Festool Parallel Guide System or Senca Parallel Guide System

[Rocky]

Which do you prefer?

 

[sancho57]

Personal preferance

 

[peter halle]

I only have the Festool set so I can't compare.

Sorry.

Peter

 

[erock]

Michael,

  I have the Festool P guides.  I like them a lot.  I personally have no complaints about them.  If you go the Festool route get the Parallel guide set.

The extensions balance out the guides.  I know a lot of guys complain about the guides sagging or not sitting properly, but I believe those guys don't

have the extensions installed on them.  I'm not saying that the design on them is perfect.  But in the two plus years I have been using them I have

zero negative things too say about them.  Keep in mind that if you are going to use them for stock thinner then 18mm (3/4") then you will need to

place something under the stock you want to cut due to the thickness of the guides.

You will receive a lot of mixed responses I'm sure, and like Sancho stated it's gonna be a personal preference. 

Maybe ask around too see if someone can lend you the Festool guides for a weekend or project to see how you get on with them?

Eric

 

[MrToolJunkie]

I too have the Festool PGs and think that they work well and are very accurate.  No issues using them at all.  You can also cut off the corner of the MFT if you are cutting stock shorter than the length of your MFT and thereby negating the need to shim material.  Of course if you do not want to put kerf marks in your top, then you need to shim.  The other PG's out there look well made too so it does probably come down to personal preference.

Scot

 

[sprior]

I have the Festool set and primarily used them for ripping plywood, but balancing them with the extensions didn't make sense for my work surfaces and I found them annoying, so I recently bought the Seneca guides.  Haven't tried them yet, but they seem to make more sense for my work environment.

 

[sheeschen]

I had the Festool PG set.  They worked well, but as soon as the Seneca PGs became available, I bought those and sold the Festool guides a month later, after I figured the Seneca guides had proved worth it.  The design of the Seneca guides made more sense - to me, at least.

With the Seneca guides, I set them and lock them in place.  As long as I set them on the shortest piece I'm going to rip, I can simply move the guides on to the next piece - no need to even touch the guides.  The Festool guides need to be moved so they span the length of the rip.  No big deal if you're ripping a bunch of the same length stuff, but it's a nice advantage sometimes.  Say you rip a full sheet down, then have some (less-than-full-length) scraps you also want to rip to the same width - you'll ed up moving the Festool guides for each length of material.  Also, since the Seneca guides don't go under the rail, when I go through a batch of the same length stuff, I can use the Festool rapid clamp.

The Seneca guides also ended up being cheaper - I sold the Festool guides (used) for quite a bit more than the Seneca plus Incra track cost.

There was one time recently when I think the Festool guides would have been better, but I can't remember the circumstances.  I wish I could remember, but I mention this to point out that even though I prefer the Seneca guides, I recognize that the Festool guides might be better in certain situations.

The floppiness of the Festool guides would sometimes bother me, but that wasn't the reason for changing.  The extensions helped, but I didn't always have those on because they made it a little more awkward. 

 

[Memphis Larry]

Can someone post a link to Seneca guides so I can check out the other option?

Thanks

 

[GarryMartin]

http://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/parallel-guide-system-for-incra-t-track-plus

 

[builderbob]

As was already stated, the Seneca guides sit on the material and won't flop, you can use the rapid or screw clamps with the rails and you can cut various length pieces without adjusting the guides (provided you set the guides to your shortest piece). I never had the parallel guide extensions, I understand what people are saying about the balance, but the only problem I saw about the extensions is that you have to remove them unless they are hanging off of a surface as they protrude lower than the guides.

The Festool guides proved to be ok while I had them, I screwed a domino into the top of the end of the guides so they would not flop but the Seneca guides seemed better suite for me and that's what I use!

 

[NuggyBuggy]

The Festool guides proved to be ok while I had them, I screwed a domino into the top of the end of the guides so they would not flop but the Seneca guides seemed better suite for me and that's what I use!

bob,

Would you mind elaborating...I'm having trouble picturing your mod.

 

[Paul G]

The Festool guides proved to be ok while I had them, I screwed a domino into the top of the end of the guides so they would not flop but the Seneca guides seemed better suite for me and that's what I use!

bob,

Would you mind elaborating...I'm having trouble picturing your mod.

Perhaps it is a mod similar to this one I came across today http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/festool-tips-techniques/3435-key-additions-festool-fs-pa-fs.html

Using a domino would make more sense to avoid the possibility of marring the stock.

 

[builderbob]

Just found the photo!

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Just found the photo!

Slightly off topic, but are those plates for the Kreg clamps and how do you like them?  I know that Lee Valley was offering a plate for Bessey clamps...

Scot

 

[builderbob]

Just found the photo!

Slightly off topic, but are those plates for the Kreg clamps and how do you like them?  I know that Lee Valley was offering a plate for Bessey clamps...

Scot

I put those in years ago...they work ok but are not able to be relocated like a clamp with a threaded rod & knob.

 

[Woodsgood]

I might have some p guides for sale.

 

[Jaybolishes]

For you guys who own both, Seneca and festool, is there anything the festool guides do better than the Seneca.  I am reluctant to do the domino mod Bob made as I worry about affecting the resale value.  If there's a task the festool does better, I will keep them.  But if the Seneca can do everything the festool can, I will probably sell of my festool guides and not do the mod.

 

[builderbob]

For you guys who own both, Seneca and festool, is there anything the festool guides do better than the Seneca.  I am reluctant to do the domino mod Bob made as I worry about affecting the resale value.  If there's a task the festool does better, I will keep them.  But if the Seneca can do everything the festool can, I will probably sell of my festool guides and not do the mod.

I think from what I've seen (anyone else chime in) the festool guides may do narrow rips better but I use a small table saw for narrow rips so I can't say first hand.