What to do with two guide rails that are out

[Boski]

Guys, you are really overcomplicating.

1) Ideally, you need an aluminum blade for your TS 55/TS 60 but an MDF/Chipboard blade will do wonderfully for a few cuts. Forget about the Kapex for now.

2) You needs to use a piece of offcut *), bout 8mm thick to support the rail (you will cut it placed upside down)

3) Take a square (GRS-16 works great, but any will do) and aligh your rail on the rail you want to cut (the "bottoms) of both rails will be in contact

*) if you had 3 rails, a better aproach is to use the second rail to "complete" the one you are cutting. Two rails upside down create an even board-like assembly and are a non-issue to cut with a tracksaw, no complications needed, and you can use your "standard" MDF/Chipboard blade for this if it is just a single cut ...

Brilliant - this makes life a lot easier.

 

[alltracman78]

Your router guide may not run on the Makita rails. I know the Carvex one won't.
The Makita rails have an extra "lip" on the outer edge that the lock tab for the saw slides under. This prevents some things that work on the Festool rails from working on the Makita ones.

The Makita rails also have a tendency to wear "ribs" in your saw plate where they run on the plastic part of the rail, due to the Makita design.

 

[Boski]

Your router guide may not run on the Makita rails. I know the Carvex one won't.
The Makita rails have an extra "lip" on the outer edge that the lock tab for the saw slides under. This prevents some things that work on the Festool rails from working on the Makita ones.

The Makita rails also have a tendency to wear "ribs" in your saw plate where they run on the plastic part of the rail, due to the Makita design.

Great info. Will the ribs have any detrimental affect on the saw in the long run?

 

[Coen]

Your router guide may not run on the Makita rails. I know the Carvex one won't.
The Makita rails have an extra "lip" on the outer edge that the lock tab for the saw slides under. This prevents some things that work on the Festool rails from working on the Makita ones.

The Makita rails also have a tendency to wear "ribs" in your saw plate where they run on the plastic part of the rail, due to the Makita design.

Great info. Will the ribs have any detrimental affect on the saw in the long run?

Yes, they eat into the base of the saw. The saw then sits lower on the rail and the pivot point for angled cuts shifts down.

But I have no clue about how quickly the ribbed glide strips cut into the base. The steel bases of older saws will be less effected than the newer magnesium ones.