Packard said:
The MTR-18 can cut any angle. I think both systems cost about 180.00.
The video I posted is quite brief and seems to show that it does all the same cuts as the Festool system. Once again, they came up with a super quick way to attach to the rails—advantage TSO.
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MTR18 is a great concept. And I have no doubt it works extremely well for what it is designed for - aka work on a flat work surface.
But I would not see it as a (general) alternative to the FS-WA nor GRS 16(FS-WA/90). Those are mobile tools which are infinitely useable with just the rail and saw, no supporting devices needed. While the FS-WA is going on the heavy side, they both are *sufficiently light* that one can manipulate the rail with them attached with no concern. This is not so with MTR18.
So, to me, the FS-WA can do a superset of tasks the GRS16 can do. While the GRS16 can do the tasks it does well more efficiently/conveniently than the FS-WA. Aka it is a more specialised tool. But still these are tools of the same type.
The MTR18, on the other hand, while having some overlap with both tools is really a very different tool. One cannot cover the tasks MTR18 can handle with the FS-WA, not even close. But, at same, the tasks the FS-WA excels at - those where portability is key - cannot really be done by the MTR18 either.
The new MTR-X, can be seen a "solution" to that "problem" of having one universal tool for squaring/angling the rail. But it still does not handle the "quick&reliable" attach to the rail tasks. And that is absolutely fine. Tools can be flexible, but shall not be too flexible to jeoperdize their primary purpose.
For a practical example:
These days, one frequent use of my GRS 16s (both of them) is attached on a short 600 rail in close proximity, so they squeeze some aluminum or steel profile which I am cutting with my (non-Festool) tracksaw.
Often this is done "in the air" - like when repurposing some older steel furniture or when cutting up a 6 meter steel profile that cannot be placed on the metal chopsaw.