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trax panel saw or keen cut
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Thanks everyone
Thanks for all the comments and suggestion, still like the idea of it being mounted on the wall, but by the responses I see that it is not a popular choice, will research the prices on all and go from there.
Thanks for all the comments and suggestion, still like the idea of it being mounted on the wall, but by the responses I see that it is not a popular choice, will research the prices on all and go from there.
artbot
New Member
you can "build" your own... but the idea behind both these saws is that the blade spins upward/backward. thus pinching the material between the guide and the blade. there is no fray or splintering at all. also the zero measurement is a real time saver. you can mark your cut with a tiny fine point sharpie or highly sharpened pencil and cut to with in 1/128. there is no offset.
i have the ts75. i got it because i wanted to reverse bevel cut very deep pieces after mounting (kind of a faux compound cut). the dewalt and smaller ts55 are much smaller. the ts75 is a beast. very powerful (can cut four or five 3/4 sheet of plywood at once). but it weighs too much for extended cutting at a lower depth on lighter material. i've considered picking up a ts55 on ebay for $300 which i'd use for probably 90% of my cutting.
the dewalt has the "both directions" guide. that is a real plus. doesn't seem like much. but when you get in a "just how fast can i knock down all the material" mode. you can get frustrated when you're all set up. and then you realize that you are on the "wrong side" of your table. with the dewalt, there is no such thing as "wrong side". if i was handing an employee a track saw and i wanted maximum speed. the dewalt would probably win from shear less "thinking" and more cutting per hour.
all in all, in the past needing to cut down large heavy sheets, or... very lightweight sheets, or acrylic, or the long 10' side of aluminum (my shear is only 52"), or very valuable material, there was always a bit of anxiety... "i really gotta make this cut good or i will be screwed". now cutting the most valuable material, it's not uncommon to look away while cutting and give orders to a guy, pointing out which sheet is next, or to grab the measuring tape, because you just can't mess up a cut with this. the saw digs in and "grabs" the material, cut laser straight, perfectly square. ...hate to say this. it's sounds sexist... i even let my girlfriend use it to cut material. it's the only saw that she's get near. that is how easy it is so use.
i can't imagine a panel saw having an advantage over a track saw except for in a construction environment. you could set up stops and maybe knock down osb all day long. but for fabrication where perfection is necessary, the track saw is the "surgeons saw".
in the attached picture, this piece is a $5000 piece, blind cut after mounting the image (etched and printed aluminum, mounted to 4" deep pine beams). so yes, the entire image plus base was cut in one pass at an angle. you would be crazy to risk a part like this by putting it in a saw. but i plopped the guide down on the whole thing and chopped off the chamfered edges. no scratches, and the edges of the wood looked like i'd sanded them with 200 grit. perfect smooth toothless cut.
i have the ts75. i got it because i wanted to reverse bevel cut very deep pieces after mounting (kind of a faux compound cut). the dewalt and smaller ts55 are much smaller. the ts75 is a beast. very powerful (can cut four or five 3/4 sheet of plywood at once). but it weighs too much for extended cutting at a lower depth on lighter material. i've considered picking up a ts55 on ebay for $300 which i'd use for probably 90% of my cutting.
the dewalt has the "both directions" guide. that is a real plus. doesn't seem like much. but when you get in a "just how fast can i knock down all the material" mode. you can get frustrated when you're all set up. and then you realize that you are on the "wrong side" of your table. with the dewalt, there is no such thing as "wrong side". if i was handing an employee a track saw and i wanted maximum speed. the dewalt would probably win from shear less "thinking" and more cutting per hour.
all in all, in the past needing to cut down large heavy sheets, or... very lightweight sheets, or acrylic, or the long 10' side of aluminum (my shear is only 52"), or very valuable material, there was always a bit of anxiety... "i really gotta make this cut good or i will be screwed". now cutting the most valuable material, it's not uncommon to look away while cutting and give orders to a guy, pointing out which sheet is next, or to grab the measuring tape, because you just can't mess up a cut with this. the saw digs in and "grabs" the material, cut laser straight, perfectly square. ...hate to say this. it's sounds sexist... i even let my girlfriend use it to cut material. it's the only saw that she's get near. that is how easy it is so use.
i can't imagine a panel saw having an advantage over a track saw except for in a construction environment. you could set up stops and maybe knock down osb all day long. but for fabrication where perfection is necessary, the track saw is the "surgeons saw".
in the attached picture, this piece is a $5000 piece, blind cut after mounting the image (etched and printed aluminum, mounted to 4" deep pine beams). so yes, the entire image plus base was cut in one pass at an angle. you would be crazy to risk a part like this by putting it in a saw. but i plopped the guide down on the whole thing and chopped off the chamfered edges. no scratches, and the edges of the wood looked like i'd sanded them with 200 grit. perfect smooth toothless cut.
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OhioSignShop
New Member
SawTrax etc is good only for rough work. We use a KeenCut system if we need only a few and fast, otherwise a vendor like Laird Plastics has $100,000+ cutting tools and we order from them, cut to size. For fine work I still use my trusty Xacto Board Cutter ($12 Staples or Blick Art Supply) and a steel ruler. I have 3 or 4 of the Xacto's and they get worn out. Best hand cutting tool in the shop. Buy extra blades.
MarioDesign
New Member
We have the 100" Javelin Cutter bar made by keenCut mounted to one of our tables and its been awesome. It cuts through the majority of our substrates and it is also great for trimming down prints.
I use the Dewalt cordless tracksaw and absolutely love it!!! I cut cardboard falconboard the other day and it even came out nice. Cordless, fast, smooth, versatile... ... and saved me from a 20' panel saw. Cheap too as they are doing away with the 28v series. If mine broke the day after I bought it I would have another one ordered within the hour.
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