Blanning, all power Festools are designed to be used with a companion dust extractor. Not only does the CT keep dust out of your shop and lungs, that airflow is part of the machine cooling.
The Domino simply will not work correctly without the constant removal of dust and chips as the mortise is being cut.
So you already have selected the Big Three. I own several TS55 and only one TS75, largely because I also have big table saws and a radial arm saw as well as the sliding miter saws. Although I have both a pressure beam saw and a big sliding table saw, often I find it faster to make angle cuts on sheet goods using guide rails and a TS55. Consequently I also own many guide rails ranging from 1080mm up to 5000mm.
My experience is that unless a person breaks down more than a few sheets of goods daily and can transport an expensive guide rail 8' or longer, it works just as well to couple 2 55" or longer rails for the rip cuts. Two 55" together is enough to make an 8' cut with a TS55, but not long enough to do that with a TS75. My suggestion is to have 3 55" (1400mm) rails so one can be used for cross-grain cuts without de-coupling the long rail. The extra 55" rail is an ideal straight-edge to make sure the coupled rails are aligned correctly.
Now later those same rails can be used to guide Festool routers in straight lines.
Clearly my experience differs from some. I always clamp my guide rails, because just a slight amount of dirt on sheet goods can cause the rail to slip. Also not all sheet goods are actually flat. That can cause slippage. Perhaps being exact is not an issue when framing and laying decking, but how often are Festool plunge saws used in that way? My business is based on the use of expensive sheet goods. Daily we break down sheets that at our wholesale price cost nearly as much as a TS55 at retail. Everyone working with me knows how to use the Festool clamps rapidly. None of us want to miss-cut a piece. All of our work tables (many 4x10') are drilled with 20mm round holes on 96mm centers, the same as the MFT. Those holes are to facilitate use of the Festool clamps. I totally encourage use of the Festool clamps.
Clamping elements are also an important aspect to safe routing and sanding. Also, the Domino works best when the wood being mortised is clamped in place.
blanning said:
I'm planning to get a few festools shortly. I'm thinking the TS55, the new large dust extractor, and a domino. I'm also considering a sander and a router, but I'm not sure what to get. Which sander and router are the best first tool? Any accessories that are must-haves?
brian
