Looking for buy Mafell tracksaw - Bosch track rail availability in US

[Phillip Mitchell]

I'm strongly considering buying a Mafell MT55 track saw for an upcoming project and I'm seeing online that Mafell makes both the Bosch track saw as well as the Bosch branded rails.

The rails that are blue instead of red are significantly cheaper and I thought they were available on Toolnut.com, but now it appears they're "temp out of stock". I'm going to call them shortly to determine if they'll be available any time soon from them as they have some bundle/kit type combos that make them even more affordable. I'm not finding them for sale at any other retailer sold in the US.

Mafell is sold exclusively in the US by Timberwolf Tools, which is a fantastic retailer. The Mafell branded tracks, connectors, clamps add $500 on top of the price of the saw (for the size I need.) . I could get the exact same offering from Bosch brand for $300, which includes a soft case that holds multiple track rails.

Anybody have experience with this? Wondering if I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks!

[Greg R Bradley]

Zoro has the saw and the tracks. I believe the Bosch version of the saw is a downgrade from the Mafel. Bosch also has several different versions of the saw they only sell outside of the US. The Bosch tracksaw is still very new in US.

[Thomas Eustis]

Why not split the difference with Festool? You’ll get superior cut-quality (and product quality over Mak and Bosch) at 1/2 the cost of Mafell (and twice the cost of Mikita to Bosch). It’s the right choice for most that need precision and cut quality. I think Festool is the right level for prosumers that want to do quality work but do not want to pay for industrial/everyday tools from Mafell.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Well, I’m a professional woodworker, Timber framer, and sometimes carpenter who has used enough Mafell tools to know that if it’s at all possible to swing it in the budget, they are absolutely worth the cost of admission.

Ive used the TS55 and 75 and don’t like the tracks or the track connectors. I’ve been reading fairly extensively about the quality of the Mafell / Bosch track and how both the tracks and the connector is much stronger and less fussy to dial in perfectly straight. That, plus the quality I know and expect from Mafell has me sold over Festool. For the track lengths that I need, the price difference is no where near double compared to Festool. I was strongly considering then cordless Makita, as I use their cordless drills, drivers, other 18V tools and have used the corded version and liked it, but the more I think about it, cordless isn’t really a huge selling point for me in a tracksaw. I’ll have a dust hose hooked up to it 99% of the time anyway, which is more cumbersome than a power cord and I’d like the saw to be useful for longer than the 18V battery line is around and supported.

Since posting this thread I poked around on eBay and found a UK authorized Mafell dealer that offers a new package of saw, tracks I need, connector and clamps shipped to the US for about $400-500 less than I can but from the only US dealer....110v, but haven’t confirmed if the motor will run at full power speed or if it’s exactly the same as US models. How is this price difference possible? There were multiple offerings from the U.K. all around that price.

[peter gagliardi]

It is possible, because over there, as you see, it is a competitive market. Over here, “exclusive” takes competitive out of the equation.
Might be some different build options, AND, we live in a litigious society. Cost to do business, and insure is higher.