splinterguard (FS-SP) "creeps" away from original position on guide rail

[cherron8776]

The last 2" of the original factory-installed splinterguard on each end of the guide rail aren't unstuck, but they have migrated away by about 3/8". I've also noticed that other portions of the splinter guard are no longer in a straight line. I put a Freud 48T blade on the saw and have used it frequently over the past year. I store the saw in a garage which varies between 40° and 100°.

What causes this problem? How can it be avoided?

 

[ear3]

Can't be sure without pictures, so I'm just stabbing in the dark.

Stupid question that has to be asked: Are you sure it's an actual migration and not the part you never cut into?

There are threads on the forum that seem to describe a similar problem, sometimes witnessed out of the box, and other times emerging over the course of usage, usually in connection with high temperature environments.  Here's one thread:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/new-guide-rail-out-of-the-box-splinterguard-loose/msg264441/#msg264441

You should be able to find others simply by using splinterguard as a search term.

If there is movement, or you want to fix the chewed up guard, you can peel off the splinterguard and reapply it approximately an eight of an inch further out, and then proceed to cut a new, fresh line.  I just did this myself last week.  Failing that, or if there's little adhesive on the parts of the guard that have become loose, order a new splinterguard.

 

[cherron8776]

Thanks for the link. Somehow I missed it on the first pass through FOG.

In that thread, several people say that the black splinter guard sticks better than the clear. I'll try one of those.

FYI in another place on FOG I read that adding FastCap SpeedTape (between the metal and the plastic of course) may work too.