Buying a TS55 - What size for the 2nd guide rail?

[Will Rowland]

With the Festool sale on I've finally decided to purchase a TS55. The first job I'll use it for will require on-site length-wise ripping of 4 x 8 ply.

One question I have though is which additional guide rail I should purchase - a 55" or 106". I've searched the archives, and opinions seem to be mixed, so I thought I would tee this question up again to see if I could get any further feedback before purchasing.

[Tom W Armstrong]

Will,

I'm going through a similar debate myself. I think the other rail is 106" and from what I've researched, it would probably be best to have both the included 55" and the 106" instead of hooking two 55s together. A bit more cost, but a better long-term solution. However, hauling around the 106 incher might be a pain.

[Dave Hasson]

McFeely's says to select the 55" with the saw and then purchase another 55" which will give you enough length with some extra to start your saw on.

[Eric DeSilva]

The first job I'll use it for will require on-site length-wise ripping of 4 x 8 ply.

I use my TS55 mainly for breaking down plywood, and I usually get 4x8 sheets. While you can buy a pair of 55" rails, I really like having a 55" and the 106". The 106" is made for breaking down 8' sheets of ply lengthwise, and the 55" for breaking down 4'x8' sheets crosswise. The downsides are: (1) I have to use the 106" for 5'x5' sheets of BB, which is sort of excessive; and (2) the 106" is a PITA to store.

As much as I believe in Festool engineering, I just can't believe two 55"ers bolted together gives you the equivalent of a 106" in terms of straightness or versatility--I like being able to pick up the 106" from one end, and I'm not sure that the two 55"s have that structural integrity...

[Vijay Kumar]

With the Festool sale on I've finally decided to purchase a TS55. The first job I'll use it for will require on-site length-wise ripping of 4 x 8 ply.

One question I have though is which additional guide rail I should purchase - a 55" or 106". I've searched the archives, and opinions seem to be mixed, so I thought I would tee this question up again to see if I could get any further feedback before purchasing.

The extra 55 inch guide rail will work. But a 75 inch gives you a little more room to start and stop the saw ath the beginning and end of cut. Plus the 75 inch gives you some extra versatility so you have a choice of using 55 inch and 75 inch length for different cuts. Don't forget to buy the 2 set of connectors to join the rails.

Vijay

[Jamie Buxton]

I bought the second 55", and had a very bad experience with it. The Festool joiner bars would not keep the two short guides aligned. In normal shop use, the joined bars get banged around, and the 55" length turns out to be a very long lever to wrench the little screws in the joiner bars. They only stay put by pushing on the aluminum of the guide, and that's not a strong connection. I found that the joined guides would stay straight for a couple of cuts, and then they'd drift off. I'd notice only when panels started getting wonky. Very bad words would ensue. I sold off one of the 55" guides, and bought the 106".

[Mike Cameron]

The extra 55 inch guide rail will work. But a 75 inch gives you a little more room to start and stop the saw ath the beginning and end of cut. Plus the 75 inch gives you some extra versatility so you have a choice of using 55 inch and 75 inch length for different cuts. Don't forget to buy the 2 set of connectors to join the rails.

Vijay

This. I have two 55 inch rails. Don't really have any issue with joining them together to rip sheets of plywood lengthwise as I don't do that all that often, but using one rail when ripping widthwise, the 55" is hardly enough to make the 48" cut. Most sheets of melamine or MDF are oversized as well so making those cuts is even less room. It would be perfect if the rail was 60". If I was to do it all over again, I think I would get a 55" and 75" rail.

[Chip Lindley]

Buy BOTH! They will come in handy. For Festool owners, $$$ is no object!

[Eric DeSilva]

Buy BOTH! They will come in handy. For Festool owners, $$$ is no object!

What makes poor people so bitter? Now excuse me, it's time for my afternoon champagne and pate de foie gras break. And yes, I plan to slice my brioche with a Kapex.

[Michael Titone]

I recently bought a TS55. I also bought a Qwas square. The square requires an additional foot or so of rail length, effectively reducing the usable length of the rail when using the square. I do like the square, but you might consider this when deciding which rails to buy.

The person that sold me the saw also recommended that I buy the rails with the holes in them since they only cost a little more.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

55" is barely enough to cut 4' plywood, you will need at least 10-12" from the both side to start and finish the cut. I have 55" and 75". never have problem with guide rail connectors bar, and two rail combine will be enough to cut 4x8 sheet of plywood. Both rails easy to store. I am using this system for more then a year and never had any problems.
Ed.

[Glen Butler]

What makes poor people so bitter? Now excuse me, it's time for my afternoon champagne and pate de foie gras break. And yes, I plan to slice my brioche with a Kapex.


I must be poor because I don't know how to pronounce most of the words in there. Now excuse me its time for afternoon Dr. Pepper and bugles with easy cheese

[Erik Frederiksen]

What makes poor people so bitter? Now excuse me, it's time for my afternoon champagne and pate de foie gras break. And yes, I plan to slice my brioche with a Kapex.

Thanks for the laugh. You will lose a bit of the brioche to the kerf, but then again, you're a Festool owner. La de dah, to quote Annie Hall.

I like the 106 rail, it's very convenient and accurate. I might have liked the one that's one size up from 106 even better. No problem to transport on the rack.

I have a 42", 55" and 106". The other rail that I'd like to have is the 75".

[John Peterson]

You know, the whole bashing, or comments on Festool prices is getting really old.

And to stay on topic, I think I will go with the 106" rail. The extra start stop room will be nice.

[Bob Marino]

This is a frequently asked question and there really isn't a right or wrong answer. Having used 2 55's for many years and later getting the 106" rail; I would say that if transport, storage (and/or price) of the long rail are issues, opt for the 2 55"s or a 75" rail. The 106" would be the choice for convenience for sure. It only takes a minute or two to connect the rails and I insured straightness by adjoining them with a 4' level, but it is still time.

Bob

[Rich Engelhardt]

When I bought my TS55EQ, Hartville Hdw. was out of the 55" rails.
I picked up a 42" one just to get by.

I was advised to return it & am happpy I didn't.

I easily use the 42" rail, four to one, over the 55" rail.
The shorter 42" is just so much handier.

In all the time I've had my saw/rails, the only occasion I had to make a full 8' cut was the time I tried it just to see if it could do it.

W/a very little forethought as to how to make the cuts, the need to make a full 8' cut is a very rare thing.

IMHO - a lot of the times people make a full 8' cut, it's for convience sake, not because they have to.

Now, if you make a lot of built ins, for houses that have >8' ceilings, that's a different story...
Generally, there's always a couple of inches on the ends of the material lists/layouts, that's marked as waste.
.

[Scott T Smith]

I use my TS55 mainly for breaking down plywood, and I usually get 4x8 sheets. While you can buy a pair of 55" rails, I really like having a 55" and the 106". The 106" is made for breaking down 8' sheets of ply lengthwise, and the 55" for breaking down 4'x8' sheets crosswise. The downsides are: (1) I have to use the 106" for 5'x5' sheets of BB, which is sort of excessive; and (2) the 106" is a PITA to store.

As much as I believe in Festool engineering, I just can't believe two 55"ers bolted together gives you the equivalent of a 106" in terms of straightness or versatility--I like being able to pick up the 106" from one end, and I'm not sure that the two 55"s have that structural integrity...


+1 on all counts.

[Will Rowland]

Many thanks for the feedback and advice. This morning I picked up the TS55 and decided to go with the 75" rail as the second rail.

Based on the responses, it seems the 75" will be better for 4' cuts and give some extra length when joined to the 55" for 8' cuts.

I decided against the 106" for now mainly due to potential difficulty transporting it around, but perhaps in the future I'll pick one up.

[Eric DeSilva]

Based on the responses, it seems the 75" will be better for 4' cuts and give some extra length when joined to the 55" for 8' cuts.

Congrats--you will enjoy the saw and the rail system. Trust the cuts, they are precise.

That said, I've never understood why people say they have issues with the 55" rail and 4' ply sheets. You don't need to put the saw way off the edge to start the cut... it is a *plunge* saw, after all...

But, frankly, the 75" will be perfect for 5'x5' BB sheets. I find myself getting more an more unhappy with the normal 4'x8' sheets I can find, and find myself using more and more BB anyway. Maybe I should get a 75" rail...

[Mike Cameron]

That said, I've never understood why people say they have issues with the 55" rail and 4' ply sheets. You don't need to put the saw way off the edge to start the cut... it is a *plunge* saw, after all...

I wouldn't say I have issues, just would be easier with a slightly longer rail...60" would be ideal so you could have 6" of overhang on each end.

OP wanted some feedback on rail size, so if I were in his shoes I would go with a 55" and 75" rail. I went with two 55" rails and now wish one of them was a bit longer. Also wish I had a 3rd rail that was shorter to use on the smaller cuts as well.

[Eric DeSilva]

I also bought a Qwas square.

I had no idea what that was, so I looked it up. When I need to do that, I actually usually just use my drywall square. Any limitations in perfect squareness are overcome by sheer size, so I've been able to find 90* pretty well.

That said, some of those Qwas things seem kind of cool--do you use any of the other Qwas products? The Qwas dogs in conjunction with the Qwas rail dogs seem like they could be very useful if, like me, you don't typically leave the guide squared up on your MFT...

[Tom Henderson2]

You know, the whole bashing, or comments on Festool prices is getting really old.

And to stay on topic, I think I will go with the 106" rail. The extra start stop room will be nice.

Having a 106" rail would be awesome... but don't underestimate the difficulty manuevering that long monster around the shop, especially if you work alone.

If you have very tall ceilings that will help.

My $0.02

[Michael Titone]

I am new to woodworking in general. I am a somewhat handy engineer, and the Festool saw appealed to me. I didn't realize I was joining a movement though.

I don't have an MFT, and my table saw is only a small jobsite saw. I got the track saw to help break down large sheets of plywood. After trying a few cuts using a large framing square and a homemade jig to try to end up with perfectly square cuts, I googled. I ended up finding the FOG, festoolownersgroup.com. I got a lot of hits from people struggling with making square cuts without an MFT.

That's how I ended up with the Qwas square. I haven't used it much yet, but for me, it works much better than fiddling with squares not attached to the rail.

I am sure you could find more feedback on other Qwas products over at the FOG site. I'm still a lurker there, but there is a lot of good info.

[John Morrison60]

I also use a 42 most commonly.
I have two 55s which I use for 8' if I need to.
I find that I get the lumberyard to make 1 or 2 initial cuts anyways
just to get the pieces more manageable.
I do not have any trouble using two guides together.

Love this tool.

[Michael Dunn]

Here here, Festool is totally worth it. You get what you pay for. I swear I remember the McFeely's catalog or website recommending using two 55"s for ripping 4'x8' lentgth wise.

While I am here... I have the OF 1400 router, I can use the same guide rails as the TS-55 & 75, right?

Thanx,

shotgunn


You know, the whole bashing, or comments on Festool prices is getting really old.

And to stay on topic, I think I will go with the 106" rail. The extra start stop room will be nice.

[Rich Engelhardt]

While I am here... I have the OF 1400 router, I can use the same guide rails as the TS-55 & 75, right?
Correct.

The Festool "system" is just that, a "system".

All the pieces/parts are designed to work together.

This is something Festool and EZ bring to the table (no pun intended) that DeWalt and Makita don't.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I have two 55" rails and I have no problem joining them.

Festool states to space the rail ends 1mm apart, I would use a spacer to make sure they are spaced equal, then tighten them down and double check both sides. As a result you can look straight down the 8' cut and you'll see it's pretty dead-on straight.

If I made a lot of 8' rips, I would get one, but you would definitely need the smaller guides like the 55"er because the guide rail will bend under its own weight if the ends of the rail overhang the work piece un supported.

The rails work perfect with Festool's routers. Just the other day I used the guide rails and a festool plunge router to plunge cut a window in a door. Window came out perfectly cut, though I would urge anyone that uses the guide for a router to buy the clamps and use them. Maybe with straight cuts and a track saw you can get away without clamping the guide down, but not with routing.

If I could create my own ideal festool guide setup it would be:

One 36" rail for small cuts
One 62" rail for cutting 4' rips (I like the 55" one, but wish it was like 7" longer.)
One 110" rail for cutting 8' rips.

With this setup I wouldn't need to worry about proper setup of the guide rail joints...