Can 55" rail be mounted on MFT/3 instead of 42" for cross cuts?

[hockey_magnet]

Probable a dumb question but I'm to buy an MFT/3 and TS 55 and wanted to get the dealer to substitute a 55 rail for the 42 that comes with the MFT/3 so that I could join the 2 55's to rip an 8 foot sheet on the odd occasion that it is necessary. I couldn't find any reference to mounting a 55 on the MFT/3 on the swivel bracket, although I'd be very surprised if you couldn't.

Chris

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Chris, Yes you can mount a 55" rail to your MFT/3, no problemo. My local Woodcraft will do package modifications, just check with the manager. Have a good one!
Best,
Tom

 

[ccarrolladams]

Probable a dumb question but I'm to buy an MFT/3 and TS 55 and wanted to get the dealer to substitute a 55 rail for the 42 that comes with the MFT/3 so that I could join the 2 55's to rip an 8 foot sheet on the odd occasion that it is necessary. I couldn't find any reference to mounting a 55 on the MFT/3 on the swivel bracket, although I'd be very surprised if you couldn't.

Chris

Hi Chris, this is a perfectly valid question.

The answer is YES!

The MFT/3 has the same profile of mounting extrusion on all four sides. To have extra cross-cut capacity, just move the rail mounting hardware to the short ends. The mount at the hinge end slides into the same underside channel as would clamps. It is possible that in the future you might buy a 42" guide rail to use your MFT/3 in the more usual way.

Part of the magic of the MFT/3 system are the nearly hidden "feather stops" factory set at one end of the longer extrusions. The idea is to slide the guide rail hinge parts against these feater stops so the guide rail will be square to the drilled holes.

My very strong suggestion is to not move the factory set feather stops. When people sometimes use the guide rail running the long way on the MFT/3 I urge you to buy a second set of the feather stops. Those are a replacement item so can be ordered directly from Festool Service Dept. Having taken a couple of End User Training Classes, where we discussed feather stops, before I bought my first MFT/3 set from my dealer, I ordered the extra set of feather stops directly from Service in Lebanon. They can tell you the part number and price. As I recall the price was not much. I kept the 42" rail which is part of the set, because I already owned 4 of the 55" rails, but my only 42" rail has holes for the LR32 system. As it turns out I almost always have my MFT/3 set up with a 55" rail.

 

[mouppe]

In my opinion, you would be better off leaving the 42" rail on the MFT/3 and upgrading to a longer rail with the TS55. 42" and 75" rails will be more useful than 2x55".

Richard.

 

[hockey_magnet]

Hi Chris, this is a perfectly valid question.

The answer is YES!

The MFT/3 has the same profile of mounting extrusion on all four sides. To have extra cross-cut capacity, just move the rail mounting hardware to the short ends. The mount at the hinge end slides into the same underside channel as would clamps. It is possible that in the future you might buy a 42" guide rail to use your MFT/3 in the more usual way.

Part of the magic of the MFT/3 system are the nearly hidden "feather stops" factory set at one end of the longer extrusions. The idea is to slide the guide rail hinge parts against these feater stops so the guide rail will be square to the drilled holes.

My very strong suggestion is to not move the factory set feather stops. When people sometimes use the guide rail running the long way on the MFT/3 I urge you to buy a second set of the feather stops. Those are a replacement item so can be ordered directly from Festool Service Dept. Having taken a couple of End User Training Classes, where we discussed feather stops, before I bought my first MFT/3 set from my dealer, I ordered the extra set of feather stops directly from Service in Lebanon. They can tell you the part number and price. As I recall the price was not much. I kept the 42" rail which is part of the set, because I already owned 4 of the 55" rails, but my only 42" rail has holes for the LR32 system. As it turns out I almost always have my MFT/3 set up with a 55" rail.

Thanks - good advice on the feather stops. I think I saw someone else mention not to move the installed stops

 

[hockey_magnet]

In my opinion, you would be better off leaving the 42" rail on the MFT/3 and upgrading to a longer rail with the TS55. 42" and 75" rails will be more useful than 2x55".

Richard.

Thanks. strictly financial at this stage to go from a 42 to a 55 is $15 vs $90 to go from a 55 to a 75. As I mentioned, I don't think I'll need a longer rail very often, just to rip the odd 8" length so 2 55's SHOULD work for that I think or do I actually need a minimum length longer than 110 for that?

Chris

 

[mouppe]

Don't forget the guide rail connectors as well.

 

[ccarrolladams]

Two coupled 55" guide rails is 110" or 2" longer than the 108"/2700mm rail. Either arrangement is just long enough to make 8' rips using a TS55, but slightly too short to do the same using a TS75.

It does take 2 of the Festool rail couplers, cat 482 107. You would expect those to be stocked by B&M dealers selling TS saws and MFT/3, but these days double check to be certain.

If you are planning to couple LR32 "Holy" rails, you also need set of LR32 Guide Rail Connector (cat 496 938). Despite the name these only establish the 32mm spacing of the connected holes. You still need 2 of the cat 482 107 Guide Rail Connectors.

Please note that for some reason the Guide Rail Connectors are sold individually, so you need to purchase at least 2 of the cat 482 107 to accomplish anything.

Meanwhile the LR32 Guide Rail Connector, cat 496 938, are priced as a set of 2. Go figure, because to establish the hole spacing you only need one of the cat 496 938. However, those are also used as limit stops to position the bottom hole correctly from the bottom edge of cabinet sides. Many people use such a stop at either end. Apparently when Festool introduced the more sophisticated cat 496 938, they realized they belong as a pair. The previous LR32 limit stops were sold as a unit of one. This is the sort of thing which causes confusion!

 

[hockey_magnet]

Two coupled 55" guide rails is 110" or 2" longer than the 108"/2700mm rail. Either arrangement is just long enough to make 8' rips using a TS55, but slightly too short to do the same using a TS75.

It does take 2 of the Festool rail couplers, cat 482 107. You would expect those to be stocked by B&M dealers selling TS saws and MFT/3, but these days double check to be certain.

If you are planning to couple LR32 "Holy" rails, you also need set of LR32 Guide Rail Connector (cat 496 938). Despite the name these only establish the 32mm spacing of the connected holes. You still need 2 of the cat 482 107 Guide Rail Connectors.

Please note that for some reason the Guide Rail Connectors are sold individually, so you need to purchase at least 2 of the cat 482 107 to accomplish anything.

Meanwhile the LR32 Guide Rail Connector, cat 496 938, are priced as a set of 2. Go figure, because to establish the hole spacing you only need one of the cat 496 938. However, those are also used as limit stops to position the bottom hole correctly from the bottom edge of cabinet sides. Many people use such a stop at either end. Apparently when Festool introduced the more sophisticated cat 496 938, they realized they belong as a pair. The previous LR32 limit stops were sold as a unit of one. This is the sort of thing which causes confusion!

Thanks - sometimes I do find their logic a little confusing. Doesn't make sense to price guide rail connectors individually if you always need 2 to connect two rails. And why not price clamping elements indivually since 3 will hold a round object and you might never need 4?

 

[peter halle]

Just my guess, selling the guidecrail connectors individually is probably a result of the older style rails which only required one connector.

Peter

 

[ccarrolladams]

Just my guess, selling the guidecrail connectors individually is probably a result of the older style rails which only required one connector.

Peter

Good point, Peter. By the day in January 2006 when I bought my first TS55, 2 extra FS1400/2 rails, several clamps and the rail accessory kit, my dealer no longer had any of the older style rails in stock. Since the AFT65 was still available, and some were in stock, maybe the older rails could have been ordered. I never asked. On a display board there were several tubes of the rail connectors.

A few days later I bought my first OF1010, a single 42" Holy rail and the LR32 kit, that included 2 of the LR32 limit stops. Eventually after I bought a 95" Holy rail and an additional 42" one, it turned out to be a challenge to buy two more sets of the old limit stops. Eventually I simply bought those directly from the Service Department.

Personally I always read the fine print, so I expect to learn up-front what is sold as a set of 2 or more, and what is sold as a set of one even when two are necessary for practical use.

Having met dealer personnel with differing levels of sophistication and Festool product knowledge, I am very willing to bet more than one person buying their first TS55 or 75 has reached their shop expecting to be able to connect two rails and yet were only sold one connector.

 

[Kodi Crescent]

Don't forget the guide rail connectors as well.

An extra $30.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I wouldn't suggest this trade out.  While you can use the MFT sideways with a long rail you already have a 1400 rail with your saw.  It is not as convenient using the MFT sideways as you have half as much material support. You can also only extend the MFT fence so far so when cutting narrower stock you will have to lean way over the table to make your cuts.  If you keep the fence and rail on standard you will have an extra foot of rail sticking out behind the table.

I use my 1080 rail quite often, it is a convenient length to work from.  I would suggest waiting until you can afford a longer rail, in the meantime you can always do a crosscut first before your rips.  With rail connectors a 1080 and 1400 can get you almost 7'.

 

[hockey_magnet]

I wouldn't suggest this trade out.  While you can use the MFT sideways with a long rail you already have a 1400 rail with your saw.  It is not as convenient using the MFT sideways as you have half as much material support. You can also only extend the MFT fence so far so when cutting narrower stock you will have to lean way over the table to make your cuts.  If you keep the fence and rail on standard you will have an extra foot of rail sticking out behind the table.

I use my 1080 rail quite often, it is a convenient length to work from.   I would suggest waiting until you can afford a longer rail, in the meantime you can always do a crosscut first before your rips.  With rail connectors a 1080 and 1400 can get you almost 7'.

Good points but it's a done deal. I was never really planning on using it sideways and the extra foot won't bother me. If I was going to do a LOT of 8" rips I would defintiely have left it and bought a longer rail but it's a very seldom occurrence - in situations where I need the full 8" length (no cross cuts).