Festool needs a clamp like this

[nickao]

Lets not get into the EZ - Festool bashing.

I am just saying Festool needs a quick mechanism like this to clamp the rail down quickly. The big handle with the quick pressure down plus auto squaring and the way the guy repositions the entire rail is just what the Festool system needs. Give Kudos where they are due, this rocks.

Squaring panels with the ez smart track saw system.

 

[Tinker]

Altho I have not ordered mine yet, it has always been my understanding the same can be done with the parallel guides.  Just set up one of thee guides to the saw guide, and you are good to go.
Tinker

 

[tjbnwi]

nickao,

That is how I use my guide rail angle unit. I know there have been complaints about it nor holding a setting, I have never experienced that. There is no handle on it of course. I also have to take the weight of the rail off the panel to be cut, it does not slide as easily as shown it the video. I do not know if Dino's rail have a friction strip or not, that will make a difference.

Not bashing Dino or his product, just pointing out how I accomplish the same thing. I see way to much bashing on anther forum to lower myself to that.

Tom

 

[nickao]

Nothing Festool makes is as nice, stable or stays in position this quickly or fast. If they had it, it would be on the first page with a video.

The angle unit is a joke in my opinion and is  nearly brand new in the box used about a month before I almost tossed it across the room and sitting for 3 years.

If it works for you great! But it is no where as nifty as this. Most cuts for the ply are 90 degree so this is the the way to get that and fast!

Looks simple enough to make differently and for the Festool so not to infringe and not make us make our own or modify the EZ handle or whatever they call it. 

 

[Tinker]

Nickao, I'm with you on the angle unit.  I have tried everything to give mine a chance to prove its worth.  Yesterday, I had a little spare time after a day of bookkeeping (monthly billing to make money to buy more Festoys) and with no time to actually start a project, I was rummaging around and came across my (like new) angle guide.  As I had done about once a year for ever since I bought the darned thing, I brought it out and fiddled around with it to see if I could come up with anything new.
It definitely does not work for me in the manner that Festol would have me think it will work.  What I have finally arrived at for a solution is to use it for a single setup of a solid fence (I have several metal extrusions that I can use) at the angle I need to my saw guide plate, clamp that down with necessary stops.  I then can put the guide back in its drawer and do not need to worry about its holding the angle. In that way, it becomes somewhat useful.
Tinker

 

[tjbnwi]

Again I ask, Are there friction strips on Dino's rail? None of the rails seem to slide as easily, as in the video. Never had a problem with the angle unit from day one, set lock it, stays set until I put it away.

I believe Qwas does make a square for the Festool rail that does the same thing. I read somewhere the Dewalt also fits the Festool rail. Maybe Dino's would work with the rail also?

This could well be an area the engineers missed, wouldn't be the first time. Was a long while before the parallel guides arrived.

Just askin'.

Tom

 

[casper]

I have refused to buy the track saw simply because it is a pain to set up a perfectly square cut, in fact I have yet to do it and I have used one (borrowed) on several projects. The first time I put it down to my inexperience and carelessness in set up, the second time I just found it consumed too much time to set it up. If Festool make a device to square it on the sheet to one mark square to an edge they have a buyer. Put it down and cut, that is what I want.

 

[Holzhacker]

That would be a great rail addition for Festool to bring out. That guys clamp is nice, simple and looks like it really helps setting a rail. Festool could probably modify one side of the parallel guide to act as a rail clamp like his. His clamp seems like an intermediate solution between just laying the rail on top of the product or using the full parallel guide.
If I did a lot of production work ripping down sheets daily/weekly I would buy a parallel guide. The occasional sheet work doesn't make the parallel guide a realistic purchase for me. A clamp like that though I'd buy right away.

 

[wnagle]

I wonder how the Festool rail would work with the friction strips removed.  Might make it easier since there would be less stress on the angle unit or whatever squaring device used.  You would need to keep one hand on the rail or squaring device to keep the rail from slipping though.  Something to think about anyway.

 

[tbellemare]

I'm thinking, lack of friction strip equals deflection or movement.

I didn't catch the clamp aspect. Did I miss something? It looked to me like he just held it.

Tom

 

[robtonya]

I have the Dewalt 90 degree rail attachment thing, and use it on the Festool rail. Works great. I do wish the Festool angle unit had positive stops on every degree.

 

[jmbfestool]

I'm thinking, lack of friction strip equals deflection or movement.

I didn't catch the clamp aspect. Did I miss something? It looked to me like he just held it.

Tom

What I thought cant see no clamping going on.  

I think its good but if the sheet is bigger than the rail you cant move it along like you can with the Guide rail so you would need a bigger one  for sure but with the festool guide rail you can manage with just a 1400 cutting 2400 on site that is ofcorse in work shop you would have a large one but on site bit its a pain I know you can join the rail but that takes time and where do you store it with out any one on site bending it because they will!! Nasty people!

JMB

 

[Tinker]

I guess such nasty people work on both sides of the pond.  I was a mason contractor  doing a job with a carpenter/builder who thought his practical jokes were quite hilarious.  I am also a practical joker of sorts; but I do not play games that are hurtful or costly to others. This guy went into great histerics when he would drop a handfull of nails in my mortar.  He usually threw hem into a whole batch and it would take my helper and I several minutes (you know---time is money) to sort out the mess, some mortar most certainly got thrown out.  Harry, the joker would laugh the whole time we spent sorting the mess.  One day, I was working on the fireplace running up the fire box.  Setting fire brick to a thin joint is not the easiest part of building a chimney and the mortar needs to be just right, just right, hell, it must be perfect.  Well, I was right at the middle of the back slope, which requires quickness and care, and the mortar needs to be better than perfect.  Harry comes along and throws his typical handfull of nails into my mortar and continues on his laughing way out onto the roof where he was laying shingles.  I said nothing but instructed my helper to go to Harry's nail supply, the big headed type for nailing down asphault shingles, mix the shingle nails in with finishing nails, and any other nails he could come across.  As he was very carefully mixing nails, I shoveled the contaminated mortar out of my pan and very carefully poured it into each of the nail kegs and tried to shake them up a bit more.  By the time Harry came down off the roof to get more nails, the whole mess had set up pretty good.  Strange thing was that Harry did not think that was funny.  Sometimes the ugly ones just need a little turnabout.
PS:  I never had any more problems from Harry with spilling nails into my mud.  He did, however, continue with his nasty humor and I did have further run-ins with the guy, but that is a story for another day.
Tinker

 

[nickao]

When he presses down on the handle it effectively clamps the rail down and secures it with down pressure so the ply can't laterally move. Call it what you want it acts as a clamp. It grabs underneath the ply or at least on the edge of the ply and on top of the ply. He must release the handle down pressure to move the entire unit or it will not move.

Irregardless of how it works does  Festool have quick square unit that works this fast and accurately, no. That is my point.

If you want to bust my hump over semantics go ahead.

The little black piece that extends beyond the extrusion fits up underneath the ply so when he presses(or applies pressure) on the handle it squeezes the ply between the part pf the handle that overhangs and sits on top of the ply and this black piece(a small amount , but plenty). Pushing on the handle also pushes the  edge of the aluminum extrusion into the ply keeping it square.

I call that a clamping action, it is at the very least a wedging action.

 

[Frank-Jan]

I found another video on youtube that shows the squaring attachment in a bit more detail Squaring up a panel

I still can't see the actual clamping , the black part seems to be on the same side of the square (the top of the sheet), but Dino says so in his video, it is the downward pressure of the handle that acts like a clamp. But like you said, it doesn't really matter, it's a nice system that seems to work.

 

[jmbfestool]

I guess such nasty people work on both sides of the pond.  I was a mason contractor  doing a job with a carpenter/builder who thought his practical jokes were quite hilarious.  I am also a practical joker of sorts; but I do not play games that are hurtful or costly to others. This guy went into great histerics when he would drop a handfull of nails in my mortar.  He usually threw hem into a whole batch and it would take my helper and I several minutes (you know---time is money) to sort out the mess, some mortar most certainly got thrown out.  Harry, the joker would laugh the whole time we spent sorting the mess.  One day, I was working on the fireplace running up the fire box.  Setting fire brick to a thin joint is not the easiest part of building a chimney and the mortar needs to be just right, just right, , it must be perfect.  Well, I was right at the middle of the back slope, which requires quickness and care, and the mortar needs to be better than perfect.  Harry comes along and throws his typical handfull of nails into my mortar and continues on his laughing way out onto the roof where he was laying shingles.  I said nothing but instructed my helper to go to Harry's nail supply, the big headed type for nailing down asphault shingles, mix the shingle nails in with finishing nails, and any other nails he could come across.  As he was very carefully mixing nails, I shoveled the contaminated mortar out of my pan and very carefully poured it into each of the nail kegs and tried to shake them up a bit more.  By the time Harry came down off the roof to get more nails, the whole mess had set up pretty good.  Strange thing was that Harry did not think that was funny.  Sometimes the ugly ones just need a little turnabout.
PS:  I never had any more problems from Harry with spilling nails into my mud.  He did, however, continue with his nasty humor and I did have further run-ins with the guy, but that is a story for another day.
Tinker

Well Ill be waiting for 2moro as 2moro is another day for another story!

Well this Harry Gay sorry I mean Guy sounds very childish.  I must admit I have stuck a couple of screws in some plaster but thats because the plaster flicked water at me as I was under him when he was wetting his plaster he said he did it by accident but it got me full on in the face and he clearly did it on purpose!

Messing around on site is fun but can turn out really bad! Well turned out bad for me TWICE!

Once! Was about 6 of use all working in and out side it was really hot day! I was only an apprentice my mentor thought it was funny to throw a bucket of water of the wall which he knew the brick layer was laying bricks on the other side. Well ofcorse the brick layer wanted to get his own back so 10 mins later I felt loads of water me and my mentor got soaked he had attached a water hose and soaked us. Well my mentor turned round saw a bucket full of really dirty water  went to throw it at the bricklayer well the bricklayer turned and tried to run but instead of running he slipped and his arm landing on a H frame Trestle which have small metal upstands to stop blankes sliding of well it went straight into his arm bit and ripped his arm open he need 6 stitches looked really minging he had to unhook him self!

Second time well thats when I left the company to work for a much better company!  My mentor had been off for a week because he was ill. Well it was his frist day back and he was fitting door frames and I was dab boarding. Well he got to this opening and the bricklayers had made it 4 inches to small so it needed stihl sawing. Well because he just been ill he said I have to cut the opening bigger so he went and got me Goggles and a good dust mask. He marked the wall ready and plumbed it up. Little did I know it was one of his little tricks again.  Any way I started cutting of corse alot of dust comes from stihl sawing almost finished BANG i get grabbed around the neck and told to stop. I was like why I was told to do this by my mentor. He was like well im **** telling you to stop. I was okay whatever. So I carried on what I was doing with my dust mask on every one had gone out side having a fag or what ever. Any way I was on set of ladder and I get this brush in my face it was the FORMAN! He told me to **** get the mask off and breath in the dust like he is. I said why should I! I was told to cut that opening and you dont have to breath it in you can stand inside like every one els. His eyes went RED he grapped me ripped me of the ladders grapped me in a head lock I dropped everything of course and then freed my self. He then shouted come on then come on then fight me. I walked of called the BOSS he said he will look into it I said well this is my weeks notice then he starts saying all how hes helped me and everything like I owe him for my apprentice.

I still dont know why them two blockes got so high rate. One of the bricklayers allways causes dust without any notice me and my mentor just walk out and wait till it settles thats why my mentor told me to do it like a payback for the times they did it to us. What annoys me is that I did what I was told and I didnt flatten the Forman looking back at it now I would of kicked the Formans head in I was just in shock and surprised couldnt believe what was happening. My mentor did run when the Forman grapped me and said it was his fault he told me to do it but it seemed like it didn't mater.

I wish I didnt believe in karma because the Forman has a large Van and he does a lot of Rallying so he has put a Bed in it! Under his bed he has a filter system and a pumped system with White Diesel which just pumps round but doesn't go into the engine and a large fuel tank which he puts Red Diesel.
Also he has a light post next to his house he told me when he did his drive he tapped into the light post for electricity but not sure if thats true but I know the Red diesel is because Iv seen it and I opened his van once and he jumped a mile because he was filling it at the time with red diesel because he has a digger so bit in the digger bit in the van.

JMB

JMB

 

[jmbfestool]

When he presses down on the handle it effectively clamps the rail down and secures it with down pressure so the ply can't laterally move. Call it what you want it acts as a clamp. It grabs underneath the ply or at least on the edge of the ply and on top of the ply. He must release the handle down pressure to move the entire unit or it will not move.

Irregardless of how it works does  Festool have quick square unit that works this fast and accurately, no. That is my point.

If you want to bust my hump over semantics go ahead.

The little black piece that extends beyond the extrusion fits up underneath the ply so when he presses(or applies pressure) on the handle it squeezes the ply between the part pf the handle that overhangs and sits on top of the ply and this black piece(a small amount , but plenty). Pushing on the handle also pushes the  edge of the aluminum extrusion into the ply keeping it square.

I call that a clamping action, it is at the very least a wedging action.

lol didnt really mean it! Was just saying cus you have the title as Clamp was expecting to see some sort of clamp! Was only pulling your leg!!!

JMB

 

[Deansocial]

I guess such nasty people work on both sides of the pond.  I was a mason contractor  doing a job with a carpenter/builder who thought his practical jokes were quite hilarious.  I am also a practical joker of sorts; but I do not play games that are hurtful or costly to others. This guy went into great histerics when he would drop a handfull of nails in my mortar.  He usually threw hem into a whole batch and it would take my helper and I several minutes (you know---time is money) to sort out the mess, some mortar most certainly got thrown out.  Harry, the joker would laugh the whole time we spent sorting the mess.  One day, I was working on the fireplace running up the fire box.  Setting fire brick to a thin joint is not the easiest part of building a chimney and the mortar needs to be just right, just right, , it must be perfect.  Well, I was right at the middle of the back slope, which requires quickness and care, and the mortar needs to be better than perfect.  Harry comes along and throws his typical handfull of nails into my mortar and continues on his laughing way out onto the roof where he was laying shingles.  I said nothing but instructed my helper to go to Harry's nail supply, the big headed type for nailing down asphault shingles, mix the shingle nails in with finishing nails, and any other nails he could come across.  As he was very carefully mixing nails, I shoveled the contaminated mortar out of my pan and very carefully poured it into each of the nail kegs and tried to shake them up a bit more.  By the time Harry came down off the roof to get more nails, the whole mess had set up pretty good.  Strange thing was that Harry did not think that was funny.  Sometimes the ugly ones just need a little turnabout.
PS:  I never had any more problems from Harry with spilling nails into my mud.  He did, however, continue with his nasty humor and I did have further run-ins with the guy, but that is a story for another day.
Tinker

i had a guy putting flux on all my tool handle so i got it n my hands all the time. I pasloded his new trainers to the floor

 

[nickao]

 

[nickao]

I still want it for my Festool rail. 

Frank jam I don;t think that video  even shows the same small black piece at all. I would place the small black piece under the ply and the handle overhanging the top of the ply. Hey maybe I just improved it.  I think  that is an old video, irregardless it is sweet.