# Rail track hinge mechanism!!



## lastminute (24 Dec 2020)

Does anyone know where to buy a hinge mechanism, front and back similar to the festool one?


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## sammy.se (24 Dec 2020)

I have only ever seen the Festool one sold as parts on eBay, I haven't found any other manufacturers of a similar thing.

I'm currently making one out of ply. I can share the WIP if you are interested?


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## Sideways (24 Dec 2020)

You don't need the hinge.
All you need are two height adjustable supports (front edge and back edge) with a bolt head or similar exactly sized to fit the slot of the T track.
These will stop the end of the track dipping where it overhangs your workpiece and stop it wobbling sideways.
Custard on this forum recently posted about a forgotten tool that does this just fine.
You could DIY the same using some perspex with a pair of slots routed in it to clamp to the sides of your MFT extrusions using T nuts and knobs.


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## petermillard (24 Dec 2020)

Festool sell them as spare parts for the MFT/3, or there are these ones from the US.


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## jonw1664 (8 Feb 2021)

petermillard said:


> Festool sell them as spare parts for the MFT/3, or there are these ones from the US.


Peter, I'd seen the Dashboard ones which looked like just the job, and whilst $240 is less than buying a "Full Fat" Festol MFT, it still seems s steep price for a fairly simple aluminium bracket (and I think you still need to buy the rails separately and with their design fit two single T tracks parallel with each other, and parallel with top of MFT but aligned below it, not rocket science I know but plenty of opportunity to go wrong?). If there is no other alternative I might investigate making one / getting one made. And anyway - it's all your fault for making such a good video reviewing the Mafell and Festool track saws and convincing me to go with Mafell !  Seriously - thank you for the video, it was incredibly informative


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## Inspector (8 Feb 2021)

When I saw the thread title I though this was about trains. 

Pete


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## HDC83 (8 Feb 2021)

Mafell is definitely a good saw. I made my own 






hinge set up for metabo rails it could definitely be adapted to mafell rails


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## petermillard (8 Feb 2021)

jonw1664 said:


> Peter, I'd seen the Dashboard ones which looked like just the job, and whilst $240 is less than buying a "Full Fat" Festol MFT, it still seems s steep price for a fairly simple aluminium bracket...



You pays your money, makes your choice; as I say, Festool sell them as spare parts - I’ve bought the hinge mechanism (about £60) to see what needs doing to adapt it to regular t-track; it’s a slow process as the parts come from Germany - ordered on Jan 18th and just shipped this week - but if the genuine parts can be adapted, then why not?

Festool MFT hinged rail/ rail support reference numbers are :-

497022 Support - this is the locating pin unit at the front of the MFT

497023 Support unit - this is the hinge part at the back of the MFT for the rail

472862 Profile - this is the MFT/3 aluminium profile

If you do a google search for those reference numbers, the spare parts links will pop up at the top of the list. I bought from NB tools as I’ve dealt with them before. HTH P


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## TheTiddles (8 Feb 2021)

HDC83 said:


> Mafell is definitely a good saw. I made my own View attachment 103101
> View attachment 103102
> hinge set up for metabo rails it could definitely be adapted to mafell rails


That looks good, how much play do you get at the far end? Is there a big advantage over using rail dog and dropping onto the table when needed?
Aidan


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## HDC83 (8 Feb 2021)

TheTiddles said:


> That looks good, how much play do you get at the far end? Is there a big advantage over using rail dog and dropping onto the table when needed?
> Aidan


No play every cut is spot on but haven’t done the 5 cut method yet tho. To be honest not sure that my mft top is 100 percent as I used a jig and router so couldn’t be sure that I was going to get perfect 90 cuts. I was intending to use a rail square like Peter Millard portable bench but can’t get one for metabo rails I use. Don’t think there’s any real advantages might be a little quicker to lift hinge up than completely remove rail with rail dogs


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## dave5898 (13 Feb 2022)

HDC83 said:


> No play every cut is spot on but haven’t done the 5 cut method yet tho. To be honest not sure that my mft top is 100 percent as I used a jig and router so couldn’t be sure that I was going to get perfect 90 cuts. I was intending to use a rail square like Peter Millard portable bench but can’t get one for metabo rails I use. Don’t think there’s any real advantages might be a little quicker to lift hinge up than completely remove rail with rail dogs


Hi, Just spotted this for the Metabo guide rails: 
*Metabo 629026000 FSW Guide Rail Mitre Fence*
Where did you source the hinge part of your system, it looks bullet proof!


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## HDC83 (13 Feb 2022)

@dave5898 
Here’s the parts list and how I did it.


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## baldkev (13 Feb 2022)

HDC83 said:


> @dave5898
> Here’s the parts list and how I did it.


Either you didnt add a link or that's next level trolling


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## HDC83 (14 Feb 2022)

Whoops 
here it is








MFT hinge parts list/how to


8040 swivel bearing SKU 3842532209 Swivel Bearings - Joint Connections - BR Range X2 M8 clamping leaver SKU 3842516847 Clamping Lever M8x40 200mm BR 4080 10mm slot aluminium profile with D17VD17V drilling to suit swivel bearing 225mm BR 4080 10mm slot aluminium profile 40 X 80L...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk


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## Recky33 (14 Feb 2022)

Sorry to but in but this works very well


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## porker (14 Feb 2022)

This popped into my YT feed today and is another homemade take on the hinged rail
MFT Style hinged rail


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