Shortening a Festool Guide Rail!

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, I'm seriously thinking of it.

You see, I'm a lucky little so-and-so, I have 2 x 1.4m rails and a 2.7m rail. Since getting the 2.7 I've never needed to join the two shorter ones, and, as is being discussed in another thread right now, you do have to take care to ensure they are perfectly in line (I wasn't aware that there was a later version, Keith, that's helpful to know).

So I'm thinking of cutting one of my 1.4s into a 900 and 500, which would be handy when I'm prepping large rough sawn boards outside prior to getting them inside to the machinery.

Can I do this safely on my SCMS? It has an 80T (I think) TC blade.

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers
Steve

 

[9fingers]

Hi Steve,
I'm assuming that the rail is made of aluminium? If so cutting with a carbide blade is reasonably safe. Idealy use a machine where you can reduce the cutting speed possibly to 1/3 or 1/4 of the wood cutting speed.
Watchout for problems where the profile means you are breaking through a narrow edge. I'd be tempted to clamp the work down firmly.

You could alway use a manual hacksaw? Rough edges could be filed to finish or skimmed with a router perhaps.

Good Luck

Bob

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Steve,
I'm assuming that the rail is made of aluminium?

Yes

reduce the cutting speed possibly to 1/3 or 1/4 of the wood cutting speed.

Can't do that on mine. I should have got Waka to do it for me last weekend!

I'd be tempted to clamp the work down firmly.

I wonder if I use a wooden board underneath that would make is smoother?

You could alway use a manual hacksaw? Rough edges could be filed to finish or skimmed with a router perhaps.

Yes, I do have a mitre gauge on my RT, perhaps that is the better way to do it. Thanks for your input 9F.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ByronBlack]

Steve, you can do this with your festool. They supply and ally cutting blade. You can then use the speed adjustment on the TS55. Try Miles Machinery for the blade.

 

[Keith Smith]

Steve you need a triple chip tooth blade for this and you will need to slow the speed on the SCMS although that would be my preferred method of doing this.

Otherwise the metal cutting blade for the Festool cost something like £80 from what I remember, I've got one though so J could bring it but you would have to work out a jig to cut it safely with the Festool. Are you any good at jigs? :wink: :lol:

PS I think the earlier version of the guide rails was discontinued about 5 years ago, although it could be longer than that time flies when you are enjoying yourself :roll:

Keith

 

[Anonymous]

Steve, I regularly cut aluminium extrusion on my bandswa with problems and it does not seem to reduce the service life of the blade (I am using Dragon)

 

[Steve Maskery]

the metal cutting blade for the Festool cost something like £80 from what I remember,

Over £90 on the Miles site. I'm not going there for one cut!

Are you any good at jigs? :wink: :lol:

Thank you.

I think the earlier version of the guide rails was discontinued about 5 years ago,

I've just looked at mine, and they have two channels, so mine must be the later ones. I'd never noticed it before, as I have only one connector.

Tony, I assume you mean without problems?

Well actually guys, I've just been out and done the deed, although when I measured up I decided that 600 and 800 looked better. Apart from the swarf and a slightly unpleasant smell there were no complaints from either the workpiece or the machine.

Happy chappie.
Thank you all
S

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Steve, I haven't done it but everything I've read about cutting aluminum with standard carbide blades says to put the blade on backward for the cut. I'd be inclined to sandwich the rail between pieces of wood, top and bottom before cutting.

 

[Andy Pullen]

All you need to do to cut aluminium is to clamp it down properly and just go steady with the cut. I have cut loads of ally sections with my chopsaws without a problem. You don't need a special blade for one cut and you certainly don't want to put the blade on backwards!!! Woodworkers forget that engineers use saws all the time to cut stock, it's no big deal. Just make sure it is firmly clamped to the table so it can't shift and jam, take a nice steady cut (don't force it) and definitely wear safety glasses because metal splinters can be a hazard. Equally on a table saw, just make sure the cut is well supported and unable to jam, piece of cake.

 

[Chris Knight]

There is always a hacksaw! Clean up the cut with 80g sandpaper glued to a bit of wood.

 

[chippy1970]

I know you have done it now but I just wanted to say that once I had a moment of madness and cut some ally trim on my Elu chop saw with just a normal fine wood blade. I went steady and it was fine with no damage to the blade. Dont think I would make a habit of it but its alright just one time.

 

[motownmartin]

Maybe you could sandwich it between 2 thin pieces of wood or mdf and cut with a jigsaw against a guide.
I would be careful using your chopsaw, you really need a fine tooth blade.

Martin

 

[RobertMP]

We used to cut ali extrusion all the time at the factory. For lots of cuts a triple chip is the way to go. For a cut or two a standard fine TCT blade should be OK.

Aluminium is a sticky material. Clamp it down well. Spray both sides of the blade with a little WD40 (we actually used paraffin with a little oil added) and you will have a clean cut instead of a burred one. Academic now as the deed is already done

 

[andpartington]

clamp a guide block of wood the the underside of the rail and uses a jigsaw no pendulum and a fine wood blade and you will be through in no time

a quick rub with a second cut needle file and your done
andy

 

[Scrit]

So I'm thinking of cutting one of my 1.4s into a 900 and 500, which would be handy when I'm prepping large rough sawn boards outside prior to getting them inside to the machinery.

I'm going to play sort of devil's advocate here :twisted: and ask exactly why anyone needs a straight edge to do a rough crosscut? It's just that I find a chalk line and saw are more than adequate especially when you consider that somewhere down the line the R/S timber will be plane, thicknessed then crosscut to length in any case. To me using a rail in this situation just seems to be a case of using equipment for the sake of it......

Scrit

 

[Steve Maskery]

No, Scrit, that's not the reason. It may be a rough cut, but as you point out, these are rough boards and cutting them can be difficult, not because of their size, but because they may well be bent. If the board moves it can pinch the blade and jar the hand (DAMHIKT), so keeping it on a track helps to prevent this.

S

 

[Scrit]

Steve

I used to have a simpler solution for thick, rough timber. A Kubota 12in bar chain saw..... :wink:

 

[Gary]

Steve

What was the outcome? Have you cut the rail yet and how did you do it? The reason that I ask is I have the same idea in mind.

Gary

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes I did it during the thread!

I used the blade that came as standard on my Bosch saw. I took it easy but apart from the unpleasant sound (and smell) I had no problems.

As mentioned above, al is sticky, so I wish I'd sprayed my blade with WD40 first, but I'm very pleased with the end result.

Cheers
Steve