New here + Qwas Rail dogs in the US?

[Jruks]

Hey all,

Does anyone know if the Qwas Rail dogs are still sold by anyone in the US? The dealer that replaced the retired retailer that Steve used to use doesnt seem to have them on their website. The only other site I found selling them is a Canada based site that is estimating shipping at more than the rail dogs. As you can read in my into below, I’m coming from the yellow Dewalt world and still have their tracksaw and rails. While I will eventually like to move to all green tools, for now I can’t see getting rid of a perfectly good 100+” single piece rail for long rip cuts, hence why I want rail dogs to use with it. I plan to pick up some of the short Festool rails and use those with regular Parf (or other) dogs.

Intro:
Wanted to just say hi as I’m relatively new to the Festool world (weekend hobbyist here) - I’ve always been a yellow tool guy just given the pricing vs value trade off math I did in my head historically as a weekend warrior. but after having a domino XL for a year, I have quickly realized how comfy the green system and world is, especially recently since I started learning all about it as I was researching building a DIY version of an MFT. Seeing how everything plays well together on and off the MFT and all the aftermarket jugs/accessories available is infinitely more advanced than the Dewalt world.

I’m working on my diy MFT version now and hope to have it built in the next 4-6 weeks (need to to a spring cleaning of the garage and get all the backyard furniture out of there first!) , after which I’ll post some stuff up about it. It’ll be a variation of the josh Finn beams with some interesting features thrown in like MFT hole patterns and 80/20 rails all around that will allow both holding of work on the sides/faces of the beams as well as ensure alignment of both beams as they are moved apart (or end to end for long rips or cross cuts of narrower stock) to allow wider cross cut capacity to ensure the hole patterns remain aligned between both beams.

Thanks for reading!
Jason

 

[TinyShop]

Have you tried to contact the manufacturer? qwas99@bellsouth.net

 

[Jruks]

Have you tried to contact the manufacturer? qwas99@bellsouth.net

I did. No response  :'(

 

[peter halle]

If you have reached out to Steve via email there is usually a delay.  The Qwas Dogs project isn't how he provides for his family, but rather is an extension of his analysis of the Festool grid system and how it could be used in a way that Festool didn't envision. 

Peter

 

[Jruks]

If you have reached out to Steve via email there is usually a delay.  The Qwas Dogs project isn't how he provides for his family, but rather is an extension of his analysis of the Festool grid system and how it could be used in a way that Festool didn't envision. 

Peter

No problem at all. I just figured perhaps someone here had a better sense than my googling ability to determine if they were actually still for sale somewhere in the US, so I threw it out here in case anyone recently purchased them and could guide me to where they may be available.

 

[Klemm]

you can also just order from a wider selection of Dogs at TSO products:https://tsoproducts.com/dogs/

Hans
PS: consider adding your geographic location to your profile for answers more specifc to your location [smile]

 

[Jruks]

you can also just order from a wider selection of Dogs at TSO products:https://tsoproducts.com/dogs/

Hans
PS: consider adding your geographic location to your profile for answers more specifc to your location [smile]

Location added, thanks for that. I’ve been looking at your dogs (I picked up the parf guide from you guys two days ago ) but at this point I need two that do what the Qwas rail dogs do, ie have a head that screws into the bottom of non Festool guide rails. I do plan to pick up regular dogs and a short Festool rail but I want rail dog-like dogs for my 100”+ Dewalt rail that I already have so I can continue to use that until I fully switch over to Festool TS. I didn’t see it but can any of your dogs replicate what the Qwas Rail dogs do?

 

[Grev]

I had a couple of Qwas Dogs and recently had my machinist mill me a batch of similar sized dogs for a project I'm working on.  The only difference are mine don't have the "shoulder" at the threaded hole.  The thread is 1/4"-20 and works in the TrackSaw rail fine .. just has a little more play without the shoulder.  They might work for you??  I have a dozen or so I can part with.  PM or email me if interested.  They are very nicely machined aluminum (not anodized) dogs.  The black dogs in the photos are the powder coated Qwas Dogs.

 

[Klemm]

you can also just order from a wider selection of Dogs at TSO products:https://tsoproducts.com/dogs/

Hans
PS: consider adding your geographic location to your profile for answers more specifc to your location [smile]

Location added, thanks for that. I’ve been looking at your dogs (I picked up the parf guide from you guys two days ago ) but at this point I need two that do what the Qwas rail dogs do, ie have a head that screws into the bottom of non Festool guide rails. I do plan to pick up regular dogs and a short Festool rail but I want rail dog-like dogs for my 100”+ Dewalt rail that I already have so I can continue to use that until I fully switch over to Festool TS. I didn’t see it but can any of your dogs replicate what the Qwas Rail dogs do?

[member=70391]Jruks[/member] - our production TSO Dogs do not replicate the tie-into-the-bottom-T-slot approach taken by QWAS all those years ago. Back then I bought a set of Qwas Dogs and trying to use them drove me to develop a more user-friendly solution: Stubby Dogs and Dog Rail Clips.

To help you out we can lend you our pair of QWAS Dogs until the day you make the switch to FESTOOL guide rails - then send'em back.

Email us your shipping address and thank you for your Parf Guide purchase!

Hans

 

[Jruks]

HANS, thank you for that generous offer. I will reach out in short order.

you can also just order from a wider selection of Dogs at TSO products:https://tsoproducts.com/dogs/

Hans
PS: consider adding your geographic location to your profile for answers more specifc to your location [smile]

Location added, thanks for that. I’ve been looking at your dogs (I picked up the parf guide from you guys two days ago ) but at this point I need two that do what the Qwas rail dogs do, ie have a head that screws into the bottom of non Festool guide rails. I do plan to pick up regular dogs and a short Festool rail but I want rail dog-like dogs for my 100”+ Dewalt rail that I already have so I can continue to use that until I fully switch over to Festool TS. I didn’t see it but can any of your dogs replicate what the Qwas Rail dogs do?

[member=70391]Jruks[/member] - our production TSO Dogs do not replicate the tie-into-the-bottom-T-slot approach taken by QWAS all those years ago. Back then I bought a set of Qwas Dogs and trying to use them drove me to develop a more user-friendly solution: Stubby Dogs and Dog Rail Clips.

To help you out we can lend you our pair of QWAS Dogs until the day you make the switch to FESTOOL guide rails - then send'em back.

Email us your shipping address and thank you for your Parf Guide purchase!

Hans

 

[Straightlines]

Before committing to the Rail Dogs approach, I highly recommend you check out TSO’s Dog Rail Clips. 1) They are reasonably priced. 2) Similar concept, same result, except they connect the rail to the dog from the top, not underside of the rail. 3) Top access is far less fiddly than bottom access.

 

[Klemm]

Before committing to the Rail Dogs approach, I highly recommend you check out TSO’s Dog Rail Clips. 1) They are reasonably priced. 2) Similar concept, same result, except they connect the rail to the dog from the top, not underside of the rail. 3) Top access is far less fiddly than bottom access.

[member=44778]Straightlines[/member] - thanks for the TSO endorsement, however the DeWalt guide rail only has one T-slot on the underside. This leaves no room for any other method of establishing a connection. This limitation is just one more reason to choose the FESTOOL style of guide rail and saw system to go along with it. But when someone is just starting out, there is very little information to help them see this before making a purchase decision.
Another reason to be thankful for our volunteer Moderator team, Seth Semenza and Peter Halle  to keep this forum the helpful channel it continues to be[smile]

Hans

Hans

 

[Jruks]

Completely agree. My specific situation is a result of me having the Dewalt tracksaw for a few years and not wanting to get rid of a perfectly good 100”+ rail just yet if there was a solution that still let me use it before I switched over to Festool saw. I’ve already started eyeing shorter Festool rails for use on my new diy MFT type bench but those are significantly cheaper than the very long rails (and I don’t feel like fiddling with connectors until TSO is back with their no-fiddle connectors )

Before committing to the Rail Dogs approach, I highly recommend you check out TSO’s Dog Rail Clips. 1) They are reasonably priced. 2) Similar concept, same result, except they connect the rail to the dog from the top, not underside of the rail. 3) Top access is far less fiddly than bottom access.

[member=44778]Straightlines[/member] - thanks for the TSO endorsement, however the DeWalt guide rail only has one T-slot on the underside. This leaves no room for any other method of establishing a connection. This limitation is just one more reason to choose the FESTOOL style of guide rail and saw system to go along with it. But when someone is just starting out, there is very little information to help them see this before making a purchase decision.
Another reason to be thankful for our volunteer Moderator team, Seth Semenza and Peter Halle  to keep this forum the helpful channel it continues to be[smile]

Hans

Hans

 

[tomp]

Home-made Parallel Guide

The video shows how to build a functional set of parallel guides - the low cost makes them appealing, and they would certainly allow you to use your existing track and saw until you upgrade. Depending on the "width" of your old and new tracks, you make be able to keep using them (even if a little modification is required. While the use may seem a little cumbersome, it may be easier to have the track bare while using it and just clamp and unclamp the guides between cuts. I don't have a long track - use a different method for the initial rips on a sheet of plywood - but I could see that the separate guides might be easier to handle in a more confined space.

 

[bcrawley]

Older thread, but relevant I hope to this question: I moved 3 years ago and have been slowly slowly unpacking boxes ever since. In a recent one I found some Qwas dogs and rail dogs. I wonder, how long are the screws that go into the rail dogs? (The originals have disappeared into a parallel universe.) I gather from this thread the screws are 1/4"-20" thread size. I have some 1" long square head bolts in my Amazon cart. Will they work?

 

[PaulMarcel]

Older thread, but relevant I hope to this question: I moved 3 years ago and have been slowly slowly unpacking boxes ever since. In a recent one I found some Qwas dogs and rail dogs. I wonder, how long are the screws that go into the rail dogs? (The originals have disappeared into a parallel universe.) I gather from this thread the screws are 1/4"-20" thread size. I have some 1" long square head bolts in my Amazon cart. Will they work?

Mine are 1/4"-20, 5/8" long standard hex head (7/16")

 

[bcrawley]

Thanks PaulMarcel! Worried 1" might be too long. I think I found out about these from one of your videos, so thanks for that too. Email receipt says I bought them way back in 2013.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Thanks PaulMarcel! Worried 1" might be too long. I think I found out about these from one of your videos, so thanks for that too. Email receipt says I bought them way back in 2013.

No problem and thanks! I just tried a 1" bolt and it bottomed out a bit past 5/8" so you'll want 5/8" or even 1/2" would be fine. Again, mine are hex head. Square should work, too, since the top of the dog has a centering dimple.

 

[TSO_Products]

Completely agree. My specific situation is a result of me having the Dewalt tracksaw for a few years and not wanting to get rid of a perfectly good 100”+ rail just yet if there was a solution that still let me use it before I switched over to Festool saw. I’ve already started eyeing shorter Festool rails for use on my new diy MFT type bench but those are significantly cheaper than the very long rails (and I don’t feel like fiddling with connectors until TSO is back with their no-fiddle connectors )

Jruks and others:
to update everyone regarding the use of DeWALT guide rails:
TSO developed a DeWALT specific design of the GRS-16 PE in version "D"
see it here:https://tsoproducts.com/guide-rail-squares/grs-16-pe-d-guide-rail-square-for-dewalt/
[smile]
and of course the DeWALT Saw will work on FESTOOL guide rails, too  [smile]

Hans