Festool / DeWalt guide rail clamps

[EWTHeckman]

The guide rail accessory kit includes two screw clamps.

My TS 55 systainer contains places to store a pair of quick clamps, a pair of guide rail connectors and a parallel guide, but they have to be purchased separately.

Edit...  split from another topic to start this thread.

 

[andvari]

If you are considering clamps, take a look at the DeWalt ones as well as the Festool clamps.

 

[neeleman]

Here is a picture of the DeWalt track-rail-clamps.
It's for one-handed operation for fast set-up and that's very handy when they are upside down under the rail.
They are minimal $23 for a set. The Festool are $39 a piece.

 

[ajones]

Here is a picture of the DeWalt track-rail-clamps.
It's for one-handed operation for fast set-up and that's very handy when they are upside down under the rail.
They are minimal $23 for a set. The Festool are $39 a piece.

You cant argue with that..... but the festool quick clamps are a quality item. I'm not 100% sure but I think they are made by bessey

 

[hrrb]

Ouch...just checked the price on the Dewalt clamps that you can buy for $23.

$85 for a set here in Denmark!  [eek]

Sometimes I wish I lived in America!  [big grin]

Kind regards
Henrik

 

[ajones]

Ouch...just checked the price on the Dewalt clamps that you can buy for $23.

$85 for a set here in Denmark!  [eek]

Sometimes I wish I lived in America!  [big grin]

Kind regards
Henrik

Henrick the dewalt clamps are around the £36.00 mark here in the UK

 

[AlexThePalex]

.... but the festool quick clamps are a quality item. I'm not 100% sure but I think they are made by bessey

Yes, they are made by Bessey.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Here is a picture of the DeWalt track-rail-clamps.
It's for one-handed operation for fast set-up and that's very handy when they are upside down under the rail.
They are minimal $23 for a set. The Festool are $39 a piece.

Can anyone confirm that the DeWalt clamps fit in the Festool rail?

 

[duburban]

Here is a picture of the DeWalt track-rail-clamps.
It's for one-handed operation for fast set-up and that's very handy when they are upside down under the rail.
They are minimal $23 for a set. The Festool are $39 a piece.

Can anyone confirm that the DeWalt clamps fit in the Festool rail?

i found multiple confirmations on this sight and others so i ordered them. i hope they're right! i'll know if a few days.

 

[Martin Johnson]

I use both the ratchet and the screw type.  The ratchet are more convenient and I prefer to use them, but there are times when the setup of the rail and space underneath required me to use the screw type...not enough room to use the full travel on the ratchet.  I've seen the Yellow brand, and my personal opinion is that the Festool are more robust than the Dewalt.  But if price was an issue, you probably wouldn't have bought Festool in the first place...my recommendation is stay with the green.

 

[ajones]

I use both the ratchet and the screw type.  The ratchet are more convenient and I prefer to use them, but there are times when the setup of the rail and space underneath required me to use the screw type...not enough room to use the full travel on the ratchet.  I've seen the Yellow brand, and my personal opinion is that the Festool are more robust than the Dewalt.  But if price was an issue, you probably wouldn't have bought Festool in the first place...my recommendation is stay with the green.

+1 you will still be using the festool quick clamps many years after the dewalt clamps have been bined and forgotten

 

[Scott in Bend Oregon]

I have both brands of the squeeze ratchet type rail clamps.  They both work in the rail, but the DeWalt's won't go through the MFT table top holes.

The main differences in rail use are that Festool's squeeze grip orientation is vertical and the DeWalt is horizontal.  I like the DeWalt's better because they are truly a one-handed operation clamp.

The DeWalt's are a bit more crudely made and have a clamping action feel much like an Irwin Quick-Grip type clamp.

 

[live4ever]

Yes, the Dewalt clamps work with the Festool guide rail.  I really like mine - they are truly one handed and actually a lot sturdier than you might think.

I noticed the price has dropped by almost 33% on Amazon since I bought them.  I wonder if they have remade them with more plastic?  The photo you guys posted above looks to be a new version that appears to my eye more cheaply made, with more plastic.  Mine, which I bought in November from Amazon for $42, look like this:

 

[mlfaber]

Yes, the Dewalt clamps work with the Festool guide rail.  I really like mine - they are truly one handed and actually a lot sturdier than you might think.

I noticed the price has dropped by almost 33% on Amazon since I bought them.  I wonder if they have remade them with more plastic?  The photo you guys posted above looks to be a new version that appears to my eye more cheaply made, with more plastic.  Mine, which I bought in November from Amazon for $42, look like this:

I just picked these up on Amazon for $32.00 with Free Shipping.  Hard to beat.

 

[alik]

Does anibdy have the Makita screw clamps? does it fit the festool rail?

 

[Dominion]

Almost certainly yes. The Makita and Festool rails are virtually identical, to the extent I use Festool connectors on my Makita rails.

 

[bermuda]

Yes, they don't work on the table just rails. I don't think you could break or bend them unless you jump
on them. THe Dewalt rail clamps are very handy and versatile compared to the Festool and I really don't
like yellow tools.

 

[rylim]

Does Dewalt rail clamp work on Bosch/ Mafell rail?

 

[Bob D.]

It is possible to make your own clamps. I made a pair from a couple DeWalt squeeze clamps I had. Just cut the end of the bar off and welded it perpendicular to the end of the remaining bar. I had to do some very minor fitting to reduce the width of the bar to slide smoothly in the track. I did this with a smooth cut hand file and only removed maybe a mm or two. I posted something about this a couple years ago with photos. I will see if I can find the post and link to it here.

Edit(2nd attempt): I found the photos from when I made the clamps. I used some DeWalt small trigger clamps which I cut the end off and welded it back perpendicular to the clamp so it would run in the track. Required only slight adjustment in width to slide smoothly in the saw track. It also fits nicely in standard T-track.

The advantages are they are much smaller than the DeWalt clamps (see next to last photo for comparison next to a DeWalt track clamp) so they travel better since you can pack a pair in the box with the DeWalt TS but still have enough capacity (just shy of 6 inches) to handle most jobs plus for the cost of a inexpensive squeeze clamp and a couple minutes time you have a very serviceable track clamp for less than $6 each.

 

[Longhair]

The only black and yellow I own are the rail clamps. Have used them for over 4 years with no problems. They see a lot of use and pack in the systainer with the saw.  I couldn't justify the price differential.