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Post by johnnyboy on Nov 24, 2022 15:29:19 GMT -5
Hello all. What track length do you find best for ripping 8 foot sheets?
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Post by Knight Woodworks on Nov 25, 2022 12:54:28 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
Rail length depends on a few factors. Shop based or mobile? What saw(s) will you use?
Generally I use a F160 joined to a F110 with my MT55 to make 8 foot rips. This breaks down to an easy to transport size. When I need to make angled cuts I use two 160s. If I was shop based I’d probably get a Festool fs3000 and remove the insert in the base of the MT55.
If you have a saw larger then a 55, an 80 for example, two F160s would be a better option.
Bosch rails work fine with Mafell saws and cost less. Whichever brand of tracks you choose plan to get a set of rail clamps.
John
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Post by aas on Nov 25, 2022 15:58:08 GMT -5
Would be good to know what saw(s) you are / will be using, either now or in the future.
If you will be using only Mafell/Bosch then they do a F310 - this is approximately 10'4" in imperial. It is long if you need it for site work though, so do as Knight Woodworks suggests and get shorter rails you can join. I use mine only in the workshop.
If you just have an MT55 and may add Festool saws to your line up, then they do a 2700mm (9') or a 3000mm (10') - Festool rails are a bit more complicated to join though - to the point that I do not join them, I have all the rails up to 2700mm - this OK for the MT55 on 2400mm (8') boards, a bit tight for the TS75 - I wish I had got the 3000mm instead.
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Post by Knight Woodworks on Nov 26, 2022 6:45:04 GMT -5
The longer rails are nice if you the space. Unfortunately the longer Mafell/Bosch rails aren’t available in the US. The longest Festool rail sold is 3000.
John
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Post by johnnyboy on Nov 26, 2022 16:15:46 GMT -5
Using the mt55. I ordered an extra 1.6m anyway. I got a 0.8, 1.6 and a bevel piece in the kit. I found 2.4 a bit measley for 8 foot boards, would need to plunge start all the time. Was wondering if 3.2 was not a bit long and unwieldy. But toucan had the 1.6 on offer for the 1.1 money, so I just grabbed that. Can always lop a bit off if it gets on my nerves.
Only for shop use really, I would have gone Makita for cordless, all my cordless gear is team teal.
How is 3.2m for cutting 2.44m sheet goods?
I'm new to the plunge game. I've always used table saws or clamped a length of ally profile on to run my circle saw down. I'm doing a couple of veneered ply kitchens and this seemed like the best of the bunch. Won't be getting used until the new year.
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Post by kraftt on Nov 26, 2022 16:34:08 GMT -5
Ideally you want whatever amount overhangs the material at both ends enough to start base off material and exit/end cut with base supported by track. But with the later more important in my opinion because you can always plunge to start. I only have 3 160’s and had a job where I needed to cut one of the 160’s to appox 59cm leaving appox 98cm (chop saw blade eats a few mm and the 160’s only come as 157.5cm from factory to start). So unless I join two 160’s I sometimes make due with my 98+160 and just plunge to start with a small amount of overhang on the exit.
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