Guide Rail FS 1900/2 (491503) Obsolete?

[ChipMonk]

I just heard from a dealer in New Zealand that the 1900 (75") rails are not available in NZ.  I am waiting to get more details about this from the NZ rep., but wanted to post here in case someone knows anything about this.

It looks like they are available in Australia.  Is this NZ only problem?

 

[Kev]

That would be sad .. 1900 & 5000 are the two sizes I don't have (and the 5000 would serve no purpose for me).

The 1900 is almost mandatory if you're breaking down 8x4's with a TS75!

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I've got the 1900 and the TS75, combined with the 1400 it gives you a handy 3300 length good for breaking down sheet goods..

Long live the 1900!

 

[ear3]

Right.  The 55" rail is too short for a cross cut on a 4x8 sheet with the TS75.

That would be sad .. 1900 & 5000 are the two sizes I don't have (and the 5000 would serve no purpose for me).

The 1900 is almost mandatory if you're breaking down 8x4's with a TS75!

 

[ChipMonk]

No explanation so far, but 3 NZ dealers now told me that the 1900 is marked as obsolete in their ordering system.
[huh]

 

[ChipMonk]

Festool NZ confirmed that they don’t carry it as sales were pitiful and suggested to buy the 2400 rail and cut it down to suit.

 

[Kev]

Festool NZ confirmed that they don’t carry it as sales were pitiful and suggested to buy the 2400 rail and cut it down to suit.

That's pathetic ... how about they offer you a 2400 and discount it by 20% because they're too lazy to properly stock inventory to support their customers. [mad]

 

[sancho57]

That would really be a bummer, the 1900 is brilliant . Though I haven't used it much here in the UK. When I return home it's gonna get quite a workout.

 

[ChipMonk]

Cutting a 2400 seems like a waste, I don't see much use for 500.  I will probably cut a 2700 as 800 will be more useful.

What is the best way to cut the rail and end up with a nice cut?

 

[Holmz]

I think an 1100 is more useful than an 800, but I use my 500 a lot too.
One could attach it to a square and use it to lop 4x2s, which is what I do with another short rail piece.

I cut mine with a jig saw.
Ideally you know someone with a milling machine and they square the end, but as the ends should not touch when joined maybe that is a waste. In any case I did my cut and was going to take to it with a file... But I just knocked off a couple of burrs and it has worked well.

I was a Bosch rail, but the principles seem the same.
I used a Bosch metal blade.
Maybe a track saw on slow would work better... It is aluminium so it was like butter for the jig saw. I ended up cutting a bunch of Ikea curtain rails that way (alloy) and plumbing plastic pipe as it is easier that way.

 

[ChipMonk]

Thank you for sharing Holmz, that is very helpful.
Good to know the rails not suppose touch when joined, I assumed the opposite.

 

[ChipMonk]

I also need a 3m rail so I ended up buying the 5000 rail and the dealer cut it for me so it all worked out at the end.
Thanks for comments everyone.

 

[Corwin]

...
Ideally you know someone with a milling machine and they square the end, but as the ends should not touch when joined maybe that is a waste. ...

As I see it, the ONLY reason to keep joined rails separated is just in case one or both of the ends are not precisely square. If they were square, there seems no apparent reason to not join the rails together with their ends making full contact -- as that would give them more of an ability to retain their alignment with each other. I suspect that the only reason for Festool to suggest to keep the rail separate is that they might not guarantee the squareness of their rail ends.