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Author Topic: Festool track saw on melamine  (Read 2239 times)

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Offline tdibratt

  • Posts: 3
Festool track saw on melamine
« on: November 13, 2019, 04:58 PM »
Hi there I have been cutting some white melamine sheets to make cabinets.  I lay the sheets on 4x8 ridgid foam.  Line up the marks and cut.  What I find is that the melamine is such a smooth surface that sometimes the track wanders off the mark.  Any ideas?  I try to wipe down the rubber pads on the back so there is minimal saw dust on them and hoping the rubber will grab hold.  Thanks
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Offline SRSemenza

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  • Posts: 9422
  • Finger Lakes Region, NY State , USA
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2019, 05:07 PM »
  Hi, Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

Melamine is one of the few things that a rail might not get a good grip on. A couple Festool rail clamps will solve that issue.

It sounds like you have it well supported throughout the surface, but if not a flex in the material can cause loss of grip.

Also try to make sure you are always pushing the saw from straight in line with no side force. Which can be hard to do on  a wide cut when you need to lean over the sheet.

Seth
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Online rst

  • Posts: 2506
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2019, 05:49 PM »
clamps or the suction cups, I used the suction cups to widen a cutout for a new dropin stove...great accessory...I also use it to cut acrylics and polycarbonates.
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Offline tdibratt

  • Posts: 3
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2019, 06:14 PM »
I have a set of clamps but my setup it won't work unless I straddle the melamine over the edge of the work table and then assuming I can clamp one side, the other side will not overhang.  My work table and sacrificial ridged foam is 4 x 8

Suction cups?  I have never seen or heard of them?  Can someone point me to them?

Also has anyone ever replaced the rubber strips on the back of a track?  Does it help?
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Offline Dick Mahany

  • Posts: 555
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2019, 06:22 PM »
Quote from: tdibratt on November 13, 2019, 06:14 PM

Suction cups?  I have never seen or heard of them?  Can someone point me to them?


 Festool 493507 Gecko Suction Clamping Set For Guide Rail System
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Offline tdibratt

  • Posts: 3
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2019, 06:23 PM »
thanks
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Offline SRSemenza

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  • Posts: 9422
  • Finger Lakes Region, NY State , USA
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2019, 07:03 PM »
Quote from: tdibratt on November 13, 2019, 06:14 PM
I have a set of clamps but my setup it won't work unless I straddle the melamine over the edge of the work table and then assuming I can clamp one side, the other side will not overhang.  My work table and sacrificial ridged foam is 4 x 8

Suction cups?  I have never seen or heard of them?  Can someone point me to them?

Also has anyone ever replaced the rubber strips on the back of a track?  Does it help?

I have never needed to replace them. Just brush them off as needed.

What are you supporting the foam on?

Seth
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Offline jobsworth

  • Posts: 6563
  • Festool Baby.....
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2019, 07:30 PM »
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Offline Birdhunter

  • Posts: 3317
  • Woodworker, Sportsman, Retired
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2019, 07:53 PM »
I lay down wide blue tape on the track and the wood. The tape keeps the track from moving.
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Birdhunter

Offline awil66

  • Posts: 151
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2019, 09:25 PM »
What Birdhunter said. Tape your track down and then cut through the tape. Easy.
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Offline tjbnwi

  • Posts: 6364
  • Cedar Tucky Indiana
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2019, 11:20 PM »
The suction cups are called Geckos. We use them all the time on pre-finished plywood.

Tom
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Offline vkumar

  • Posts: 527
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2019, 12:09 AM »
@tjbnwi Tom you seem to be an expert on this.  Do you know what is the difference between 492617 or 493507.
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Vijay Kumar

Offline mwolczko

  • Posts: 61
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2019, 12:40 AM »
Quote from: vkumar on November 14, 2019, 12:09 AM
@tjbnwi Do you know what is the difference between 492617 or 493507.

One includes the guide rail adapter.
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Offline tjbnwi

  • Posts: 6364
  • Cedar Tucky Indiana
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2019, 01:06 AM »
@vkumar,

What @mwolczko said. You need the adapters to use the Geckos with the guide rails.

Tom
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Offline gnlman

  • Posts: 211
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2019, 08:39 AM »
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Offline Sparktrician

  • Posts: 4079
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2019, 09:00 AM »
Another thing I've found useful is to first anchor the rail with clamps or geckos, then make the first (scoring) cut 2mm deep.  Without moving the rail, make the second cut full depth.  This seems to help on really thin melamine that wants to chip out quickly. 
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Offline Michael Kellough

  • Posts: 4975
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2019, 01:29 PM »
Someone should figure out how to make a Festool track stick to a surface with vacuum like Mafell has done.
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Offline simonh

  • Retailer
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  • Posts: 137
  • Hobbyist / Maker of the VCS-R
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #17 on: November 22, 2019, 03:25 AM »
Quote from: Michael Kellough on November 14, 2019, 01:29 PM
Someone should figure out how to make a Festool track stick to a surface with vacuum like Mafell has done.

It exists! I've been keeping quiet the last year.

I had this problem when making some cabinets. So, I decided to try out an idea that uses vacuum pump clamping (not a dust extractor). After a few iterations and much use over the last year I finally have a finished CNC’d product that I'm really happy with and just geared up to produce small scale so hope there is a demand.

Benefits of my design are that it requires no access to the underside of the work, so is great if your on an MFT or on the floor.  No tool required to attach to the rail.  No movement of the rail when clamping force is applied.  Also, because it uses a vacuum pump system (VacSys or other) you can align the rail and clamp the rail before you start cut leaving both hands free to guide the saw with no awkward manoeuvrers trying to hold the rail down which is much safer.

I have a few units made and I'm hoping to sell them, probably via e-bay to begin with in the next couple of weeks.
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-Simon

Offline waho6o9

  • Posts: 1571
    • Garage Door Handyman.com
Re: Festool track saw on melamine
« Reply #18 on: November 22, 2019, 07:47 AM »

"I have a few units made and I'm hoping to sell them, probably via e-bay to begin with in the next couple of weeks."

Pictures please. 
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