Tool Review: Metabo HPT 36V Multivolt Cordless Track Saw

A track saw is one of those tools that is much easier to use without a cord dragging behind, catching on corners and edges and preventing smooth, continuous cuts. The new Metabo HPT track saw matches a powerful 36V battery with a brushless motor and a 6-1/2-in.-dia. blade capable of cutting 2-1/2-in.-thick material at 90°.

When I placed the saw on its track, I found that I could adjust the sliding action with one simple knob—a nice touch. The same knob locks the saw in place for setting the bevel angle, which is done with another easily accessible knob. And the bevel angle can be pushed one degree past 0° and 45°, which comes in handy when fitting angled pieces. Setting the depth of cut was just as easy and intuitive.

The track has one of those sacrificial strips along one side that gets trimmed by the blade and then tames tearout. The strip is trimmed at exactly the same point for 90° and 45° cuts, meaning that it remains effective for both.

The saw is very well balanced in use, and the brushless motor is smooth and powerful. My initial cuts were great, both at 90° and 45°. When I cut some hardwood-veneer plywood, however, there was slightly more chipout than I am used to. I replaced the stock blade with a higher-quality model and the problem disappeared completely. Stock blades tend to be a weak point on most saws, so I wasn’t surprised.

The 36V battery offers plenty of power and run time. It managed 144 lin. ft. of cuts in 3/4-in. Baltic-birch plywood. After I recharged the battery, the saw made 75 ft. of cuts in a thick maple board.

—Mark Edmundson is a pro woodworker and cabinetmaker in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Workshop tip: Use push pins to align your track saw

Keep both ends of a long track stable with this simple trick.

How to Break Down Plywood With a Track Saw

Follow this step-by-step sequence for cutting sheet goods to accurate sizes, all without a tablesaw.

How To Make a Tracksaw Crosscut Table

Ben Strano shows how to build a table that will make the track saw your go-to tool for crosscutting panels that are too big for your tablesaw.

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