Info on Mafell saw guide types please?

[ivan]

I'm very fond of my KSP55F, it came with a 1.4m guide track (FS140) which fits into slots milled into the saw's baseplate. (purchased about the time the smaller saw with the spring steel roll up guide track came out)

I gather from the manual there's an acessory FL series of guide tracks, which are wider; this time it's the track that has the slot, a big one, for it takes the saw's fence, upside down and fitted to the left.

Mafell now says they've redesigned the saw guide track (new, improved etc), but gives no actual info.

I've decided it's worth getting a 3m (quite expensive) guide track, but unfortunately, my local Mafell dealer is now an ex-dealer.

Leaving aside the roll up track, which I'm pretty sure is for the 'junior' saw only, what's the practical difference between/explanation for:
The FS guide that came with the saw, the bigger fence-guiding FL type (more robust??), and the new redesigned version (cheaper to make??)

thanks in anticipation, Ivan

 

[menatnma]

Since the beginning of this year, Mafell introduced a newer refined guide track system based on the original track system. Same idea as before in that the Ksp "f" range of saws all can be used on the guide track no matter which saw you have ie. ksp40f, ksp55f, ksp65f and ksp85f, the numbers represent the depth of cut. The Ksp40f saw is sold with the roll up flexi track system made from steel and designed to keep its shape after being rolled up. The beauty of this saw system is that the saw and guide track are kept together in the same Systainer case so your track is not rolling about in the back of your van or whatever.
The new guide tracks introduced are similar style to the 1.40 mts and 3.00 mtr as of old except that we now do tracks in sizes of 0.80, 1.10, 1.60, 2.10 and 3.00mtr. and the new thing is that we can join any of the tracks together by buying a connecting piece to give a longer length as required. We sell a kit comprising of 2 x 1.60 tracks, a connecting piece, 2 special clamps for holding down from the underside (as on the old tracks) and these items come in a special canvasa shoulder carrybag. These retail at about £195. inc vat. Any existing ksp F's saws will fit as the groove on the track is the same and corresponds with the groove on the baseplate of the saw..The ksp40f flexi track saw can also be used on the solid guide tracks and the other saws can be used on the flexi track. approximate price of the 1.60 rail is about £70.00 with the 0.80 tracks staring at £50., sorry cannot remeber the rest as brain has switched off for the weekend. If you would like to give me a ring on monday 2 july I will send you a catalogue with full details in. any more questions ring me on 01484 400488
Richard
NMA Agencies Ltd
Mafell Importers

 

[ivan]

Thanks Richard, look forward to receiving the catalogue!
regards, Ivan

 

[andrewm]

While on the subject of Mafell saws (and apologies for hijacking this thread) people keep talking about them as an alternative to the Festool. But which model are they talking about?

I am going to need something like this for cutting sheet material. The KSP40 looks ideal as far as size goes but the track is only 1400mm long. I am going to need at least 2400 for cutting long sheets.

The KSP55 looks the nearest equivalent but add a guide rail and connector and it is still cheaper than the Festool but not by a huge amount. I make it about 400 pounds compared to around 460.

So is there a better option for clean cutting of sheet material up to about 25mm thick?

Andrew

 

[colinc]

Andrew,

I have the KSP40 with Flex track and the more I use it the more I like it. Like you I thought I might need a longer track but in fact I find I can cut all the way up an 8x4 by stopping part way, repositioning the track and finishing the cut after carefully replacing the saw in the cut.

It is actually the shorter cuts where it gets fiddly as the track does need some support on its free or it can move slightly. I've never needed to clamp it though.

The latest versions have a short crosscut guide too I think.

The light weight and ease of use make it a very useful package.

I hope that's useful

regards

Colin

 

[andrewm]

Thanks Colin,

Andrew,
I have the KSP40 with Flex track and the more I use it the more I like it. Like you I thought I might need a longer track but in fact I find I can cut all the way up an 8x4 by stopping part way, repositioning the track and finishing the cut after carefully replacing the saw in the cut.

Do you know if the KSP40 will fit on the standard solid guide rail if I were to decide that I needed a longer rail at a later date?

The latest versions have a short crosscut guide too I think.

I think that it is the KSS300 that comes with the cross-cut rail. I've seen it and it looks pretty useful for site work.

Andrew

 

[Scrit]

Colin

Will your saw cut a standard 38mm thick laminate worktop on the rail?

Scrit

 

[colinc]

Hi Scrit,

I haven't cut any worktop with it but I just went out to the shop and checked. It will easily cut 2 x 19mm thicknesses of mdf on the rail with a projection of about 2mm so I'd say 'just'. The spec says it will cut 40mm on the rail and 42 off which seems about spot on, the flexi rail is very thin so you don't loose much.

If I were cutting much worktop then I think I'd go for its bigger brother but for the occasional one it should be ok. The bigger machines have a bit more grunt too when working on those thicknesses.

I have used it mainly for sheet material mainly up to 19mm thick where it excels. I choose it against the bigger machine because it is so much lighter and convenient for what I do.

regards

Colin

 

[Scrit]

Thanks for the info. Very useful

Scrit

 

[engineer one]

i must say that personally the only problem with the flexi rail is the fact that if you use it on a short board without support it is a little "floatey", but it does work well, and being so thin is very useful.

scrit i have used it on a b&q worktop and it just protrudes. it was i think designed for kitchen work allowing the fitter to have only a small box and not another thing ie rail to carry separately.

but the 300 will do all that and more, will also fit the flexi track but that would need to be bought separately.

as with all mafell the motor is good, and quiet and the locking plunge action with integral knife makes it very useful for slotting ( and what i have said elsewhere about cross cutting :roll: i know) also the extraction is well thought out. and the depth adjustment and locking is good, plus the security of the mitre facility with the lightweight base plate which is good and strong, and straight think it is magnesium.

paul :wink:

 

[ivan]

Full 9mm of catalogue arrived yesterday. Definitely worth a good look.

It seems the new style sit-on rails (incuding the flexible) are all interchangeable between joinery saws. The redesign allows for a substantial lock-in joining piece; rigid track is available in lenghts of 0.8, 1.1, 1.6, 2.1, 3.1m lengths which can now be accurately joined together as required. The new rail now has a rubber edge as per Festool. the KSP55 and 1.6m track are currently just under 300 quid inc VAT.

Mafell also make a range of non plunging saws, and an interesting "cross cutting system" (ie saw) in which the guide rail is firmly clipped to the saw's sole plate - if you pick up the saw, the guide rail comes too. It makes a sort of portable sliding mitre saw with a X cut of about 16" and a built in angle guide. If you unclip it, it will also fit on the longer guide rails for cutting up sheet stock etc. Very clever! (and you don't need a MFT)

Some of the new models have a built in facility for making a scoring cut in tricky material. My saw doesn't have this setting, but I have always made a shallow climb cut first to score the top surface, before a normal forward cut at full depth, which works well. On plunge saws (on columns like a router) the depth of cut is set by simply moving a lever, so resetting depth is very quick.

Probably because of the huge number of timber framed buildings in Germany, both medieval and repro stule, there is a demand for heavy duty carpenter's tools there. Even the biggest circular saw (2 man) with a 245 mm cut depth has a guide track, although this is a bit beefier. There's a lot more stuff that would have interested the builders of the Mary Rose.