Festool Parallel Guides

[Tayler_mann]

So I bought a track saw roughly 1 year ago and really haven't paid much attention to my tablesaw since. I was using bench dogs and making my own fence system for repeated cuts and it really worked quite splendidly.

Last weekend I bought a 3000mm track and the Festool guides and extensions. I do not know how I survived with out this magnificent device. I cut up over 125 - 75 mm 2400mm in 45 minutes. I cannot wait to use these more and see how much productivity it boosts for me.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

The track saw, 3000mm rail with the parallel guides and some sort of cutting table is a great setup.  For those of us working with plywood it is much better than trying to rip full size sheets on a tablesaw.

 

[Tayler_mann]

The track saw, 3000mm rail with the parallel guides and some sort of cutting table is a great setup.  For those of us working with plywood it is much better than trying to rip full size sheets on a tablesaw.

I think my plan is to make a 8" wide table that will swing up to the opposite side of the track and lock my 3000 mm track into my 4' x 8' MFT. That way I will have a space for the extensions and I can adjust the guides according for the size material and still have a table supporting my piece on the extension side of the track. With this system there will be no easier way of cutting dimensional lumber and sheet goods with a straight line. I got vey excited very quickly after using these the first time. Way better than any of the others on the market especially the fact you don't need a spacer on the far end of the guide. I give Festool two thumbs up and a star on this one. If only now they came up with their own table system to hold your off cut on the extension side of the guide.

 

[Billedis]

I too experienced what you did using the Guides.  I put the 1 1/4" plates on the guides (ala Ron Paulk) and it makes it even easier to use without the guides dropping down at the end.  I don't have the long rail as you, but mine worked fine ripping 3/4" ply.  Thank you for sharing your success.  Bill

 

[NPS]

To everyone on this thread, would you recommend buying the 3000mm guide rail if you already have two 1400mm guide rails that can be connected. I don't necessarily want to spend the money if I already have what I need to get the job done but I am also thinking the 3000mm guide rail is not only ready to go for full sheet ripping but after multiple rips with the parallel guides hanging on the ends of the joined tracks may cause the tracks to be out of line and cause a rip that is not straight. Has anyone used joined tracks and had that problem. 

 

[manuc]

I had issues with joining two 1400 without the parallel guides attached. Every time I move the rail it always went out of alignment. I finally gave up and bought the 3000.

 

[Joebuck]

The track saw, 3000mm rail with the parallel guides and some sort of cutting table is a great setup.  For those of us working with plywood it is much better than trying to rip full size sheets on a tablesaw.

The STM1800 and the 3000 track are a game changing combination setup when it comes to breaking down sheet goods. I highly recommend both for their speed, ease of use, and precision.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

The 3000mm rail is not convenient to transport but it is very handy for working with sheet goods.  I store mine on some brackets in the garage and use it to break down sheet goods on a piece of foam outside, this is much easier to manage than bring full sheets inside.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Yes, the 3m rail is fantastic. The only thing "wrong" with it is mobility. It's just not the thing for outside the shop. If you did ever need a cut that long in the field, a pair of 1400s would be much more convenient. Hopefully, that would be rare.
I work in a very large cabinet shop with all of the best ways to cut sheet goods, from a computerized beam saw to a Striebig vertical panel saw and a Laguna sliding table saw, but I still have and use long rails. (1900 and 3000)
There are situations where it is just better to throw a rail down on a line (or at least end marks)
Those other methods deal with parallel well, but anything else? not really. You can move the fence of the slider for some angles, but not more than 45 degrees.
This reception desk that I built a few months ago is a perfect example. The upper section is over 24' long and made from several sheets of Corian. There isn't a single rectangular panel on it. Even the horizontal top areas taper toward the ends and there is a significant Z in the middle. Those pieces were all cut from point to point with either the 1400, 1900, or 3000 rails. That lower front section was the access panel to run the electrical and data cables, then was bonded in place to cover the field joint area.

 

[Coen]

To everyone on this thread, would you recommend buying the 3000mm guide rail if you already have two 1400mm guide rails that can be connected. I don't necessarily want to spend the money if I already have what I need to get the job done but I am also thinking the 3000mm guide rail is not only ready to go for full sheet ripping but after multiple rips with the parallel guides hanging on the ends of the joined tracks may cause the tracks to be out of line and cause a rip that is not straight. Has anyone used joined tracks and had that problem.

Yes, two LR-32 1400's and a normal 3000. Having just two 1400's means you end up disconnecting them for crosscuts.

 

[NPS]

I had issues with joining two 1400 without the parallel guides attached. Every time I move the rail it always went out of alignment. I finally gave up and bought the 3000.

That is what I was afraid of. Part os my reasoning for investing in Festool products is to save time while gaining accuracy. I run a remodeling business so I hope for it to save me time (time is money)!

 

[NPS]

Yes, the 3m rail is fantastic. The only thing "wrong" with it is mobility. It's just not the thing for outside the shop. If you did ever need a cut that long in the field, a pair of 1400s would be much more convenient. Hopefully, that would be rare.
I work in a very large cabinet shop with all of the best ways to cut sheet goods, from a computerized beam saw to a Striebig vertical panel saw and a Laguna sliding table saw, but I still have and use long rails. (1900 and 3000)
There are situations where it is just better to throw a rail down on a line (or at least end marks)
Those other methods deal with parallel well, but anything else? not really. You can move the fence of the slider for some angles, but not more than 45 degrees.
This reception desk that I built a few months ago is a perfect example. The upper section is over 24' long and made from several sheets of Corian. There isn't a single rectangular panel on it. Even the horizontal top areas taper toward the ends and there is a significant Z in the middle. Those pieces were all cut from point to point with either the 1400, 1900, or 3000 rails. That lower front section was the access panel to run the electrical and data cables, then was bonded in place to cover the field joint area.

Yeah, I used to run a cabinet shop 15 years ago and had access to all the larger shapers, saws, panel saws etc. I work almost strictly on a jobsite, mostly occupied residential. The track saw and guide rails have been game changers.

 

[NPS]

The track saw, 3000mm rail with the parallel guides and some sort of cutting table is a great setup.  For those of us working with plywood it is much better than trying to rip full size sheets on a tablesaw.

The STM1800 and the 3000 track are a game changing combination setup when it comes to breaking down sheet goods. I highly recommend both for their speed, ease of use, and precision.

I saw the STM 1800 is available for me in February. I am not sure it is any better than putting 2x4's on my speed horses and then moving the rips to my MFT/3. I do like how you can load the sheet goods from vertical to horizontal

 

[krudawg]

I own the STM 1800 and I can tell you it is a lot better than 2 saw horses and a couple of 2X4's.  I have a very small shop - everything is on wheels so when I pull the cars out I can wheel them into the empty garage.  I normally shares space with a Golf Cart in a Golf Cart Garage.
The STM quickly expands to a full sheet of plywood cutting table.  It also is great for moving Sheet goods around my garage.  When I finish, I can collapse it down to a manageable size.  It will fit in my Toyota Highlander.

 

[rst]

I bought and used my STM daily and now cosider it so much better than my two DeWalt 735 horses and 8' 8020 extrusions.

 

[NPS]

I bought and used my STM daily and now cosider it so much better than my two DeWalt 735 horses and 8' 8020 extrusions.

Where did you get your STM, I thought they weren't out yet?

 

[rst]

they had to be preordered...some dealers ordered extra, try toolnut/festooproducts

 

[Ron B]

The STM 1800 is hard to find.  the hound dog in me kept me looking. I found a couple in stock at Hartville Hardware in Ohio at their Hartville site.  I tried Hartville Tools but that came up empty.  However, a google search to HartvilleHardware and sku # 1503437 showed they have two at their Hartville store and will ship online.  These seem to be as rare as hens teeth, so if I were you, I would act quickly.  Good thing for you I already spent my money on the Recon sales here recently, or there would only be one left. 

 

[NPS]

they had to be preordered...some dealers ordered extra, try toolnut/festooproducts

Thanks, I will check them out. The STM is expensive, I was wondering about using horses and a large piece of foam board o set the sheet goods on to cutthrough

 

[Bertotti]

The STM looks great but for my use, it was too expensive. I just use a centipede from bora along with my mft3.