Track Saw vs. Table Saw

Which do you need: a table saw or a track saw?

That’s a common question for new woodworkers, and it’s a good one. Most of us have a limited tool budget, especially when we’re just getting started. The tools we buy need to last, handle as many jobs as possible, and give us the best return for the money.

The best way to compare these saws is by looking at two things: capability and versatility.

Capability is what the tool is designed to do well. Versatility is how many other jobs you can reasonably make it do beyond that main purpose.

Both saws can make straight cuts, but they work very differently. Each has advantages, limitations, and situations where it makes more sense than the other.

What a Table Saw Does Well

Table saws come in a wide range of sizes, from small benchtop models to heavy cabinet saws used in professional shops.

The saw I use is a large portable contractor-style model. It has a folding stand and built-in wheels, so it can be moved around or loaded into a truck. It sits near the upper end of what most home woodworkers would consider affordable and practical, and it’s the table saw I use every day.

Table saws have been around much longer than track saws, and generations of woodworkers have found ways to make them do far more than their basic design suggests. My dad had an old Craftsman table saw in the garage, and because it was the only stationary power tool he owned, he used it for nearly everything.

The main strength of a table saw is ripping lumber.

The rip fence controls the distance between the blade and the edge of the board, allowing you to cut material to a precise width. Once the fence is set, you can repeat that same cut over and over, which is extremely useful when making shelves, cabinet parts, face frames, or several matching pieces.

A table saw can also make crosscuts, but the results often depend on the quality of the miter gauge. The gauges included with many saws are fairly basic and may not hold an angle accurately.

That doesn’t mean accurate crosscuts are impossible. A digital angle finder can help you set the miter gauge more precisely, and jigs or sleds can improve the saw’s performance considerably. With the right setup, a table saw can make accurate square cuts, miters, and many other types of cuts.

That is one of the table saw’s biggest strengths: it starts as an excellent ripping tool, but with the right accessories and techniques, it can become much more versatile.

Expanding a Table Saw With Jigs and Sleds

Woodworkers are a creative group, and over the years we’ve found plenty of ways to expand what a table saw can do. Much of that added versatility comes from jigs and sleds.

A sled rides in the table saw’s miter slots and carries the workpiece past the blade. Crosscut sleds are probably the most common, but sleds can also be built for miters, spline cuts, joinery, and many other specialized jobs.

A jig is usually designed to guide or hold the workpiece for a particular cut. Some attach to or ride along the rip fence, while others blur the line between a jig and a sled. For example, I have one for cutting tapered round legs for mid-century modern furniture. It rides in the miter slot like a sled, but it is also built for one specific task like a jig.

The terminology is not as important as what these accessories allow you to do.

Most specialty jigs are not something you’ll find sitting on the shelf at a lumberyard, but they are generally easy to build. There are plans, videos, and examples available for nearly any table saw operation you can think of. Sometimes a picture is enough to understand how one works and build your own version.

That greatly increases the table saw’s versatility.

Cuts a Table Saw Can Make That a Track Saw Cannot

There are plenty of jobs that either saw can handle. Both can make straight cuts, and both can be used for tapered cuts with the right setup.

But there are also operations that are much easier on a table saw, or simply not practical on a track saw.

Tenons are a good example. Cutting tenons on a table saw is common, especially with a tenoning jig or another suitable setup. I have not seen a practical way to do the same job with a track saw. Perhaps someone could invent a jig for it, but the table saw is already well suited to the task.

Circles are another example. A table saw is not necessarily the first tool people think of for cutting circles, but it can do it with a simple sled.

The workpiece mounts on a pivot pin. You begin with a square blank, cut off the corners to form an octagon, then continue removing the new corners. Once the blank is close to round, you rotate it against the blade to smooth the remaining edges into a circle.

The jig is simple, and the process is fast. Someone may eventually develop a practical track saw setup for the same operation, but I have not seen one that would be as straightforward.

These are the kinds of jobs that give the table saw an advantage in overall capability. Its basic strength is ripping boards accurately and repeatedly, but jigs and sleds can turn it into a tool for joinery, shaped parts, angled cuts, and many other operations.

Capability, Price, and Shop Space

A good table saw can offer a lot of capability without requiring the cost of a professional cabinet saw.

When I bought the portable contractor saw I use, it listed for about $499 and commonly sold for around $379 to $389. The model is no longer made, but its replacement is similar and was introduced in roughly the same price range.

My track saw, by comparison, cost just under $1,000.

Track saws have become more common since then, and there are now models available in the $200 to $300 range. So price alone does not settle the question. Your budget, the quality of the particular saw, and the work you plan to do all matter.

Shop space matters too. You may want a large cabinet saw but not have the money or room for one. I understand both problems. I don’t have room for a full-size cabinet saw either, which is why a portable contractor-style saw makes sense in my shop.

Even within that more affordable and portable category, a table saw can handle a wide variety of work. When comparing capability alone, it can generally do more than a track saw, especially once you start adding jigs and sleds.

What a Track Saw Does Well

A track saw is essentially a plunge-cut circular saw that rides along a guide rail. The blade is enclosed by a shroud, which gives it excellent dust extraction, and the track makes it possible to produce very straight, precise cuts.

The track can also be extended by joining multiple sections together. With enough track, you can make cuts longer than 8 feet.

Where a track saw really excels is breaking down sheet goods.

Trying to move a full sheet of plywood across an average table saw can be awkward, especially when you’re working alone. Unless you have a large cabinet saw, sliding table, or plenty of infeed and outfeed support, controlling a 4x8 sheet can be difficult.

With a track saw, the plywood can stay supported on a worktable or a sheet of foam. You place the track on the cut line and move the saw instead of trying to move the entire sheet.

For most home woodworkers, it is a much easier and safer way to break down plywood accurately.

Clean, Accurate Cuts

The edge of the track shows you exactly where the blade will cut, which makes layout straightforward. Line the track up with your marks, secure it if necessary, and make the cut.

Track saws are also very good at reducing splintering. That can be a major advantage when working with hardwood plywood or finished panels, where a damaged veneer could ruin an expensive piece of material.

For cabinetry and other plywood-heavy projects, that combination of accuracy, clean cuts, and easy sheet handling is hard to beat.

Expanding the Track Saw’s Capability

Track saws were originally designed mainly for long, straight cuts, but manufacturers and woodworkers have continued finding ways to make them more versatile.

Crosscut attachments can turn the track into a large square. Instead of making several measurements, you can mark the length, place the attachment against the edge of the material, and make a square cut.

There are also protractor-style attachments for angled cuts.

My track saw came with a worktable that uses dog holes to position and support material. That setup allows me to make accurate crosscuts and miters. I have even used it to make compound miter cuts for outside corners on cove molding, and the cuts came out very accurately.

These accessories have made the modern track saw capable of much more than simply breaking down plywood.

Track Saw Limitations

Even with those improvements, a track saw cannot do everything a table saw can do.

It is not practical for operations like cutting tenons, making dowels, shaping tapered round legs, or cutting circles. Those are jobs where the table saw’s fixed blade and wide range of jigs give it a clear advantage.

Narrow boards can also be awkward to rip with a track saw because the rail needs enough support to stay level. If you want to rip a 1x4, for example, you may need to place another board beside it to support the opposite side of the track.

That works, but it is not as quick or convenient as setting a table saw fence and feeding the board through.

With the right table and supports, a track saw can even make very thin rip cuts. I have used mine to cut strips about 1/8 inch wide. But I would not want to try that with the basic saw and track alone because the small workpiece would be difficult to control safely.

Is a Track Saw Worth Having?

A track saw is absolutely worth having if your projects involve a lot of plywood, sheet goods, cabinetry, or large panels.

I don’t use mine every day because I don’t work with full sheets of plywood that often. But when I do, it is the tool I want.

That is the key to choosing between these saws. A track saw is exceptional at a few important jobs and is becoming more versatile as new accessories are developed. But whether it belongs at the top of your tool list depends on the materials you use and the kinds of projects you build.

Which Should You Buy?

If you’re choosing between a table saw and a track saw as your first major saw, I would recommend the table saw.

There is nothing wrong with a track saw. It is an excellent tool, and at some point you may want one in your shop. But for a new woodworker trying to get the most capability and versatility from one purchase, the table saw offers more.

A table saw can rip boards accurately, make repeatable cuts, handle crosscuts with the right setup, and take on a wide range of joinery and shaping tasks through jigs and sleds. A track saw is becoming more versatile, but it still cannot match everything a table saw can do.

So if I were starting over and could buy only one, I would buy the table saw first and put the track saw on the wish list for later.

There is one important exception.

If most of your planned projects involve large sheets of plywood, cabinets, storage boxes, toy boxes, or other large panel-based construction, a track saw may serve you better. It makes breaking down sheet goods easier, cleaner, and more manageable, especially in a small shop or when working alone.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on the work you plan to do. For general woodworking, the table saw is the stronger first purchase. For plywood-heavy projects, the track saw may be the better fit.