Your goto guide rails

[Bertotti]

Are the TSO connectors that much better? I just slap the ts55 over the join and tighten one down then flip and tighten the other. Haven't had an issue yet. I'm no pro but I get sucked into a lot of home projects and when the money runs low or friends need help, and that is less common now than it used to be, I have plenty of work besides work. I really need to charge for my time to fund the Festool purchases!

Ya I'd recommend the TSO connecters. Previously, I'd haul out a 8' Stabila level to make sure the Festool tracks were planar. It's just so much easier to just tighten the setscrews on the TSO connectors and be done with it. That's the reason the Mafell track connector is such a dream to use...just tighten the set screws and be done with it.

Cheese l, thanks for pointing those connectors out. I got two sets delivered today and each kit came with a tool! I didn’t expect that but these are seriously well made and index to the rail slots very well. I will use my single old set from Festool for a jig idea I have.

 

[Cheese]

Cheese l, thanks for pointing those connectors out. I got two sets delivered today and each kit came with a tool! I didn’t expect that but these are seriously well made and index to the rail slots very well. I will use my single old set from Festool for a jig idea I have.

So have you tried out the connectors yet?

If so what are your impressions?

One thing I've learned is that Hans from TSO is open to criticism, both positive and negative. He's a white hat.  [big grin]

 

[Bertotti]

Cheese l, thanks for pointing those connectors out. I got two sets delivered today and each kit came with a tool! I didn’t expect that but these are seriously well made and index to the rail slots very well. I will use my single old set from Festool for a jig idea I have.

So have you tried out the connectors yet?

If so what are your impressions?

One thing I've learned is that Hans from TSO is open to criticism, both positive and negative. He's a white hat.  [big grin]

First thing I did. Their keystone design. Is so obvious you have to ask yourself whe Festool didn’t think of it to start with and having that threaded mini puck instead of just a set screw seems to do a great job of spreading the pressure out but Instill wouldn’t lay into them. Someone with a monkey grip could still do some damage I think. I work with some real apes on occasion. They also shipped very quickly once they put the order through. I also got blinded by them the finish is highly polished and as good as it looks that might be m one criticism. The light tells Ted off the top one and really did a number on my vision at the point. A matte finish, although it isn’t as nice looking might be safer for those working under the sun.

 

[mkasdin]

I have completely moved to mafell tracks. So much better. No regrets. Their aerofix is such a joy to use.. no clamps. So much faster.

I think if I moved over to the mafell/Bosch tracks I would still keep the TS-55 and the Festool guide rails: which are the mft/1080 and a 1400/lr32 for the moment....

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I have a Festool 8 footer that while rarely used, does the job when it's the right solution, plus a standard Festool 55" or so rail and a shorter Makita rail I bought from someone "used". (but actually new) The latter gets the most use in my shop, honestly, because less excess length is more comfortable in many situations.

 

[woodferret]

...and a shorter Makita rail I bought from someone "used". (but actually new) The latter gets the most use in my shop, honestly, because less excess length is more comfortable in many situations.

Was there much fuss in dialing the TS to work on both Festool / Makita tracks simultaneously?

 

[sancho57]

[member=8955]Coen[/member]

Just saw yer post, I got 2 1400 holy rails. They were cheaper than the long holy rail and longer when joined I never had a issue with them being not aligned. In case you dont know the LR 32 end stops on the side that has yer 16 in the center has a = sign. So you use that to ensure that you maintain the perfect (i sould like sedge huh) 32mm increments in both rails

 

[Coen]

Yes I know. But two 1400's is still not 3 meters. I hate coupling / uncoupling the rails and alignment sometimes is an issue for me, so I'd like to buy a 3000, but not without holes.

 

[Bertotti]

Those TSO connectors are great. With the Festool ones I would just clamp the TS down and bridge the two rails and never had an alignment issue. But for 8' or more I used the long rail just easier for deck edges I connect a couple to it. But like Cheese said those TSO connectors are really nice. I bought two sets. I may buy a couple more for some home made jigs.

 

[Imemiter]

Having started with the Makita LXT tracksaw, I accumulated two 55s" and a 39". The shorty seemed to get the most use because it was easy to use and easy to have with me. Recently I came into a Festool Holy 1400 and an 800 that I've been using with my HKC 55 a lot. Since then the Makitas have been semi-permanently locked together into a 110" and I've used the 800 more than anything else. The FSK 250 that came with my HKC is pretty sweet, but often I find it easier to use the 800 with a rail square.

Thinking about it, I probably use a router with my rails about as much as I use the saw. 

 

[Jim_in_PA]

...and a shorter Makita rail I bought from someone "used". (but actually new) The latter gets the most use in my shop, honestly, because less excess length is more comfortable in many situations.

Was there much fuss in dialing the TS to work on both Festool / Makita tracks simultaneously?

The saw doesn't care...it's the track edge and since I only have one saw, the edge is dead on after the initial cut to trim the edge.

 

[Bertotti]

Do yoiu guys save you rail boxes and keep the rails in them? The 118" one is in one and both my 1400 are but I burned up the 800 box. I would like a better wat to store them. I'm not sold on those rail bags and there isn't one big enough for the 118" rail. I thought about a 2x4 skeleton frame for all of them but that would be a bit unwielde.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

My rails live on a wall in wood brackets I made from scrap plywood. They are right below a couple of 11' clamps that I must store horizontally.

 

[pettyconstruction]

I have the fastcap rail bracket and mount it to the garage door

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[Joebuck]

I took a long circuitous route to my current guide rail collection.

I started with a 1400 rail and a TS55. I used to set it on the ply, cut as far as I could, then slide it down to make the rest of an 8’ cut. Using tape measures and pencil lines as my guide. That got old real fast. Next I picked up a 1080 rail and the Festool connectors. This was better for long rips, but obviously still fell shy of the mark. Then I added the 1900 rail coupled with the 1400 for my long rips, and a set of the excellent TSO rail connectors. I next plopped down cash for BOTH of the TSO GRS squares and finally achieved track saw nirvana. Until....

I started to get a little more fixated on dead accurate results and time efficiency and found myself shelling out for the 3000 rail and FastCap mounting brackets. Couldn’t be happier with this system.

1080 rail dedicated to shop made MFT
3000 rail dedicated to straight line rips etc.
1900 rail for cross cutting 4x8 sheets
1400 Holy rail used for Dado routing etc.

It cost an arm and a leg to get here, with both the rails and TSO accessories, but it’s a system that works with ease and great accuracy, requiring very little setup time or fuss. Now I’ve gone and thrown an STM 1800 into the mix. Phew! This forum really knows how to spend my money. And I appreciate it every time I use my tools. Thanks guys.

 

[Coen]

Do yoiu guys save you rail boxes and keep the rails in them? The 118" one is in one and both my 1400 are but I burned up the 800 box. I would like a better wat to store them. I'm not sold on those rail bags and there isn't one big enough for the 118" rail. I thought about a 2x4 skeleton frame for all of them but that would be a bit unwielde.

I have an unused MDF box with magnets for an 800. I now use a bag. Saves a ton of weight.

The 800s come in cardboard here.

 

[Bertotti]

All of my rails came in a cardboard box the 3000 had two strips of wood lengthwise on the front and back in the box. The boxes have lasted years but are slowly deteriorating. I just burned two in the trash. The 800 and 1400.

 

[marvinalleyne@europeankit]

I have
1400
R32
And a 1400 that I cut in two for smaller cuts ..I’m mobile carpenter so I need to load up all my stuff at the end of the day ..

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[Bertotti]

Ah a bora user! I love my little 2x4 bora and wish I would have bought two when they were on sale.

 

[Francis_Beland]

About the connectors, I have seen Festool Youtube live about the track saw and Sedge gave a really good trick when connecting 2 rails. Leave a small gap between the rails and use the track saw to line up the rails before tightening the connector screws. I tried it and it works well.