Found a reason to buy the Festooll tracks instead of the Makita ones.

[alltracman78]

The Festool purists will definitely love this one.

Since my Makita track saw is what got me started on the road to Festool I happened to have their tracks instead of the Festool ones and since they're supposed to be identical I had no intention of changing over. I figured the money would be better spent elsewhere.

Just found out today the attachment for the carvex jigsaw does not work on the Makita tracks because of the sliding lock groove. I ended up just running it alongside the thick Edge and it worked just fine. But interesting to note. I wonder what other attachments won't work with it.

 

[alltracman78]

I'll post some pictures when I'm not on my phone. So much easier on the laptop.

 

[makpacman]

That's true. I'm in a similar boat to yourself. Thing is, if you have genius engineers that normally spend time inventing better solutions now creating ways to hose competitors it get nigh impossible to for those competitors to catch up. Maybe I'll use one track to cut the other track perectly and get rid of a good idea that could eventually become a hindrance.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

 

[mgrobins]

Use a edge finishing bit in the router to remove the "locking nub" that runs on the makita T track section... now your router accessories will fit!

I'm considering doing this simply because Festool track is hard to find second hand and costs a stupid amount compared to other brands here in Australia. The tools may be superior and worth more $ but when you charge 2x the price for extrusion you are being obnoxious and arrogant as a business in my book.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I'm sure that there are exceptions on both sides, but my only experience with Makita tracks is that it wasn't straight. The company I work for bought one for the solid surface department. The track had a slight bow to the right, so two opposing pieces would not meet evenly. It ends would touch, with a gap in the middle.
This was a fairly short 20" seam. My TS55 with far longer cuts, has always made acceptable seams.
They sent it back and a few weeks later bought a TSC55 K. That is how I have experienced one of those, to compare to the corded model.

 

[Packard]

For those of us who have started with Festool, can you explain what the differences are?  Are the Makita tracks cheaper?  Is the quality similar?  Do the clamps work?

It has never occurred to me to try a different brand of tracks. 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Yes [member=74278]Packard[/member] the Makita tracks are quite a bit cheaper, though not available in all the same sizes.
They have an extra rib on the outside groove that traps the saw underneath it, to keep the saw from falling off when tilted. I don't know if that actually works with Festool saw though? The tracks fit, but I don't know about the anti-tipping feature.
Amazon also sells a brand called Power Tec. They work with Festool and Makita saws too.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I too started with Makita but got a 75" Festool track with a TS75 I bought. I found another important difference in the tracks it the guiding rib is not the same width (think the Makita is slightly thinner). So you would always be adjusting the fit. For this reason I sold the Festool rail and was able to purchase a 75" Makita rail from Canada. I have the Makita 39", 55", 75", and 118" guide rails (plus a set of TSO connectors, just in case). All my rails are straight. I check them as soon as I got them for straightness. I did once get a 55" that was pretty bad but got it replaced quickly.

 

[Cheese]

The tools may be superior and worth more $ but when you charge 2x the price for extrusion you are being obnoxious and arrogant as a business in my book.

Or does Festool need to charge more for their tracks because of the tighter tolerances they demand and the resultant higher reject rate?  [scratch chin]

Several years ago Festool corporate found what they considered to be a quality aluminum extruder in the US. With much fanfare, they announced that tracks sold in NA would now be extruded and modified within the US. Well after producing tons of aluminum scrap for a few years, the extrusion operations have since been moved back to Germany and it's only the 2nd operations, on the rails, that are performed in the US.  [sad]  After much trial and travail, the US extruder simply gave up and admitted that they were unable to produce large quantities of rails to the specs that Festool requested.

 

[alltracman78]

Yes [member=74278]Packard[/member] the Makita tracks are quite a bit cheaper, though not available in all the same sizes.
They have an extra rib on the outside groove that traps the saw underneath it, to keep the saw from falling off when tilted. I don't know if that actually works with Festool saw though? The tracks fit, but I don't know about the anti-tipping feature.
Amazon also sells a brand called Power Tec. They work with Festool and Makita saws too.

it's actually a lip on the inside of the outer rail. You can see it in my picture.
There is a tab on the Makita saw that slides out and rides underneath this lip. The Festool saws don't have the tab.

I don't own any Festool rails so I can't compare, but I have the 118, the 55, and the 35 rails from makita. All three are nice and straight. My Festool saws slide just fine on them.

Supposedly the Milwaukee rails are also the same but I did see a comment by Tso that there are minimal differences in the shape so they are attachments don't accurately fit.

 

[mrboult]

Makita tracks also have more ‘serrated’ glide strips on top of the rails,  that with time wear grooves into the saw base. At least this was true 5+ years back.

 

[Imemiter]

I started out with several Makita rails before being gifted a number of Festool. My job requires joining rails often enough that I was able to try out several combinations of rails and found that the two brands didn't mate well at all. And also that Festool rails were far easier to align using the TSO joiners. So I sold the Makita rails. To prevent tipping I've found using the ripping fence as outrigger trick gives me cleaner 45s than I ever got using the Makita rail clip. Another factor was needing LR32 rails, but still wanting them to mate well using the TSOs. This was all before Festool added the Systainer handle cut-out and hanging sticker thingys.     

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Totally agreed on the outer parallel guide support. It's a rather expensive thing, for what it is, but it makes the saw far more stable when tilted and can be used as a rip guide. I have only used it that way once, but it sure saved me at the time. I was using the TS55 at home and didn't have my FS3000 there.
I don't have any of the rails with the sticky pucks, but I probably should.
I really don't like joining rails. That was the main reason for the FS3000 in the first place, but even then I have had to join a FS1400 to it a few times.
The LR32 is a completely different thing and there are a whole lot of track saw users that never get involved with that aspect of them.

 

[Coen]

You have to hold the saw down while sawing anyway or it will just slightly lift the rail with it and still ruin the cut.

The lib is nice though to prevent your saw from falling over when it's just sitting on the rail.

Yes [member=74278]Packard[/member] the Makita tracks are quite a bit cheaper, though not available in all the same sizes.
They have an extra rib on the outside groove that traps the saw underneath it, to keep the saw from falling off when tilted. I don't know if that actually works with Festool saw though? The tracks fit, but I don't know about the anti-tipping feature.
Amazon also sells a brand called Power Tec. They work with Festool and Makita saws too.

Yeah, it's availble in the way more usefull 1500

Yes [member=74278]Packard[/member] the Makita tracks are quite a bit cheaper, though not available in all the same sizes.
They have an extra rib on the outside groove that traps the saw underneath it, to keep the saw from falling off when tilted. I don't know if that actually works with Festool saw though? The tracks fit, but I don't know about the anti-tipping feature.
Amazon also sells a brand called Power Tec. They work with Festool and Makita saws too.

it's actually a lip on the inside of the outer rail. You can see it in my picture.
[...]

What picture?

I don't own any Makita rails, but I would have definitely liked a Makita-length Festool rail...

The price tag is definitely tempting.

 

[rst]

When I started my Festool journey, I bought Festool rails but a recon Makita track saw.  I now have a TS55 (I should sell), a TSC, an HSK and a 75.  The Makita has been relegated cuttin down steel doors.  The only Makita rail I have is a 55 that I use for the doors and for my Metabo concrete saw.

 

[alltracman78]

Makita tracks also have more ‘serrated’ glide strips on top of the rails,  that with time wear grooves into the saw base. At least this was true 5+ years back.

I've read that too. I haven't used mine long enough for it to happen.

I started out with several Makita rails before being gifted a number of Festool. My job requires joining rails often enough that I was able to try out several combinations of rails and found that the two brands didn't mate well at all. And also that Festool rails were far easier to align using the TSO joiners. So I sold the Makita rails. To prevent tipping I've found using the ripping fence as outrigger trick gives me cleaner 45s than I ever got using the Makita rail clip. Another factor was needing LR32 rails, but still wanting them to mate well using the TSOs. This was all before Festool added the Systainer handle cut-out and hanging sticker thingys.   

Fantastic idea!
And yes, that's another reason to get the Festool ones. Even if you don't intend to use something else now, you never know in the future. The more versatile the better IMO.

The tools may be superior and worth more $ but when you charge 2x the price for extrusion you are being obnoxious and arrogant as a business in my book.

Or does Festool need to charge more for their tracks because of the tighter tolerances they demand and the resultant higher reject rate?  [scratch chin]

Several years ago Festool corporate found what they considered to be a quality aluminum extruder in the US. With much fanfare, they announced that tracks sold in NA would now be extruded and modified within the US. Well after producing tons of aluminum scrap for a few years, the extrusion operations have since been moved back to Germany and it's only the 2nd operations, on the rails, that are performed in the US.  [sad]  After much trial and travail, the US extruder simply gave up and admitted that they were unable to produce large quantities of rails to the specs that Festool requested.

I feel like there is more to it than simply not being able to make them precise enough here?
Plenty of US companies making quality precise parts/tools. May not have been the right company, or possibly cost more than they wanted to pay?

 

[alltracman78]

Yes [member=74278]Packard[/member] the Makita tracks are quite a bit cheaper, though not available in all the same sizes.
They have an extra rib on the outside groove that traps the saw underneath it, to keep the saw from falling off when tilted. I don't know if that actually works with Festool saw though? The tracks fit, but I don't know about the anti-tipping feature.
Amazon also sells a brand called Power Tec. They work with Festool and Makita saws too.

it's actually a lip on the inside of the outer rail. You can see it in my picture.
[...]

What picture?

I forgot I didn't post them last night. It's a pain to post from my phone, plus the pictures need to be resized.
Going to try to post them in a minute.

I don't own any Makita rails, but I would have definitely liked a Makita-length Festool rail...

The price tag is definitely tempting.

Yeah, I'm not sure if I'll end up getting the Festool ones. I scored an awesome price on the 118 inch Makita. I think it was less than $300 shipped. We'll see how they hold up and if I run into more attachment problems.
I do have the FSK rails for my HK saws. Those are a game changer.

 

[alltracman78]

View attachment 1

You can see how the groove in the attachment base won't fit over the lip on the rail.

 

[Coen]

Makita tracks also have more ‘serrated’ glide strips on top of the rails,  that with time wear grooves into the saw base. At least this was true 5+ years back.

If you replace it with the Festool glide strip, does it ride at the same height, so it still pivots around the edge of the splinterstrip?

Makita rail... 170 bucks. Festool rail 340 bucks... 10 meters of Festool glide... 35 bucks. And you only need 6 meters.

 

[mgrobins]

Yeah, I'm not sure if I'll end up getting the Festool ones. I scored an awesome price on the 118 inch Makita. I think it was less than $300 shipped. We'll see how they hold up and if I run into more attachment problems.
I do have the FSK rails for my HK saws. Those are a game changer.

What is FSK and HK? Too many acronyms folks!!!!

On the use of the TS55 on Makita tracks - The Brit fellow on Youtube Peter Millard remarked that he cannot get his TS55 to lock firmy to the track because makita have a slightly slimmer protrusion (what's it's proper name?) and the little plastic cams don't protrude enough... so the saw is a bit sloppy.

What is the experience of you lot using both brands? I'm a new TS55 owner and new to festool as a hobbyist and I'm unsure if the adjustable guides on the saw base wear out and thus on old saws may not have enough to work on Makita tracks?

The Festool rep gave me a 1400mm Rail which is awesome. I think I'd like to get a 900 and joiners so I can do small accurate cuts and have enough for most cabinet parts I'd make as a hobbyist.

I'm going to check out that Amazon brand you mentioned too... maybe it's available here in Australia?