Saws With Guide Rails

[mooretoolsplease]

Afternoon all,
I'm about to buy a circ saw with guide. I've always favoured the festool. but held back until the dewalt has been about for a while.
Does anyone have the Dewalt, and any good or bad opinions on it? There is the Makita too, but I've heard soem bad things about these, and the Maffell, but their long track is too expensive.

Thanks

Matt

[jfc]

I tried the festool once but didnt like the fact that you have to clamp the guide . I stick with my clamp and guide and the hilti circ saw . Dom had a festool with guide in the for sale section .

[engineerone]

what lenght of track do you want??

i use a mafell 40 ksp is the smaller one with the flexi track,
which is very good, the saw in particular is great. and quiet.

if you compare the overall cost of the saw and track, then that
may well compare well with the festo.

otherwise you could by an easy track and a cheaper saw. others including colin cot have one and are very happy.

paul

[mooretoolsplease]

I want a guide to cut an 8' sheet. the 2.6 dewalt comes in at 130, but the 3.0 from mafell is 203,
prices from DM tools

[Telos]

Oct 8, 2008 18:03:38 GMT jfc said:

I tried the festool once but didnt like the fact that you have to clamp the guide ...

You don't need to clamp the guide, the rubber strips on the bottom are more than adequate. The clamps are just there as an extra, especially for MFC and other slippy surfaces. I use the 3m rail often enough and have almost never clamped it.

Never had any problems with it, other than getting it in the car

[nickw]

Yeah, what Telos says, there is no need to clamp the rails. Its a very nice saw though the noise it makes doesn't speak of qaulity somehow.

[engineerone]

whilst i understand your thoughts, you really need to
price a mafell saw and rail, maybe you should ask dm for a
complete price and then compare with the others.

paul

[mrgrimsdale]

Don't forget the SAW-BOARD option. Cheap very accurate alternative to rails, fits any circ saw or router i.e. you make it to fit. Much better than it looks.

cheers
Jacob

[mooretoolsplease]

I've tried a saw board in the past, and have had reasonable success with it, but the lads in the workshop will use it too, and I dont trust them to produce a straight edge with it, they have enough difficulty making a straight anything!
Also, I want something shiny with lots of brass handles ;D ;D

[mrgrimsdale]

What? Are you an undertaker? ;D

[engineerone]

and you are prepared to trust them using your shiny new guide rail

sadly few of them have brass knobs, and are in fact often brushed aly, with rubber, so not so shiny

paul

[mooretoolsplease]

Well they might get to use it if I am not using it for long enough ;D
Its not all that often that I have jobs in that need a board breaking down, but everytime we do I always tell myself that I need to get a saw and guide to do it.
I went into Isaac Lord earlier on, they have the mafell, dewalt and festool on display there.
had a good look round them all and the dewalt is out of th running now, too cumbersome.
They had the small mafell there, looks pretty good and nice and light. The only thing I'm not sure on is the lever operated plunge for it. what is this like in use Paul?

[jfc]

The one i used was quite new but had been used by a busy carpenter mate . It was stored in its own rack in his van but he insisted on clamps when we where ripping an 8 x 4 sheet . Clamp and guide is fool proof .

Now the Mafell with the saw that goes off and cuts and comes back to you ...... ohhhhhh i want that !

[engineerone]

mtp. the plunge is very smooth, and useful if you are properly practiced which i am not

the base is nice, solid and square, and actually the flexi rail is decent for up to 1220, and 40mm. only you need to clamp it on
shorter panels. these days if i needed a new one, i would buy the one with the cross cut facilities i think it is the kss 50, but i am not sure so check. it cross cuts up to 16inches and is pretty neat.

like jason i would if i needed to cuts lots of panels go for the one which drives itself forward, then returns

mafell tools are well made, and pretty quiet in use, with decent accessories and bits and pieces that are well thought out and sensibly laid out. the riving knife on the ksp 40 is great, and the way the guard moves is great. the plunge facility works well, and the angle facility is great and smooth too.

paul