Woodpecker's Parallel Guide System One Time Tool

[Claimdude]

I purchased mine directly from Woodpecker which means the transaction to my cc just occurred. Whether Woodpecker will accept a return or not is not relevant in my situation as my cc company would reverse the charge based on the inadequacy of the item purchased. Woodpecker, though historically slow, has been a well respected company for a long time so them not standing behind their product is unlikely. I sent an email to a customer service rep at Woodpecker last night asking that it be forwarded to tool designer Wayne for review. The email included the web link for page 6 of this discussion where I posted my most recent pictures and comments. I received a reply back first thing this morning that my email had been forwarded to Wayne.

Jack

I am not so sure about keeping them unless an improvement is made. 

I'm not so sure these items are returnable as they are a OTT. If you've yet to receive your guide rails then you can always cancel the order for any number of reasons.

Does anyone have a clearer definition?

 

[cliffp]

I wonder if it might be worth contacting Richard Hummel (the CEO of Woodpeckers Inc) and asking for an official/formal response? I know there have been communications with a Woodpeckers employee but there hasn't been any real indication of what might be done to sort this issue out. It is a complete guess but I can imagine they are investigating the issue and want to come to their own conclusions about this before proposing a re-engineered component/s or perhaps providing more guidance on how to use the product (I don't have this tool yet but have it on order and am rather concerned that it won't meet my expectations, like several other people posting here). It has been somewhat disappointing that there hasn't been an official response yet but I think sometimes it seems (from the companies perspective) the least worst option to keep quiet until you have concluded your investigation. The only problem with this delay is that in the mean time more and more people end up with something they may not want to keep (and returning it from the UK isn't all that viable).

 

[Slartibartfass]

The reason why Wayne posted an initial response was based on an email I had sent to Richard Hummel. He certainly is aware of this discussions.....

 

[cliffp]

The reason why Wayne posted an initial response was based on an email I had sent to Richard Hummel. He certainly is aware of this discussions.....

I had an issue with a Woodpeckers product a couple of years ago and dealt with Richard Hummel and he sorted it out very quickly - lets hope this issue gets dealt with as satisfactorily.

 

[barnumb]

I have had mine for a few weeks now. I had no plans to use them until this winter, until I read about the problems people were having.

I got the rails out and assembled and discovered a others have the mounting system leaves a lot to be desired. If I had known about this before hand I wouldn't have ordered the set. I guess a call to Woodpeckers is on tomorrows agenda.....

 

[copcarcollector]

For those in contact, or going to be in contact with Woodpecker, please let us know the outcome. Though my set is pre paid with ToolNut, I am seriously thinking about cancelling my order based on the comments on this thread.

[member=4284]rmh[/member], is there anything further Woodpecker can add as far as the way the tool was designed, or comments or suggestions, fixes etc on the issues brought up in this thread?

 

[jimbo51]

I will mention again that I have had problems with Woodpecker products twice. Both times I was very satisfied with how Woodpecker dealt with the issues.

I just did a few more test flexes. By pivoting the Woodpecker rail up and down a few times, I was able to tighten the bracket screws down more than I could the first try. However, after that, the screws stayed tight.

I will mention again that the bracket does not move side to side or front to back. It just pivots in the channel. Pivoting it back to the central position (or very near there) results in a very usable alignment.
The amount of movement from the original setting is likely a small fraction of a millimeter if that much. 

Perhaps Woodpecker should make a video showing how the current system works in the event of accidental impacts. They might be able to demonstrate that the current approach is entirely adequate.
They could also show what happens if the bracket is rigidly locked in place. If the Festool rail does not suffer damage, then they need to provide a fix which allows for the rigid attachment. However, if the rigid attachment results in damage to the Festool rail, then it would show that they were right in the first place.

We shall see. In the meantime, they have introduced a new tool in stainless steel. Oh, shiny. Perhaps they should also introduce a squirrel. Oh look...

 

[lunchman]

Here are some pics of mine in my shortest track, the one which came with the TS55. I picked them up a few times and placed them back down on the plywood sheet. The track does seem to move a tiny bit but the brackets position themselves back where they should be when placed back down. I did notice a LOT more movement when picking up the track itself and letting the parallel guides hang (only 2 sections are installed.)

The pics posted earlier in this thread by Jack and Cheese do indeed show that the bracket sits proud of the rail and certainly doesn't look centered. I don't seem to have that issue with mine. I've not tried my longer rail nor have I had the opportunity to make any cuts.

Take the pics for what they're worth - just another view of things. And that's as close as I can get the macro setting to zoom in on my camera.

I will say that setting these up will be a bit fiddly until I get used to using them.

-Dom

 

[Claimdude]

Thanks for the post and pics Lunchman. Actually, mine centered OK it is just that with so little bearing surface between bracket and rail movement is inevitable and frankly I don't see the value it designing the bracket where it can somewhat easily be moved in the rail. That should be a solid connection in my mind since in order to use the set up efficiently one will necessarily be moving the assembly around.

Jack

PS Still no word from Wayne :-(

 

[rmh]

First, regarding the issue being discussed here, at least with the Festool track we have in house, we haven't seen any problems but we're still sorting it out. One way or the other we'll get it resolved, even if we have to machine different brackets.

Second, regarding returns of OTT's, never an issue. If you decide to wait out the process and then still aren't happy, no biggy, return for a full refund. Don't care if it's 30 days or 3 months.

Rich with Woodpeckers

 

[Claimdude]

Thanks Rich! Silence causes the monster to grow. Your short note here, at least for me, is sufficient. I will ride this out till y'all provide a reasonable solution or decide none is needed. My assembly will reside in the systainer until then.

Thanks again,
Jack

First, regarding the issue being discussed here, at least with the Festool track we have in house, we haven't seen any problems but we're still sorting it out. One way or the other we'll get it resolved, even if we have to machine different brackets.

Second, regarding returns of OTT's, never an issue. If you decide to wait out the process and then still aren't happy, no biggy, return for a full refund. Don't care if it's 30 days or 3 months.

Rich with Woodpeckers

 

[Birdhunter]

Rich,

Your response is exactly as I would expect from Woodpeckers..... responsive and reassuring.

 

[Gwerner]

Excellent, thanks for the info Rich! I haven't had a chance to try mine yet because of other projects, really glad to hear it's being looked at.

 

[tjbnwi]

First, regarding the issue being discussed here, at least with the Festool track we have in house, we haven't seen any problems but we're still sorting it out. One way or the other we'll get it resolved, even if we have to machine different brackets.

Second, regarding returns of OTT's, never an issue. If you decide to wait out the process and then still aren't happy, no biggy, return for a full refund. Don't care if it's 30 days or 3 months.

Rich with Woodpeckers

I have 2 sets ordered with additional stops, this simple response keeps me from cancelling the order.

Tom

 

[Tinker]

I do not have a set on order; but i am glad to see WP is trying to resolve the situation in a reassuring way.
Tinker

 

[tjbnwi]

[member=4284]rmh[/member] Rich,

Any chance you could post pictures of how the bracket fits the rails Woodpecker has in stock?

Tom

 

[Monju123]

I am just finishing building two platform beds using the woodpecker system. So far I am mostly happy with them. On my initial set up I noticed the 1/16th inch discrepancy and contacted woodpecker about it. They informed me that they were aware of the problem and will be sending a replacement rails as apparently is the case. I have not had any problems  since I began accounting for the one 16th of an inch. I did not take any particular care in attaching the guides to the rails and have experienced very good, near perfect accurcary. I also find them to be much easier to attatch to the rails than the Festool guides. Overall, mostly, but not wildly happy with them.

 

[fritter63]

Monju, I think you will need to detail for us your scale esp all ratings that fall between "mostly" and "wildly"

[emoji41]

 

[Tinker]

I am just finishing building two platform beds using the woodpecker system. So far I am mostly happy with them. On my initial set up I noticed the 1/16th inch discrepancy and contacted woodpecker about it. They informed me that they were aware of the problem and will be sending a replacement rails as apparently is the case. I have not had any problems  since I began accounting for the one 16th of an inch. I did not take any particular care in attaching the guides to the rails and have experienced very good, near perfect accurcary. I also find them to be much easier to attatch to the rails than the Festool guides. Overall, mostly, but not wildly happy with them.

I have read every post of this thread.  I have looked at avery photo.  Monju123 mentions accounting for "1/16th of an inch."  I assume that is how much error has been involved with his results.  And then he mentions "...have experienced very good, near perfect accurcary."  I think 1/16th of an inch error is not nearly what is expected by most who have complained.  I do not consider myself a stickler for perfection.  1/16th of an inch is probably acceptable to me if that 1/16 is stretched over a board of 8ft in length.  A board of 2 ft in length, not so much acceptable.

I don't remember how much WP guides cost, nor do i remember, without going to his website, how much i have paid for all of RMW's dogs.  I do remember, they were very inexpensive and very spot on accurate.  If there was ever an error in any of my finished cuts, it was not because the pieces of the RipDog setups had moved.  It was very definitely from the fact that i had been careless in my measurements.  I have set my RipDog guides to make a cut (the longest cuts so far have been 76") and checked for accuracy.  I then made several identical cuts, all dead on accurate.  I do not have a lot of space in my shop and, after each cut, i had to pick up my guides and move them off the bench, remove the piece i had just cut, replace the next piece to cut and place my FT guide rail with my RD guides still attached and make the followup cut.  doesn't matter how long or short a cut i have to make, or how many duplicate cuts i make, if i am careful with my measurements on the original setting up, and am sure to tighten the knobs, I will have repeatable accuracy.

I am understanding that such repeatability is not present with the WP guides.  I am sure, judging from the few replies they have added to this thread, that with time and further experiment, Woodpecker will eventually come up with a sulution that will give perfect, or as my old HS shop teacher used to say, "purfic", accuracy.
Tinker   

 

[Birdhunter]

I would guess Woodpecker will have a statement out within a week as to a redesign of the bracket attachment mechanism. They have some smart engineers working there. I would also guess a redesigned bracket attachment will be in the works. If I'm right, I think it will take a while to finish the design, program the CNC machines, test the prototypes, and tool up for a production run.

The only suggestion I'd make to Woodpecker is to have a more rigorous field testing program using the more fumble fingered woodworkers.