New Festool Gloat

[Jefferey Scott]

All of you Festoolians finally convinced me to take the plunge and I scraped together enough to purchase a TS 55 and a CT 36. I thank all of you for your recommendations and as proof that it did happen...the following photo.

201647

[johnny means]

You have now been assimilated .

You'll love it. I find mine gets plenty of use despite me having a slider and a cabinet saw.

[Tom Ewell]

Any plans to case up the tracks?

The soft one is decent for jobsite (sling 'em over the shoulder) and keeps all of them together in the shop too.

[Rod Sheridan]

Looks nice Jeffery, I recently purchased a CT MIDI.............Have fun.................Rod.

P.S. My daughter claims it looks like a photocopier, not a vacuum

[Jeff Monson]

Nice score Jefferey, do you have a sander picked out yet, or router, or jigsaw, or a mft table, the list goes on...but I think in a short time you will see my point. Festool is a very slippery slope, but it is for a reason. The tools work well, and work well together. Enjoy

[Jefferey Scott]

Nice score Jefferey, do you have a sander picked out yet, or router, or jigsaw, or a mft table, the list goes on...but I think in a short time you will see my point. Festool is a very slippery slope, but it is for a reason. The tools work well, and work well together. Enjoy

I have my eyes on the RO 90. From what I've read it looks like a winner. I've been salivating over Festool for the last six months, reading and researching as much as I could. I see many of their tools I would like to have, its just a matter of funding them now :-)

[Kevin Stricker]

Skip on the RO90, it is so popular because it is the new kid on the block. Really how often do you sand 2" surfaces or inside corners. Get the ETS150/5 and you will transform your sanding experience for good. Next up should be some quick clamps for the rail and a 28t Festool or Tenryu blade.

[Jeff Monson]

Skip on the RO90, it is so popular because it is the new kid on the block. Really how often do you sand 2" surfaces or inside corners. Get the ETS150/5 and you will transform your sanding experience for good. Next up should be some quick clamps for the rail and a 28t Festool or Tenryu blade.

I'd 2nd Kevin's advice on the RO90, its a little small for my liking. I'd consider a RO125 or a RO150 for a good "all around" sander. I have the RO150, its a nice sander but an ETS125 will be my next festool purchase.

[Bill Trouard]

With all the recommendations and praise of the Festool TS 55, I ordered one also, should be delivered today from Amazon. I got fed-up with using a circular saw and a All-In-One Low-Profile Contractor Clamp to breakdown sheet goods. was wasting too much wood with poor quality cuts.

[Jefferey Scott]

Any plans to case up the tracks?

The soft one is decent for jobsite (sling 'em over the shoulder) and keeps all of them together in the shop too.

Tom I think I'm going to ask my wife to make me a case for them. She's very handy with a sewing machine so after she gets over being mad at me for spending so much money I think she will help me out. Lol.

[Alan Lightstone]

It starts with one. Then two. Then four. Then the owner of Woodcraft personally greets you when you walk in the store.

[Tom Ewell]

It starts with one. Then two. Then four. Then the owner of Woodcraft personally greets you when you walk in the store.

Ain't that the truth....:)

[Andrew Yang]

+1 for Festool sanders. Imagine dust free sanding!

[Greg Portland]

I have my eyes on the RO 90. From what I've read it looks like a winner. I've been salivating over Festool for the last six months, reading and researching as much as I could. I see many of their tools I would like to have, its just a matter of funding them now :-)I have a Rotex 150 and an ETS 150/3. For woodworking, get the ETS150/3... no question. The Rotex is heavier and not as well balanced. The 150/3, despite being less 'aggressive' can still sand wood down very quickly PLUS it is capable of producing very fine finishes @ higher grits.

Recommendation: Buy the boom arm -or- fashion some sort of hose hanger over your bench. It makes sanding very enjoyable.

[Jim German]

It makes sanding very enjoyable.

Sanding? Enjoyable? Really?

[Jefferey Scott]

Sanding? Enjoyable? Really?

Maybe more tolerable?

[Rich Engelhardt]

Nice!
I just used my TS55EQ Sunday to break down some 1/2" MDF.

It was so clean I almost forgot how miserable MDF is.

Not to worry - reality set back in when the pieces went through the TS on the sled.

[Ryan Mooney]

I'm really liking my OF1040 as well... Haven't sprung for a festool sander yet, but y'all are mighty convincing.

[Todd Bin]

First, I would like to say congrats to Jeff on his new saw and vaccuum. These are great pieces. You are really going to like cutting large plywood panels straight, square and smooth with no dust.

Second, not sure how this turned into a sanding discussion but since the door was opened... I have a couple of festool sanders and they are nice but nothing beats the Mirka Ceros sander. Very low noise and vibration (yes lower than festool) and the dust collection is as good or better than festool. The thing that really made me switch was the speed of sanding. The Ceros just gets the job done faster.

~Todd

[Greg Portland]

Sanding? Enjoyable? Really?
Yes, it's a blast. Come on over and I'll let you sand for me ;-)

[Greg Portland]

Second, not sure how this turned into a sanding discussion but since the door was opened... I have a couple of festool sanders and they are nice but nothing beats the Mirka Ceros sander. Very low noise and vibration (yes lower than festool) and the dust collection is as good or better than festool. The thing that really made me switch was the speed of sanding. The Ceros just gets the job done faster.Better than a Dynabrade or Hutchins? I agree that the air-powered units are going to be the ultimate option ***IF*** you have the compressor to power it & can deal with a 2nd hose. Festool sells air sanders BTW (if you like green :-) ).

[Kevin Stricker]

Better than a Dynabrade or Hutchins? I agree that the air-powered units are going to be the ultimate option ***IF*** you have the compressor to power it & can deal with a 2nd hose. Festool sells air sanders BTW (if you like green :-) ).

Don't know about the Dynabrade, but the Ceros is a DC brushless sanding Ferrari. I sold my ETS 150/3 for the 6" Ceros and am not looking back. It is twice the sander and capable of sanding in situations that would be torturous with any my Festools (still have 5). It is truly a step above and Festool is going to need to step up to keep their king of the hill position.

[Will Blick]

Kevin, would you be so kind to elaborate on how the Ceros excels over Festools.... since you have them all, I would be very interesting in understanding the differences...
I am in the market for a 6", I currently have the RO125 and 90.... so that is my reference point.... thx so much...

[Todd Bin]

Will, I am sure Kevin will aslo reply but I also have both the Festool and the Mirka Ceros. You can google both Festool and the Ceros and watch videos about both of them. Basically the Ceros is an electric version of a DA sander. It is lighter weight than the Festool ETS 125 EQ sander, has less vibration than the ETS 125 EQ and also does the job with ZERO dust when hooked up to a vaccuum. But the biggest selling point to me was the speed and smoothness in which it sands. I can progress through the grits much faster. And, for me at least, forget about the rotex. It is just too heavy and bulky for your average daily sanding task.

This is not intended to P.O. Festool owners. I have a lot of Festool stuff and think it is great. But when something does a better that is what I will use.

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations. This is a very versatile setup. (...and the start of a true addiction. LOL) Not only will that saw setup "do the obvious", but there are many other creative ways it can be used. One example from my shop is when I need to occasionally true up a case that for whatever reason had some slight mis-sizing of a panel or two. Just lay the guide rail along the trim line of the box and in a few seconds, corners match perfectly. Etc. I primarily use my TS for home improvement tasks since I have a slider, but it very often fills great little needs in the shop, too.

[Mike Heidrick]

My friends 6" Ceros does not have less vibration than my 150/3. No way. Also with a fein adapter on a porter cable wet dry vac hose and the Ceros's arm for the dust shield it is not balanced well at all and teh VS button paddle do not help the balance either. Also the 10ga SJO sized power cord to the car amp sized brick inverter is annoying - the brick then really has a short cord between it and the plug. You can keep your Ceros IMO.The comment that it is a step up and that it can sand things the 150/3 cannot is limited to what - a few varrow passages?? The VS paddle is also fine if you want to go full bore but definately takes a fine touch to master VS wise and again is self defeating with the hose and dust arm weight. Shy of the vibration (hand being so close to the pad) and power cord thickness it would be a perfect sander if did not use a dust hose. Just my opinion.

[Jefferey Scott]

Congratulations. This is a very versatile setup. (...and the start of a true addiction. LOL) Not only will that saw setup "do the obvious", but there are many other creative ways it can be used. One example from my shop is when I need to occasionally true up a case that for whatever reason had some slight mis-sizing of a panel or two. Just lay the guide rail along the trim line of the box and in a few seconds, corners match perfectly. Etc. I primarily use my TS for home improvement tasks since I have a slider, but it very often fills great little needs in the shop, too.

Thanks Jim. I broke it in this past weekend and it cut beautifully. It won't replace my PM66, but it will supplement it nicely

[Gary Redden]

Okay, I am blaming this all on you people here. I ordered a CT36 along with a ETS150/3 today.What made me change my mind is that I have yet another kitchen cabinet job starting in 2 weeks and I hate all the dust that I see with my current sanders. I have a overhead air cleaner and a downdraft table and both of those options are very high maintenance items to keep running right with all the filters. I have always said I would never ever go down the Festool route but I guess I proved myself wrong. :)

Gary

[Jefferey Scott]

Okay, I am blaming this all on you people here. I ordered a CT36 along with a ETS150/3 today.What made me change my mind is that I have yet another kitchen cabinet job starting in 2 weeks and I hate all the dust that I see with my current sanders. I have a overhead air cleaner and a downdraft table and both of those options are very high maintenance items to keep running right with all the filters. I have always said I would never ever go down the Festool route but I guess I proved myself wrong. :)

Gary

Welcome to the family Gary