Track saw track - Makita vs Festool

[ReneS]

I have a Makita track saw, some Makita track, and some Festool track.

The Makita guide rail thickness seems to vary, and I have to adjust the tensioners (tighteners?) when moving from one track to another. I have two tracks joined for 8 foot rips, and the difference in thickness is a pain.

I thought it was the saw, as the little wheels that are used to adjust the tightness of fit have a flat spot on them, but when I checked all of my rails, I found no variation in the Festool rail thickness and no two of the Makita rails were the same thickness.

(I checked the variation in fit by sliding the saw along each of the rails, adjusting for one and then checking that adjustment on the other rails.)

Has anyone else run into this? Or does anyone know whether Makita rails are known for being slightly different in thickness (the guide rail part)?

Small differences may seem insignificant, but I figure any side-to-side movement when ripping will result in a less than desirable edge.

Oh yeah, I even noticed some changes in resistance when sliding along just one Makita track, which I am guessing means the guide rail varies.

Or, I suppose, if the adjustment wheels rotate while I am cutting and the flat spot on one of the adjustment wheels moves, that would cause the resistance to vary.

 

[rst]

Makita rails are known throughout be inconsistent in quality.  My first track saw was a Makita, but I bought Festool rails way back when I decided to see what the story was on track saws.  I eventually bought a Festool 75 when the plastic I was cutting bogged down the Makita.  I only own one Makita which I bought to run my Metabo concrete saw.  That rail and the saw are now dedicated to cutting commercial steel door lites and to cut down doors for height

 

[ReneS]

Thanks.

Yeah, I did a search after I posted and saw a variety of opinions/experiences. When I was posting, I thought there probably wasn't much on this. (I was tired from wrestling with sheet goods and other shop work.)

Also, after I posted, I remembered putting a good straight edge on two of the Makita rails. They had some deviations that surprised me.

 

[Coen]

Yeah this is a recurring theme with Makita rails it seems.

However, my first Festool rail (FS800/2 from 2004) is 'thinner' (that notch on top) than all the five rails I acquired in later years. Let's say the other rails were 2006, 2007, 2010, 2020, 2021

Maybe some day it will annoy me enough to replace it.

Oh btw, what style adjustment does your saw have? E.g. Festool TS 55 EBQ (first version) has the wheels directly in contact with the saw. The TS 55 FEBQ has a 'flexible bumper' over the wheel, giving a nicer ramp-up and preventing flat spots on the wheel. There were also TS 55 REBQ with the latter. Not exactly sure when the switch was done. TS 75 still uses the old style like on older TS 55. HK 85 uses the newer style.

The newer style is vastly superior.

TS 55 EBQ from 2006;
[attachimg=1]

TS 55 FEBQ from 2022;
[attachimg=2]

 

[ReneS]

Wow, that is interesting. Thanks for the pictures.

[attachimg=1]