Old Rail with Parallel Guides

NVA_WW

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May 28, 2007
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Sorry, but I've been searching for an answer to my question all day and I've turned up nothing. 

I picked up an old style 3000mm rail this weekend and I noticed the old style is different then the new style.  It doesn't have the extra slot for the parallel guides.  Have any of you successfully used the parallel guides with an old style guide rail?  If so, did you like the results?  TIA
 
NVA_WW said:
Sorry, but I've been searching for an answer to my question all day and I've turned up nothing. 

I picked up an old style 3000mm rail this weekend and I noticed the old style is different then the new style.  It doesn't have the extra slot for the parallel guides.  Have any of you successfully used the parallel guides with an old style guide rail?  If so, did you like the results?  TIA
What is "an old style 3000mm rail" AFAIK there is only one Festool rail profile. Different lengths yes and some are drilled for the 32mm system. But only one profile.

A picture would be good.
 
As has been discussed here frequently, the original (Pre circa 2005) Festool guide rails for the ATF55, etc, are different than the current ones.

Those original guide rails are marked FS xxxx/1 with the xxxx indicating the length in mm. The current guide rails are marked FS xxxx/2.

Unfortunately the two distinctly different guide rails are not compatible. If a way has been found to use the FS xxxx/1 rails with the parallel guide system nobody sent me such a memo. Actually it all works out because my first Festool was a TS55, which only uses the FS xxxx/2 rails.

Although I have seen the FS xxxx/1 rails, I have never owned or even used one of them.
 
ccarrolladams said:
As has been discussed here frequently, the original (Pre circa 2005) Festool guide rails for the ATF55, etc, are different than the current ones.

Those original guide rails are marked FS xxxx/1 with the xxxx indicating the length in mm. The current guide rails are marked FS xxxx/2.

Correct, this is the rail I was referring to in my first post.  It was a good deal, so I won't feel bad if there is no way of adapting the parallel guides to the rail.  I guess I'll try to figure out a way in the coming weeks.
 
ccarrolladams said:
Unfortunately the two distinctly different guide rails are not compatible. If a way has been found to use the FS xxxx/1 rails with the parallel guide system nobody sent me such a memo. Actually it all works out because my first Festool was a TS55, which only uses the FS xxxx/2 rails.

Old and new rails are compatible. you can connect old rails to new rails. Old rails are still straight, and are fine for regular cuts.  They are not compatible with parallel guides.

VictorL
 
While the Festool Parallel Guides will not work with you older style Guide Rail, you do have some other options. 

For starters, the Edge Stops (from the Hole Drilling System) should work with your old rail since they mount to the Guide Rail's hat.  I don't have any old style Guide Rails, so I don't know for a fact that the hat is the same as on the newer style rails -- but, I do believe that the current and earlier Guide Rails are similar other than the additional T-track on the left edge of the newer /2 rails. 

You could instead make your own version of parallel guides that are a little like some of the home-brewed versions that have been discussed here only different.  You could use some scale tracks (like Incra or Rockler sell) and make stops that also functions as carpenter's squares, such that you set the stops for the desired distance and they also align against the edge to position the scale tracks perpendicular to that edge.  With these held (clamped) in place, your old style Guide Rail can then butt up against the ends of the scale track...  Not as handy as having the newer /2 Guide Rail, but workable -- and similar to early methods I had used in the past before making my own parallel guides.
 
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