I've been looking into track saws, but the commercial tracks are super pricey—almost as much as the saw itself! I've seen a lot of videos where people make their own tracks from plywood. Has anyone here tried this? Does it actually work well?
3 Answers
It really depends on how straight your rail is. As long as your guide piece is straight, you'll get good results with a track saw. I made my own once, and it worked great for my projects!
I’m a pro furniture maker, and I completely stopped using aluminum tracks. I built my own from a large panel to keep things straight, and it has worked out well for me. It's definitely a solid alternative if you're careful with it.
Using plywood tracks can really be fine if the plywood is dimensionally stable. However, some saws have special features that might not work as well with a wooden guide. Just keep in mind that while DIY tracks can save cash, they may not hold up long term like aluminum ones due to warping.