Guide rail question

[fletchtool]

I do most of my woodworking in my drive way, so when the weather warms up I can get more active. Yesterday I got out my TS55 and FS 1900/2 guide rail to cut a clean edge on some oak. When I took the rail off its hanger, I noticed that there was a slight bend to the rail.
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It did not lie flat on the stock I was cutting; one end would be up about 3mm off the stock.
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The rail was not this way when I used it last November. As I don’t have any longer rails to compare with, my question is, is this just normal?  The way I stored the rail was free hanging from a peg board with nothing touching it. I am not writing to complain, I was just surprised and want to confirm this storage method is okay although I really don’t have any other option for storage.

Fletchtool

 

[tbellemare]

The second image makes it look bent.

Tom

 

[Wood_Junkie]

What's really weird, is your first image makes it seem that it is bowed in an "A" shape (ie. sagging at the edges; high in the middle, when in the use position).  But your second image clearly shows a bend in a "U" fashion (edges would be curved up).

Dunno how that could happen unless something happened, or esp. if it fell.

 

[woodie]

I hang my FS1400/2 and FS1900/2 the same way and they're perfectly flat + straight. Is it possible something got leaned against the rail while stored?

 

[Tinker]

Like Woodie, I would suspect something leaning against it.
Tinker

 

[fletchtool]

Here is another first picture showing the end of the rail. the other 2/3's of the rail is pretty flat against the stock.
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These next pictures show where I store the rails. It is tight in there, but no one except me is in that area. I am careful not to let anything touch the rails. I am in that area often as I store my dust collection right in front of the rails and I move it to use it a couple of times a week or more. I have not dropped this rail. I am exceeding anal about the care I take with all my tools.
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Should I do something to flatten the rail? Any safe ideas about this?
I am not sure if the pictures will show up in the order I want. I am using Shane's "easy posting tips" but in my first post they were not in the order I inserted them anyway....

Fletchtool

 

[Claimdude]

I store mine hanging from a nail. Been that way for 6 plus years. Never a problem. Looks like you have several guides hanging stacked together. Are any of the other bent? I agree with others that it would most certainly have be something heavy laid against it or bent in use. Don't believe it could bend hanging from a nail (peg board support).

Jack

 

[Toolio]

Hi guys,

  I'm new to Festool and  the forum,and actually joined to discuss the exact same issue..  I too ,am very anal about tool care and storage and have experienced the same problem.  What gives here??  Seems like the gauge and quality of aluminum ,might be to blame..  My sawtrack had a slight camber when I received it,and I wrote that off to the delivery service.  I actually had to prop it up and step on it to get it reasonably strait.  Which seemed to work for my apps.
  I then hung it up as pictured for a month or so.  And when I took it down to use again,,It was cambered in the opposite direction,,,,,BADLY!..
What makes matters worse is.  My friend bought a competitors track for much less $,and has had no such problems. Although he stores his track leaning on a wall of his garage... I noticed that his track seems to be of a much thicker gauge.  Could that be an issue?  Did I make the wrong decision??  I hope not,as he and I are very competitive in everything.  Anyone have an idea,or solution??

 

[tbellemare]

I have several guide rails of various lengths and have handled MANY of them as I inspect every one I ship. The only time I've seen a bent guide rail is when the shipper bent it or it was bent by the user, their helper, or someone else with access to them.

Is it possible there's a child involved? I know everyone wants to believe their offspring are golden, and they typically are for the most part, but kids make mistakes just like everyone else. They don't always want to readily admit them.

I sincerely doubt that any guide rails spontaneously bend themselves. They really aren't actually delicate.

Tom

 

[Toolio]

I have several guide rails of various lengths and have handled MANY of them as I inspect every one I ship. The only time I've seen a bent guide rail is when the shipper bent it or it was bent by the user, their helper, or someone else with access to them.

Is it possible there's a child involved? I know everyone wants to believe their offspring are golden, and they typically are for the most part, but kids make mistakes just like everyone else. They don't always want to readily admit them.

I sincerely doubt that any guide rails spontaneously bend themselves. They really aren't actually delicate.

Tom

  Tom,

  My kids are grown,and I am retired.  And I have to disagree with the statement that the guide rails aren't "delicate"... They are VERY delicate in my experience.    As I said,I am very Anal about my tools.  But what does it take to store this rail safely???  Does it need a specialty case??  Maybe they should think about that.    As I said,,my old partner bought a competitors track,for much less  ,and it is much more substantial.  So much for the old saying "you get what you pay for".......I actually considered "scrapping" my guide rail and switching to the competitors rail.  But found out my 556 was not compatible with their  track..  Ouch!!!  My old partner mounted his old Makita ,to their base,and just made some beautiful , frame-less,  African Bubinga cabinets for his kitchen...  His wife is loving him,while mine scolds me for wasting "her" money.....  Would you be willing to buy this "garbage "  from me wholesale??? 
If not ,I'll take to the scrapyard where it belongs.....    Chalk it up to another un informed decision....    Asked for help,,,,and got BS marketing pitch..    I'm done !!!!  Going to the other page and buying the real deal....    Lesson learned!...

 

[darita]

Toolio, buy what will make you happy and grace that forum with your presence.  Aluminum extrusions don't bend on their own, without a lot of heat or enough force to bend it.  If it is bent, something bent it.  Unless a metallurgist chimes in and can inform us differently, I can't see our extrusions bending on their own.  I also can't see a guide rail becoming bent, just from something leaning against it while hanging, unless that this weighs a ton and the amount of deflection was great.
Personally, I feel that if the Guide Rails were any stiffer, they wouldn't conform as well to some of the crappy plywood I've had to purchase lately.  For most of us here, I think I can say that no mysterious bending has occurred.  So Toolio, run screaming, cause you wouldn't want to burden your masterful skills with this Festool stuff.
Sorry for the rant...crappy attitudes deserve crappy attitudes.

 

[Runhard]

 

My kids are grown,and I am retired.   And I have to disagree with the statement that the guide rails aren't "delicate"... They are VERY delicate in my experience.     As I said,I am very Anal about my tools.   But what does it take to store this rail safely???   Does it need a specialty case??   Maybe they should think about that.     As I said,,my old partner bought a competitors track,for much less  ,and it is much more substantial.   So much for the old saying "you get what you pay for".......I actually considered "scrapping" my guide rail and switching to the competitors rail.  But found out my 556 was not compatible with their  track..  Ouch!!!   My old partner mounted his old Makita ,to their base,and just made some beautiful , frame-less,  African Bubinga cabinets for his kitchen...  His wife is loving him,while mine scolds me for wasting "her" money.....   Would you be willing to buy this "garbage "  from me wholesale???  
If not ,I'll take to the scrapyard where it belongs.....    Chalk it up to another un informed decision....    Asked for help,,,,and got BS marketing pitch..     I'm done !!!!   Going to the other page and buying the real deal....     Lesson learned!...

Hey Toolio,

What is a 556? Can you please post a picture of your bent guide rail? You could still sell the rail and probably make enough to buy the competitors. Are you going to be getting rid of the 556 also?

Daniel

 

[peter halle]

In searching for 556 there are a couple of prospects.  The first is the Porter Cable 556 Biscuit Joiner. That doesn't make sense trying to mount it to a guide rail unless there is a specific application.  The second is that the Festool TS55-REQ has a catalog number that ends in ...556.  The first post by Toolio was on the 27th which was before the release of the REQ.  Of course it might have also been a typo.  Typos happen.

It would be nice to get some more background information, but let's not pile on Toolio.  As he wrote he is anal about his tools, he witnessed a bend and stepped on it to correct it, he is in competition with his friend who has used his setup to make a bubinga kitchen and is loved by his wife for doing so and Toolio has a wife who is none-to-happy with his purchase.  

Why don't we chalk it up to a bad day / time and see if we get some more info.

Peter

 

[ccarrolladams]

Peter,

You and the other administrators and moderators do an outstanding job, for which we thank you.

However, when a person brand new to The FOG unfairly insults Tom Bellemare who is a proven friend to many of us, that is going beyond the excuse of a bad day.

The new poster might well be anal, but his claims defy science. Those claims also are contrary to the experience with Festool guide rails of the rest of us who have actually used them for many years.

Personally I believe this individual owes Tom Bellemare an abject apology.

 

[sancho57]

I made a couple of post commenting about the insults and offensive remarks this guy made.

I remove them.

Why ? Because after re-reading this guys post I determined it has all the elements that a Troll's post  would have.

 

[Jaybolishes]

The rails are very durable and incredibly tough. Yesterday I leaned my 116" rail against a shed and while I was up on my scaffolding the wind picked up and before I could race down the ladder my rail slammed down onto my sawhorses with authority. I didn't want to look, but not even a scratch.  It's seen many other falls, not as bad as the last, but the rails are strong, and what else would you expect from moulded aluminum?

I think we need to call in the Pope for the rail bending in the opposite direction simply from hanging, because I think you sir witnessed a miracle.   [laughing]

 

[Tinker]

Not a great test, nor even a planned test.
I had my rail standing in the normal raised position on my MFT/3.
I keep some of my clamps and a few other tools up in the joists overhead.
i was retrieving something from those joists when i hit the upright rail and down it came.
It was still attached to the hinge and i had one of the saw stops at the far end.  Not much weight for a strong test, but weight nevertheless that should not be there when the rail comes crashing down.
Close to the hinge end of the rail was a length of 3x4 up against the fence.  I was real nervous about a possible bend or kink in the rail.
When inspected >>> not a sign of damage.
I am with Sancho on this one.  I'm also with some who had a far more patient response than I felt.
Tinker

 

[mouppe]

The guy wants to replace his tracksaw with a biscuit joiner.

Nuff said.

 

[JoggleStick]

I find cream joins two biscuits very well.... :-dunk +coffee

EDIT> mistaken click

 

[Paul G]

Feeble attempt to get back on track...As a new track saw owner with a 118" rail on order I'm curious what are preferred storage methods for the rails?