Very informative, Jon! Thank you for the great info!

Great video Jon! I wanted to use this right away after buying it but I didn't know how it worked, now I do, thanks!

Just the idea of pinning the tracks for the saw on the up and over garage door was worth coming here! Thank You! Now I know where to put the 3M tracks Spirit levels etc. Genius!

Very helpful, exactly what I needed!

thank you so much this was very helpful

I've actually been looking closely at this saw because of how much of a deal it is compared to others on the market. I've used a friend's a few times so have some info/tips you might find useful. -First, there are two versions of the saw which is why you are confused over the complaints about plastic construction. The cheaper 6½" 10Amp version is the one with the plastic housing and slop in the bevel. You have the larger, more expensive 7¼" version which has a metal housing, more powerful 12Amp motor and more rigid/less sloppy/more reliable bevel cut ability. Making a 45-degree cut with the metal version can be done without issues so disregard those complaints as they simply do not apply to your version of the saw. The price difference is about $50 between the two versions. Considering how expensive track saws are, this is such a pricing deal that there is very little reason to go with the smaller, cheaper base version over the one you have unless a person absolutely cannot afford to swing the extra cash for the larger, more powerful metal housed version like yours. -Next, the manual actually includes instructions on how to remove the backslide prevention feature that annoys you (and others) so much. So, does it NEED to be there in order to function? No, but WEN is not going to ship the saw without it being installed for liability reasons. Whether you keep it installed or not is up to you just be certain you are willing to accept the responsibility for removing it. From what I've seen, that feature does have a negative impact on how smoothly the saw moves along the track. For that reason a lot of people choose to remove it. My friend simply shaved it down a tiny bit which helped the sliding performance and allowed him to keep it installed without it being a huge bother. The fact that they include instructions on how to remove it implies that keeping it is a choice, not a requirement. Just keep it in the box and pass it, and the info along if you decide to sell the saw someone else. -Some do not like how the saw tracks feel/work compared to other brands but probably the best feature of these saws is the fact that they fit perfectly in the much more expensive Festool/Makita/Powertech saw tracks so if you buy the saw alone you can choose to go with the higher cost tracks instead of the WEN brand and get the best of both worlds as far as cost savings and track quality. In fact many people buy the WEN saw along with the Powertech track from the get go. The biggest issue with the WEN track seems to be that the rubber does not reliability prevent the track from sliding around so using the clamps is pretty much a requirement unless you want to risk a bad cut. I would recommend keeping the WEN tracks and simply switching out the skid foam with the higher-quality Festool or Makita skids either right off or when the WEN skids wear. That way you get the benefit of the 100" track and the Festool skids. I saw a comment here saying that you are brave to use the WEN saw on Walnut, that comment is nonsense. The quality of the cut relies on the quality of the blade and skill of the operator. So replace your blade with a high quality finish blade, cut with purpose and problem solved. As the proverb goes, "it's a bad workman who blames his tools." A saying that is as true today as it was in the 14th century. -Lastly, it seems that your blade was over torqued at install. Once you break that torque and switch blades you'll be fine moving forward. It won't be an ongoing issue for you... unless of course you over torque it again with the next blade you install.

I value opinions of individuals that are just straightforward

Great information with your opinions. On the anti-kickback knob, as several responders have mentioned, it can be removed, and as long as you are just cutting sheet goods, you should be fine. However, if you want to rip lumber, you probably should keep it installed. I took mine off because I will only use mine for breaking down plywood. Any lumber would be ripped on my table saw. The instructions anticipate this and tell you how to remove it. Wittworks, I think it is, sells a little plastic plug to cover the arbor hole to keep down the dust. It's a little pricey but I think it is worth it. I also liked the plastic mounts for the tracks, I bought the longer powertec tracks and just hung mine up on a nail on my clamp rack. The rack, as you said, is the way the cool kids do it. So, keep up the cool 😎 vids.

Love the garage door storage idea

That knob second from the front is for when you cut an angle such as a 45 so to sop the saw from tipping off the track. And for the anti kick back knob I removed it as soon as I got mine. Hope this helps.

Amazing information!

The track itself cost $100 in Canada. And this is a great tool for most of people who is fine with a corded solution.

Hi new subscriber here! I like the video. I have the same set up except I have the 2-55" powertec tracks. My wen tracks came bent so I opted for the powertecs. They are very good. I know there are better and more expensive track saws out there but for me this thing is great! I use mine for cutting plywood and for squaring up cutting boards. Something to point out. My blade goes out a little past 90 degrees. I dont know why, but Its not that difficult to put it back to 90 as long as you have a set of extra hands to plunge the blade all the way out while you put a square on it. This only happened to me once though. Also spraying a little wd silicon spray makes it glide like butter on the track. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the video. I just got a Makita, and I am wildly happy with it, but had I seen your video first I may have saved some cash and ordered a Wen. Because I never intend to make anything but 90-degree cuts as well. I was considering the Wen, but wasn't sure if the Powertec tracks would work with it. Hmmm. I guess I thought they would not. So, what I did was the stock 55" Makita track that comes with the saw, then got two Powertec tracks which when joined together equal 110" in length. I will just leave that assembled and hang it up as you have done. I see no quality or functional difference between the Makita track vs. the Powertec tracks. Both are excellent, heavy aluminum. I just did a search and found you can order a Wen saw with two 55" Powertec tracks. Current Amazon price (3-1-2023) is around $240 U.S. Nice! Best to you, and thanks again for taking the time to furnish us with the video.

Keep an eye on your splinter guard with those track mounts. I have the same track and it was very snug at the bottom and ended up pushing it back and now it no longer wants to stick in those spots. Easy enough to replace just something to keep in mind.

Thanks for the review. Watch out, some cameras will cut off the top of your head! 😉 Regarding the blade, there is a technique where lightly striking the wrench will loosen the blade.

Have you tried cutting anything thicker than 1"? I've heard it won't cut thick materials square. Looks like a great AFFORDABLE tool! Thanks for the review!

I have the same saw with the powertec tracks and it’s a great saw for the price!

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Did you test the squareness of the cut? Some people have mentioned that is struggling to keep it true/90 to the blade due to the fact that does not have riving knife. So was curious if you checked that. Thanks

I didn't like the track being too short. Ended up sending it back and buying the POWERTEC track. Also removed the anti-kickback with no issues.

Good review ! Just got mine and checked the blade removal and mine works fine. Maybe try a longer wrench, guessing yours got torqued more

So I break down my plywood on the floor using MDF as a sacrificial piece. Because of this, I can't use the clamps. Do you think I'd be better off getting the Powertec rails or will the WEN rails work without sliding if I don't use clamps?

I saw plastic inserts for the blade access port on line. They’re 3-d printed and sold on Etsy.

Nice work! I'm considering buying one and have a question. Have you figured a work around to cut a full sheet in length more accurately? You mentioned that was a concern with the 100" track length.

Can you use the clamp when you use the track square? Thanks!

I have the 6 1/2 corded Wen. So far, it seems good and I am still using the original blade. I got the two tracks but never use the plastic to hold them together for transit (I never take it anywhere). For now, I will use this and have no plans to upgrade. I know Wen makes a cordless 6 1/2 inch brushless that uses two 20 V batteries at once like the Makita or Festool, so maybe I can get that? But that will likely run me about $250. I paid $125 for my 6 1/2 corded from Lowes.

WEN now has a 110 inch track check it out i bought the cordless version of this saw so nice

Good review! My experience exactly. Thank you. One point, I still don't get why a "better" track would be..."better", as so many claim? Yes, I see the engineering advantage of the Bosch tracks, but they are sooo proprietary, so...never mind them. On the Wen tracks , other than the holding down/ might sleep up - which I fixed by sticking shelving self-stick liner on it - I don't get it. What am I missing?

If you get the blade off you can only use wen blades I bought a Diablo thinking it’d fit but the hole is too small. If you’re looking for an upgrade the 56 T one looks pretty good

NOV 2023: Great video. Were you finally able to get the blade off and changed?

WEN has a 110" Track as well at Home Depot for $67

track not being long enough to start a cut on a 8 foot sheet of material is why there is a plunge cut function comes in handy

Just an fyi that Amazon now sells the wen 110” track rails. Currently the pair is $70

Rotate the torch clockwise to remove the blade screw. Also, the blade will need to be non standard arbor size which really sucks.

I removed the anti kick back thing and haven't had any issues.

Check out this, just might make corded with a vac hose "not as bad"... Serious Grit - Quick Connect Vacuum Hose Clips for Sanding - Pack of Four 1 1/2" (38mm) Dust Extractor Sander Cord Clips - Made in USA

Is that an eBay square attachment? How do you find it? Thanks

I have the wen, and all I do is 90's. For this it's great! It's the bevel is TERRIBLE, it flexes, that play you said not seeing it? Wait till cutting. Also, super pro tip - Get an 8 foot level (you have a 6 I think?) but use the cutting rail side NOT THE BACK to get it straight. if you use two guides. What I do is I put the two connectors on on side and tighten them up all the way, then the other side I put the back on snug but not tight. Then I put my 8 footer on it's side and put the actual metal part where the blade guides against my level - that rubber gets in the way, rest the level on top of that and against the metal, if that makes sense. I then check for gaps with a feeler gauge. If you get this step right, you can use it for glue joints and for normal rips. Also, I recommend buying some machinist squares off amazon and setting the bottom 90 to blade. Also, spend 20$ on the finish blade. For a glue joint rip, do one side, then the other, then put the two pieces together and lightly clamp so half of the blade with can go in between - this will match the two sides together for a perfectly flat glue up (assuming you milled properly). Also, I do a even pushing and pulling motion on it, not too much weight side to side - this will mess with your stock and you'll see little round cuts where the blade had like a 1/32" worth of pressure on it. I've spent 100's of hours with this saw, I know it well and it's a great budget saw. I do think though I'm ready for a Makita and investing in the one LONG track (which is like 400$ ouch).

I removed the kick back thing, was getting on my nerves. The only issue I have is the rubber that's on track saw I had half cut on some areas and is hard to align the track on any line, the blade should be kissing the metal part for a perfect measured cut.