which guide rail/overhang importance

[skinee]

i am  hoping to build some kitchen cabinets and will be cutting 8x4 sheets down to size,i have a TS55 and two 1400 guide rails,i am thinking of buying a long rail having read here and elsewhere of the advantage of using a long guide rail rather than joining two shorter rails for the long ripping cuts,i can only afford to buy one rail and because at some point in the future i hope to get the LR32 hole boring set i was considering getting the 2424mm LR32 rail which as i understand can be used as a conventional cutting rail with the TS55,having also read  that some guide rail overhang is an advantage for the start and end of a cut, my question  is, how important is this overhang, would this 2424 rail, which is just about the length of a sheet, be sufficiently long having no overhang or would i be better to buy the 3000mm ordinary rail.

 

[dltflt]

I would get the 3000 and i'm sure most guys here will agree.  I don't have one but it will be next purchase.

 

[mouppe]

Why not do the crosscuts first and then the rip cuts? Then you will only need a rail long enough to overhang the 4' wide sheet.

Richard.

 

[tbellemare]

2424mm isn't enough to properly cut 8' with a TS 55. 3000mm is enough to cut 8' with a TS 75 and I think most would agree that 2700mm is enough for a TS 55. If you're going 2700, why not go 3000? It gives you angled cuts and upgrade to bigger saw capacity.

Tom

 

[fesfrank]

    You definitely need the longer rail. I have it and the overhang is necessary.  You have to have both of the clamping guides on the saw to be on the rail in order to cut along the zero clearance.  If the saw comes off of the rail (the front guide on the saw) then its not guided straight anymore.l

 

[Rhett]

I bought the 2700 and returned it for the 3000. One is too short and one is too long. It's a real PITA to align the 2700 so that you have just exactly the right amount of overhang on both ends to make the cut with a TS55. The 3000 is much easier to deal with in that respect and it will be nice if I ever decide I really need a TS75. For cutting full sheets I wouldn't get anything shorter.

 

[Corwin]

Yes, you will far better off with a 3000mm rail instead of the 2700mm rail -- even if you only use the TS55.  Here are some recent threads on the subject; 

Best Guide Rail for Working with Plywood

What Size Guide Rails to Buy?

 

[darbo]

My 3000mm rail came Wednesday. I ordered it on the strength of consistent recommendations on this forum and I think it was the perfect choice. I think I would have been disatisfied with the 2700mm length. Big thumbs up on the 3000mm rail from me.

BTW, the rail came impressively packed in a wood/masonite box from Festool. 

 

[skinee]

many thanks for taking the time to reply guys,i will get the 3000mm.

 

[GPowers]

3000mm is also better with the parallel Guides.

 

[Tim Sproul]

I bought the 2700 a few years ago.

I just ordered a 3000.

Do as I say and not as I did.  Get the 3000 from the start.