Hi everyone, I'm a new owner ... of the plunge cutting saw cw the guide rail. Maybe I should have bought the accessory clamps but can someone help me with a bit of a tutorial on clamping the guide rail? E.g. can you do certain kinds of work without clamping it? When clamping is necessary, is it doable with standard old shop c clamps, etc.?? Many thanks.
Clamping Guide Rail
- Thread starter calgary
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chrisrosenb
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I very seldom clamp the guide rails now. When I first got my saw I clamped them all of the time.
As I used the saw more, I found there are times when clamping is not needed.
I would recommend clamping the rails until you get comfortable cutting with the saw & rail.
As I used the saw more, I found there are times when clamping is not needed.
I would recommend clamping the rails until you get comfortable cutting with the saw & rail.
Hi Welcome [big grin]
The rails don't need to be clamped.
The only time I clamp is when I'm cutting on multiple passes and can't risk the rail moving (if I accidentally knock the rail )
The friction strips are efficient at stopping the rails moving
The clamps can be useful when positioning a long rail as when moving one siend the other can pivot.
Check on YouTube there are lots of clips of the saws in action with out clamps
The rails don't need to be clamped.
The only time I clamp is when I'm cutting on multiple passes and can't risk the rail moving (if I accidentally knock the rail )
The friction strips are efficient at stopping the rails moving
The clamps can be useful when positioning a long rail as when moving one siend the other can pivot.
Check on YouTube there are lots of clips of the saws in action with out clamps
Frank Pellow
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First of all, I would like to welcome you to the Festool Owners Group. I have learned a great deal here over the years and I trust that you will do the same.
The clamps for the guide rail are seldom needed but, when you do want to clamp the rail, you need to use the clamps provided by Festool. They work great and are good for lots of other things as well as the guide rail. I have 10 of them.
In the almost 7 years that I have owned a Festool plunge saw and rail and thew manu many times that I have used them, I have probably only clamped the rail about a dozen times and, even with those times, I am not certain that the rail needed to be clamped. The times that I clamped the rail were times when I was cutting very expensive wood or panelling.
The clamps for the guide rail are seldom needed but, when you do want to clamp the rail, you need to use the clamps provided by Festool. They work great and are good for lots of other things as well as the guide rail. I have 10 of them.
In the almost 7 years that I have owned a Festool plunge saw and rail and thew manu many times that I have used them, I have probably only clamped the rail about a dozen times and, even with those times, I am not certain that the rail needed to be clamped. The times that I clamped the rail were times when I was cutting very expensive wood or panelling.
There are other makes of clamps that work as well.
There's a quick clamp by Dewalt and some similar to festools by Mafell which I use.
What's important is that they are well fitting into the slot underneath the rail.
Don't be tempted to over tighten the clamps as they can distort the rails. The friction strips help a lot.
Festool do make a Gecko, a suction cup attachment for the rails but I've not had any experience with it.
There's a quick clamp by Dewalt and some similar to festools by Mafell which I use.
What's important is that they are well fitting into the slot underneath the rail.
Don't be tempted to over tighten the clamps as they can distort the rails. The friction strips help a lot.
Festool do make a Gecko, a suction cup attachment for the rails but I've not had any experience with it.
jmbfestool
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I dont even know where my festool quick clamps are! I never use them! I find if the material is at least as wide as half the rail your fine! If not the rails tip more easily so you use shorter rails to get the balance right also more over hang more likely to knock the rail your self.. I have a 600 800 800 1400 1400. I use the 1400 and 800 the most. The 800 is good for cutting small sheets up.
JMB
JMB
mouppe
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I usually clamp the guide rail to the wood unless I am using the MFT. I just prefer the extra security, although I agree with the previous posters in that it is probably overkill.
I should add that I rarely use sheet goods, and often the wood is only 6 or 7 inches wide, so it does not have the surface area of a large plywood or MFT sheet for example. For the large sheets I would not bother clamping the rail.
If in doubt, clamp.
Richard.
I should add that I rarely use sheet goods, and often the wood is only 6 or 7 inches wide, so it does not have the surface area of a large plywood or MFT sheet for example. For the large sheets I would not bother clamping the rail.
If in doubt, clamp.
Richard.
Wood_Junkie
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Made about 60+ cuts of 3/4" plywood in the past two weekends re-doing my garage. I clamped for three cuts total, and only those because the sheet had a bow in it, such that the middle had a crown (which allows the rail to pivot, and get shifted easily). This is really the only time it is necessary.
Everything came out great and fit very nicely.
Everything came out great and fit very nicely.
waynelang2001
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For me i dont clamp the rail if im just ripping a board down to a size i can manage on the table saw. But when ever im cutting a large board that needs to be perfect right down to the mm then i always clamp it down, its all to easy to shift the rail ever so slightly when putting the saw on, and if your working in a small space bumping the rail is always a issue for me.
WarnerConstCo.
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You can use clamps on those. [big grin] [cool]
PaulMarcel
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Bit of a ditto post... I use the clamps when straight-lining rough stock that is narrower than the guide rail simply for balance. Also do one end of the long rail because it will pivot. As FEStastic mentioned, DeWalt makes nice quick-grip clamps that work in the rail. I have a pair and like them for the few times I clamp. They are much faster to use than any of the Festool clamps for the rail (psst, cheaper, too). But that said, I still have 6 Festool clamps and 4 clamping elements. Great stuff.
Just wanna say thanks for the hospitable welcome here, and all the replies! This system really is a breakthrough to learn about and I'm greatly looking forward to learning more about it and using it in my newly hatched home based wood working biz. Again, thank you for taking the time to help a newcomer!
John Stevens
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waynelang2001 said:
Same here. It takes a minute or so to clamp the rail, so I understand the productivity cost. The other side of the coin is the productivity cost of correcting a mistake.
Regards,
John
jmbfestool
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If I am worried about the rail moving I keep one hand on the rail in front of the saw when I get so far I put my hand on the rail behind the saw. Works for me!
JMB
JMB
I have found that those festool rail clamps are very handy small clamps . I am going to start drilling holes on my various benches and use them like i do in the mft table . i use the clamps with my rails but as other have said only in those unique situations like cutting miters on 2x12 lumber .there are times you need them.
Once, when not using the clamps on a joined rail.. I hit the joined connection, the saw snagged a bit, moved the rail, ruined the cut, damn it. 
So as a general rule now... if there is enough contact area, if its a rough cut (vs. a final cut) and I use a single rail, I don't clamp.... Otherwise, I clamp to be safe.
Then I bought the Gecko...OMG, this thing works so great, I clamp just to be safe, takes two seconds and the holding force is truly remarkable... Once you buy the Gecko, you will never use the under the rail clamps...
So as a general rule now... if there is enough contact area, if its a rough cut (vs. a final cut) and I use a single rail, I don't clamp.... Otherwise, I clamp to be safe.
Then I bought the Gecko...OMG, this thing works so great, I clamp just to be safe, takes two seconds and the holding force is truly remarkable... Once you buy the Gecko, you will never use the under the rail clamps...
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J,
I have always thought the Gecko was a neat idea, but never thought that the products I used were smooth enough to allow for the suction cup.
What products have you used them with?
Cheers,
Peter
I have always thought the Gecko was a neat idea, but never thought that the products I used were smooth enough to allow for the suction cup.
What products have you used them with?
Cheers,
Peter
Peter, your avatar is toooo funny...and very timely... another use of the word "green" argggg...
So far I have used the Gecko on Baltic Birch, pre finished veneered sheets and melamine. On all 3 of those surfaces, the hold is so strong, one Gecko can lift the sheet... last week cut down 20 sheets of 5x8' 3/4" melamine, gosh they were HEAVY... at times, I used the Gecko to get a better grip on them while pushing and shoving them around. I tested it while the sheet was upright, and the Gecko had a good bite on it... remarkably, I lifted the sheet off the ground, I was stunned.
Some dust is OK, but too much dust will reduce the holding power, but for holding the rail in place, no worries. I imagine the pads will wear over time, and suction will be less. I have cut about 80 sheets so far, still rock solid. But I ordered a few replacement pads just in case. Considering the pads are low cost, these Gecko's will help me out in many ways... even though I only bought the first one to simplify holding the rail (got tired of bending below the material to clamp) Like all tools, there is some tricks.... push down on the locking handle, when securing the vacuum...it makes a big difference.
So far I have used the Gecko on Baltic Birch, pre finished veneered sheets and melamine. On all 3 of those surfaces, the hold is so strong, one Gecko can lift the sheet... last week cut down 20 sheets of 5x8' 3/4" melamine, gosh they were HEAVY... at times, I used the Gecko to get a better grip on them while pushing and shoving them around. I tested it while the sheet was upright, and the Gecko had a good bite on it... remarkably, I lifted the sheet off the ground, I was stunned.
Some dust is OK, but too much dust will reduce the holding power, but for holding the rail in place, no worries. I imagine the pads will wear over time, and suction will be less. I have cut about 80 sheets so far, still rock solid. But I ordered a few replacement pads just in case. Considering the pads are low cost, these Gecko's will help me out in many ways... even though I only bought the first one to simplify holding the rail (got tired of bending below the material to clamp) Like all tools, there is some tricks.... push down on the locking handle, when securing the vacuum...it makes a big difference.
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