Advice sought: replace table saw w/ Kapex and track saw

My limited experience with Festool replacing a table saw showed me that I could have purchased the TS55 (or 75 if you require the extra capacity), an MFT/3 table, and possibly a second MFT table (or a homemade one) for extra table capacity (I don't have a second one yet.) Once you determine what tasks you can't do with that, then look at other tools. For me, the Kapex is overkill and really doesn't give me much of anything the TS55 and MFT don't. With Parf dogs or others you can easily cut 45's (and, with some creative jigs other angles I believe) accurately and fast. I wouldn't get anything out of a Kapex, especially for it's price. If I were a trim carpenter, I could see it's value in accuracy and time saved, but I'm not. Spend the money saved on a Festool vac or router or sander until you see if you need a Kapex. While I'm still not 100% convinced I won't come upon something I need my old table saw for, the longer I go without using it, the more convinced i become. The advice from another who posted is great advice. Assess your need based on what you are making or your frequent methods and processes. The tools are too expensive to just buy them.
 
I'd just try to not use my tablesaw anymore and see how you like it.  Not even sure if you need the kapex as you have the mft/3 which will allow you to do crosscuts with the tracksaw.

 
A big part of the Festool system is their CMS inserts for the TS and their table saws, just because we don't have access to them does not mean they should be ignored.  By the time you have your TS55 set up for a single  narrow rip I can cut 10+ pieces with better dust collection and more accuracy on my table saw.  People can always find work arounds, but that does not mean they are not compromising speed and often safety to do so.  
 
Kevin Stricker said:
A big part of the Festool system is their CMS inserts for the TS and their table saws, just because we don't have access to them does not mean they should be ignored.  By the time you have your TS55 set up for a single  narrow rip I can cut 10+ pieces with better dust collection and more accuracy on my table saw. 

I agree with your statement but I'd substitute "Trimming saw PRECISIO CS" for "CMS inserts for the TS and their table saws". Having never used either and only getting close enough to them to drool on my monitor...  [big grin]
 
i started with a non-festool miter saw with very decent cut quality.  then got the 75 track saw and thought that was enough initially to not have to get a table saw because i did not have room at the time and because i made a conscious decision to see if i can avoid getting a table saw for as long as possible.  i made do for several years with that combination.  then i ran up hard against the need for a table saw and got a sawstop contractor's with the cast iron table and the extension table and reconfigured my now-larger shop to accommodate it.  then, because i was disappointed with the amount of dust the miter produced that was not captured, i sold it and got a kapex.  (also a safety issue because i do metal fab and welding in the same shop.  i also outfitted the kapex with a spark trap because i cut a lot of non-ferrous).  so it's been my experience that the more i do, the more i need ALL THREE for a good workflow and to minimize frustrations.  but it is of course, possible to make do without the table saw depending on what you do--only you can really answer that.
 
tjbnwi said:
Peter Parfitt said:
Throwback7r said:
Narrow Repetitive rips, the Parallel guide set can do them splinter free. The only thing that is harder for them to do is to cut down uneven stock E.I. ripping trim

If you had a strip of wood, say 6 feet long and 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch thick could you use your method to rip it into two pieces 3/16 inch by 1 inch?

Peter

I can. I've done it up to 17' long at 1/8" width, 5/4 thick with no blade wash at the end of the cut.

These are 3/4 material, by 4-5' by 3/16. They very through the entire flitch (end to end, piece to piece) no more than 0.002.

I've resawed 5-1/2" wide by 3/4" thick material with my TS-55 into 1/4" strips by 5-1/2".

How easy is it to straight line a bowed board on a table saw? The TS will out preform a contractor and most shop grade table saws when it comes to straight lining a board.

Tom

Tom - did you ever shoot or post video of your ingenious workflow for thin rips? I would love to see it in action if you ever get a chance to or are so inclined to film your process.

Thanks!

Scot
 
ScotF said:
tjbnwi said:
Peter Parfitt said:
Throwback7r said:
Narrow Repetitive rips, the Parallel guide set can do them splinter free. The only thing that is harder for them to do is to cut down uneven stock E.I. ripping trim

If you had a strip of wood, say 6 feet long and 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch thick could you use your method to rip it into two pieces 3/16 inch by 1 inch?

Peter

I can. I've done it up to 17' long at 1/8" width, 5/4 thick with no blade wash at the end of the cut.

These are 3/4 material, by 4-5' by 3/16. They very through the entire flitch (end to end, piece to piece) no more than 0.002.

I've resawed 5-1/2" wide by 3/4" thick material with my TS-55 into 1/4" strips by 5-1/2".

How easy is it to straight line a bowed board on a table saw? The TS will out preform a contractor and most shop grade table saws when it comes to straight lining a board.

Tom

Tom - did you ever shoot or post video of your ingenious workflow for thin rips? I would love to see it in action if you ever get a chance to or are so inclined to film your process.

Thanks!

Scot

RO 90 and Domino XL 700 or Go Pro camera. Wanna guess which won??

It's definitely on my to do list. I have set aside a few sheets of plywood to do this. Instead of recreating the cubbies, I'm going to make Sysports.

Tom
 
Keep the table saw. The TS55/75 cannot replicate the speed and accuracy of a well-tuned table saw. The exception to this is if you will be working in the field and need to cut sheet goods.

You can make repetitive thin cuts with the TS55/75 using the parallel guide set, but it will take way more time to set it up the parallel guides.

That said when I don't have a helper the TS6/75 are great for breaking down sheet goods.
 
Again, you should assess your need for a table saw yourself based on your ongoing needs. If you already have a table saw that you have used for years, keep it while your doing this assessment. I am doing that right now. My table saw has always been inadequate and I have been forced to compensate for its inaccuracies and lack of adequate power. Since I've been using the TS55/MFT3 combo, I have found that I am actually more accurate (once I got through an initial period of adjustment for how I work). At  least some of the time I would have saved with a table saw on some things, I have gained because my setup on other tasks is easier and I have less adjustment to do because it's more accurate the first time. I have not yet jettisoned my table was (as I won't get much money for it anyway) and it is now off in a corner where it's out of the way. I have not recently felt the need to use it. If you don't make furniture or cabinets for a living, what's the difference if setup takes a little longer. It's all woodworking and, for me, it's the results which are important and I like the process of getting there, so I don't always take the shortest route anyway. All I'm saying is base your decision on your needs. Wait until you need the table saw and find out that you can't do what you want to do any other way. Finally, I don't see what the Kapex would give me that the TS55 and MFT don't already. A trim carpenter I'm not. I get more accurate 45's when I need them with the MFT/TS55 than I ever got any other way already.
 
I had a shop full of stationary tools. When I starting buying festools I found I needed them less and less. It got to the point that I only used my TS 3 times in one year.
When I moved to the UK I got rid of all my statonary tools and kept my festools. they are all I use

But to be honest, I did go buy a CMS saw module. I do use it quite a bit.
With that being said, there is nothing I can do using my CMS TS module that I cant do with a guide rail and TS55
 
StevenO said:
Advice and/or opinions requested:  I'm considering selling my table saw (excellent saw in all regards: Inca 2200; about 15+ years old-- only hobbyist use); and replacing it with all Festool: specifically the Kapex and a track saw (I would need to purchase the Kapex and its stand, but I already have TS55 EQ and several tracks, as well as the MTF 3).  I could use the smaller footprint in my small shop, plus added safety of no table saw at all.    Advice and/or opinions about this move?  Have others done this, too?   Thanks in advance.
I had the same problem and solved it in a little different manner.  My shop is my back porch which is a double sliding door off my kitchen.  I had the table saw backed right up to my kitchen.  One day it hit me.  I always eat at my computer.  I don't need a kitchen table just to collect old mail.  Presto.  Table gone.  Table saw moved into kitchen.  That got the creative juices flowing.  Hard wood floor in the living room with no carpet and I don't really need that couch.  Presto again.  Couch gone and router table with vac in living room.  Now I had some room in my shop and went right out and bought a second mft/3.  I love my set up.  So there you go.  Problem solved.  I can't see why this wouldn't work for everybody. [big grin]
As for sheet goods, I slide them off my pickup right on to my Benchmark and cut them outside.  And speaking of Benchmark, didn't someone a while back say they weren't making them any more?  Their website looks active to me.  I love mine.
http://www.benchmarktable.com/Default.asp
 
Great to have a "whole house" workshop. However, most of us need our rooms for living. Plus, when a wife is involved, your option isn't usually a possibility. I've been fortunate to be able to dedicate a decent size space in my basement, wall it off, insulate for sound, and employ sufficient dust collection that it works and doesn't disturb anyone. Plus, I have all my living space upstairs also. With my conversion to festal and my table saw out of the center of the shop, I now have more room and continue to find ways to open up floor space. The table saw is a great tool, but isn't really needed when you can combine, the track saw, router, Domino. I also use my band saw more than I used to. It is safer and does things I never thought about before.
 
I bought a TS 55 back in December and love it. For cutting up plywood and strait line ripping boards, it really shines. I have also used it on job sites to make cuts that I couldn't have possibly made with any other saw. That said, I still have my Powermatic 66 in the shop and a portable Dewalt, for job sites. Since I make my living with these tools, I use the saw that will be the most efficient, safest and give the best results, for each task. More times then not, its a table saw. The TS would be underpowered for a lot the cutting jobs I do and just plain wouldnt work for making cove molding or using a dado or molding head. If you're doing woodworking as  hobby and time isn't a factor, you might be able to justify not having a table saw.
 
I have the TS55 and a MFT. I have not used my table saw for ages but I do use the bandsaw a lot. If i do away with the table saw I would have room for Kapex  [tongue]
 
Mickfb said:
I have the TS55 and a MFT. I have not used my table saw for ages but I do use the bandsaw a lot. If i do away with the table saw I would have room for Kapex  [tongue]

Exactly what I have done and I have not looked back.

Peter
 
Peter Parfitt said:
Mickfb said:
I have the TS55 and a MFT. I have not used my table saw for ages but I do use the bandsaw a lot. If i do away with the table saw I would have room for Kapex  [tongue]

Exactly what I have done and I have not looked back.

Peter

Does this still ring true for you Peter? If not then why?
 
Northernlight said:
Peter Parfitt said:
Mickfb said:
I have the TS55 and a MFT. I have not used my table saw for ages but I do use the bandsaw a lot. If i do away with the table saw I would have room for Kapex  [tongue]

Exactly what I have done and I have not looked back.

Peter

Does this still ring true for you Peter? If not then why?

To be exact...

I got rid of my large table saw as it took up the whole of one room of the workshop. I do resaw the majority of my wood using the bandsaw. I have the CMS-TS, which I cannot manage without, to do narrow rip cuts and rebate work.

I do not miss the big table saw at all.

Peter
 
Back
Top