Grizzly Gets Into The Tracksaw Game!

Article - January 15, 2013

**Update**
Check out our Grizzly Track Saw Review!

If you’re like most hobbyist woodworkers, you’ve been lusting after one of those fancy tracksaws for a while now. It all started with Festool and their TS55. They brought us the accuracy of a panel saw with the versatility of a compact plunging circular saw. For many small shop pros, this development was huge. But it came at a fairly steep price tag: currently $550 for saw and guide. A couple of years ago, both DeWalt and Makita stepped in with their offerings. I even had an opportunity to do a little side by side testing of the DeWalt saw that you might want to check out. Both saws made an initial splash simply because they represented the first “real” competition for Festool’s flagship product.

A couple years later, the reception to these tools feels lukewarm at best, judging from general forum/blog chatter or the lack thereof. While cheaper than Festool’s offerings at about $430 – $500, I don’t think the price difference is enough to motivate most fence-sitters. And general consensus seems to be that if you’re going to spend almost $500, why not spend a few bucks more for the version made by the company that lives and breathes this system?

Enter Grizzly

So why should we give a crap that Grizzly is getting into the track saw game? Because it’s going to cost $230! If you happen to be a firm fence sitter, consider this the schmear of vaseline that’s going to help you decide one way or the other.

Unfortunately, the product isn’t out yet and I can’t provide any sort of in-depth analysis or comparison. But I do have a unit on order and will report back as soon as possible. So at this stage, all we can do is speculate and raise interesting questions. I had a few questions of my own and decided to contact Grizzly directly for the answers. I’ll summarize their replies below.

Availability

They are taking orders now, but the product won’t ship until mid to late March 2013.

Festool Comparisons

There will no doubt be many comparisons to the Festool line. The saw looks to feature the same plunging motion and the track looks almost identical. Are any of the accessories and components (clamps, tracks, etc) going to be compatible with Festool’s saw? And conversely, will Festool’s saw work on Grizzly tracks?

Their reply stated that they did not take any measures to ensure compatibility with other brands and they can’t say for sure whether or not they will work together in any fashion.

Low Cost = Low Quality?

Grizzly’s track saw will hit the market at about 60% less than the cost of a Festool saw. How was this done? Are companies like Festool, DeWalt, and Makita simply over-pricing their products or are there areas where money can be saved without sacrificing quality? A lower-powered saw perhaps? Thinner gauge metal used in the track? In my circle of woodworkers, Grizzly has a reputation for being a great bang for the buck in stationary power tools. Obviously this is a very different beast, but this price difference is even more significant than usual. People are left to wonder if the quality is up to par.

Grizzly says that there are some differences between their saw and the competition, but one of the primary pricing factors is cutting out the middle-men. However, they feel that comparing their saw to Festool is a little like comparing a Toyota to a Lexus. They both will get you to the store and back but there are key differences. They are not aiming their tool at taking away business from these other manufacturers. Instead they are hoping to provide an option for those who would not or could not afford a track saw in the past. This allows just about everyone to have a track saw in their tool arsenal.

Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these bad boys. Many of you know of my affinity for the green Koolaid, but you should also know by now that I am honest and fair. So it should be interesting to see how this tool holds up to a little scrutiny. I have no doubt in my mind that it will be lacking in some key areas. The Toyota/Lexus analogy makes that perfectly clear. The real question we’ll have to answer is whether the quality changes will be worth the cost savings and whether this saw will indeed fill that niche. If it can make clean, tearout-free cuts in just about any sheetgood, then it just might be a winner.

Discussion

Matt January 15, 2013 12:49 pm

Can’t wait to see the comparison when you get one in your hands. I’ve been a fan of Grizzly’s machinery (table saw, joiner etc.) for a number of years but have always gone name brand on smaller pieces due to perceived quality. I always have had a bit of a stigma with their hand held pieces as being a bit harbor freightish…it’ll get the job done but at what expense in quality/performance.

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- Jerome Hanby January 19, 2013 8:41 pm
  
  One tool that almost never gets mentioned in these conversations is the PSI Portable Panel Saw. I got mine for about $100 on Amazon. It works with your existing circular saw. It come with two rails which can connect together to give you enough cutting length to slice a full sheet of 4×8 plywood (or slightly larger sheet of MDF) in half diagonally (if you can think of any reason you would actually want to do that). To get the nice “zero clearance” cut line, you need to add some hardboard to the rails, maybe not as nice as Festool, but it’s definitely cheaper to replace. Unless the circular saw you attach plunges, Festool wins on that front too. The biggest (IMHO) advantage for Festool is that, usually, you don’t need to clamp their rails. The PSI PPS has to be clamped every time. I bought the PSI product when I had a major project that used a ton of sheet goods. Several years later I bought the Festool and to be honest, that’s my “go to” solution. I still have (and still use occasionally) the PSI PPS. In fact I use it enough that my Hitachi Circular saw stays mated to the carriage (I picked up a cheap circular saw off Craigslist for the times I need a stand alone unit). It’s pretty common for me to use the PSI for cuts too long for a single Festool 55″ rail just to avoid having to couple and uncouple rails for the longer cut. That PSI PPS is probably the best $100 I’ve spent on a woodworking tool. Add a $35 set of banquet table legs and a few 2x4s to build a portable cutting table and you have a very accurate, very usable system for breaking down sheet goods.
  
  Of course if you have the cash to spare, an all Festool solution with the saw, a couple of MFTs, accessories, and a dust collector would be really sweet .
  
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TheOneHandedHandyMan January 15, 2013 1:08 pm

Someone brought this to my attention a little while back. I see this being a bigger hit with on-site contractors vs. woodworkers, but at that price anyone who cuts up sheet goods with any kind of regularity will at least consider it. I can it making an appearance in my shop before long.

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Jeremiah January 15, 2013 1:15 pm

It’ll be interesting to see how they do with this. My jointer, band saw and DC are all Grizzly and I have been quite happy with them. I did bite when DeWalt and Makita came out with their versions. I have the Makita myself and have been quite happy with it. I’ve considered the TS75 for thicker stuff, but haven’t really had the need yet. I find a track saw to be indispensable in my small shop with no helpers, especially for sheet goods and wide cross cuts on panels.

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Charles Hicks January 15, 2013 1:43 pm

Looking forward to the side by side :) This made me think of the simple guide you made for the one and two sheet book case build. I wanted to send the video to a friend but given that it’s a guild build I didn’t want to send the guild video. So I was looking through the videos on the free site to see if you did a whisper mini or a video on it. I didn’t see one. I know that you are focusing more on the guild now, as well as having a full plate, but I think this would be a great video for the free site. Just a thought!

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Jarrid January 15, 2013 1:47 pm

YOWZA! That’s a SIGNIFICANT price difference!

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Mzeiler January 15, 2013 2:14 pm

That looks a lot like the Chinacrap we got here in Germany on the market for a few months now.

The Price here is about 150,00€ (~180 to 200$) it comes with a track.

This saw is no TS55 its not that accurat, safe and less comforting. It has no electric Brake and safety. But its damn cheap! so if you buying a new circular saw for your hobby its a good choice. its no saw for a constructor i think!

heres a good test of the saw (in german)

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Dustin Whitcomb January 15, 2013 2:32 pm

Looking forward to your review. Always wanted one but could never justify the cost. Long time fan of Grizzly’s floor tools. Could be an opportunity for them to step up their handheld products. Maybe the time between when we first saw Festool’s track saw and now, they spent some time in R&D to ensure a decent product. Fingers crossed.

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Piotrek January 15, 2013 3:05 pm

How about this? Just saw this in wood magazine Shop Fox track saw but I was unable to find any more info on it. It looks eerily similar.

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- Stephen January 15, 2013 5:23 pm
  
  ShopFox is the same as Grizzly, ShopFox is just the name brand that Grizzly uses when it sells it’s stuff through other people. Otherwise it’s identical outside of some very minor things (color, decals, etc…)
  
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Don C. January 15, 2013 3:07 pm

I am definitely looking forward to your review. Right now I am using a poor-man’s track saw (circ saw and MDF ‘track’), but would really like to have something more accurate to break down sheet goods.

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Neal January 15, 2013 4:30 pm

PSA: The price is now showing as $179.95 on Grizzly’s site which is linked in the article.

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- thewoodwhisperer January 15, 2013 4:43 pm
  
  That is without the guide. I’m comparing apples to apples by making sure we price out the saw and the guide together.
  
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jim j January 15, 2013 5:02 pm

I also have a Griz band saw (love it), dust collector (love it), and jointer (pretty good – bought used).

I have only one disappoint with Griz stuff and that is a workbench vise I bought new-in-the-box from an individual who never installed it. It had no instructions and I called Griz customer service and they said there were no instructions available. Unfortunately, I installed it but it is a little off and the right side tightens faster than the left side so I’m always fiddling with it to get it where one end of a board I’m trying to cut or plane doesn’t start drooping. Arghhh!!

I have drooled over the Festool Track Saw often but I could never justify the ridiculous price since I wouldn’t use it but a few times a year. At just over $200 I wouldn’t blink.

I hope Griz has a winner.

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Eric January 15, 2013 5:02 pm

If you already have a circular saw, you can add a base and track from Eurekazone called the EZ Track. I have used this with a Crafstman saw for several years and it is a solid product with lots of add-ons if you want. The price has gone up since I first purchased it, but still a good product.

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Jeff January 15, 2013 5:51 pm

One of the best ways to cut costs is to simply not spend any money on R&D.
Grizzly simply needs to buy the field tested and proven systems. Read the reviews and copy what works, tweak what doesn’t, and find some one in China to make it. There you go 60% off.

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Kyle Heon January 15, 2013 6:07 pm

Will you be lucky and get and model early to review? I’d love to see your review before preordering.

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- thewoodwhisperer January 15, 2013 7:00 pm
  
  At best I think I might just be pushed to the front of the line on regular orders.
  
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Thomas G. Kaiser January 15, 2013 6:55 pm

Good read, but I don’t use track saws

Thomas

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Mike January 15, 2013 7:03 pm

I get a tolerably good cut with a conventional circular saw, a good blade and a purpose-made guide. What’s missing is dust collection. Adding dust collection to a circular saw starts getting into the mediocre range pretty quickly so it motivates me to look at track saws. That pretty green Festool is beckoning, but if the Grizzly provides reasonable quality and good dust collection for 40% of the cost…. I might like a different shade of green.

Looking forward to your review!

Mike

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Dave January 15, 2013 7:12 pm

I hope your review finds the Festool is the better way tool… I just bought mine…. :)

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Sean Rubino January 15, 2013 8:03 pm

I’ll be building a built-in bookcase on an entire wall around a window soon so I may take advantage of the price with the track (maybe add the coupling and an extra track).

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Don January 15, 2013 8:48 pm

Can’t wait to see the review. I want a track saw and the grizzly would take less explaining to my wife than the grizzly.

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Frank January 15, 2013 9:39 pm

If it’s halfway decent I think I might buy one. Festool stuff looks cool and seems to be just downright awesome, but maybe if the quality is good I can do without all the bells and whistles since the price is so nice.

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Nathan Brooks January 16, 2013 3:31 am

I have a Scheppach brand track saw I bought at christmas and it looks just like the Grizzly. I find it to be a great track saw for what i need it for. My first test cut was through double sided melamine at it was great! i would say a 90% clean cut. For what i need it for, which is to build my kitchen its going to be fantastic!

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Van Cleynenbreugel Marc January 16, 2013 5:24 am

In Europe there is a similar machine. It is perhaps the same.

Look here:
https://www.google.be/search?q.....38;bih=511

about 140€

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Claude Stewart January 16, 2013 7:19 am

Can’t wait for your comparison Marc.

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Chris F January 16, 2013 10:12 am

Just read, the German review using Google translate (& a little imagination, its easier if you have any time speaking English with a German speaker to understand the rough translations). I’m waiting for the only English-speaking review of this track saw that matters before I plunk down the $ though.

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Stan P January 16, 2013 6:40 pm

A track saw could certainly make breaking down panes a lot easier. Will really be interested in seeing your review. The ~$200 price point is a lot more affordable than a $500 point.

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jim_ny January 17, 2013 5:23 pm

I would like to know if they could hoop up to the dust port on the festool or if Grizzly has a comparable portable dust collector

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Dan Roper January 18, 2013 12:56 pm

Thanks for the heads-up, Marc. I look forward to your comparison because I know it will be as factual and to the point as all your information. By the way, congratulations on completing and delivering the bed….I know that look on the faces you referred to and there are few better things to feel inside.

Dan

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Dale January 18, 2013 4:45 pm

I went and checked at the Bellingham showroom, availability late March is the word. I’ll be getting one at that price for sure!

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Mark January 18, 2013 8:15 pm

“Are any of the accessories and components (clamps, tracks, etc) going to be compatible with Festool’s saw? And conversely, will Festool’s saw work on Grizzly tracks?

Their reply stated that they did not take any measures to ensure compatibility with other brands and they can’t say for sure whether or not they will work together in any fashion.”

That is pure BS. They reverse engineered either the DeWalt (which they sell) or the Festool. or both. Just like they did with their jigsaw and SDS drill which are very like older Bosch models, and the ShopFox moulder which is a Williams and Hussey copy. I have the jigsaw and drill which have worked great under heavy use. I had their moulder but returned it because I couldn’t get a single piece to feed though it correctly, and bought the Hussey instead. But I will look at their new saw when it hits the showroom to see if it fits my needs.

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Dave Stanton January 18, 2013 8:23 pm

You guys always get left till last. This Chinese knock off of the festool track saw has been available for a couple of months in Australia. It is sold as a Sheppach here. Grizzly will just be rebranding the same item and claiming it as theirs. Here is a link.http://www.machines4u.com.au/v.....0V-/62003/
It will be interesting to see your review Marc. I think that the motor may not be very reliable, been my experience with Chinese machines so far.

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Van Cleynenbreugel Marc January 19, 2013 3:20 am

There are several brands that are very similar to each other:
Woodstar 55
Matrix ps 1200/ 55
Sheppach cs 55

Look how the promotion movies even look alike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_6fPm0i_0Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs_SIffqLnQ

Here a comparative test: good photos (text in german, sorry)
http://michael-hild.blogspot.d.....ar-55.html
A comparative movie in your language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbPLc0lGdFw

I use the matrix, noisy engine that is true, but very smooth operation, can now not make a movie because Belgium is covered with snow, it’s too cold in the workshop.

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- Cotie February 7, 2013 1:24 pm
  
  The Grizzly is identical to those (Sheppach, Woodstar, etc.) pretty sure it is a rebadged version with 120 v.
  
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Mo January 20, 2013 3:53 pm

I love my Makita SP6000K track Saw. My main deciding point on the Makita was that I got the Saw on a black Friday sale with both track for the same Price as the Small festool. I have not changed the blade and have enjoyed perfect cuts from day one.

http://makita.com/en-us/Module.....me=SP6000K

This is my second Makita product. I love my 12 inch mitre saw also. Once a gain the price between the Festool was a deciding point.

http://makita.com/en-us/Module.....me=LS1216L

I hope the grizzly is a good saw and can put some competition into the market. Hopefully one day soon someone will come out with a competitor for the Festool DominoXL…

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chuck zimmer January 20, 2013 7:02 pm

Thank god someone stepped up to hopefully put an end to all the extremely over priced festool crap. The problem is these days people think over priced tools will make them a better wood worker when all it does is drain your bank account and give you the false hope of doing better work. Let me break it down for you folks, don’t get me wrong. There are some really cool tools that make your jobs easier. But you folk who spend 600.00 for a vacuum and 550.00 and a circular saw with a track and 1400.00 on a chop saw either are very rich, or you need to head back to 7th grade home economics and relearn the value of a dollar. Trust me if you willing to lay down that kind of coin, I think it may be better money spent on wood working classes. Everyone has to have the latest and greatest no matter what the cost, and when someone endorses it, oh boy that’s when the real Vaseline comes out. I have held a Festool track saw; it feels like cheep china plastic crap, which probably costs around 25.00 to manufacture. If you want to see real woodworking, go watch the NEW YANKEE WORKSHOP. Or even David Marks. Neither one of them have that over priced crap in there shop Thank you Grizzly for finally cutting through all the BS.

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- Dave Stanton January 21, 2013 3:50 am
  
  Chuck, I am glad that you enjoy the shows you recommend. I can see that you are passionate about what you believe to be fact. I find myself questioning why you are so against Festool to the degree that you obviously find it offensive. Surely it is an individual’s choice as to which tools, brands etc they buy.
  I understand that there are people who prefer minimalist lifestyles and I can equally understand people wanting to lavish upon themselves sometimes. Is either outlook wrong?
  Festool overpriced. I wonder what Marc thinks about all his Festool gear. It seems to keep running well.
  
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- thewoodwhisperer January 21, 2013 7:25 am
  
  Sure, for some, Festool IS overpriced. For others, the increased productivity, accuracy, and safety, are well worth the investment. You are certainly entitled to your opinion Chuck, but I see one major flaw in it. The extent of your ACTUAL Festool experience is “picking one up”. Frankly, that doesn’t put you in too much of a position to critique the actual functional aspects of the tools.
  
  Also, I should point out that David Marks DID use Festool once he became aware of the brand and still has them in his shop. David also used a very expensive multi-router and had a 16″ jointer. Norm certainly had his share of big tools including that massive Time-Saver drum sander.
  
  So if you are going to knock me for endorsing a brand by using those shows as examples, you might want to do a little more research. I guess we all have a different idea of what “real woodworking” is but the price of the tools the person uses usually doesn’t factor in for me. I just look at their body of work. Call me crazy.
  
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- Lee Gibson February 11, 2013 10:45 am
  
  Golly, Chuck, and here I thought I bought some Festool gear because I appreciate good engineering and design, and I’m willing to pay for it.
  
  Thanks for setting me straight, I guess…
  
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BRUCE STALTER January 21, 2013 5:25 am

THE ONLY GRIZZLY TOOL I BOUGHT IS THEIR 12 INCH JOINTER WHICH WAS ALMOST HALF THE COST OF A POWERMATIC. IT HAD THE SPRIAL HEAD WHICH IS A GREAT FEATURE.. I HAD TO SHIM UP THE FENCE BECAUSE IT HIT THE OUTFEED TABLE WHEN IT WAS ADJUSTED TO THE CUTTER HEAD. I OWN A FESTOOL TRACK SAW WITH 3 GUIDES AND MITRE ATTACHMENT. LOVE IT! THE OLD SAYING YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR IS USUALLY TRUE. I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO MARC’S REVIEW .

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Marty Hugo January 22, 2013 3:31 pm

Have you ever looked at the Tru-Trac system? It utilizes your own circular saw through the use of an adapter plate. Seems pretty good, cool accessories too.

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Mark D January 26, 2013 6:58 am

A personal confession relating to the Festool thing:

I don’t dislike the brand. I have used many of their tools and have found them to perform very well. I do, however, dislike many of the people who own the brand. And this, I’m afraid, somewhat taints my attitude toward the brand, itself. Shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

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Dan H January 28, 2013 5:43 pm

Marc.
I am a big user of the track saw concept. My system of choice is the eureka zone line. Great design, great build quality, real innovation, and a focus on user safety. How have you never reviewed their products? I can’t say how much of a difference it has made for me, and I’m sure would be hugely beneficial to your readers. I had assumed that it was your festool allegiance, and I know the companies don’t get along since festool has a nasty habit of ripping off eureka zone designs. Anyway, no track saw conversation should exclude eureka zone. My $.02.

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- thewoodwhisperer January 28, 2013 7:53 pm
  
  Hey Dan. First thing you should know about me is that I am by no means a “product reviewer,” so you’ll find many gaps in my reviews section. I don’t have the resources or expertise to do true reviews between comparable products. At the most, I will compare tools that come across my path in a very, “here’s my initial impressions” sort of way. And since I don’t really have a budget for buying tools to review, I tend to review products that are sent to me by the companies in question. In the past, DeWalt sent me a tracksaw for review so I compared it to the Festool here: http://www.thewoodwhisperer.co.....aw-review/ And while I certainly do have a friendly relationship with Festool, I am free to speak my mind about other brands and competitors if I choose to. So the reason I haven’t reviewed Eurekazone is because I haven’t been motivated enough to spend the money on a setup. This Grizzly product intrigues me due to its price point so I am dropping the cash on this one. I have no doubt the Eurekazone system is great and I have heard great things about it. So if you want to send me yours for testing, I’ll take a look at it as soon as time permits. :)
  
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Jeffrey March 3, 2013 11:01 am

Hey I see you like the festool.. and have reviewed the DeWalt. and plan on doing the Griz. But there is little mention on here as to the makita saw. Is there a reason that you havent reviewed their saw? Or have you gotten the chance to use the saw?

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- Marc Spagnuolo March 3, 2013 11:08 am
  
  I reviewed the DeWalt because it was sent to me by the company. I don’t have the budget to buy all the variations of tools that hit the market. The Grizz is cheap enough that I don’t mind spending the money, and it represents enough of a price departure that makes it worth reviewing. The DeWalt and Makita are probably quite comparable from everything I’ve seen, with comparable price points.
  
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Mark March 14, 2013 7:45 pm

Have you received your saw yet and what are your thoughts? I’m trying to decide if I should pull the trigger on this Grizzly unit or save up for a Festool.

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- Marc Spagnuolo March 14, 2013 8:06 pm
  
  Still waiting.
  
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Ryan March 18, 2013 6:19 pm

I can’t wait for the review. I would like to say I will not base my decision solely on your review but I would be lying. I will not be able to actually feel the saw until I purchase and receive it so I feel this will be the best place for a straight up review.
Not to keep beating a dead horse, from posts a few months ago but I just bought my first Festool, 1400 router and actually found it price competitive with comparable Bosch routers when your purchase all the attachments, dust hood and edge guide. Some of Bosch’s new sanders are more expensive then Festool comparative sanders. Just my two cents
Ryan

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Manuel C March 19, 2013 7:05 pm

Any updated on this yet? I see the saw can now be purchased on Grizzly’s website. I was about to go out and buy a regular circular saw but say this and thought I should wait an see what the review looks like.

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- Marc Spagnuolo March 19, 2013 8:24 pm
  
  Nope. Don’t have the saw yet.
  
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Matt S March 21, 2013 7:46 pm

I just received my Grizzly Track Saw today and was so excited that I flew in to the shop to check it out. After opening it up and looking it over I was not happy with the quality. The saw it self seems solid, but where it fails is with all it’s adjustment knobs. The depth stop feels cheap and doesn’t slide as well as I would like. It is also hard to move the depth stop to the correct position but when set, it did stay in place and it was solid. My biggest issue is how the saw fits into the track. There is a lot of play in the track and the adjustment knobs to tighten it are poor. Even after setting the rail adjustment in its best position, the saw still wiggled and didn’t slid smooth. It would be nice if the rail adjustment was a precise bearing that could pull the saw tight to the rail, instead it is a cheap plastic washer. I didn’t make any cuts because I wanted to see if the stabilizer in the accessory pack would make the saw slide better in the track. The track seem to be okay with a little flex.
I guess I will make my final judgment when I get the accessory pack and make my first cut. As for now, I’m not sold on the Grizzly Track Saw. I would like to hear what others think of the saw, maybe I am expecting too much. I never purchased a Grizzly product before but heard good things about them.

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- Marc Spagnuolo March 21, 2013 8:08 pm
  
  I haven’t put it through its paces yet but I did unbox it. The first thing (and only thing, really) I noticed so far is how difficult it is to plunge. The Festool can be plunged easily with one hand all day long. The spring on the Grizzly is incredibly strong and really resists being compressed. I don’t expect this saw to compete at the same level as something like the Festool tracksaw, but we’ll see how close it gets.
  
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Stan N March 23, 2013 2:21 pm

I just received the Grizzly saw and two 55″ rails. Working on calibrating the saw to run a perfect 90 degree cut right now. Quality is about as expected for what I paid for it, controls are a bit finicky and cheap feeling, but they work. On the bright side, the blade is really sharp and toothy and cut 1.75″ boards with no tearout.

The saw seems to rock left and right a few degrees on the track. I am waiting on the accessory pack which has a clamp that clips to the left side of the rail which will hopefully fix that wiggle.

The biggest disappointment is that one of the rails was defective. It curved around 1/16″ on the x-axis over the last 10″ of the rail, stopping the saw dead in its tracks. Wrote Grizzly an angry email and hope to get it replaced soon.

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- Nick March 29, 2013 9:33 am
  
  Stan, Check your rails, they are probably cupped on the width like the ones I am returning are.
  
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Dave From oz March 24, 2013 1:41 am

No surprises so far…you get what you pay for. Why anyone would expect a good saw or straight track I will never know. grizzly are just flogging off a cheap Chinese copy they have had nothing to do with. Save your money and buy the Festool.

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- Dale March 24, 2013 9:46 am
  
  Having dealt with their automobiles i’d have to say i’m scared of German stuff. But who knows….
  
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  - Marc Spagnuolo March 24, 2013 9:51 am
    
    Well if you plan on riding this thing to work, I’d be scared too. :)
    
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Nick March 25, 2013 11:48 am

Received the Grizzly Saw via UPS today. Look forward to trying it out this weekend. I attempted to buy the Dewalt — over the Festool — twice through Lowes and Tools Plus because I got a great price with about 20% off at both places, but Dewalt was out of stock with the saw and two track lengths for almost two months (bought it in January, found out they wouldn’t deliver until late march/april.) I was about to begrudgingly purchase the Festool because of Dewalt’s inventory issues –I say begrudgingly because I would probably have to spend about a grand to get the Festool saw and accessories that I wanted — and then I saw the Grizzly (aka Sheppach/Woodstar) came available and at about $300 for the saw, 2 55″ tracks, and shipping, was just in my price range for a very experienced hobbyist. If I were still a professional doing cabinetmaking for a living, I would definitely invest the money in Festool, but Grizzly is not trying to compete with the Festool, they are offering the saw and tracks for the price they are, for the folks who can’t or do not want to pay for a Festool, or Dewalt, like myself who doesn’t want to spend that much on a track saw. I am not expecting the saw to operate as good as the Festool, just looking for a affordable, clean, accurate cut.

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- Nick March 29, 2013 9:31 am
  
  So after close inspection of the Grizzly track saw, I am pretty disappointed and will be returning it because of defective aspects of both the saw and rails. The biggest issue I found was with the rails. If you compare the rails to a board, on the “end grain” of the rail, it is cupped just like a board would be. Now unfortunately, I cannot take the aluminum rails to the jointer like a board, so I need to return them. The cupped rails causes the saw to rock back and forth on the rail and you can imagine how much that would screw up a “glue ready edge” having the blade rock back and forth on a concave surface a few degrees. Also, I put the saw base on my table saw’s machined cast iron top and it is not perfectly flat it rocks back and forth diagonally on the base. I expected lower quality for the price, however, I was not expecting their basic machining practices to be, what is in my opinion, seriously flawed. Having a cupped rail and a warped saw base are deal breakers for me because I cannot even trust to be able to replicate 90 degree cuts on the edge because the saw rocks back and forth side to side. So, now I am going to bite the bullet and go with a Festool. Another thing, The saw’s manual isn’t even grizzly branded, it is branded as sheppach which you can buy at Sears of all places. So, this is not even a grizzly saw, it is a sheppach/woodstar, and the only difference is the color of the plastic extrusions and stickers. As big as Grizzly is in market, this is a pretty sad entry into the track saw game. The existing track saw competitors have nothing to worry about regarding the entry of this saw. Don’t waste your time and money on this one, gents! You’ll have to pay double the cost of this saw with rails to get a dependable accurate cut. That type of cut obviously cannot be had at $230. For the life of me, I cant imagine the folks at Grizzly having the same issue as I am and still deciding they want to put their name on this product and sell it as their own. If anyone at Grizzly who tested this out, knows woodworking, must not have saw the same issues as me, because all they would have to do is ensure the base and rail extrusions are flat, and they would still have my business.
  
  Reply
  - Giwo April 4, 2013 4:55 pm
    
    Just received a Scheppach saw and rails. I too noticed the rocking motion of the saw on the rails; However, it is not because of a cup in the rail, although their is a minor one in mine. The problem is a design defect. If you look at the festool rail above or a makita rail you will see that the plastic slides that allow the saw to slide smoothly down the track are spaced widely with one strip to the left of the raised guide rail and one to the right. On the grizzly both are on the right hand side. Because the slides are proud of the aluminum there is no support on the left hand side of the rail, and if put any pressure on the left side of the saw it will tilt left as the base plate goes all the way down to the aluminum. There are a number of ways to fix this problem. The best would be to mill a strip in the track between the 2 raised parts of the rail the same as the ones that the glides sit in on the other side and add another slide rail. This is the one that Grizzly should insist the manufacturer make for them. Two homebrew solutions would be to add uhmw tape to the same height as the slides on the left side, or add it to the base of the saw so you could use the stock grizzly track. Another solution would be to buy a festool or makita rail to use with the grizzly saw. I’ve heard they will work, but I can’t confirm that yet. Personally, I added uhmw plastic to the base of my saw and it is rock steady.
    
    Reply
Dave From oz March 25, 2013 7:37 pm

Nick, have you used it yet?

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- Dave From oz March 25, 2013 11:23 pm
  
  I spoke with someone today who purchased sheppach and he was greatly disappointed. “The tearout was unbelievable” where his words.
  
  Reply
Dale April 1, 2013 9:02 am

Well? I even scored a 10% off grizzly coupon, but i want to know what you think first. You must be busy!

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- Marc Spagnuolo April 1, 2013 9:07 am
  
  Unfortunately, yes I am. Working on this book. But as soon as that’s done, it will be business as usual.
  
  Reply
Mike C April 9, 2013 3:38 am

Marc, I really respect your reviews & haven’t bought the Grizzly Track Saw, waiting for your review. I have a project coming up that really could use the saw. So I was wondering if you could give a guess as to when you’ll be able to do the review. I know this seems pushy. I’m not being that, well maybe. I just want to know if I should move out with the purchase or can I afford to wait for your review. Thanks.
BTW Dale, where did you get the 10% off coupon.
– Mike

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- Marc Spagnuolo April 9, 2013 8:10 am
  
  Honestly, I don’t want you waiting on my review. I have some other big ticket items on my plate right now and those take precedence. So as much as I’d like to do the review today, I just can’t justify the time expenditure. I plan on doing the review as soon as I have a break in the action on this book. But I have no idea when that will come.
  
  Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo April 9, 2013 12:04 pm
  
  OK, you guys guilted me into doing this video immediately. I’m working on it today.
  
  Reply
  - Dave From oz April 9, 2013 8:38 pm
    
    Cool!
    
    Reply
- Dale April 9, 2013 7:45 pm
  
  The back page of the Whatcom county visitors guide, showroom sales only and must spend at least $200 to redeem.
  
  Reply
Adrian April 16, 2013 10:47 pm

I believe that for the price it is a nice piece of equipment. The only concern would be the wobbling. Other than that I believe it is great.

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Gary May 27, 2013 7:01 pm

Triton has just stepped up to the table with a tracksaw.

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Anthony Zeh July 28, 2013 5:34 pm

I was looking at a cost effective Track saw, As much as I would love to have a Festool Tracksaw, that’s just out of my range, maybe in several years I will be able to upgrade. So I thought I would try the Grizzly after your review. I do a little engineering of things I need as a metal fabricator and I think I can fix most of the issues with the saw you pointed out. Like changing out the compression spring if needed. Adding new glide strips to reduce the side movement, and an upgraded blade, because a cut is only going to be as good as the blade making it. I found since I was going to make some upgrades I found the Scheppach track saw (blue), which is a rebrand of the Woodstar Divar (Yellow), a rebrand of the Shop Fox (Grey), and rebranded as a Grizzly (Green). The same saw, all different colors, and prices. I got the Scheppach for $139 on Amazon, with a draw back of two mini tracks equaling 50″. (I guess to cut down on shipping costs) I will get a single Grizzly track and still be less than the Grizzly. I want to thank you for a great review. I wish I discovered your site a long time ago. Great to see another person from Phoenix doing something like this.

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Jodi Fugate February 7, 2014 8:58 am

Can you tell me about this? I know my husband wants one, but they are about $650. It does include 2 tracks, but what does your product offer?

Jodi

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Tim February 14, 2014 11:37 am

When will you do a comparison with the Mafell MT55cc?

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- Marc Spagnuolo February 14, 2014 3:06 pm
  
  When they send me one. :)
  
  Reply
Phil McLean August 28, 2014 8:38 pm

I’ve been using the EurekaZone track system for a few years, and have enjoyed the versatility and precision. I only rarely use my table saw, since it requires such a big footprint and I am currently building an outrigger canoe, which really takes up space in the shop.

The EZ system also allows for precision routing, with control of x,y and z dimensions. I really think I’ve barely scratched the surface here for possible uses. But I’ve gotten my money’s worth of use out of the track saw, because my cuts are always where I want them ready for gluing, with cheapo circ saw blades. I’ve used it for 14′ cuts, where I progressively ripped a board down to 1/2inch waste, and I’ve clamped those 14′ boards for a 12:1 scarf joint. Not a big problem. Clamping and go.

I am just a rank amateur, but this tool has greatly extended my capabilities, precision and safety.

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- Jeff Freelove November 16, 2014 6:57 am
  
  EurekaZone’s track system is American-made, extremely accurate, and affordable. Using your circular saw and router, one can make extremely precise cuts.
  
  Much safer than a tablesaw. No kick backs, ever!
  
  Excluding cost, I love German tools but, Festool seems to lack flexibility and expandability compared to EurekaZone.
  
  Reply
Matt McCarther September 6, 2022 5:15 am

It is still baffling to me that only one company makes a Left Blade Track Saw… and it’s the only Power Tool they make… and it’s a pile of hot doo-doo that is the same price as a Makita!

It’s heartbreaking seeing so many righties ignorant of the design flaw that Left-Handed users quietly mutter the silent screams of an ecstatic child awaiting Santa Claus.

As a former lefty, track saws were great. The saw could always stay on the left side of my body, and my dominant hand was always in control.

Yet here we are… dozens of Track Saws since the first were made. Upgrades, Downgrades, cords or batteries, one thing has never changed…

TRACK SAWS -WITH RIGHT BLADE DESIGNS- HAVE BEEN MADE FOR LEFT-HANDED USERS

I do not blame the tool users… they simply do not know better. I blame the Manufacturers. They keep copying and copying, while constantly throwing around words like “Innovative”.

It comes down to the fact that the tool industry, and tool users, simply refuse to adapt. They don’t like change. And I can’t blame them. Especially since “Change” in the tool industry always seems to mean, “An overhyped downgrade of quality.”

So for all you righties that made it this far… ask yourself how many right-handed tools do you use on the left side of your body, with your arms criss-crossed? (It’s wiggity-wiggity-wiggity-whack! )

<<>>

I only have my right arm now… and ripping sheet goods with just one arm is reallllly a nightmare. And impossible in most cases, with right bladed track saws.

So, I can only hope as humanity evolves, they one day look back and realize that one person (who might’ve needed to seek psychiatric help via his obsession over the left blade track saw), did see the way. That person spent way too many hours searching, and testing, track saws. Only to come to the realization…

TRACK SAWS, WITH RIGHT-SIDED BLADES, ARE MADE FOR LEFT-HANDED PEOPLE… and the tool industry refuses to see it. (Except Kreg… but let’s be real, their stuff is disposable, at best.)

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