Makita 118 inch guide rail--Experience? Cautions?

[pyleg]

Forgiveness begged in advance if an answer is buried somewhere in the archives. 

I'm considering the 118" rail for used with the TS55.  Makita because of price differential with Festool. 

My main reservation is the flex I've felt in very long rails (to be fair to Makita, this is all brands)--I wonder how gently a rail that long must be handled.  On the rare occasions I've handled long rails, I've worried they'd bend under their own weight without devoting two hands to lifting and making sure they're laid flat for storage. 

If there are any other known quality issues, I'd like to know.   

 

[blaszcsj]

I had the 118 makita rail. Some of the Amazon reviews stated that theirs came in bowed. Mine first one was damaged in transit but the second came in fine. The rails are the same but you cannot use the festool end stops or other tool accessories on the makita rail accessory slot due to the anti tip feature. A lot of people I read about slicing the sliver off with a table saw but I wa reluctant to do so as it was expensive.

Handling in a truck I would always lay it flat and carry it around flat side up. No issues.

 

[Doug S]

I have the 118" festool rail, I used to put it back in the box every time I used it but now it just gets lent up in the corner of the workshop. I do always lift it around using two hands but think they are tougher then you think.

Doug

 

[sae]

I'd probably buy it from Home Depot, get it delivered to the store, and inspect before leaving.

 

[aosty]

I have the Makita 118" rail and it works well with my TS75... I picked mine up on sale for about half the price of the Festool.  The only disadvantage is the optional travel limit stop does not work with the extra anti-tip-over-lip on the Makita rail.

 

[david.lock]

I have found the older festool stop actually works with the makita rails
Here's the one I mean...

Other then that I would recommend the betterley connector I have been more then happy with mine I find it works awesome

 

[mwahaha]

I wouldn't. The glide strips on them are quite sharp and hard. This is what happens to the makita track saw base.
Edit: I estimate some of these grooves are getting close to 1mm deep

 

[Jimdude]

I wouldn't. The glide strips on them are quite sharp and hard. This is what happens to the makita track saw base.
Edit: I estimate some of these grooves are getting close to 1mm deep

Considering the fact that the glide strip grooves aren't actually 1mm in depth (not even close to it, I might add), it is clear that something else must have been going on.

I've used both Festool (not mine, sorry guys (m/f)! ) and Makita track saws on my 300cm Makita rail without issues (I haven't had the need for stops, mind you).

 

[mwahaha]

I wouldn't. The glide strips on them are quite sharp and hard. This is what happens to the makita track saw base.
Edit: I estimate some of these grooves are getting close to 1mm deep

Considering the fact that the glide strip grooves aren't actually 1mm in depth (not even close to it, I might add), it is clear that something else must have been going on.

I've used both Festool (not mine, sorry guys (m/f)! ) and Makita track saws on my 300cm Makita rail without issues (I haven't had the need for stops, mind you).

You're right in that the grooves aren't close to 1mm deep, but if they are 1/2mm deep and the trough is 1/2mm off the extrusion then that would equal 1mm. You will notice in the pictures that the WHOLE width of the glide strip has worn a groove in the base. The thread title asked for experiences and cautions, i would be cautious about using makita rails with my TS55 on the basis of those pictures. If i had a way of measuring the grooves i would. Damage is damage.

 

[Jak147]

I had both makes of rail, the only inconvenience was that there was enough of a difference between the two extrusions that I had to adjust the slop out of the saw every time I switched between 3000 Makita and 1400 Festool. This gets old real quick.