Festool Parallel Guide Overview and Calibration

Sedge takes us through an in-depth look at the FS Parallel Guides and how to properly calibrate, setup, and utilize them to properly process plywood, more specifically in this case, straight-line rips (300 mm and 100 mm widths) for a cabinet build.
Tools used:
Festool TS 55 : amzn.to/46OGqOn
Festool FS Parallel Guides / Imperial : amzn.to/3SOnBor
Festool FS Parallel Guides / Metric : amzn.to/4dPMQz8
Chapters
1:10 Straight Line Rip Overview
8:09 Setting up Festool FS Parallel Guides
11:27 Calibrating Long Side of Festool FS Parallel Guides
12:54 Cutting Around Long Side of Festool Parallel Guide Tip
14:32 Label Your Boards
15:19 Festool FS Parallel Guides Overview
16:55 Setting up the Extensions for the Festool FS Parallel Guides
18:15 Calibrating Extensions for the Festool FS Parallel Guides
20:45 Closing
#Parallelguides #Festool #calibration
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SedgeTool is all about woodworking and having a great time doing it. SedgeTool is Brian “Sedge” Sedgeley who brings 30 years of woodworking experience and tons of energy to the team. Chris "THE UNIT" Seibert who films it all! If you want to have a good time and learn something about woodworking, then you’ve come to the right place.
All views and opinions expressed during SedgeTool are explicitly those of SedgeTool. They are not intended to represent any claims, value statements, or opinions of any of the tools, brands, subsidiaries, or parent companies of brands referenced, visible, or mentioned on the show. The SedgeTool team is here for entertainment and educational purposes only. SedgeTool is not a replacement for proper training or safety guidelines as outlined by the manufacturer's owner’s manuals.

[@grumpywiseguy5992]

These videos are just tremendous. This is the kind of videos that Festool should have done. No commercialism. no pushing certain products, no marketing. Just pure education that makes sense and is designed for literally everyone.

[@sedgetool]

Thank You very much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kevinhuber3651]

Hi Sedge I use a bandy clamp on both ends which keeps the reference points flush to the plywood and it's fast to install and take off. Since starting doing that I don't have the track slip so all the cuts are perfect.

[@sedgetool]

cool

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Way to go, Big D!! Love my parallel guides (although I wish they were metric)!!

[@sedgetool]

Metric Rules !!!

[@ronh9384]

Good video as always Sedge, Derrick and Chris. I am lazy too but plywood “ain’t “ cheap so I have the Rapid Clamp for just this purpose. A tip from Sedge. 😊

[@sedgetool]

The FS Rapid clamp is AWESOME...thanks Ron !!!!!!

[@Wyman642]

Excellent video. Just getting into using my Festool saw so this was very helpful, especially regarding how to handle the saw.

[@sedgetool]

Great to hear!

[@mikiauto73]

Very cool, thanks!

[@sedgetool]

Glad you liked it!

[@legendeternity7377]

You guys are a great duo!

[@sedgetool]

Thanks ...we appreciate it !!!

[@ianharrison7646]

Great video Sedge and big D I will be ordered a set of parallel guards this week 💚💚👍👍👍

[@sedgetool]

Thanks Ian !!!!

[@warrensmith2902]

I'm left handed, I love parallel squaring cuts!!!

[@sedgetool]

Wicked cool !!!

[@andysordi9976]

Sedge you are the man! Happy New Year!

[@sedgetool]

Happy new year!

[@bigmonkey999888]

Sedge, Big D happy new year to you and yours Steve

[@sedgetool]

Happy New Year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bigmonkey999888]

@@sedgetool your instructional videos are the best I have watched! Keep em coming Steve

[@ThekiBoran]

The quality of the Festool parallel guides is great, I just think they’re a bit finicky and cumbersome. Festool needs to do a complete rethink for their parallel guided. I had a set and sold them. I went to Seneca guides then eventually got the tso guides

[@sedgetool]

OK

[@ron1martens]

Cutting the 100mm on the parallel guide I didn't see you set the fence in place so I'm assuming the 100mm is on the offcut side. I always wondered how these parallel guides work. Nice video on how to calibrate. What prevented me from buying parallel guides from festool is the cuts I wanted to make was larger than tje parallel guides. I see you can get extensions. Also other manufacturers cater for the larger cuts. I bought ruler stoppers to parallel my cuts. It did take a little longer to set up and I used spacers so the ruler did not slide under the rail fence.

[@sedgetool]

Thanks for sharing Ronald...

[@misterm7086]

Hi. Thanks for the informative video. I recently purchased the Makita Track Saw system. My question: I'm looking into the TSO parallel guide system. They offer a 20" inch rail, a 30" rail, and a combo set of 30"/50" rail ($100 more than the 30" set). In my spare time, I enjoy building small furniture for family and friends (book cases, shelves, tables, etc. in my side-of-the-garage shop. In your opinion, which rail size would you recommend? Thanks again!

[@sedgetool]

I would go with the combo package

[@tlatham72]

Thank you for a very helpful video. I completely understand now the way the parallel guides make precise parallel rip cuts achievable.🙂 Wondering...can precise parallel rip cuts also be achieved with an MFT tabletop and specific accessories (without parallel guides)? New to woodworking, plan to buy a TS and several accessories, so I'm trying to understand the various ways to accomplish specific goals in order to create my purchase list. I want the MFT table for other things, so wondering if it can also be used for this purpose. Thanks!

[@sedgetool]

Parallel Guides for ripping MFT/3 for crosscutting

[@tlatham72]

@@sedgetool thanks!

[@robbiehenderson3]

Thanks for a great video. I'm wondering what you use on the edge of the MFT to support the sheet of plywood? They look like 2x4 extensions. I need a little extra width on the MFT but I don't want to get another whole table or MFT extension!

[@sedgetool]

I am using the STM 1800 work station .....

[@robbiehenderson3]

@@sedgetool Thanks, that's very obvious now! What a great system.

[@tlatham72]

If you were ripping hardwood, how would you have clamped these items to the tabletop? Would you have used the same table as in the video? Thanks!

[@sedgetool]

Use the MFT/3 or the STM1800

[@tlatham72]

Thanks!

[@jeffmazur8037]

LOL Woodworking minions with an extra pair of eyes to keep things square :)

[@sedgetool]

Pretty much!

[@jeffmazur8037]

@@sedgetool Subscribed - thanks for the content AND the warm sense of humor!

[@sedgetool]

@@jeffmazur8037 Thank you so much for subcribing !!!🙏🙏

[@MINGLE2008]

Hi thanks for another interesting video. I would like to know when the festool guide rail is used. Greetings from Malta Chris.

[@sedgetool]

Chris .... MALTA .... man, you are our biggest fan !!!! Thanks for following us on this channel !!!! The Festool guide rail is used throughout this video !!! You are always welcome in our shop !!!

[@MINGLE2008]

@@sedgetool Thank you for your prompt reply, sorry I meant when is the Festool angle stop FS-WA/90 degrees is used. Thank you.

[@anthonypayne1782]

So is it still considered “balanced” if it’s 300mm and not 320? Learning about all these 32mm systems and am getting a little confused.

[@sedgetool]

I have found that width of cabinet is not as important...as long as the height is cut to an increment of 32.......

[@mikiauto73]

Can we cut strips of 1.5 mm or 2 mm thick?

[@sedgetool]

Yes..I have cut strips that thin before

[@FuzzFace]

Mawk it!!

[@sedgetool]

🤙

[@Benmeglei1]

Was that 300 or 301? I guess we’ll never know….

[@sedgetool]

300 ......for the win

[@CisnerosShop]

What guide rail is need to be in order to be able to cut 8 foot long sheets?

[@sedgetool]

I use a FS3000 rail

[@mobilelegendvideoonly2773]

I go work together

[@sedgetool]

OK

[@lockstocky2800]

I purchased these over a year ago and have used them once. Really cumbersome and annoying, constantly wanting to tilt your rail, don’t even try and use them with 2 rails joined, your first cut will be good until you have to move it for the next . Terrible bit of kit from Festool

[@sedgetool]

Sorry to hear that