Cutting Plunge Saw Guide Rails

[Skeety]

Hi All,

Have done a search but nothing came up that I could see.

I have recently purchased a Bosch plunge saw on here that came with 2 x 1600mm guide rails. Ideally I could do with a shorter rail too as the 1600mm is a little to long as most things I cut are smaller.

As I have 2 x 1600mm rails i'm thinking about cutting one of them but wondered if any of you have cut them before and how you did it. I could do it on my mitre saw (with the right blade) but am not happy about going that route just yet.

I'm looking into getting the rail either cut on a Flowjet or Laser cutter. Worst case I will cut it myself but make sure I still have the factory edge so I can join the 2 together to allow me to cut full 2440x1220 sheets or doors.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Grahamshed]

R cannot see that it would be very difficult to cut one but if you are buying special blades to do so then it is probably cheaper to just buy another shorter rail.
When cutting full size sheets I think the less joins the better.

 

[carlb40]

How about swapping them? Doesn't the Bosh fit the festool rails?

Or as Graham said just get shorter rails?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-1600Z00 ... 5aedb01bf7

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-1600Z00 ... 35bf39e3ca

 

[Grahamshed]

Do Bosch fit Festool ?
I know Makita does but .....

 

[Skeety]

No, the Bosch rail track is much narrower. There is a plastic guide you can remove to allow the Bosch to be used on Makita or Festool rails.

An 800mm rail is about £60 but to get the rail cut will cost about £10, even if I have to buy an aluminium cutting blade for 1 cut that's only £12.

Currently I would have to join the 2 1600mm rails to do a full sheet cut so only 1 join, that would be the same amount of joins if I cut one of the rails.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[adidat]

Just do it on the chop saw. Im always going through the occasional nail and screw with mine hasnt done it much damage as far as I can tell. Unless you have access to laserjet/water cutter it would probably work out cheaper to buy a new blade or the 800mm rail toolfest had one quite cheap.

adidat

 

[Berncarpenter]

Bosch rails are the same as Mafel .I cut mine on the chop saw with a triple chip blade with no problems.

Cheers Bern

 

[petermillard]

Bosch rails are the same as Mafel .I cut mine on the chop saw with a triple chip blade with no problems.

Cheers Bern

Yep. I cut down a Makita 3000mm rail to a 2100 / 900 with the standard Festool TS55 blade. Built a summerhouse recently with aluminium rafter bars, and they were all trimmed to size onsite with a TS55 and the standard blade, no problem.

Cheers, Pete

 

[Ed209]

What size would you cut down the 1600mm rail? I am going to do mine when I get one I was thinking 1000 mm to give me some lead in and off on 8ft sheets? 2600mm when joined
I cut through my steel saw horse once doesn't appear to have effected circular saw blade

 

[Benchwayze]

Yep. Whilst using my old Mk. 3 Triton in overhead mode, I once cut into the ribs of the steel table. It cut a slot about 3/8" deep. Didn't hurt the blade at all. Didn't affect the stability of the table either as it happens! Tough stuff this tungsten/carbide. 8)

If you're going to cut a plunge rail, you'd probably want a proper metal cutting blade, but the cost? Might as well buy a replacement track. You could always get something back on the old one by selling it? Just a thought. :idea:

 

[Skeety]

Thanks All,

Finally bit the bullet and cut it into 900mm and 700mm with my mitre saw using a fine blade, to be fair the cut was a perfect 90 and actually the cut is better than factory.

Jon.

 

[Benchwayze]

:mrgreen: There you go Skeety! Don't worry 'bout my advice. It's often off the beam! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Skeety]

To be fair I was going to buy a metal cutting blade, seems nobody could cut it on a flowjet or laser, thought about it long and hard and just made slow, shallow cuts with a fine Freud blade Came out perfect

The blade shows no issue whatsoever, been cutting Teak all evening without issue.

I'm the last one ever to cut corners but need a shorter rail for this table project hence doing what I did

Cheers,

Jon.