Having repeatedly hauled a miter saw and table saw in and out of a van, I wanted one saw that could make 90% of the cuts I need on a remodeling job. That’s a lot to ask, but after using Mafell’s KSS40 saw, I think I found it.
If ordered as a kit ($1,715), the KSS40 comes in a Systainer with a crosscut track, batteries, charger, dust bag, rip fence, and a rolled-up Flexi-Guide—a flexible, spring-steel guide rail that unfurls to 55 inches long. I used the saw on the Flexi-Guide and on my Bosch tracks; both work, though the Flexi-Guide is needed for bevel rips, and the cut quality, at least on veneer ply, seemed better with the Bosch tracks. I ripped extension jambs, diced up ¾-inch plywood, and trimmed doors; at no point did the saw lack power. The dust collection is excellent with the dust bag, and when we made long rips with the saw hooked up to a vacuum, the collection exceeded that of other track saws I’ve used.
Nathaniel Carlsen
Attached to its crosscut track, the Mafell KSS40 is still light and portable. When used with Mafell’s 55-inch flexible track, (shown here) the saw can break down sheet goods or scribe fillers.
The saw also plunge cuts, but rather than hinging the entire saw down, you lower it down two rails with a lever. This setup gave me additional control; I cut the head stock of jack miters with ease, plunging the saw until my cut line ended right where I wanted it.
For straight crosscuts less than 13 inches, the KSS40 clips onto a self-retracting shorter guide rail. A knob on the rail’s left side adjusts to any angle from 0 to 60 degrees to the left and 0 to 45 degrees to the right. With the saw at the cut’s starting point, I pivot the saw and track until the adjusted angle stop contacts the edge of the workpiece, then I make the cut. Maximum depth of cut is 1⁹⁄₁₆ inches at 90 degrees and 1⅟₁₆ inches at a 45-degree bevel, allowing the saw to handle most tasks despite its 4¹¹⁄₁₆-inch blade. I mitered casing, cut scribe molding, and cut 2-by PT stringers and, in every case, the saw was up to the task. In fact, the saw is more precise with unknown angles than my miter saw. Mark an unknown angle on a workpiece and slide the KSS40’s adjustment knob along until the splinter guard follows the mark, with micro adjustments of 0.25 degree. My only gripe is that the retraction from the cut is spotty, but this hasn’t been a significant hindrance.
The KSS40 has become my go-to for many tasks, and while not a replacement for a miter saw on a big trim job due to its limited ability to handle small pieces and profiled trim, it makes an excellent companion. With it, I can square off the ends of lumber in the pile with minimal lifting, slide along the floor to cut baseboard as I install it, or take it 20 feet up in a lift to cut exterior trim.
On the down side, the KSS40 has a limited cutting depth and a proprietary blade, and it’s expensive. Still, the saw was worth the cost for one primary reason: its size. The KSS40 is nimble and controllable, more suited to detail work than any other circular saw I’ve used. The Mafell KSS 40 (bare tool) costs $1,115 at timberwolftools.com.
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