Festool guide rail

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by tore81, Dec 5, 2016.

  1. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    Hi all

    Does anyone use the guide rails, I have the 1400 but find this a bit big to carry around for little jobs. Anywhere stock the smaller ones any good size to get.
     
  2. GoodwithWood

    GoodwithWood Active Member

    I always carry 2 1400's in the Festool guide rail bag. Doesn't take up much space really as it is super slim. Try the 800. A very useful size.

    Nut's & Bolts generally have the best prices if you are spending enough for free postage otherwise Axminster (who will price match if asked).
    Screwfix are surprisingly competitive too:

    http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/festool-guide-rail-fs-800-2.html
    http://www.axminster.co.uk/festool-guide-rails-ax823091
    http://www.screwfix.com/p/festool-fs800-1-x-800mm-plunge-saw-guide-rail/8424r
     
  3. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    Much appreciated I'll prob go with SFiX.

    No postage and I can pick up. Really didn't think screwfix would stock this.

    Thanks.
     
    GoodwithWood likes this.
  4. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    I was surprised when SF started stocking Festool stuff too. ;)
     
    tore81 likes this.
  5. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    tore81 likes this.
  6. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I use the 1400 quite a lot and ended up with an 800 when I bought the MFT table set. Not very keen on the Festool rail connectors they seem to be the worst designed bit of their kit I have seen.

    MFT set is well worth the money and incredibly accurate and useful with their plunge saw. I recently made some complex compound mitres on some long board that would have been really tricky on chop saw. Although wouldn't want to lug the table in and out of a van each day :(
     
    tore81 likes this.
  7. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    How much was that table sospan? Been looking at that a great piece of kit.

    Although it seems a bit mad to spend that much money then saw through the mdf or whatever the top is. Don't get quite get it.

    JT I know what you mean I haven't used it for awhile but it's there when I need it and ups the confidence as makes things simple. Surely the 800 is more practical to be carrying around
     
  8. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I got it for about £480. You do and don't saw through the top - the first cut you make is set 2mm below what you need, then every cut follows that line. It works quite well to line up timber for cutting then when you drop the guide rail on top the timber only requires a little adjustment. I just made up some pine boards and didn't even need to run the edges through the jointer the were that good.

    Like a lot of guys, I thought Festool was a bit like buying a BMW over a Mondeo - the Mondeo does everything adequately and does what it should do but doesn't have the price tag and image of the BMW. The Festool kit is something else, last night I stripped 25sqm of timber with a varnish / lacquer coat back to bare timber with 1 sanding disk and no dust anywhere!.

    I have two chop saws a big DeWalt one and a smaller Metabo one. The table is so accurate I am thinking of selling the Dewalt and just using the MFT with a track saw. Any thing too big, I will cut on a table or chain saw.

    Only down side is 30kg for table without the accessories :(
     
    Joe95, GoodwithWood and tore81 like this.
  9. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    I've heard the dust extraction is great haven't bought yet. Any you recommend?

    Customers hate dust and mess so think this is my next purchase once I know which one to get.

    Very expensive kit tho but I mean you save a whole lot of money on time and hassle.

    So it's just weighing it up, I couldn't imagine the MFT taking over a chopsaw tho say for doing skirting angles.
     
  10. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I have a their CT MIDI and I am actually working in my own kitchen using a ROTEX and 1400 router and there is very little dust that isn't captured.

    Skirting angles on an MFT would be so much easier. I made a door like this with where the horizontals are beveled with the underside beveled inwards and the tops beveled outwards. So the top of each diagonal has to "tuck in" under the horizontal and the bottom over lap the bevel. Struggling with this on a mitre saw is a real pain but on the table it was so easy. So external corners or even returns would be a piece of cake.

    The main problem is the weight of the table at 30kg it is a lump to carry and even on its sides when you pull out the legs its not the easiest to roll back onto its feet but once setup, it is great work table and put the track saw makes it a really accurate way of cutting things.
    upload_2016-12-6_21-39-39.png
     
    GoodwithWood and tore81 like this.
  11. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    Yes been there lumping things around.

    The midi is the one on the wheels like that idea less to carry. Cheers
     
  12. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    The good thing also is that the systainers clip on the top - so you get a trolley as well.
    The capacity of the bags is really surprising. I don't know how they do it but the contents of the bag gets compressed to add extra capacity. The bag in my cleaner was full and when I lifted it out it was a solid lump.
     
    tore81 likes this.
  13. GoodwithWood

    GoodwithWood Active Member

    I've got the CTL26. Maybe a little big to cart around but great capacity.

    Changed the bag on a job Saturday night, a solid block as Sospan said. It holds so much dust you tend to forget to check it until you see a drop in efficientcy. Got caught out in the past with a full vac and no spare bag with me so now I store a spare bag under the one in use. Great bit of kit. A Rotex is on my Santa list. ;)
     
  14. GoodwithWood

    GoodwithWood Active Member

  15. mr moose

    mr moose Screwfix Select

    Hi you can make your own really accurately using this bit of kit see video below

    (well the mft top anyway) I made mine before the jig was around so it's not that accurate but if you only need the holes for clamping that's fine, when I am on a job, I just use an old door and a couple of tressels. Chop saw is still handy though.
     
    tore81 likes this.
  16. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    When my top eventually needs replacement, I will probably get the parf jig to drill a new board.


    But it is the rails on the sides that take the track saw brackets is what I got for. Still use some trestles and a board but normally keep that to hold tools or assembly
     
  17. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    A big fault with the Festool extractors is you have no inkling they are full until they are so blocked you make a mess unblocking them.
    You can buy re-useable bags but they are expensive or you can cut the end off a standard bag, fold it over a pencil thickness dowel and then push a suitable bit of split pipe over it to seal and save £60.
     
    KIAB and tore81 like this.
  18. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    That has puzzled me about Festool, with all their design skills they could at least have an indicator light or even make the thing "whistle" like older vacuums did
     
  19. GoodwithWood

    GoodwithWood Active Member

    They reserve that for their class M cleaners. They are not daft, forces you to pay the extra but I wasn't prepared to spend that much money hence buying the CTL.
     
  20. mr moose

    mr moose Screwfix Select

    I just got the new M class Dewalt, its powerful but am having to return it because its alarm thinks that the hose is blocked every time I stick a small tool on it,:( it seems to be a design fault . So unless I can find a way to disconnect the alarm its going back. Might get the New Dewalt L class instead its exactly the same machine only without the alarm !:rolleyes:
    And it's cheaper!:rolleyes:
     

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