Wife likes fescue (Festool) equipment

[Dave Brandt]

Ran into the local Woodcraft to pick up some maple Kreg plugs with wife in tow. She told me I had 2 minutes to look (we were in a hurry)! Since I've "liquidated" just about everything in my shop in preparation for our move to SC, I was checking out some of the bigger tools. I was checking out a drill press when SWMBO noticed the neat green systainers from Festool. She asked, and I told her that everyone was raving about these tools, but that they were pretty pricey. She said she didn't care what they cost, that I should get them (cuz they all match are are stored neatly)! I know, I know. You want to know how much I spent in that 2 minutes. Well, I was so stunned by her comment that I completely froze! :eek:

Now, I was all prepared to replace my old green TS with a Euro saw or combo machine (most likely MM), but now I'm wondering if I really could work without a TS. Most likely, I'll be using the garage as a shop (on wheels), so it kinda makes sense to not have something so big to roll out each time I need it. I know a lot of you guys are sold on this system, but I really haven't been paying all that much attention to those threads, since I knew I'd never be able to justify the costs! I don't think I've ever been a predicament this good (is it still call a predicament if it's a good thing?)! Your thoughts and jealous rants are most welcome. :D

[Frank Pellow]

My wife really likes my Festool stuff as well. She knows a lot about tools and appreciates good design and quality. And, I think that the thing she likes the best is the way that I can stack the tools neatly in the car when we take them to friends and relatives for various projects.

Go for it!

[Maurice Ungaro]

Dave....at this point, DO NOT QUESTION WHY. Go with what your wife wants. Yes, by all means, if getting by without a TS means you can load up on Festool, then do it. Later on, you can always complain that you really do need a TS, and let her pick it out. She's doing ok so far.

[Bob Noles]

Dave,

Does your wife have a single sister? :)

Now this is what I call a GLOAT!

[Scott Coffelt]

I think you still need a TS, but maybe you can get by with a more simpler one and then have lots of F tools.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

As Scott said, I still think you need a table saw. However, you won't need a huge cabinet saw if you have all that F product! The table saw is just so handy for repeat rips... Heck my craftsman $200 job would do that job for you.

[Douglas Robinson]

Dave:

I have a Festool Jig saw, ROS and the 55 circular saw. Send me a PM if you would like to stop by and check them out. I live near the Fair Oaks mall.

Doug

[Michael Sloan]

Hi Dave,

Interesting dilema. I have the MM CU300S combination machine, and much of the Festool setup (including MFT and router, although not the plunge saw).

I am relatively space constrained (half of a two car garage). If my space were smaller, I would consider going with the Festool system, instead of the full combination. However, the combination is much more than just the table saw. I could not do much of what I want to do without a very good jointer/planer, which I have on my CU300. In addition, I find the shaper to be much more useful than I anticipated, and much better than any router table I have used (aside from the money spent on tooling).

Hence, I am not sure how much space I would save by doing away with my combination, since I would need to replace it with at a minimum, a good Jointer/Planer, which while not taking up as much space as the full combination, definitely takes a big chunk of space. I would also not want to do without the shaper, and a J/P and shaper would take up more space than the full sized combination.

If I were more limited than I am in either space or budget, I would go with the Festool system. With moderate limits on space, I would (and did) go with the combination machine.

However, I fully expect to expand my Festool line-up over time, since even with the combination, I use all of the parts of the Festool system that I own on a regular basis, and I occasional wish that I had the saw as well. So I'm pretty sure that the correct answer is to get BOTH the combination machine, and the Festool system.

Good luck on selling that one.

Mike

[Dave Brandt]

Thanks Mike! I know I couldn't live without a jointer and planer, but you raise a good point about having the shaper available. Now if I can just get my wife thinking along those lines... :rolleyes:

Bob, sorry. Her only sister is taken.

Doug, Thanks for the offer. I'll PM you!

Jeff, I agree about the repeat rips. I can't think of any way to process a bunch of rails/stiles, etc. than with a TS with decent rip fence.

[Greg Mann]

Dave,

Load up on Festool while you have her blessing. Then, later on, you can say, "Honey, I tried your way. I tried, I really did. But I can't quite get by without the Combo." :D :D :D

Greg

[Douglas Robinson]

I hope the hands on helped you decide. I'm sure Bob Marino can help you put together the right combination of tools. Good Luck with the move. It was nice to meet you.

Don't tell anyone how bad my shop is. ;)

[Dave Brandt]

Thanks again Doug. Your secret's safe with me!

[Allen Bookout]

I have had my wife help me out with some of the letter short cuts ----- but SWMBO. I hate to appear ignorant but what does SWMBO stand for? Must be something good judging from your report.

However watch out. Your wife may be like me. When I want something big I have wy wife get something expensive first and then the pressure is on her. Can work quite well at times.

[Douglas Robinson]

She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO)

[Jerry Golick]

Hi Dave,

FWIW - I have a 1500 sq ft that I am slowly turing into a workshop, and I went with an all Festool setup.

Having said that I think a great deal depends on what you intend to be building. Mostly I am interested in built-ins, cabinets, and flooring applications, which imo the Festool products handle very well.

You might want to take a look a Jerry Work's Festool MFT manual at:

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/Getting_the_most_from_the_MFT_multifunction_table. pdf

for a variety of other applications. Besides being a great manual, Jerry really shows some of the things you can do with Festool products.

Another excellent resource if John Lucas's site which has a whole section on Festool products. I believe the URL is:

Woodshopdemost - Festool Products (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm)

Whichever way you go, good luck and have a great time!