Maffell Flexi track - does it work?

[Glenn Ancona]

Looking for opinions and evaluations from anyone with experience using the Maffell track saw and the flexi fx track on radius work. Our current job requires a FLAWLESS veneer cuts on sweeping radius cabinetry with no toe kick! In a nut shell we have a 5 x 10 ft. island shaped like a kidney pool! The floor that these cabinets are sitting are sitting on varies by over 1 1/4 and the thought of scribing, scoring and cutting over 30' without error is daunting!! Yeah I know its not a cheap tool but we wont even get into what these cabinets cost. The stakes are high and failure is not a option! The flexi track looks cool all rolled up in the case and unrolls onto the work piece. blah , blah - but does it work on radius ?
The second half of the question is do we replace the Festool 55 with the Maffell mt55 which will use the Festool rail system or supplement it with the Maffell kss 300 which does not work with the green stuff? Leaning towards the mt55 as the van racks are already full and really how many saws does one need to bring to the site.

Thanks as always for the great feedback offered here. -

[John Schweikert]

Everything I have seen of the Mafell flexistem track is that the flexible steel only serves the purpose of rolling up for storage/transport to fit inside a systainer not for cutting curved or rolling shapes. The sole plate of the saw is flat so no way for it to maintain normal contact if the track is not flat. The saw's sole plate makes contact with at least 3 of the track nibs at any one time for a straight cut.

Wrap the base of the island with painter's tape, shim the island for level, scribe your line for the floor and then the hard part of elevating the island and cutting the scribe with a more appropriate tool, like a jigsaw.

[Glenn Ancona]

Thanks john - I thought that route as well and did so on the main run. The results were ok and I have kick plate to cover. This island does not have one and I've found even the best jig saws once your off line it's tough to come back and trim 1/16 without blade deflection. It might be the route however without someone confirming the concept will work other than the dealer. The radius is very soft, by that I mean R64" in one and R32 in other. These seamed soft enough for the track to accept the plate of the saw?

[Peter Kelly]

The KSS 300 is really a cool little saw. You'll need to buy a few of them as your guys will be fighting over them it on-site.

[Loren Woirhaye]

I would call a dealer, send them a drawing if you can and ask if the tool can do it. The people at Timberwolf tools have fooled around a good bit with the tools they sell.

[Len Coleman]

I would ask over at the mafell forum.
http://mafell-users-forum.freeforums.net/

[Bryan Lisowski]

Couldn't you get it close with the jigsaw and then clean the last bit up with a router? I know the Festool trim router has a couple of different bases, that may work.

[johnny means]

I really like the idea of the saw with a flexible track and would love to get one one day.

That being said, the task your describing is fairly basic and can easily and more accurately be done with a jigsaw and or a belt sander. Keep in mind, that if your cabinet is kidney shaped, your scribe line DEFINITELY is not straight (unlikely that it would be straight if the cabinet were square).

[Bradley Gray]

With the plan view curve and the curve of the floor, the cut line is a compound curve - no way a flexible track could match it. I'd be going for a router.

[Sam Murdoch]

If you are willing to spend some money on a next level tool I would use this one http://www.timberwolftools.com/tools/mafell/MAF-P1cc.html

and this more modest helper http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2020082/21181/portercable-compact-belt-sander-model-371k.aspx

You should be able to do a great job with a far less expensive jig saw using the best Bosch blades but the Porter Cable 371 will be the job saver.

The trouble as I see it will be using the right tape. One that you can scribe a clear line onto and that will stay put - not lift off as you cut with a jigsaw (downstroke blade?) so that your line remains to belt sand to. If you could devise a knife scribe I think that would help. And yes, you need to get the scribed cabinets high enough off the floor (or flipped over) to properly work. Trust your scribe line and be certain to have exact relocation marks on the floor and corresponding ones on the cabinet.

Such a challenge separates the doers from the pretenders (or talk aboutters). My 2¢. Good luck.

[Mark Wooden]

Varies by an 1-1/4"? Wow. Thats a big scribe edge.
I would cut close to a scored line with a good jig saw and then belt sand to the line, sanding into the finished surface. I also use a low angle block plane for a lot too.

[Mark Bolton]

Why not simply shim/crib the island elevated substantially and simply use a router and a shop made base that rides on the floor. The base rides along the floor with router trim/scribing the island base above. Clean, precise, and done. Put the tool money in the bank.

[Paul Incognito]

Why not simply shim/crib the island elevated substantially and simply use a router and a shop made base that rides on the floor. The base rides along the floor with router trim/scribing the island base above. Clean, precise, and done. Put the tool money in the bank.
This is what I was thinking. An offset base trim router seems like it would be perfect for this.
Paul