Non-Slip Rubberized Grip

Non-skid for firm grip with rubber-coated on main and auxiliary handles
Satisfy Professional's Needs

Plunge Cut Circular Saw

SP6000 165mm (6-1/2")

Electronic Control

Soft start Overload protector Constant speed Variable speed by dial
(for optimum cutting speed)
Mechanical Brake Designed for Easy Blade Replacement
Locking Lever to set the blade at the replacement position.

High Accurate Cutting

Sawdust Ejection Backwards for Comfortable Operation

Connectable to Vacuum

Wrench can be used through the hole of the blade case.

Hex wrench storage

Performance Comparison
Note: 1. The test results depend to a great extent on the hardness of the material, etc. 2. Numbers in the charts below are relative values when the capacities of Competitor "F" are indexed at 100.
Test material: Kitchen board (width: 600mm, thickness: 12mm) of composite material; plastic and wood Cutting depth: Max. capacity of each model Work Efficiency
Makita SP6000 Competitor "F"
Test material: Chip board (width: 600mm, thickness: 40mm) Cutting depth:
Max. capacity of each model
Test material: MDF (width: 600mm, thickness: 40mm) Cutting depth: Max. capacity of each model Work Efficiency

Work Efficiency

110 100

100 100

Makita SP6000 Competitor "F" Competitor "M" fast 0 slow 90 100

0 slow

Competitor "M" 120 fast
Competitor "M" 90 100

0 slow 90

Double insulation Variable speed control Electronic speed control Soft start Dust Collecting Carrying Case
Continuous rating Input Capacity Blade diameter No load speed Dimensions (L x W x H) Net weight Power supply cord
1,300W at 90 degrees: 56mm (2-3/16") at 45 degrees: 40mm (1-9/16") at 48 degrees: 38mm (1-1/2") 165mm (6-1/2") 2,000-5,200rpm 341 x 225 x 250mm (13-3/8" x 8-7/8" x 9-7/8") 4.1kg (9.1lbs) 2.5m (8.2ft)
Standard Equipment T.C.T saw blade, Hex wrench
Items of standard equipment and specifications may differ by country or area.

Makita Corporation

3-11-8 Sumiyoshi-cho, Anjo, Aichi, 446-8502 Japan
PRINTED IN JAPAN Z23270-2 2007-03
Depth Stopper for Splinter-free Cutting
Enables to easily cut a preliminary groove at a depth of 2mm (1/16") for splinter-free cuts.

Depth Stopper

Clean Cutting
Splinter-free cutting Connectable to Vacuum Cleaner
Plunge Cut Circular Saw 165mm (6-1/2")
Tip-Resistant Design Bevel Cut

Slide lever

SP6000

Close-to-Wall Cutting

Unclean Cutting

Splinter-free Cutting

Optional Accessory

Guide Rail

1,400mm or 3,000mm
Part No. 194368-5 Part No. 194367-7
Bevel Range :: -1 to 48 degrees

Clamp Set

Precision Bevel Cut
The position of cutting line is always the same regardless of bevel angle in cutting with Guide Rail attached. Positive Stopper
Positive stopper 22.5 22.5 Lever for positive stopper 45 -48 45-48 45-48

Part No. 194385-5

Only 18mm (11/16") away from wall at minimum

Carrying Case

Supplied with Model SP6000K. An option for Model SP6000. Part No. 824783-6

Guide Rule (Sub Base)

can be installed.
Supplied with Model SP6000. An option for Model SP6000K. Part No. 165447-6

Bevel Guide Set

Adjustable angle of Guide Rail Part No. 194433-0
Sliding the lever prevents this tool from falling down towards blade case.

T.C.T Saw Blade

-1 Lever for bevel angle -1
Guide Rule can be used as Sub Base by turning up side down.
Size 165 x 20mm 56T 165 x 20mm 48T 165 x 20mm 28T
Part No. B-07440 B-07353 B-07434
for alminum for wood for wood

plunge-

These saws are the best for breaking down sheet goods, if thats one of your shop chores. But youll need to dig into the features to make your purchase decision.

lead Photo by al parrish

cut saws
ince DeWalt and Makita entered the United States plunge-cut saw market with Festool, the three have received immense interest and discussion. How are the saws different? Are the results of a crosscut or rip cut any cleaner than those made at a table saw? What features are common or unique on plunge-cut saws? I scrutinized a DeWalt DWS520, a Festool TS55 and a Makita SP6000 to see which, if any, of the saws stand out. If youre looking for vast differences in the cuts produced by the various plunge-cut saws, Im afraid youre going to be disappointed. I used each saw to cut plywood and hardwood, both with and across the grain, and for slicing samples of melamine. There is a small amount of tear-out (mostly across the grain as you might expect), but nothing significant. In fact, I compared those cuts with cuts made in the same materials at a table saw and again, the differences are minimal.

b y g l e n d. h u e y

But heres what is attention grabbing: All three plunge-cut saws ride and operate on a Festool guide rail. However, Festools saw rides on a Makita track, but not on a DeWalt track. And a DeWalt saw doesnt work with a Makita track just as a Makita saw is not functional on a DeWalt track. Need a scorecard?

How Plunge-cut Saws Work

The Festool and Makita saws plunge operation is like moving your wrist in a hammering motion. The DeWalt saw moves a bit differently. It rocks forward to make a plunge cut with an action similar to moving something from one spot to another lift, move, then set back down. Switching between the two different motions causes one to think, but individually, their use is intuitive. What makes these saws operate as they do is the blade set with a toe-in design. This allows the saw to cut at the front of the blade with the back of the blade held away from the freshly cut edge. Minimal burn and little tearout on the money side of the cut is the result. This is also the major difference between the finished cuts from these saws and those of a circular saw when used in combination with a straightedge guide. There are other features common to these saws, such as track adjusters to dial in the exact fit for a smooth slide, a lockable arbor for quick blade changes as well as blade depth-of-cut adjustments. And each saw is set up for dust extraction via an external vacuum. (See page 53 for more comparisons.) A significant feature found on the DeWalt and Festool saws, but not on Makitas saw, is a riving knife. At first, you may question a riving knifes importance because the blade retracts into the saw if the tool is lifted from the track. But even with that action, there is still an opportunity for kickback and a riving knife defends against that action.
Not glue ready. The edges produced with plunge-cut saws are clean, but in the rake of the light, small saw marks can be seen.

A Smooth Ride

A quick look at the guide rail or track designs is of interest. The Festool and Makita guide rails look very similar in profile so much so, that they fasten together and align. The DeWalt track has a different profile. DeWalts track is symmetrical and center-justified, which means you can operate the saw in both directions. With the others, you have to flip the rails to cut in a second direction. That could be an issue depending on the task.
All aboard. Plunge-cut saws work best when slid along a guide rail or track. What saw works with which track is interesting.
Right on track. The commonality of these saws is a guide rail or track on which each slides as well as the clean, straight cuts produced. Where differences show is in the unique features found when given a closer look.

Properly set. A plunge-cut saw is set up with the blade slightly canted at the front. Here you can see the paper-thin gap needed to make a saw work its best.

popularwoodworking.com

A tale of two levers. Flip a lever to bypass the 45 stop and cut at the maximum-cut angle of 48 or push in the twin tabs to drop the saw to cut at a negative angle. These are two features that are unique to Makitas saw.
Stays on track. On the Makita, a small lever slides a catch into an undercut groove and does something that no other track saw can do stay hooked to the track when all the weight is tilted.

Features Makita SP6000

Makitas plunge-cut saw rivals DeWalt when talking power. At 9.1 pounds, the SP6000 is the lightest of the three saws. Its maximum depth of cut is 23 16" when set at 90 and 19 16" at 45. This saw is the only tool that has positive stops at both and at 45. The maximum angle setting (48) is the highest of all three saws. The SP6000 is also the only saw that allows a -1 cut. Another unique feature of the SP6000 is a slide lever that, when engaged, hooks into an undercut groove in a Makita guide rail to keep the saw from tumbling off the rail when set to cut an angle, but only on the Makita track.

Features Festool TS55

The TS55 has slightly less power than the other two saws and has maximum on-a-track cut of 115 16" at 90 and 17 16" at 45. The Festool saws depth-stop gauge is adjusted with a simple push, then move and release. However, the company continues to use metric measurements. The TS55 is the easiest of the saws for blade change lift the FastFix lever (shown in the bottom right photo), plunge the saw until you here a click and youre set. The arbor locks as you turn the blade to loosen the bolt. Other saws require the use of a second hand to lock the shaft. Also, the Festool saw is part of a woodworking system and there is an extensive number of accessories available for this tool.
Spring to action. A spring-loaded roller locks the DeWalt saw to a DeWalt track. This is a great feature if youre using this saw as a panel-cutting tool.

Features DeWalt DWS520

DeWalts plunge-cut saw has maximum depthof-cut potentials of 21 8" at 90 and 11 2" at 45 while on a track, and is the heaviest of the three plunge-cuts saws at 11.2 pounds. This saws imperial markings for depth and angle adjustment are easy to read and account for the thickness of the track. A unique feature found on the DeWalt saw is an anti-kickback catch. Release a knob and a small spring-loaded wheel, located in the center groove of the saws base, is thrust against the track preventing backward movement. But this feature only works on the DeWalt track. (On a Festool guide rail, the DeWalt saws center groove is not utilized.)

A Total Toss-up

If breaking down sheet goods is a primary function in your shop, a setup with one of these saws is helpful. We found that all three tools made excellent cuts, their features were similar and the prices were in the same ballpark. We think a lot of purchasing decisions will be made based on brand loyalty (all three brands have intense loyalists). However, no matter which brand you choose, we dont think youll be making a bad decision. pw
Glen is a senior editor of this magazine. Contact him at 531-513-2690 x11293 or glen.huey@fwmedia.com.
Quick-change artist. Festools saw is by far the easiest on which to swap out blades. Its a onehanded operation.
Popular Woodworking April 2009

Plunge-cut Saws

MAKITA #SP6000
The 12-amp motor on Makitas plunge-cut saw spins the 612"-diameter (165mm) blade between 2,000 and 5,200 revolutions per minute (rpm). This saw has a number of features I find useful. Being able to cut to a maximum 48 with a flip of a lever is nice, but to quickly find and set angled cuts at 2212 and 45 with built-in positive stops is great even if the 2212 and 48 settings are factory set and not adjustable. Additionally, this is the only saw that allows a -1 cut option. To reach that angle, you need to push in two stops at the saws base, then lower the body of the tool. Once youre finished, a simple lift of the saw above the 0 line resets those stops. On the downside, Makita chose not to include a riving knife on its plunge-cut saw, and the power cord is short at 8' this cord doesnt cover the standard length of sheet goods. An SP6000 will set you back around $384, and dont forget to pick up a guide rail. Two guide rails are available: 54" ($80) and 117" ($200). The cost of a replacement blade is $45.

MAKITA

Model #SP6000 makita.com 800-462-5482

DEWALT #DWS520

Spinning a 612", 48-tooth blade to a variable speed between 1,750 rpm and 4,000 rpm is no problem for the 12-amp motor. In fact, theres plenty of power to make the maximum cuts of 218" at 90 and 112" at 45 while on a track. The saw can reach up to a 47 bevel cut and weighs in at 11.2 pounds, easily the heaviest of the three saws. The DeWalt saws built-in kickback catch is a unique feature, but there are two issues to consider. First, the feature is only usable when working on DeWalts track. And second, while this catch works to thwart backward movement, it does nothing to keep the saw on the track. And once the saw is lifted from the track, the catch action is eliminated. But if youre looking to use this setup as a panel saw, the kickback catch is top shelf. DeWalts saw is priced at $499 including a 59" track. Three track lengths are available: 46" ($80), 59" ($100) and 102" ($230). Replacement blades are available at $60.

DEWALT

Model #DWS520 dewalt.com 800-433-9258

FESTOOL #TS55

Festool has had its plunge-cut saw available in the States longer than either of the other saws. The TS55 saw has a 10-amp motor that produces sufficient power for variable blade speeds between 2,000 and 5,200 rpm. The saw includes a 48-tooth, carbide-tipped blade with an alternate-top-bevel (ATB) design that is 614" in diameter or 160mm. This blade (as on the other saws) has a 20mm arbor hole. Street price for replacement blades is $58. At a weight of 9.92 pounds, I found this saw easy to maneuver along the guide rail and no trouble with day-long use. The Festool cord is 13' in length, which makes it easy to stretch along the length of most sheet goods. And because this cord detaches at the tool, youll be sure the power is off when making adjustments. After a recent price increase, a TS55 is priced at $500 including a 55" guide rail. Other Festool rails are available in eight different lengths, from 32" ($63) to 197" ($474).

FESTOOL

Model #TS55 festoolusa.com 888-337-8600