Why does my Festool track saw cut a curve?

Re: Why does my Festool track saw cut a curve?

Henry Higginbotham

I never had any luck getting two Festool tracks to align perfectly, either. You describe the same result I got. I finally gave up and bought one of the silly-expensive long tracks (108", or something like that).

I remember at IWF a few years back seeing a specially made alignment jig that was claimed to fix our problem. Not sure who had it, but it may have been Betterly. I didn't buy one so I can't vouch for it.

Looks like Festool now sells it

Henry Higginbotham

https://www.festoolproducts.com/betterley-slc23-straightline-connector-for-festool-guide-rails.html

Cheaper than a long track, if it always works as well as in the video.

Re: Looks like Festool now sells it

fred in ct

I've had the Festool atf55 track saw for over 10 yrs and two 55" tracks and never had a problem maintaining a strait line cut, perhaps you need to adjust the saw to fit tighter in the track.

Re: Looks like Festool now sells it

Barry Irby

I resisted buying Festool stuff for a long time because of the price. I got some at a tool auction for about half of new. (Router, trac saw, and sander) Since then I got a Domino, also used. Drank the Kool-aid and bought a vac retail. Still can't believe the prices. OTOH, I have really enjoyed the tools, excellent quality, but the track saw disappointed me on this application.

To break down plywood I would need the 118" rail to give me room to start and stop comfortably. At $385, that ridiculous. And I don't have a good place to store it for the 99.9% of the time it's not in use.

The Betterly gadget looks good, but it's over $100. I have a 55" and 42" rail now, maybe the thing to do is get a 55 that has the holes on 32mm centers and the Betterly device. That would give me some additional benefits. Christmas is coming and there's always the lottery.

PS....

Barry Irby

I did learn something from watching the Betterly video. He claims the ends of the track are not machined perfectly square and you should leave a small space. I was trying to fit them perfectly together. next time I will leave some air between them.

I keep thinking there should be a way to set this up so that whatever error there is would cancel out rather than compound.

Fred, can you rip two boards and ....

Barry Irby

glue them together, making a nice clean joint?

I was trying to glue up some 7' long oak boards 13" wide.

Re: Why does my Festool track saw cut a curve?

Jesse Cloud

Hey Barry,

As Ellis would say, "a couple of things"...

1. You can download the manuals from festoolusa.com, pm me if you can't find it and I will email it to you.

2. What I do is first to minimize the slop in the fit between the saw and the track, should move easily, but have no perceptible slop. Then put the two tracks down on the edge of a table so the connecting screws can be accessed from the bottom. Then put the saw on the track and jiggle the two track pieces until the saw moves across them totally smoothly. This will involve tightening the screws till barely snug, backing off, rejiggling, then retightening a time or two, but it works for me. I can cut a piece in half and the joint is glue ready. Give it a try - if nothing else, its free.

Re: Looks like Festool now sells it

William Duffield

Small detail: Festoolproducts.com is not Festool; it is a retailer of Festool tools in NY, a.k.a. The ToolNut. The official Festool site in the U.S.A. is festoolusa.com. You might want to check with ToolsForWorkingWood, Lee Valley, Klingspor or Woodcraft, who are also Festool dealers and also happen to be WoodCentral advertisers (not that I have ever heard of any customer service issues with the ToolNut).

Tried a guide?

Kneale Brownson

I have a guide for cutting 8-foot plywood (or anything else). I hang it from the rafters next to a wall. Easy storage, easy access. The saw must be held next to the guide, though, because it does not attach.