Festool has announced another new track saw, the TSV 60, a plunge-cutting saw with scoring function.
This news follows Festool USA’s social media livestream and influencer announcement event last week, where they showcased the new cordless table saw and TS 60 track saw. Festool still has not provided press details for either tool.
At this time there is no indication about if or when the Festool TSV 60 track saw might be available in the USA.
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Festool says that this is their “most versatile plunge-cut saw to date.”
They say:
You can now precisely cut even large panels without splinters with the new TSV, not just in the workshop but also anywhere on the construction site.
It has never been seen before in this form – mobile and simultaneously precise, splinter-free sawing to exact dimensions
The scoring function, which can be turned on or off as needed, helps to ensure “splinter-free results.”
The new Festool TSV 60 track saw also features a KickbackStop anti-kickback function that stops the blade when kickback motions are detected.
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The TSV 60 is compatible with all of Festool’s guide rails, as well as their FSK cross cutting guide rails.
Like the TS 60, the TSV 60 works with new 168mm circular saw blades to provide a 60mm depth of cut.
It will be available in Europe starting in May 2023.
Festool’s European announcement only mentioned an AC corded model; as with the TS 60, there is no indication whether there will be a cordless version.
We asked Festool USA to confirm whether the TSV 60 track saw will be launching here, but have not yet heard back.
Update: Festool USA has not provided press materials, product details, pricing, or ETA, but replied that yes, it will come to North America.
MKY
Stuart –
Festool still has not provided press details for either tool**s**
The scoring function, which can be turned on or off as need**ed**, helps…
Stuart
Thanks! First sounded right (but you’re correct), second one definitely not.
tim Rowledge
“has not provided press details for either tool” is correct – but so is
“has not provided press details for either of the tools”.
English is weird in places.
My head hurts.
My heads hurt.
Stuart
This new hammer. This new pliers. These new pliers? The new 6-inch pliers is launching. Are launching? You can find it (them?) at [store].
Deliberate word or grammatical choices are easy. I double check, make the choice, and remain consistent.
Editing and proofreading make it easy to catch typos and similar errors, but increase the chance I’ll swap words or phrases and create new errors that will not be easily caught in subsequent proofreading.
Adam
This Festool track saw TSV 60 comes out in the Uk in may, it’s around 30% more expensive then the regular TS60 it’s over £800 saw only , that’s expensive the regular TS60 is £580 saw only.
John
My Makita 36V track saw does a perfect job with expensive veneer sheets with its 2mm shallow cut setting for a first pass. Having a scoring blade would certainly save time and fewer passes, but this Festool is a very specialized tool and not needed by the majority of track saw saw users.
Steve L
I set my Festool track saw for a 2mm depth cut and “pull” it backwards to score the sheet’s face. Then I set the blade at the depth needed and cut the sheet normally by “pushing.” Works perfectly for me.
I agree with scoring, don’t see the need to pay extra for it
fred
I’ll have to give that a try next time. It just never occurred to me even though I sometimes used a reverse-tooth blade (designed for Plexiglas) in my Porter Cable 9314 (4-1/2 inch wormgear saw) for scoring with mixed results.
Bob
I genuinely thought the zero clearance insert/anti splinter guard that rides in both sides of the cut, which I think is exclusive to festool, was supposed to allow splinter free cuts? Perhaps it works pretty good but not perfect so if you’re using expensive veneers you need a scoring cut?
I have the Dewalt 60V track saw which only has the zero clearance on one side of the cut, which is the replaceable rubber strip side. I had thought about trying to adapt a festool splinter guard as I saw a lot of YouTube reviewers rave about it. But I found if I do an extremely shallow cut it works just like a scoring blade. I then repeat the cut at full depth. More time but works almost every time.
No doubt I can see applications in a professional setting where this scoring blade is definitely a timesaver. Repeat cuts on figured veneered ply comes to mind.
I’d imagine Mafell or one of the other high end European brands has a similar offering?
Chip
The Mafell scores ,but then shifts 2mm over to the full cut I believe.
M18 does have an off-cut splinter guard,not sure about the Bosch…and my Makita does not.
Except for melamine, and high end veneers…I don’t see a reason to use it.
This feels like a very European use tool.
Adam
I have the mafell mt55 track saw the blade doesn’t shift 2mm, it’s around 1/4 off a mm it’s hardly anything you can’t even see it, and this new Festool track saw with the scoring blade, I think it’s a bit over the top although it’s probably a good saw and amazing engineering.
WastedP
This seems very much like a tool aimed at melamine cabinet makers, more so than cutting veneer panels. There is a niche here that isn’t served by any other tool I can think of besides a full-on beam saw that would take up as much footprint as a few hundred Systainers, at a minimum of thirty times the price.
Most scoring blades are tapered, so as the blade is moved in or out of the work, the kerf increases or decreases. This is a way to dial in the scoring to match the cutting blade width.
William
I’m a professional cabinetmaker and my sliding table saw has a scoring blade. I have not had issues with tear out on my dewalt tracksaw, even cutting veneers and melamine. The zero clearance rubber strip does the trick. I’m not sure there’s enough difference between a scoring blade and zero clearance rubber to justify the cost. It certainly is neat they were able to put it in a circular saw though.
This will mean you might need a longer track than you are used to with track saws. Dewalts track could really be about 6″ longer, the saw is not fully supported by the track on 8′ sheets. With the scoring blade, most of the saw will be off the back edge of the workpiece when you start. This will bend the track down and help incite the track to move from the cut line. You’ll HAVE to use clamps with this saw.
fred
Maybe Festool will sell more of their $545 3000mm guide rails (overhangs an 8ft sheet by about 11 inches on each end) or even produce longer more costly ones. I have one of their 2700mm rails – bought when I found their rail connectors to be so finicky as to be almost worthless. I find their splinter guard to be pretty effective – but I usually do final cutting on my table saw where a scoring blade would have been a nice addition had it been available in the 1970’s when I bought my saw.
BTW – FWIW – I’ve since found the rail connectors from TSO to be much better and heard that the connector from Betterley is also good.
Adam
I have the mafell mt55, track saw which comes with two 1.6 meter tracks, which is 63 inches, instead of the 1.4 meter tracks which is just over 55 inches that come with the Festool.
WastedP
That cord coming out the front? Could it be that the scoring blade has it’s own motor, rather than being belt or gear driven?
fred
I think that recall reading that it was a separate counter-rotating motor for the scoring blade.
MM
That’s what it looks like to me, a separate motor for the scoring blade. I’m betting the majority of this saw is carried straight over from the TS 60; the TSV has a larger shoe and guard to accommodate the extra scoring motor. I don’t see any room where it would be practical to run belts or shafts from the main blade drive over to the scoring area. A separate motor would be a simple solution.