When many of us begin our do-it-yourself or woodworking endeavors as newbies, one of the first tools we often buy is an ordinary 7¼" circular saw. It’s far cheaper than a decent table saw and makes quick work of cutting lumber or sheet goods. That’s why an economical circular saw seems like a great value. And it is! But it doesn’t take many “freehand” cuts attempting to follow a layout line to realize that a circular saw takes some skill to wield accurately. And sometimes it makes rough, splintery cuts. The easiest way to improve the first problem is to either slide its base along a clamped straightedge or connect the tool to an auxiliary base that fits over a guide rail to keep cuts headed straight, without “steering” them along.
That “guided” convenience is the genius that prompted Festool to develop the first track saw many decades ago, with other tool labels following suit over the last 20 years or so. When I first tested track saws for in 2009, there were only three manufacturers selling them. Now you can also find track saw), Makita, RYOBI, Triton, WEN and, most recently, Milwaukee.
