joining Festool track

[Cooler]

My second section of Festool track arrived last night.  

What is the best process for joining the track?

My thinking is to slide the two joiners into one track and slide the second track in place.  Then tighten the top screws and flip over and tighten the bottom screws.

Or tighten the bottom screws first, flip over and check for straightness and then tighten the top screws.

The carton shows the assembly but not the sequence.

[fredhargis]

My thinking is to slide the two joiners into one track and slide the second track in place.  Then tighten the top screws and flip over and tighten the bottom screws.

That's the way I do it. Be sure to leave a small gap between the rails (per Festool) since (I guess) they can't guarantee the ends to be a perfect 90°.

[Cooler]

That's the way I do it. Be sure to leave a small gap between the rails (per Festool) since (I guess) they can't guarantee the ends to be a perfect 90°.

I was guessing the gap was to make it easier to adjust to perfect alignment.  

I have a 60" aluminum ruler and a 48" aluminum level.  Neither have a machined edge or surface.  So I don't know if they are perfectly straight.  

I also have a 24" machined straight edge, but is seems too short for this purpose.

What do you use for alignment?

[fredhargis]

When I was aligning them all I had to use was a 48" level. This was the suggestion of Rick Christopherson (sp?) when he was posting here. He apparently did some work with Festool on this stuff. Using the level isn't aircraft precision, but it's close enough. Here's his youtube show on how to do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xjd2AGr1pw

[Stwood_]

I just use/check mine EZ rails with a 4' level also, which really isn't necessary as the ends are square.

[Huxleywood]

 

What is the best process for joining the track?

Betterly SLC23 Straightline connector.

[mound]

hmm maybe I never read my directions close enough. I leave the joiners in place on one side.. Then if I I need to join another track, I slide it in place (all the way up, no gap) and then just set the screws starting with whatever is facing me..  never even thought to check that the result was still straight and I've never noticed any problems ripping 8' plywood in a straight line like this.. maybe I don't do it enough though..  but if the ends of the tracks are square and they are butted together, why wouldn't I still have a straight line if all screws are secured?

[EdL]

I just push them together & snug up the screws.....doesn't take much to tighten them.

I did replace the slotted setscrews with hex....

Ed

[fredhargis]

Well, you guys can believe (and maybe yours are) that the ends are square, but if you look at the box your tracks came in, you'll see that Festool indicates you have to leave a gap (there's an illustration on the box). I found that true on mine, one of the ends isn't square. It's probably not enough to make much of a difference..but it's off slightly. That's one reason I bought the longer 106" track, I got tired of trying to get the darn things straight. If I was doing this regularly, I'd buy that Betterly thing.

[darita]

Well, you guys can believe (and maybe yours are) that the ends are square, but if you look at the box your tracks came in, you'll see that Festool indicates you have to leave a gap (there's an illustration on the box). I found that true on mine, one of the ends isn't square. It's probably not enough to make much of a difference..but it's off slightly. That's one reason I bought the longer 106" track, I got tired of trying to get the darn things straight. If I was doing this regularly, I'd buy that Betterly thing.

Betterly thing does work pretty well, however after messing with the whole thing a few times, I ended up buying the long track for panel break downs.  I know it's big $, but if you already own Festool stuff, it's worth the $ to just grab the track and go.
Also, +1 on the ends not being square.  Definitely leave the recommended gap between tracks, if you're going to be joining.