Festool TS owners - long track

[Victor Robinson]

So I just got my first green - the TS55. I do like [love] it, but it's becoming painfully clear that a longer rail is needed, not necessarily to cut full sheets lengthwise mind you, but pieces in the 50-60" range.

With the amount of sheet goods cutting I'll be doing in the next few months, I'm debating getting the 106" rail. But, as a hobbyist, that's a bitter pill to swallow, as I already paid the premium on the Festool over the Makita or Dewalt. AND I'm not sure whether there will be ENOUGH cuts in the high range to justify it.

Just curious what others have done/do in this respect.

[Jerome Hanby]

I voted my plan not my reality. Woodcraft keeps the tracks and hook ups in stock, so next time I need longer, I'll pick them up. Right this second, if i need a longer cut, I use my PSI PPS. With ot's two rails joined, I can cut an 8x4 piece of plywood diagonally. Definitely not as nice as the Festool solution, so I will be picking up the extra rail and joiners in the near future.

[Bill Trouard]

I just ordered the 118" Guide Rail (FS 3000) and Parallel Guides should be delivered on Friday. Got tired of connecting 2 short tracks and trying to keep them aligned

[Jerome Hanby]

I just ordered the 118" Guide Rail (FS 3000) and Parallel Guides should be delivered on Friday. Got tired of connecting 2 short tracks and trying to keep them aligned

Is getting them aligned a big enough hassle to spend the extra money on the long rail if you only have occasional need the extra length? Once you get it alligned, does it stay aligned or do you have to keep tinkering with it?

Thanks

[Bill Trouard]

Is getting them aligned a big enough hassle to spend the extra money on the long rail if you only have occasional need the extra length? Once you get it alligned, does it stay aligned or do you have to keep tinkering with it?

Thanks

To me it was a PIA. it would tend to flex a bit at the joint sometimes and the set screws would loosen sometimes. I think what I ordered will remove most of the hassle with setting up my cuts

[Peter Kelly]

Joining the rails is a complete PIA, doesn't give you a particularly straight cut either. The Woodcraft sales people will swear up and down that it works great but it just sucks.

The 108" Makita track is definitely the better option.

[Al Burton]

I own the MAkita ts, and respositioning the rail for longer cuts isn't that difficult. I was skepitical about it it but after trying it a few times I was surprised how well it can work.

[johnny means]

Joining the rails is a complete PIA, doesn't give you a particularly straight cut either. The Woodcraft sales people will swear up and down that it works great but it just sucks.

The 108" Makita track is definitely the better option.

I have to disagree. I have two 55" rails and they give me perfectly straight cuts. Sure, I do use a straight edge to align the rails while joining them (I don't think the ends are cut very precisely), but I'll put the cuts I get up against my SCMI slider any day. Like any tool, sloppy work yields sloppy results. Better work yields better results.

I can also think of plenty of reasons why a 9' rail is not a good choice, price not being one of them.

[Peter Kelly]

Perhaps we have different opinions of what the term "perfectly straight" entails.

[johnny means]

Perhaps we have different opinions of what the term "perfectly straight" entails.

I guarantee you when I say an edge is straight, it is straight. Surely, its not that difficult to line up two known straight lines. I guess you also don't believe that a hand plane can joint an edge or flatten a board. Both of these tasks are much more difficult than laying two rails in a line, yet have been achieved for centuries. Just because you can't line up two rails doesn't make it impossible.

What would prevent one from getting straight cuts with two straight rails?

[Curt Putnam]

I bought my TS55 back in '05 but I have the current tracks. I went with 2 55" tracks and connector rails. I cannot imagine a need for the longer track. In fact, the 110" is almost too short to cut the full 96" length. You need just about 10" hanging off the start in order to get the saw going. Cuts are absolutely straight (actually, better than I can do on a TS.)

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have 2 - 55" sections and 1 - 42" section.
It's never been a problem to join them and get a straight cut.

I learned the connectors just get snugged down, not tightened until the little veins in your forehead pop out like the way my fat brother in law tightens things.
I also use the Festool clamps all the time. Maybe that has something to do with it?

[Peter Kelly]

I guarantee you when I say an edge is straight, it is straight. Surely, its not that difficult to line up two known straight lines. I guess you also don't believe that a hand plane can joint an edge or flatten a board. Both of these tasks are much more difficult than laying two rails in a line, yet have been achieved for centuries. Just because you can't line up two rails doesn't make it impossible.

What would prevent one from getting straight cuts with two straight rails?

If I'm breaking down 10+ panels at a time for a kitchen, I'm losing money if I have to re-check the guide after every cut to make sure the the set screws haven't loosened and the assembly is still cutting a "straight" line.

The join rails might be just fine for the occasional user making a few cuts here and there, they don't work for me.

Loose the attitude btw.

[Rich Engelhardt]

If I'm breaking down 10+ panels at a time for a kitchen, I'm losing money if I have to re-check the guide after every cut to make sure the the set screws haven't loosened and the assembly is still cutting a "straight" line.

I'm curious here if you don't mind my asking.
Why go with a track saw instead of a sliding table saw?
Wouldn't a slider be better for production work?

I'm the very definition of "occasional user". I don't believe I'ver joined my rails together more than a dozen times in the few years I've owned them.

[Jeff Duncan]

So obviously there are a lot of opinions here on this. I have the Festool with the 2 - 55" tracks with the purchase decision being made purely on a financial basis. If I had to do it again and could swing the cash I'd get the longer track. As has been said, you can certainly line up the 2 tracks and get a nice straight cut. I use an 8' aluminum straight edge for just this task. The problem is even with the screws tightened to the max, a little bump or a bit too much pressure leveraged over a 9' track will put it right back out of alignment. This doesn't mean you need to check the track after every cut, but if you happen to bump it in use. Then there's the time invested....so you stop working to join the 2 tracks together and align them. You start making your long cuts and realize you have a few short pieces to do. Now you take it apart make those short cuts, then go and connect them again....BTDT.

For someone making the occasional long cut it's probably not a big deal and you'll likely be fine. For myself, whenever I need to make longer cuts it's a true PITA. Oh and a slider would be nice, but you can't throw it in the truck and take to the job site. I'm just finishing up about $10k+ worth of custom closets and many of the cuts had to be done on site. I can't even imagine going back to the pre- track saw days

good luck,
JeffD