CMS for Furniture Making

[Dave Avery]

Good afternoon all,

I'm curious how many of you guys use CMS's for serious furniture making. I have a Dewalt DW705, a $200 Dewalt CMS stand, and a ~$100 Forrest Chopmaster blade. Now that I have a Dubby sled, I'm finding that I only used the CMS for crosscuts on real long stock.

Sooo.... I'm trying to decide whether to sell the CMS set-up. Proceeds would partially fund a Festool ATF 55 plunge saw and 1080 multifunction table, which would significantly increase shop capability.

Any thoughts? Any guesses as to a fair price for the Dewalt CMS set-up? Thanks..... Dave.

[Dennis Peacock]

Good afternoon all,

I'm curious how many of you guys use CMS's for serious furniture making. I have a Dewalt DW705, a $200 Dewalt CMS stand, and a ~$100 Forrest Chopmaster blade. Now that I have a Dubby sled, I'm finding that I only used the CMS for crosscuts on real long stock.

Sooo.... I'm trying to decide whether to sell the CMS set-up. Proceeds would partially fund a Festool ATF 55 plunge saw and 1080 multifunction table, which would significantly increase shop capability.

Any thoughts? Any guesses as to a fair price for the Dewalt CMS set-up? Thanks..... Dave.

Dave,

What? Reduce the "tool inventory"? You have GOT to be kidding!!! ;)

I have the same exact CMS and I use it enough to say that I wouldn't get rid of it. Historically speaking, I have gotten rid of a tool or two to only find that I wish I still have that do-dad-tool as it would make this zinger-cut a lot easier. I have the Smart Miter and I have used is a LOT as well......but I "still" use the CMS. I'm not disciplined enough to drag out the dubby any time I want to cut a board. Besides that....what about cutting long stock with repetive cuts of the same length.

I can't do that on my smart miter with a 6/4 board that is 16 feet long. CMS is still the way to go, IMHO. Now don't get me wrong here....I do know a couple of folks that all they use is the TS and jigs for every cut they do for furniture work.

I don't know Dave.....you have some good points there....but I still wouldn't get rid of it.....unless I took it down and stored it somewhere for 1 year....and if I ever went back to use it during that 1 year period.....it's a keeper.

Just my 2¢ on this deal.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've gone through the same orbit. I bought a Hitachi SCMS to install crown molding; some furniture jobs morph into trim carpentry. For trim carpentry, the thing is amazingly good. In my shop, however, I find that I more often use either of two cut-off sleds -- one which is exactly 90 degrees, and another which has two 45 degree fences. I use the SCMS for other angles, and for cross-cutting pieces of lumber that are long enough that they hang way off the ends of the sleds. I get enough use out of it that if it evaporated in the middle of the night I'd just go buy another the next day.

[Chris Padilla]

Dave,

I have that very saw and since my shop is on wheels (i.e. shares a garage with the BMW), I usually find it is easier to drag out than the TS for crosscuts. I find myself always in need of chopping up 2x4s and you can't beat the CMS. The CMS is also great for 4x4s...those are tougher on a TS. Perhaps if I had a dedicated shop and could weld my tools to the floor...maybe...but I doubt it. I would just make its own little station along one wall! :)

[Todd Burch]

I use my 12" DeWalt CMS a lot, both in the shop and onsite. I would not be without one.

Now, if there was a QUIETER CMS out there, I would certainly be interested in REPLACING the DeWalt.

By the way Dave, I used my ATF 55 onsite the other day in conjunction with my MFT1080. Very nice setup.

I also used the ATF 55 freehand in a job last week for some built-in shelves. The homeowner measured for the shelves, so I made all 8 shelves an inch or more oversize in both width and depth. When onsite, I measured, marked and freehanded the cuts (no rail) and was extremely pleased with how straight I could hold the saw.

Todd

[Chris Padilla]

Man...all this Festool stuff...my wallet is lonely with nothing green to talk to.... :)

Still, WONDERFUL equipment...simply wonderful.

[Tyler Howell]

SCMS is in the running for most used tool next to the cordless drill. Couldn't function with out it.;)

[Kent Cori]

Like most of you, I use my CMS often. I use if for cross-cutting longer pieces and cutting of repetitios pieces. I paid only $120 for a factory refurbished Delta 10" CMS and added a Freud LU85 ultimate cutoff blade. This was one of the best tool investments that I ever made.

I am now seriously considering replacing the CMS with a SCMS to get a little better cut width capacity.

I do routinely use the TS and a couple of sleds for cutting panels and wider pieces. However, after the piece of wood gets to be over about 4', this is not my favorite approach.

[JayStPeter]

Dave,
Without a functional shop, I was torn between a SCMS and the Festool saw for both the construction of the shop and use in the new shop. What I have now is a $79 Delta non-compound miter saw with an Amana blade (same price as the saw I think).
Festool won. I'll probably still put a miter saw station in the new shop, but I doubt I'll bother with a SCMS. I'm thinking more of a design making a Festool station for cutting large pieces. I have a design in my head for a large MFT type station that'll deal with sheet goods and crosscutting large pieces that are too wide for the MS. It should also deal with crosscutting rough lumber.
We'll see how the size of the new shop is as to wether I get a smart miter, or some sort of sliding table in the future. That should totally negate the need for a SCMS.

Jay St. Peter

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I pretty much stopped using my 705 when I got an Incra miter gauge. I just have the standard length 'bar' (whatever that is), but about the only time I go the mitersaw is when something is too long, or I need to make an angled cut that would require turning the Incra around to the other slot and I don't feel like fiddling with it.

That said, I certainly wouldn't get rid of it...that would just about assure needing it badly a couple days later.

KC

[Jim Becker]

Dave, as much as I dislike using my CMS for woodworking, I'd not give it up completely as it not only functions well for breaking down boards, but also is necessary for home improvement projects.