So Rank the Festool Tools

[Dave Hammelef]

If you have a lot of sheetgood / cabinet/ closet sytem work you were about to embark on. You had a Table Saw, In table Router, Lunchbox planer, and 6" jointer, Makita Cordless drill, and Dewalt 4" ROS. In what order would you rank the Festools to buy? I have already built cabinets with the tools I have, cutting the sheet goods was no fun so I am pretty sure the circ saw/dust collector/ rail system are 1st on the list.

Thanks for the input.

dave

[markus shaffer]

My first Festool purchase was the larger of the two circular saws. I use it to crosscut all my big sheet goods. It is a real pleasure to work with knowing I can measure once, lay down the track and the cut will be right on. I learned really quick when I first got it that you have to be careful not to let the track slip. After I miscut the first piece, I started paying more attention. If your workpiece is a little bit dusty or you bump the track a little, it can move. They offer special clamps for the tracks, I don't have them though. I just pay attention not to let it move and I don't have any problems. It's a really nice saw and I don't hesitate recommending it in the least bit. I wish I had gotten one of their shop vacs as well with a package deal. I use an adapter with a hose clamp on mine which works pretty well. I have 2 Ridgid shop vacs which still plenty of life left in them, so it was hard to justify the purchase of the Festool vac as well. I'm sure I'll upgrade to one down the road. It will be nice to not have those big adapters on all my Fetool machines. I also have the Festool router and the Rotex sander. Both are really nice machines and I would recommend them as well. My only Festool gripe is with the router. They don't offer a 1/2" collet which keeps me from using it with a good number of my bit collection.

-Markus

[Jim Becker]

Dave, based on my experiences yesterday and you description of work the saw w/guide system would come at the top of the list, too. While it may sound strange at first, for installation work, the drill system is a very good idea with it's versatility and ease of use in tight spaces--it can take the place of several tools for less money in total. The jigsaw for scribing work during installation would also be on my list given the work you do. And of course, for in the shop, the sanders are awesome. How's that for spending a lot of your money??!! :D

BTW, if you choose the right guide rails they can also be used later for 32mm shelf hole production with their router or with your own adaptation of what you have in that "department". The combo deals that include the vac are also worth considering if you plan on using these tools on-site in customers' homes. They probably will be better for dust extraction than a traditional screamer of a shop vac.

[Christian Aufreiter]

Hi Dave,

I don't have any stationary tools due to a lack of money and space. But even with some stationary tools I regard cutting large sheets as a pain unless you have a really large table saw like a Hammer, Felder, Martin, Altendorf. A vertical panel saw would be another option to cut large sheets but is probably out of budget for most of us. If you can afford and see the need for this tool the Mafell PSS 3100 SE http://www.mafell.de/produkte/prod_saegen_pss3000_i.html might be a nice setup but I think it's not yet available in the US and pretty pricey ($$$$).
If you liked something more versatile and flexible the Festool system is great. I purchased the plunge saw and the router a couple of weeks ago and like them very much. Hooked up to a vac (I use Festool's CT22) the dustcollection on the saw is awesome. It doesn't work that well on the router but it's difficult to cover the whole router bit. The cutting quality with the 48 teeth sawblade which comes with the saw is incredible. Almost zero tearout in melamine.
As Jim mentioned, Festool offers two guide rails with holes in order to use them with the Festool hole drilling system (check http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/Festool/FestoolIndex.html for further information). The saw itself comes with a 55" standard rail and, of course, all rails are compatible. For long cuts I'd recommend to get two rails instead of one. Two rails are easier to store and to transport and you can connect them in less than one minute.
In order to benefit from the Festool system as much as possible, I'd get at least the ATF, the vac (or a combo) and the accessory systainer for the rails.
More Festool's are always desirable but expensive. The MFT gives you the ability to cut smaller pieces but already using a table saw this might not be too important for you.
Please be aware that the Festool promo "get started" (means 20% discount for new customers) last till the end of September.

I can also recommend Festool's ROS, router and the cordless drill.

Regards,

Christian

PS for Markus: As far as I know Festool is going to introduce another bigger router the OF 2000 (uses 8 mm and 1/2" collets). Be sure to ask Bob Marino for additional information.

[Dave Arbuckle]

I bought the circular saw specifically because like you, I think knocking down full sheets (or even half sheets frankly) to be "no fun".

An interesting discovery is that this saw is also a behind-kicker for straightlining rough solid stock. Loads faster than using a jointer, and don't have to move the big heavy pieces.

It's a beautiful machine.

Dave

[Bob Marino]

If you have a lot of sheetgood / cabinet/ closet sytem work you were about to embark on. You had a Table Saw, In table Router, Lunchbox planer, and 6" jointer, Makita Cordless drill, and Dewalt 4" ROS. In what order would you rank the Festools to buy? I have already built cabinets with the tools I have, cutting the sheet goods was no fun so I am pretty sure the circ saw/dust collector/ rail system are 1st on the list.

Thanks for the input.

dave


Dave,

John Lucas - www.woodshopdemos.com, has used a lot of the Festool tools and there is a menu page just for the Festool projects ---- http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm. This may give you a better idea about the tools' applications.
Just be forwarned that his assistant, Beth is working with the tools and she can be, well let's just say, a "distraction." ;)

Bob

[Jim Becker]

Just be forwarned that his assistant, Beth is working with the tools and she can be, well let's just say, a "distraction."

You really must have been distracted! "Karla" is the lovely young lady making her first ever circular saw cut in that episode... :D

[Bob Marino]

You really must have been distracted! "Karla" is the lovely young lady making her first ever circular saw cut in that episode... :D


Ooops, you're correct, it's Karla, Beth came along a bit later.
But, Beth is equally "distractable." :D

Bob

[Christian Aufreiter]

You really must have been distracted! "Karla" is the lovely young lady making her first ever circular saw cut in that episode... :D

Who can remember all names of those lovely shop assitants John Lucas "needed" over the years? ;)

How about a new Festool promo: Buy $ 500 worth of Festool's and get a beautiful shop assitant additionallY? :D

IMO that's that's a safety issue: Being distracted by your wonderful assitant while working with power tools ....


Regards,

Christian

[Jim Becker]

IMO that's that's a safety issue: Being distracted by your wonderful assitant while working with power tools ....

You will take note that John isn't the one working with the tools, so it leaves him free to be distracted...but that's really something for a different kind of forum! :rolleyes:

[Dave Arbuckle]

IMO that's that's a safety issue: Being distracted by your wonderful assitant while working with power tools ....

That would be a whole different safety issue for me, my wife would kill me! :)

Dave

[Christian Aufreiter]

That would be a whole different safety issue for me, my wife would kill me! :)

Dave

Sounds really dangerous, but how about asking your wife to help in the shop? You know, SHE being the shop assitant ;)


You will take note that John isn't the one working with the tools, so it leaves him free to be distracted...but that's really something for a different kind of forum!

Mabe it's just the other way round. Beth, Karla and all those ladies might be distracted by John? Who knows :confused:


Christian

PS: I think you are right, Jim. This is not the kind of forum to discuss such topics.

[Bob Marino]

If you have a lot of sheetgood / cabinet/ closet sytem work you were about to embark on. You had a Table Saw, In table Router, Lunchbox planer, and 6" jointer, Makita Cordless drill, and Dewalt 4" ROS. In what order would you rank the Festools to buy? I have already built cabinets with the tools I have, cutting the sheet goods was no fun so I am pretty sure the circ saw/dust collector/ rail system are 1st on the list.

Thanks for the input.

dave
Dave,

Female distractions aside, (at least for the moment ;) John Lucas has a good demo cutting heavy sheet goods into cabinets at this site. www.woodshopdemos.com/euro-1.htm

Bob

[Ed Falis]

You will take note that John isn't the one working with the tools, so it leaves him free to be distracted...but that's really something for a different kind of forum! :rolleyes:

Damn! You took that comment right out of my mouth!

- Ed