatile and I found the Festool TS55. I got it for about 550€ in a set with the rail guide included. To sum it up: It is an amazing and awesome saw! I have never seen such great cutting results. You get a perfect cut like it was put through a planer without any visible tolerances. I have build nearly all my furnitures visible at my furnitures section with this saw. You can also watch me using this saw in my videos.

I have also build a jig (see here for detailed project page) for cutting small stripes out of narrow boards which can not take the whole width of the rail guide leading to inappropriate fixture

Compared to a table saw you have the downsides at reproducibility and a slower work progress since the adjustment takes a bit more time than at a table saw.

If you want to start building high quality furnitures but can not afford a table saw, this saw might be the one for you. Even if you plan to buy a table saw in the future this saw will be the perfect partner for your later table saw.

Other big advantages against a table saw are:

Space consumption

If your working space is limited you might have not the space for putting a long board over your table saw. You need more than twice the length of your board in your room if you are using a table saw. Second, you almost need no storage room for your track saw - a table saw consumes a lot of space.

Mobility

Carrying around a table saw might be not the best option. The TS55 comes with a container which can be easily carried around with you.

Huge lumber size

If the lumber is too huge to handle it with your table saw

trimming raw lumber if your table saw provides no special sled for trimming raw lumber you won’t get over a track saw.

In summary, the Festool TS55 is a professional track saw producing professional results but its reasonable price makes it affordable for people wanting to gain great results without spending too much money.

The specs are:

Cutting depth: 55mm (less with rail guide, there is also a 75 saw option)

Power consuption: 1200 W

Weight: 5.5 kg

You might have a look at the amazon affiliate links below for more details.

I am planning to do a video review for this saw in the near future.