Safest way to store rails

[Miso]

Hello
I would like to ask what is the best way to store rails to prevent bowing or other damage. I have a place with constant room temperature and want to know if horizontal, vertical, flat etc.
thank you

 

[SoonerFan]

Hey @Miso welcome to FOG.

I store shorter rails vertically. I hang these on a wall. My longest rail I must store horizontally because my ceiling is not tall enough to store it vertically. For the long rail I jointed a board perfectly flat and made sure it was level when I attached it to the wall. I added supports on the outside so the rail cannot fall off. This way the rail has support across the entire length and lays on the non-splitter guard side. It is stored basically upright but with enough space to easily be removed for use.

Not sure this is the best approach but have never had issues with any of my rails over the last 12+ years.

 

[Dr. P. Venkman]

I don’t think they’re super susceptible to bending in storage. I don’t think you want to be careless about it, but you’ve got plenty of flexibility in how you store them.

I have, for years, stored mine on little hangers I made out of scraps and attached to the underside of a heavy duty shelf. I spaced them out so there is a hanger every couple of feet and very close to each end. The goal was to have them be easily accessible while not taking up any othewise usable space.

I’ve never had a problem.

 

[Miso]

Thank you for accepting me to FOG and for the advice. I am new to Festool and do not want to do mistake that would cost me several hundreds $.

 

[bobtskutter]

I’ve never had a problem.

I store them like this as well.
Festool also offer a rail storage bracket on Printables.com if you have access to a 3D printer.

Bob

 

[Packard]

I hang mine vertically on a 1/4” diameter fiberglass rod. Steel hooks can deform the hang hole and prevent it from laying flat.

The rod I use is cut from a snow marking pole sold individually at Lowe’s for about $5.00 each.

https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/63b414d8-1a7c-4c94-854a-28e9bfd84c4b/svn/garden-stakes-gssm5164o50-64_600.jpg

 

[Dr. P. Venkman]

I store them like this as well.
Festool also offer a rail storage bracket on Printables.com if you have access to a 3D printer.

Bob

I had never browsed Festool’s stuff on Printables.com. I kind of want some of that stuff now.

 

[Leemstradamus]

I store mine on my garage doors.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

When I was still working, mine were always stored vertically. The longest 3 stood on end, on a little shop made shelf. The shorter ones all hung from trim-head screws.
Now that they are all home, I don't have the ceiling height for the 3000, so it now sits in the very top French cleat. It stands vertically, splinter strip up. That makes the logo upside down, which bothers my head a bit. It's not exactly ideal to retrieve either. It will get moved eventually. There is enough head room in the next room, but that's not ready yet.

 

[4nthony]

That makes the logo upside down, which bothers my head a bit.

Ha. Birds of a feather

There was a time when I also had mine hung horizontally and I'd cringe each time I looked at them.

 

[Miso]

Ha. Birds of a feather

There was a time when I also had mine hung horizontally and I'd cringe each time I looked at them.

 

[demographic]

I can say one thing that's not great.
The guiderail bag that Festool sell.
Very little protection and as you can't see them you don't know if they get bent.

Mine holds an airgun nowadays and its not even much good at that.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I store 4 guide rails on my garage door using Fastcap's brackets. I have Makita which have soft anti-chip so I mounted the brackets up-side-down. I also store my TSO parallel guide system on the garage door too. (this image is from Fastcap - I mounted the brackets with the green lock knob down)

 

[luvmytoolz]

I'm almost embarrassed to say for the last 40+ years my rails have just stood up wherever I had room!

 

[Imemiter]

I keep the LR32 rails in a Makita track bag stacked in with some lumber. The rest all hang vertically off trim screws.

 

[hdv]

I kept it simple. I just drilled a hole in the end without a hole and hang my rails horizontally on the joists in my workshop. That way the anti-splinter strip is kept free from load. With the long rails I drill a third hole in the middle.

 

[Packard]

I store 4 guide rails on my garage door using Fastcap's brackets. I have Makita which have soft anti-chip so I mounted the brackets up-side-down. I also store my TSO parallel guide system on the garage door too. (this image is from Fastcap - I mounted the brackets with the green lock knob down)

View attachment 377482

Do you worry that the clip will deform the splinter strait?

 

[rmhinden]

I have my shorter rails (1400s) mounted on a cabinet door. Screw at the top and I made a bracket for the bottom to keep them from moving around when the door was opened.

I use fastcap brackets for my longer rail (too long to hang vertically). I use them with the splinter strip upwards so it won't be deformed. I used to use this on my garage door, but in the summer it got too hot and would cause the splinter strip to come off. Now mounted on a side wall.

Bob

 

[Ebuwan]

I store 4 guide rails on my garage door using Fastcap's brackets. I have Makita which have soft anti-chip so I mounted the brackets up-side-down. I also store my TSO parallel guide system on the garage door too. (this image is from Fastcap - I mounted the brackets with the green lock knob down)

View attachment 377482

I have festool rails, but did the same, "upside down". I was worried it would mess with the splinter strip.

I have a 3000, but that beast fits laying down on a small space at the top of my systainer storage cabinets.

 

[Redromad]

I bought the bag made to carry the rails. It has a loop on one end. I hang the bag on a hook on the wall. Then I can grab the bag for outside jobs or just unzip the bag for in shop jobs