Inspired originally by a picture of someone else doing the same thing, Evan, said, “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s awesome! I want to try that.’”

To be clear, Evan notes, “It’s extremely dangerous. I play around with about 2,000 volts of electricity. I have shocked myself once, and I was lucky to be wearing rubber-soled shoes, because that’s what stopped the voltage from making contact with the ground. So I learned my lesson, and I take all the safety precautions, like a rubber mat. I have rubber shoes, rubber gloves, al that. I cannot stress enough how careful people have to be. It’s not worth it just to burn something cool into a piece of wood if you’re not going to be safe about it.”

The machine used for this type of woodburning is made from a high-voltage power transformer. “You can find them in microwaves or oil burners or even neon signs,” Evan said. “There’s different voltages associated with whatever power source you want to choose. I just use a microwave transformer — I have a couple of them hooked together for extra voltage.”

To begin a burn, he soaks the entirety of each piece of wood he’ll be working with in a sodium bicarbonate solution. “It’s just a water-like solution that makes the wood conductive. I mean, water and electricity: two things you’re not supposed to mix, but that’s how it’s able to burn into the wood,” Evan said.

Two electrodes, a positive and a negative, are involved in the process. Evan says he places the negative electrode down on the wood for a burn, while holding the second electrode – “It has PVC pipes and rubber clamps around it and I have the [rubber] gloves on, so it’s safe.”

This is to give him some control of the design created through the burning process, which Evan describes as resembling, in general, tree-like patterns or branches of lightning. “When I touch down on the wood, it sends out, for example, five branches, and I can let that burn in for about 5 to 10 inches, and then I can pick up the electrode and move it to which branch I want it to follow. If I want it to go to the right, to the left, or straight forward, I can move it to which branch I want to continue. Then from there, it’ll spawn more branches, and then I can keep following which branch I want. Then I can make a design based on that.”

He works with wood pieces longer than a foot, “which gives the burn some time to kind of spread out and make a cool design, whereas if it’s a really small piece of wood, there’s not much design because it doesn’t have time to spread out.”

Another reason for working with the longer pieces of wood is to avoid arcing of the electricity. “If I get too close to the other electrode, I’d say within six inches, the electricity will arc between the two electrodes. It’ll arc over the wood – it won’t even burn into the wood – so it’s just like a physical stream of electricity between the two electrodes. If I had a string hanging down, or if my hair got caught in it, that would be big trouble.”

Different woods react to the process differently. Some of the favorite woods of Evan and his dad, who works with him in the business, include walnut and cherry.

Poplar, hard maple, ash and red oak, on the other hand, do not work well for the process. “If it’s a wood that has a really thick grain, the burn tends to follow the grain rather than having more of a random tree-like pattern, and it looks like straight lines. It just looks messy,” Evan said.

Other woods they’ve experimented with include honey locust, silver maple and padauk. “There’s so many different types of wood out there. Really the biggest experimentation that we do is the different types of wood,” Evan said.

It’s his dad, a former construction worker turned nurse, who brought the original woodworking know-how into the business. At the time he started this, Evan hadn’t done any woodworking at all. His dad still builds the big projects, like coatracks, bookshelves and larger tables, but Evan’s proud of his advances in his own woodworking skills.

In particular, he’s proud of a shadow box coffee table with LED lights around the underside of the lid. “That was a project that I wanted to do to kind of prove to myself that I had come a long way with woodworking. All I had when I started that project was the piece of glass. I built the lid, routed the thickness of the glass into the side of each of the rim pieces that I had burned previously, set the glass inside of those pieces, and then I built the coffee table around that,” he said.

Evan has also experimented with adding various inlays to the burns, including a glow-in-the-dark resin inlay. His inspiration, he said, came from the lightning-shaped patterns of the burns. “You know, lightning is vibrant white, or yellow, even, and so I thought it would be a good idea to try glowing in the dark. It turned out really cool, so that part of it just kind of took off – a lot of people liked it.”

He has also added inlays of malachite or turquoise stone.

There’s also a particular consideration for this type of project when it comes to applying finish. “When I burn those channels in, there’s buildup of, like, ash, carbon buildup – it’s black soot, essentially,” Evan said. “I have to make sure that I really clean that out and that there’s none left over, because if there’s little pieces while I’m staining, then it’s like a crayon taken to the wood. It can blacken up the wood and discolor it pretty severely.” He uses a wire brush to clean the soot out from the burned channels before applying a finish – his preference is for Arm-R-Seal.

After attending a large craft fair last October and receiving many custom orders, Evan said he and his dad have spent much of the winter making things from wall panels to custom coffee tables to live-edge coatracks. For Evan, the money from the Electrostatic Creations business is “my fun money to do with what I want” – other needs are funded by his nursing job. He’s a registered nurse who’s currently going to school for a higher degree.

“I think I’ll always be a nurse. I love it too much to stop,” Evan said. The woodburning business, then, is “almost like a hobby business. I don’t want to commercialize it. I really like taking the custom orders, and I really like doing the craft fairs.”

He also still likes the burning process. “Every time I burn, it’s different. No two pieces are the same. It still has that really cool factor, and I love showing people videos of the process.”

See more videos of Evan’s process on his Instagram.

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Ernie Conover: Oilstones take two forms: synthetic and natural. Natural Arkansas stones are quarried from a highly pure silica rock, called Novaculite, found only in the areas surrounding Hot Springs, Arkansas. The name Novaculite is derived from the Latin word novacula, meaning sharp knife. Arkansas stones are available in four grades: washita, soft Arkansas, hard Arkansas and black hard Arkansas. Washita is the fastest cutting and is used for reforming edges and/or angles. Soft Arkansas is a general-purpose stone, good in itself for things like pocketknives. Hard Arkansas is nearly, but not quite, a polishing stone. Black hard Arkansas is a true polishing stone and is often called surgical Arkansas.

The advantages to Arkansas stones are that they are fast-cutting and leave a superlative edge. They must be used wet and, while water will work, only oil is really satisfactory—a bonus is that it prevents rust on your tools. A disadvantage is that washita and soft Arkansas stones are prone to cupping, but, as with any stone, re-lapping is a simple matter.

Manufactured India stones are sold in coarse, medium and fine. They do a great job, but I know of no true polishing stone in the India line. Therefore, a hard and black hard are needed to augment India stones in order to establish a polish. They are much more resistant to cupping than Arkansas, but they absolutely require oil.

Oilstones will work with almost any oil. So-called honing oil is really only mineral oil available at drug stores at a much lower price. I have always favored thinning mineral oil with about 20 percent kerosene. Your oilstones may be cleaned in a solvent such as kerosene, mineral spirits or even lacquer thinner. They may also be flattened and/or renewed by placing a sheet of 60-grit wet/dry sandpaper on a wing of your table saw or on a piece of glass. Rubber cement will anchor the paper in place but allow easy removal. I use kerosene to lubricate the sandpaper during the stone-flattening process. 

Ernie Conover is Woodworker’s Journal’s woodturning columnist.

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– Andrew Taylor
Bolton, Connecticut

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– Father Chrysanthos
Etna, California

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“Our new JET ProShop Table Saw has upgraded features throughout,” says Michael D’Onofrio, JET’s product manager for woodworking. “We give the user options in choosing the saw with features that suit their shop needs.”

To that end, you can opt for the standard 30-in. rip fence guide rail system, or upgrade to the 52-in. version, and select cast-iron or stamped steel extension wings. JET’s innovative single-lock ProShop fence with a magnifier on the rail helps provide professional results. The 178-lb. left-tilt saw supports sheet goods and other dimensional lumber with the optional 52-in. maximum rip capacity to the right of the blade and 13-1/2 in. to the left.

The saw’s 1-3/4 hp, totally enclosed, fan-cooled single-phase motor is prewired for 120- or 230-volt operation, depending on the model you choose. Two oversized hand wheels raise/lower and bevel the blade, and an improved shroud surrounds it to improve dust-collection capabilities. With a 10” blade installed, the saw will cut through stock up to 3-1/8 in. thick at 90 degrees or 2-1/8-in. material when the blade is set to a 45-degree bevel angle. It also will accommodate 8-in. dado sets for making cuts up to 13/16 in. wide. A miter gauge, dado insert and low-profile riving knife are included.

The cast-iron table top with beveled edges measures 44 in. long x 27 in. wide. Underneath, the saw’s one-piece, powder-coated steel cabinet houses a heavy-duty trunnion for rigidity and support. The cabinet also provides external storage for saw accessories.

JET’s new 10” ProShop Table Saw comes in numerous iterations, depending on 30- or 52-in. guide rail options and whether the motor is wired for 120- or 230-volt operation. Pricing starts at $1,399.99, and JET covers your purchase with a 5-year warranty through its Red Assurance program.

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Those who own one are very happy with the purchase. – Editor

“I got my Festool track saw about 15 years ago. I use it all the time and love it. I used to think I wanted a panel saw, but the track saw has taken care of that desire. Recently, I got the 108-inch track. I found that I just wasn’t happy putting two shorter sections together. No room for human error now on long plywood cuts.” – Chris Morgan

“I am a retired professional who is now making cabinetry.  I found safety and heaven when I obtained a track saw.  No longer do I have to struggle with breaking down 4×8 sheets of plywood that are heavy enough to tax my strength, let alone allow me to think of safety.  I also use my track saw to create a straight edge on raw lumber to allow safe ripping to size.  Couldn’t live without my track saw.” – Daniel R. Muhm

“I went for years without a track saw.  Got one and can’t imagine life without it.  It is one of my favorite tools.” -Anthony Kennedy

“I absolutely use and believe in these tools. I jumped on the Festool track saw as soon as it came out.  I have never looked back. I can break down sheets of plywood for cabinets in a hurry. I use it to straightedge rough lumber. I have built odd-shaped built-in cabinets with almost 45 degree side walls with great accuracy. My track saw is constantly in use, saving time and with no fear of a ‘bad cut.’ The time savings alone paid for this tool in two medium sized projects. That was years ago. I would recommend one to anyone that would listen, especially if they are in business using plywood.” – Bill Perez

“In response to your question: Yes, it has changed how I approach large wood projects.
• I no longer dangerously try to push a full or partial sheet of plywood, etc. across my table saw.
• Plastic sheets are cut accurately by EZ-Smart TrackSaw, because the edge-guide is actually on the cut line.
• No helpers to help twist/jam the sheet into a running 10-inch blade turning at 3,000 rpm with 1-1/2hp behind it.
•I can work with the sheet on the floor, on sa horses or at the jobsite and still do highly accurate cuts.
• Tearout (top or bottom of the sheet) is almost never an issue with an EZ-Smart due to top/bottom pressure.
• Dust collection is much better with the EZ-Smart, and it can be done at the jobsite.
• Cuts can safely be made at ANY ANGLE.

• Start, stop cuts no problem.
• I can take my EZ-Smart to the lumberyard (some allow this) and make finish cuts/cutouts.
I use the table saw now to do fiddly work on the now smaller pieces when necessary (if necessary), but even more often I find using a hand plane and board jack is better for making 1/1000-inch slices when fitting pieces into drawer cutouts etc. Yes. It has changed how I approach projects and it has made them safer and easier and more precise, contrary to what I first thought about a track saw when it was demonstrated at a woodworking show.” – Paul Fallert

“I never owned a track saw until around two years ago. I had been under the opinion that it was a great convenience for cutting sheet goods, but I rarely work with sheet goods and therefore had no use for one. When I decided that I was going to build several squirrel cage dust boxes for around my shop, I decided that, since I needed a new toy, I would buy a track saw. I ended up with the Makita and also purchased the optional super-long guide. The Makita came with the 55-inch guide, and I was buying Baltic birch sheets that were 60-inch x 60-inch and the standard track was just too short. To make a short story long, I have used my track saw quite often for putting a straight edge on rough lumber. This has been much more convenient when cutting it flat on my sawhorses instead of trying to run a long board through my jointer. My track saw has become one of those ‘I wish I would have bought this years ago’ tools. I do not use it as often as some of my other tools but I am glad to have it when I need it.” – Greg Little

“For years, I wrestled with cutting sheets of plywood on my table saw. Well, no more of that! I bought a Festool track saw about two years ago, and I love it!  I haven’t used my table saw for plywood since.  I have a work table set up in my shop, and I added some 2×4 pieces to the top and some swing-up side pieces so now I can safely handle full sheets of 3/4-inchplywood by myself.  I also purchased the Festool vacuum system and it catches 99 percent of the sawdust – no cleanup needed.”- Richard Hicks

“I own Coastal Wood Specialties. My company specializes in kitchen cabinet refacing. However, we also build custom cabinetry. We purchased the Festool track saw about four years ago. I can’t tell you what a difference it has made. For the most part, we don’t have to lug around a table saw. The cuts are extremely accurate without any splintering or tearout. I have three install crews in which there is a Festool track saw and vac on each truck. I have had to send one track saw back to Festool to be rebuilt. This is not an advertisement for Festool, but from what I have heard this is the best track saw out there. On another topic, I love reading the on line articles. Keep up the good work.” – Steve Stedman

“I have made five dining room tables over the past 1.5 years.  All were 7-8 foot solid tops.  I have a long 8-inch joiner but have had little success straightening boards over six feet.  The tracks (mine is a DeWALT) cut the boards straight and ready to glue, though long boards are nearly all the 109-inch track can handle.  Otherwise, I would have to make a jig for my table saw from nearly a third of a sheet of plywood.  I also use it for cuts at odd angles rather than building a jig to do the same.” – Bob Crowley

“I have used a track saw for a decade or so. I’d be quite lost without it. Handling a full 4×8 sheet of 3/4-inch material on a table saw is almost impossible for me. I use an older model track system that was sold by Penn State Industries that consisted of a 52-inch guide rail, a 104-inch guide rail and a carriage that mounts to the bottom of a standard circular saw. I purchased a dedicated saw to leave in the carriage to save recurring setup time. I also attached zero clearance strips of 5/32-inch Masonite to my rails to improve the cut and provide additional clamping surface. Using a sacrifice sheet (such as foam) as a base, this setup allows me to rip sheet material without the lifting but also allows me to joint material that I’d prefer not to run over my jointer, such as melamine or MDF. Couple all this with a high quality 7-1/4-inch blade and I could (almost) do away with my table saw. That’s not gonna happen, though!” – Greg Harmon

“I bought a Festool track saw and 55-inch cutting guide about six months ago, and it has become my go-to tool for cutting sheets of plywood with amazing accuracy. My shop size does not allow me to run a full-size panel through my table saw, so my track saw allows me to cut the panels down to manageable size pieces. I have been very impressed with the ease of setup and the accuracy that can be achieved with this saw. “ –   John Picklesimer

“I’ve owned a Festool TS-55 for about 10 years. I’ve used it for a wide variety of projects from home maintenance and repair projects to cabinetmaking, furniture making, etc. I do not own a table saw.There have only been a few times over the years that I have encountered situations that were difficult to accomplish with the track saw that would have been much easier using a table saw. However, since my real job involves the manipulation of fine controls on camera equipment and also playing the piano and other musical instruments, I figure an occasional inconvenience is worth the trade-off for the safety factor.” – Frank Gwirtz

“I have had a Festool track saw for years and couldn’t do without it. I would never give up my table saw, but the track saw has totally changed how I deal with sheet goods. It’s highly portable, accurate and easy to use. I can reduce a 4×8 sheet of plywood (or whatever) by myself with no problems. I would recommend a track saw to anyone. “ – Dave Beard

Some don’t own one – largely for monetary reasons – but wish they did. – Editor

“Being the frugal Yankee that I am, I have always just eschewed the idea of ever owning a track saw. So far, I have been able to create the results I need just by clamping a good straight board on anything that I need to cut that’s really large. I’m sure the track saws are faster and easier, but I just can’t justify the expense when I get reasonably good results from the clamped board.” – Lee Ohmart

“Sure, I’d like to have a track saw.  I can’t justify the cost of one, but I would test one for you. I don’t do professional woodworking.  I’m a hobbyist and do more carving than anything else.  Almost everything I would use a track saw on, I can probably use a different process or different tool.  Like, use a straight clamp and a circular saw.  Given that I don’t even use those often, I have to find other uses for my money – like share it with my wife.” – Dan Lumpkin

“Don’t have one but have wanted one, I just can’t see that the expense is worth it.” – J. Eric Pennestri

“You asked. I don’t own one, but I wish I did. My table saw is a small RYOBI contractor’s saw. I’ve been using it for over 12 years and, while barely adequate, it gets the job done. (It really cries cutting 12/4 hard maple!) But when it comes to cutting plywood sheets, it fails miserably. I make up for it with a straightedge and a Skilsaw. I’ve gotten pretty good at this. Then I’ll watch a video and realize just how easy it could be. But I’m retired, and a nice Festool track saw just isn’t in the budget. So, until I hit the lottery, or someone wants to buy me one, it will just be me and my old Skilsaw, a couple of clamps and a straightedge.”- Steve Kendall

“As a 40+ year furniture maker, full-time career type, I’ve had little time to explore tools like track saws that might seem cool but that my table saw with huge outfeed tables could knock off in seconds. My sister is constantly telling me about the amazing virtues of this new tool or that. Mostly I smile and say, ‘Sounds cool, Sis, but I don’t have time to play with cool.’ Well, after 45 years, I’m retiring and am downsizing my shop, bringing the essential tools and equipment home and am looking forward to making only what I want to make and to having more time to spend playing with cool new tools! Who knows, maybe I’ll get my sister to order a track saw for me.” – Clint Struthers

“Have one?  No.  Interested in one? Yes. I have just about completed my retirement mini-woodshop and just can’t justify the expense of a track saw for now.  I would prefer to replace my 30-year-old 12-inch Craftsman band saw with a nice Laguna or JET to resaw boards with more precision.  Costs of a quality track saw and quality band saw are not that far apart.  Which will I use more? I have read a lot the past couple years of the pros of having a track saw, but the expense comes into play again.  I am working diligently to become more accurate with my layouts and cuts to make my projects more professional.  I am enjoying the rewards of my efforts with better precision and see the results in the projects I am tackling.  I also understand firsthand that premium tools vs. cheap tools can make a difference.  I have seen hundreds of videos of track saws in use and they appear to be primarily suited for accurate sheet stock breakdown.  My Black and Decker circular saw equipped with a premium blade and my well-clamped 50-inch straightedge seem to break down sheet materials nicely for final dimensioning on my table saw.
Are there further benefits of owning a track saw (other than time making cuts) that I don’t see?” – T. Newman

And some just don’t think it’s worth it, citing alternative methods for making the cuts that they need. – Editor

“When I first read your question my response was, ‘What’s a track saw?’ Then I Googled it. I remember stumbling across a review by Chris Marshall dated December 2014. At that time, I dismissed it because I have a Kreg Rip-Cut, which is a poor man’s track saw substitute. With every passing year, though, the sheet goods are getting heaver and more of a challenge to handle. Maybe it is time to reconsider adding to my birthday wish list – or maybe I should start making a wish list to share!” –   Kevin Joyce

“No effect on me at all. Cute toys, too expensive and not enough utility for me.  I have a couple of trimmed sheet good edges and assorted F-clamps I use when I’m breaking down sheet goods, which isn’t a daily thing for me.  When the sheet goods straightedges get bunged up, I just cut new ones.  Or I use the top sheet as a straightedge for the sheet underneath.  In most cases, I cut pretty close and true it up on the table saw. That’s for cuts longer than 4 feet.  For shorter cuts, I made one of those straightedges that allow your circ saw to go down either side.  That’s probably as close to a true track saw as I’ll ever come.” – Steve Dragg

“Track saws are a spin from the jig I’ve used for years to break down sheet goods into more manageable pieces. I think the jig plan actually came from your magazine years ago! Made it from $4 worth of hardboard and some straight scrap for a guide. I’ve made many as gifts for friends for their projects. I have an 8-foot and 4-foot version. If I measure accurately and use a good blade, it will cut to final dimensions, too. The jig is easy, fast and accurate. Why would I invest hundreds of dollars to get the same results?” – Bil Hook

“What does it do that my table saw doesn’t do better? Besides, I have a really good table saw.” – Ken Koehn

“To be honest, I’m not convinced a track saw is really a great improvement over the old straightedge-over-base two-layer plywood guide. The main improvements seem to be the zero-clearance cut on both sides rather than only on the straightedge side, and the fact that it locks into the guide so you really can’t slip away from it even if you’re sloppy. And maybe that track saws handle plunge cuts more nicely. Would I like one? Sure. Is it worth the money? Not when there are so many tools I need more and alternatives exist. (Just as for a panel saw.) – Joseph Kesselman

“I’d love to have a track saw, just like I’d love to have a panel saw. But, the few times I need one (or the other) to breakdown sheet goods with extreme precision isn’t often enough to justify the cost.  Almost all of the time, I can clamp my 9-foot or 4-1/2-foot piece of very straight hardwood 1×6 to the plywood (etc.), offsetting for the plate of my circular saw, and then deal with any minor imperfections at the table saw.” – Bill Chapman

“I have only looked at them.  I can’t justify in my shop.  I have a 30-inch and 54-inch traditional plywood and hardwood rail guide system I made and use when I need them.  I want to upgrade them to use the INCRA dovetail clamps instead of the quick clamps I presently use. I just don’t use that much plywood, except Baltic birch for fixtures.” – Keith Wales, Sr.

“They are too expensive, plus I have no interest in getting one.  My guide made out of two pieces of Masonite works just as as well as a track saw.” – Bernie Lasiewicz

“I am an amateur woodworker with limited tools.  I have a compound miter saw, but not a slider.  In order to accommodate wider lumber, in this case stair treads, I purchased a Kreg track to use with my circular saw.  I was able to custom fit stair treads, tight to both stairwell walls.  I have since used it to make plywood cuts, up to four feet, rather than wheeling out my table saw.  I have been very impressed with this unit; so much so that I purchased one for my son for Christmas.” – Steve Bowers

“I have used them professionally, and like them, but cannot justify the cost in my personal shop. So I build my own and it works with both my Saw AND my router.“ – Ralph Bagnall

“I don’t have a track saw.  Way too expensive for my work. I have a Kreg system that will cut down large sheet goods.  I use a homemade fence to make cuts on smaller items.  Maybe a great item to have in a bigger workshop, but for my home repairs just cannot justfiy the cost to my wife.” – John Kwiatkowski

“I don’t own a track saw. I don’t think I need one enough to make the cost worthwhile, but maybe I just don’t know what I’m missing? Like most of us, I have several ways to make long cuts, even straight ones when necessary. The table saw is my go-to first choice. Occasionally, the band saw is a better choice. When neither of those are feasible because of the size/shape of the work, I use a circular saw. When the cut needs to be dead-on straight, I use it with a shop-made plywood guide clamped to the work. “ – Henry Burks

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