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Post by lincoln on May 15, 2015 18:18:43 GMT -5
No pain at all - remove the plastic filler on the bottom of the MT55 and you can now ride on either rail. I took mine off a while ago and have not re-installed it...I do have to adjust the two tension knobs on the saw so the resistance is correct with the different rail. The only pain using the Festool rail has been replacing the splinter guard that decided to peel off a few days ago - I replaced it with a the black Makita strip and all is good. (one more instance where I feel the Maffell rail is superior) Rod, I did the same with the Makita strip, when I had a TS55, much better than the Festool one. |
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Post by lincoln on May 15, 2015 18:37:15 GMT -5
Holmz, I run my Festool router on a track that I kept when I sold my TS55. We have an Altendorf panel saw at work, but I want a decent set up in my home shop, so I don't have to get in the car and drive to work to make an accurate cut. Plus I do a few kitchens etc. during the year, and don't like taking up floor space at work - even though I'm always told it's ok.
The track I have is only a 1400, so I'd have to buy a 2700, and I'm sure you know how much they cost down here. Would much prefer an F rail solution.
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Post by holmz on May 15, 2015 19:33:58 GMT -5
Holmz, I run my Festool router on a track that I kept when I sold my TS55. We have an Altendorf panel saw at work, but I want a decent set up in my home shop, so I don't have to get in the car and drive to work to make an accurate cut. Plus I do a few kitchens etc. during the year, and don't like taking up floor space at work - even though I'm always told it's ok. The track I have is only a 1400, so I'd have to buy a 2700, and I'm sure you know how much they cost down here. Would much prefer an F rail solution. Lincoln, I got (somewhere on an AusPost Honda 50) an 1100 and 1600 (Bosch tracks ) from gettoolsdictect.com in QLD. Looking at the Bosch track it is the same Mafell in a teal blue rather than red (?), and they (Bosch) make a router attchment, but whether it fits anythng other router is unknown to me at the moment. Randal |
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jacko
Junior Member
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Post by jacko on May 15, 2015 19:43:49 GMT -5
I have to wonder why Festool has not fixed the Splinter strip material and the guide connections by now since it's known to be a problem? Those two design features were the reason I bought the MT-55 saw even though I had never heard of Mafell until a few weeks ago but, I have been aware of the Festool design issues for quite some time hence the reason I delayed buying a track saw for so long.
If I had already bought into the Festool track system I might be tempted to look at their TSC cordless saw since I already own the T-18 Drill with two 18v batteries.
Jack
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Post by lincoln on May 15, 2015 19:50:28 GMT -5
Hey Randal - I have three Bosch rails, for my MT55, and yes they are identical. I like the Festool set up for the router on the track more than the Bosch set up. I'm not sold on the whole 'system' aspect that gets pushed these days - I just want the best tool for the job.
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Post by lincoln on May 15, 2015 19:55:12 GMT -5
Jack - the splinter strip material changed a few years ago. It used to be the same as the current Makita strip, which is what I used when I had a TS55.
If you look on the FOG, many members think that the joining system is fine - it's not. For a company that produces some very innovative tools, they really should have done better. Maybe it's deliberate, so people buy their longer rails!
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Post by MrToolJunkie on May 15, 2015 20:19:51 GMT -5
Jack - the splinter strip material changed a few years ago. It used to be the same as the current Makita strip, which is what I used when I had a TS55. If you look on the FOG, many members think that the joining system is fine - it's not. For a company that produces some very innovative tools, they really should have done better. Maybe it's deliberate, so people buy their longer rails! I think that there is truth in this - I ended up doing just that and now have just about every rail except the long holey one and the 2700 mm rail. It works ok as I am mostly shop based, but for site work it is not practical to haul the longer rail. Mafell's are a breeze to connect and I really, really, really like being able to clamp at the edge - to me that is the single biggest thing that makes these rails the best overall. |
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jacko
Junior Member
Posts: 95
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Post by jacko on May 15, 2015 21:36:17 GMT -5
Well I think that the logic for poor design of the rail connector to encourage people to buy longer rails is faulty in that they lost a long time Festool customer since i won't buy badly designed products and I don't want a longer guide rail. I still love my other Festool tools like the Domino Joiner and ETS 150/3 sander coupled with my CT22 which is still going strand after 8 years. I do have the Oneida Ultimate Dust Deputy cyclone and catch box attached to my Festool Ct and I don't need to change bags.
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Post by holmz on May 15, 2015 21:57:48 GMT -5
Hey Randal - I have three Bosch rails, for my MT55, and yes they are identical. I like the Festool set up for the router on the track more than the Bosch set up. I'm not sold on the whole 'system' aspect that gets pushed these days - I just want the best tool for the job. ^Amen Lincoln.^ Somewhere I have a 3HP Hitachi in storage o'arseas. But I have been looking at Bosch, Elu/DeWalt,FT, Mafell a bit... So I am all ears. I am hearing that I should discount the idea of using the Bosch rail. I do have the 1100 that came on the MFT/3. One question is how much does one use a router on a rail? The WoodRat looks OK too. I am thinkking I could use a router for dado in the gate. If the gate is straight/normal then I can p'rolly do it with the MT55 ad a chistle. If I use wonky sticks then it requires a router if I have floating panels which are not straigh sided... |
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