I've read on this forum that the Makita track is identical to the Festool track and can be used with my TS 55 REQ track saw. I have the opportunity to purchase a 2700 mm Makita track for less than $200.  Has anyone used a Makita track with a Festool saw ?

Also the blue tape (non friction) on top of the rails is really hard and over time will wear groves into the saw base!! See this happen to both makita and festool saw used on the makita tracks.

And I've heard that some of festools rail accessories don't fit. I know the clamps do for though.

Thanks for the replies.  Looks like I'll pass on the Makita track.

The 3000 mm Makita track in Canada cost only 159.00 to 205.00 new to begin with(if you dont need to ship it), less than 200.00 not such a great price anyhow.

I have no issues with my Makita track I like it, I have both festool and Makita.

I have Makita and Festool saws and tracks. Pretty much use them interchangeably.

I prefer the Makita Anti-Splinter as the Festool Clear one dries out in the low SoCal humidity and pulls itself off the track and into a curve.

Bear in mind, Makita tools are some of the most heavily counterfeited tools on the planet. Makita has tools made in China, then the suppliers copy them, the employees steal the plans and copy the copies, etc. etc.

Buy Makita only from legit sources or you will get junk!

I've read on this forum that the Makita track is identical to the Festool track and can be used with my TS 55 REQ track saw. I have the opportunity to purchase a 2700 mm Makita track for less than $200.  Has anyone used a Makita track with a Festool saw ?

IM ALSO SHOPPING FOR ANOTHER TRACK SAW. THE PRICE IS 70% HIGHER FOR FESTOOL TS 55; TRACK AND 118" RAIL IS $975 FESTOOL, AND $570 MAKITA/118". i think festool makes good tools in general, but there are good alternatives that exist. the track saw seems to be 1. the wood whisperer recently replaced his Kapex with a Bosch glide. he also stating the kapex is better, but not by much, and he can do everything he needs with the bosch. the Kapex cost $1475.00 vs the Bosch 12" glide was $390, this labor day sale. 

today, 9-14-18 the makita track saw is $279 new at cpo.

I looked up this CPO Outlets place.  And based on the prices I saw, there is NO F-ing way I would ever buy Festool if I could get quality Makita tools for these low prices.  Track saw $280.  55" rail $73.  Combo saw track $409.  Funny you are gouged when you buy both as a kit.  Reconditioned saw $250.  Rail connectors $21.  No 10 foot rail listed.  I would not be surprised if Makita and DeWalt steal Festool's lunch and kick them in the butt too.  The Festool TS55 saw is $590 bare.  $690 with 55" rail.  $690 Festool compared to $353 Makita.  Very close to DOUBLE the price.  Is the Festool saw TWICE as good?  I doubt it.  I own the TS55 and rails.  Good saw.  But if I could have bought the Makita for HALF the price, I would have.  Unlike a lot of people, I do not intentionally try to spend more than I need too.

I would add the makita track connectors are vastly superior to the festool ones. So I use the makita connectors with all of the rails.

Completely different markets for all three companies. Your logic implies there is no market for any luxury (or higher priced) items if a cheaper alternative is available. Real world examples exist: cars, watches, phones, computers, stereo equipment.

There is a lot more to making a purchase besides price, unless price is the only factor you consider.

Makita is going to steal Festool's business for saws with pricing like this.  Half price, for comparable quality.  Unless you buy Festool because the green color matches your eyes.  When you buy a Ferrari or Porsche you get a look.  Look is important with cars.  And you get a 685 HP motor capable of taking you 0 to 60 in 2.0 seconds.  You get something when you spend 10 to 50 times the price of a Camry.  When you buy a Rolex or Audemars Piquet, you get looks and solid gold or diamonds.  Its jewelry.  And you get a Swiss chronograph capable of keeping exact time to .001 second per century.  With the higher priced phones you get a bigger screen, more memory, better camera with two lenses.  With computers you get the Intel i7 processor and 1 TB SSD.  Instead of a ten year old AMD processor and 125 MB hard drive and dial up modem with no camera.  You get something when you spend $5000 on a computer instead of $500.  With stereos you get bigger amplifiers, speakers that have clearer sound.  You get something when you spend more.  Sound quality.  I have Magnepan and Polk speakers.  Spending money on speakers gets you quality sound.

With Festool track saws you spend DOUBLE the price of the Makita saw and you get the exact same performance, functionality.  Imagine pick up trucks.  I presume a few of the people here own one.  Ford, GM, Fiat, all sell more or less identical pick up trucks.  Similar motors and luxury conveniences in the cab.  They ALL have 8 and 6.5 foot beds.  That is how similar trucks are.  They all use the exact same bed length.  Why doesn't one make an 8.5 foot bed then it can boast it can haul longer lumber?  And all pick ups cost the same too for comparable trucks.  $20,000 to $80,000.  Imagine how Ford sales would be if they doubled the price on their truck?  Or GM cut its price in half?  They would either lose or steal all the sales.  People love their truck for imagined reasons.  But when the time comes to write the check, that imagined love will disappear.  If Festool keeps its price DOUBLE of Makita for the same quality, they will lose all track saw sales quickly.  Except for the people who think the lime green tool color is prettiest.

There's a new guide rail option coming out very soon by Metabo.

- It uses the Mafell splinterstrips and connectors
- Comes in 80, 160, 250 & 310 cm
- Does not have an accessory T-Track on the left

An attached rail for their battery circle saw, like the Mafell KSS and Festool HK, is also coming down the pipeline.

That's crazy...you'd buy a better performing saw that's about half the price???  What are you thinking man!

@3PedalMINI you might take a look at this...
https://blog.ustoolandfastener.com/trade-up-festool

I think there are a lot of people that just don't want to admit they over paid. I have a TQ75 and a battery power mikita and the mikita is better in every way.
 Its more robust. My TQ75  fell off the bench and it broke.
Mikita offers many more tools.
The rails are hands down nicer at 1/2 the price.
Even the cases for the rails are so much better.

I use tools to make money not as a hobby or to brag to my friends and the festool it's not that I don't like it its not in the same league as the mikita. I just bought it with 4 batteries for 499. when Ill sell my festool to some hobbiest for almost the same price I paid for it not only will have have money in my pocket but I'm going to feel sorry for that sucker.

PS anyone want a TQ75 I have one for sale?

They just tool what festool was doing and did it better and cheaper. The only reason we have this conversation is because of little boys egos.

Let's not let this escalate.  Post civilly or don't post.  At the end of the day we are still just talking about tools.

Peter