Festool twist type guide rail clamps slip down

[nixy]

Hello I bought these twist type Festool guide rails clamps, but they slip down which was a let down.

Purchased from Amazon UK, £22https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0036V8H8M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In the end the guide rail gripped the timber pretty well so I managed without.

I can't justify the £80 or so for the Festool quick clamps (Festool FS-HZ 160) as I won't get enough use as a hobby/diyer, even though they are better I heard.

Is there something of similar price, I think Axminster Tools and Bessey make compatible guide rails clamps?

Does anybody have any recommendations? Thanks

 

[Sanderxpander]

Piher makes a set too.

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi,

try using a hard wire brush on the clamps, before you give up on them.

And make sure these are seated and tightened correctly. If they still won't work properly, ask Festool for a replacement.

You might want to check out this thread:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/festool-clamp-and-strip-problems/

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[peter halle]

Perhaps you would be so kind as to clarify what you are experiencing so that our devoted members can offer even more advice:

1.  Are you experiencing the clamp opening up to its widest setting once you release pressure?

2.  When clamping is the clamp creeping while turning the handle and then you run out of play and it still isn’t tight?

3.  After you have everything is clamped up and you are happy do your u come back later to a loosened clamp?

Peter

 

[Dick Mahany]

I have experienced "slipping" also.  It occurred when I had them at both ends of a rail that was clamped across a sheet of plywood with the handles pointing straight down..  They appeared tight to me at first however by the end of the cut I would find the they had slipped to the full open position.

It turned out that it was my technique and not the clamps.  I changed my technique to be certain the clamps were closed as securely as they could be before turning the tightening handles,  Problem went away and never returned.  I never had this happen before with years of using similar type Bessey screw clamps, so I was surprised that I had to re-learn how to tighten such a simple style clamp.

 

[RKA]

Dick's suggestion is spot on.  It's a two handed effort to slide the clamp closed as far as it will go and hold it there before cranking the handle to further snug it down.  Wiping down the part bar on the clamp that the handle slides along (acetone) may help in case you got any residue on there that is reducing the amount of friction that allows the clamp to function properly. 

 

[nixy]

I have experienced "slipping" also.  It occurred when I had them at both ends of a rail that was clamped across a sheet of plywood with the handles pointing straight down..  They appeared tight to me at first however by the end of the cut I would find the they had slipped to the full open position.

It turned out that it was my technique and not the clamps.  I changed my technique to be certain the clamps were closed as securely as they could be before turning the tightening handles,  Problem went away and never returned.  I never had this happen before with years of using similar type Bessey screw clamps, so I was surprised that I had to re-learn how to tighten such a simple style clamp.

This is the same scenario. Clamping the guide rail across a 1-metre plywood sheet with clamps at both ends.

I emailed Festool this morning and received a call back within 2hrs. (Fantastic response)

The service dept offered me the same suggestion to try this technique. Pull the steel body part of the clamp into the workpiece your trying to clamp before tightening the screw handle. A bit of a two-handed technique.

Festool have also offered to personally come to my house (in Bristol, UK)  and help with the issue if I have no joy with my clamping problem. If the clamp is faulty they will replace.

I use other F-clamps but never had this problem before. However I have to credit Festool for offering a fantastic customer response service for what is effectively just a £25 clamp set I bought. (Though I did buy a TS-55 tracksaw at the same time as buying the clamps).

This is my first experience of Festool products and I have to say the customer-service is amazingly brilliant.

 

[RKA]

BTW, I forgot to mention the quick clamps have the same issue and need to be tightened using this two handed approach.  They are better in the sense its very fast to snug down the clamps by pushing or pulling the lever, however, if you want a fine level of control over your clamping pressure, they offer 4 fixed stops.  Obviously with a screw clamps you have an infinite amount of pressure control up to the limit of the clamp itself. 

I use both, but there are times when I either want to use only as much clamping force as necessary and I will use the screw clamps over the quick clamps.  But there are other times when the repetitive turning on the screw clamps can be a nuisance. 

 

[Dick Mahany]

This is the same scenario. Clamping the guide rail across a 1-metre plywood sheet with clamps at both ends.

I emailed Festool this morning and received a call back within 2hrs. (Fantastic response)

The service dept offered me the same suggestion to try this technique. Pull the steel body part of the clamp into the workpiece your trying to clamp before tightening the screw handle. A bit of a two-handed technique.

Festool have also offered to personally come to my house (in Bristol, UK)  and help with the issue if I have no joy with my clamping problem. If the clamp is faulty they will replace.

I use other F-clamps but never had this problem before. However I have to credit Festool for offering a fantastic customer response service for what is effectively just a £25 clamp set I bought. (Though I did buy a TS-55 tracksaw at the same time as buying the clamps).

This is my first experience of Festool products and I have to say the customer-service is amazingly brilliant.

Glad to hear of such a quick response from Festool Service.  I'm pretty sure this two handed technique will resolve the problem and those clamps will be a joy to use from there on [big grin]

 

[Peter_C]

I have the Festool Quick Clamps, but often find the Dewalt rail clamps to be easier to utilize. So there are other options, but they won't fit thru 20mm holes, so you still need a Festool clamp IF using a MFT style top. DEWALT DWS5026