A saw and a rail, made to fit
The machine is a plunge-cut circular saw: its blade sits inside the housing until you release the lock and press the motor down, and a spring lifts it back out when you let go. Its base has a groove that fits a rib on an aluminium guide rail. Lay the rail on the line, set the saw on the rail, plunge and push; the rail does the steering. DEWALT's DWS520, Makita's SP6000 and Milwaukee's 2831 all work this way, and all three can also be used off the rail like an ordinary saw, with less depth lost to the rail's thickness — DEWALT gives 0–2-5/16 in off the track against 0–2-1/8 in on it.
- The rail. An aluminium extrusion with a rib for the saw, a non-slip strip underneath, and a rubber or plastic strip along the cutting edge. DEWALT's kit pairs 59 in and 102 in rails that are dual-edged; Makita sells 55 in and 118 in rails for its saw.
- The adjusters. Cams or knobs on the base take up play between base and rib. DEWALT sets two adjusters so the saw slides without side movement; Milwaukee's 2831 manual has rail adjustment knobs for the same job and says to read the rail maker's own instructions.
- The riving knife. Behind the blade. On the DWS520 it retracts during a plunge cut, so DEWALT says it need not be removed; Milwaukee's 2831 manual says to take its knife off for plunge cuts and refit it after. Both say it is ineffective in short cuts.
- The anti-kickback or anti-tip control. DEWALT's saw has an anti-kickback knob that works against the track, with its own sequence for plunge cuts; Milwaukee's has an anti-tip knob for the rail. The details are in track saw safety.
The splinter strip is the cut line
A new rail's edge strip is wider than it will end up. The first cut, made with the saw that will use it, trims the strip to exactly the edge of that blade's kerf — DEWALT says to do it before first use, with the speed dial at 5. From then on, the strip's edge sits exactly on the cut: put it on your pencil mark and the blade cuts there. Because the strip presses the fibres down at the edge of the kerf, it also reduces splintering on the face that is up. Milwaukee's 2831 manual trims the rail the same way, by a full-depth cut along its length, and adds a second strip on the saw: a splinter guard that takes the place of the blade viewing window, is trimmed to the kerf in its own plunge cut, and protects the edge of the sawn-off piece. One or the other must always be fitted.
Workshop tip— One saw per strip
A strip trimmed by one blade marks that blade's kerf. A blade with a different kerf, or a different saw, may not cut on the strip's edge; check with a test cut before trusting the line.
How far below the work
| Source | Setting | Note |
|---|---|---|
| DEWALT DWS520 manual | About 1/8 in (3 mm) for optimal results | The same manual elsewhere says to expose 1/2 of a tooth, and less than a full tooth |
| Milwaukee 2831 manual | No more than 1/8 in (3 mm) below the material | Also: less than a full tooth visible |
| Makita SP6000 manual | No more than one tooth below the work | Plus a 2–3 mm scoring stop for a first pass on the rail |
These are each maker's figures for its own saw, and DEWALT's manual gives two. Use the one your manual gives for your saw; a shallow blade leaves less exposed under the work.
Setting the depth itself, and supporting a sheet so the cut does not close on the blade, are covered step by step in cutting plywood and boards.
Three plunge saws by their makers' figures
| Saw | Power | Speed (rpm) | Depth at 90° | Depth at 45° | Bevel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWALT DWS520 | Corded, 12 A | 1,750–4,200 | 2-1/8 in on the track | 1-5/8 in (kit page) | 0° to 47° |
| Makita SP6000 | Corded, 12 A | 2,000–5,200 | 2-3/16 in | 1-9/16 in | −1° to 48° |
| Makita XPS01 | 36 V (2 × 18 V) | 2,500–6,300 | 2-3/16 in | 1-9/16 in | As the SP6000 |
| Milwaukee 2831 | 18 V | 2,500–5,600 | 2-1/4 in | 1-5/8 in | −1° to 48° |
All four take a 6-1/2 in (165 mm) blade on a 20 mm arbor. Depths are as published and may be stated with or without the rail. Choosing among them is in choosing a plunge saw.
Equipment notePaid link
6-1/2-in plunge circular saw
Makita SP6000J
Makita's SP6000J, the SP6000 in the table above: a 165 mm blade, 2,000–5,200 rpm and 2-3/16 in at 90°.
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What the rail system is good at, and its limits
- Long cuts in sheets. The rail goes on the sheet where it lies, which is why the machine suits breaking down plywood and MDF; plan the sheet with the plywood calculator.
- Clean edges both sides. The strip at the top and a shallow blade below leave a cleaner edge than a freehand cut; a fine-tooth blade helps, and DEWALT supplies a combination blade with its saw.
- Plunge cuts. Starting mid-panel, for openings. The riving knife is retracted or removed for them, depending on the saw, and DEWALT and Milwaukee both say a knife is ineffective in short cuts.
- Close to a wall. Makita lists 11/16 in from the blade side; DEWALT gives 12 mm as the minimum to a wall.
- Limits. Narrow rips under the rail's width, short pieces and repeated identical parts are often easier on a table saw. DEWALT also says its saw is not for solid-surface countertops.
An ordinary circular saw on a straightedge
A regular circular saw can follow a straightedge, a clamped board, or a shop-made track whose base is trimmed by the saw itself so that its edge marks the cut, the same idea as the rail's strip. It cannot plunge with a retracting riving knife or lock to the rail, and its lower guard behaves as described in the pillar guide. Building one is a project in itself: see DIY track saw. Straight cuts by every method are compared in cutting straight.
Setting up a plunge saw and rail
- Rail adjusters set so the saw slides without side play
- Splinter strip trimmed by this saw and blade
- Depth set for the material, rail allowed for
- Riving knife fitted and free to move
- Rail clamped or on its non-slip strip, the sheet supported both sides
- Dust extraction connected where the saw has a port
Blades for these saws are covered in blades, and blade changes and cleaning in blade care.
Sources
Each figure is the maker's for its own saw. Where two documents disagree — DEWALT's manual on how far the blade goes below the work, Makita's manual and product page on the scoring cut — both are given; your own saw's manual governs.
- 1.
DWS520 Heavy-Duty Track Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DWS520: a 6-1/2 in, 20 mm-bore blade rated 6,000 rpm or more; 1,750–4,200 rpm; depth 0–2-5/16 in off the track and 0–2-1/8 in on it; the riving knife, which retracts during plunge cuts and is ineffective in short cuts; the bevel from 0° to 47°; the anti-kickback knob; the track adjusters; trimming the anti-splinter strip before first use; about 1/8 in protrusion against 'expose 1/2 of a tooth'; a minimum of 12 mm to a wall; not for solid-surface countertops.
- 2.
DWS520CK 6-1/2 in. (165 mm) TrackSaw Kit with 59 in. and 102 in. Track. DEWALT.
Used for: The kit's 59 in and 102 in dual-edged tracks, 1-1/4 in dust port, 48-tooth blade and 12 A motor.
- 3.
Plunge Cut Circular Saw SP6000, Instruction Manual. Makita.
Used for: The SP6000: 165 mm blade; 2-3/16 in at 90°, 1-9/16 in at 45°, 1-1/2 in at 48°; 2,000–5,200 rpm; 9.7 lb; a quick-stop scoring cut of 2–3 mm on the rail; no more than one blade tooth below the work.
- 4.
SP6000J 6-1/2" Plunge Circular Saw. Makita.
Used for: The SP6000J's 20 mm arbor, 12 A motor, 55 in and 118 in rails sold for it, its base attachable to other rail systems, 11/16 in close-to-wall, and the bevel of −1° to 48°.
- 5.
Cordless Plunge Cut Circular Saw XPS01, Instruction Manual. Makita.
Used for: The XPS01: 36 V from two 18 V batteries, 2,500–6,300 rpm, the SP6000's depths.
- 6.
M18 FUEL 6-1/2" Plunge Track Saw, Cat. No. 2831-20, Operator's Manual. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The 2831: 18 V, 2,500–5,600 rpm, 6-1/2 in blade on a 20 mm arbor; bevel −1° to 48°; depth 2-1/4 in at 0° and 1-5/8 in at 45°; blade no more than 1/8 in below the material; the rail trimmed by a full-depth pass and a splinter guard on the saw as well; the riving knife removed for plunge cuts; a 1/16 in scoring stop; reading the rail maker's instructions.
- 7.
2831-20 M18 FUEL 6-1/2" Plunge Track Saw. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The 2831's bevel stops at 0°, 22.5° and 45°.
About this guide
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