Another New Product - CMS

[Jesse Cloud]

If the CMS supports the TS55, my unisaw goes on craigslist toute suite.  I would think seriously about a router only option, but would go for it only if Festool declared their intention to include the ts at a later date.

 

[ForumMFG]

I really hope Festool reads this thread and takes into consideration all of our comments.  It seems like everyone loves the Idea of the CMS coming to the US but will only purchase it if other attachments can be sold or at least sold in the future.  Everyones comments are making sense.. If you can buy something that can preform 4 different tasks in one machine then thats a huge seller.  I really do think Festool would be missing the boat if they didn't come out with the other attachments because it opens up a door to a broader selling audience and to whom you can market it to.  Right now they can only sell it to people who have shops as their own business who can justify buying something this expensive that can only preform 1 task, people who just can't resist buying another awesome festool product, and people who have tons of money.  Otherwise, you can hit all of these people plus people who have small shops or just tight for space and people who don't already have a table saw, bandsaw, and shaper.  I would fall in that category because I don't own any stationary equipment and this CMS is just what I need.  It's so appealing to me that If I could get all the attachments It would be so much cheaper then buy separate stationary equipment such as a shaper, bandsaw, table saw.  Granted, this CMS will not be able to preform ALL the tasks that a bandsaw, TS, and shaper can do but it could come pretty close..

 

[joegmurphy]

Have used this system overseas (Ireland) in euros the whole system costs over $2000.00 if you already own the saws -routers -jigsaw you are still around $1200.00. I have the European festool catalogue however, there isn't any  prices in their version. Best bet is festool UK and do a currency conversion.

The good news is the system is great and functions like a mini-mill shop on site. We met the current US festool president last year in Boston and he mentioned that the problem was getting the saw UL listed. (Write your congressman) Personally I would not buy this just for the router, it only makes sense as a portable finish shop.

But then again I am a festool addict and in need of professional help-so I would probably buy it anyway!!!!!

 

[Gene Howerton]

Add me the list to those who would love to see this in the US., my shop is a one car garage and the space saving on this plus the dust collection would make it a winner.  If it come on sale here I'm buying.

 

[James Watriss]

My problem mainly was with the thumbscrews that hold the fence to the table. It seemed like a bit more of the r/d time could have been been focused on a more user-friendly and functional solution that does not requires re-squaring and recalibrating by hand with every bit change/adj.

Most of the router tables, and even shapers that I've seen, you have to recalibrate with every bit change, but not with vertical adjustments. This doesn't look any different to me. And there's absolutely no need to square a fence to a router bit whatsoever. Table saws require it, for sure. And it really helps with band saws, but that's a whole other discussion. But no matter what orientation you have the fence on a router table, because the bit rotates on a vertical axis, and not a horizontal one, you're always running parallel to a tangent line of the bit's rotation. My home made router tables make use of this... I pivot the fence around a point on the left side of the table, radius the right side, and clamp the fence down to that.

I think for the professional market, the system is a no-brainer, especially out in the field. Sure, there are cheaper router tables here, but a shaper style fence is a whole new ballgame, and I think people will recognize that. But the hobbyist market is a different thing. Half of the hobbyist guys, at least the ones that I've talked to, are all looking for a way to squeeze a table saw into their shop. Just look at all the TS 55/75 versus table saw threads in here... So I think for that market, the saw insert will be really important.

Me? I'm a shop guy. For myself, I have 2 really good router tables hooked up to a contractor saw, a Sawstop table saw, and a couple of band saws. Went in with the shop mates on a nice shaper and an even bigger (36") band saw. And one of them has a huge Oliver sliding table saw. So I'm not really the target market. But I already know that one day, I may end up folding it, selling what I can, and setting up a small basement or garage shop. At that point, I'm keeping my band saws, and my festool stuff, and I'll start looking into the CMS system.

 

[Bob Marino]

We met the current US festool president last year in Boston and he mentioned that the problem was getting the saw UL listed.


   And that one statement is the reason that the CMS isn't available in the USA.

  Bob

 

[Tom Ryan]

Could I buy a CMS with a router insert, and then have a friend pick up the TS-55 insert in Britain the next time she's there?  Would the CMS work with the Brit insert and my American-style TS-55?

Tom in Central PA

 

[EcoFurniture]

Could I buy a CMS with a router insert, and then have a friend pick up the TS-55 insert in Britain the next time she's there?  Would the CMS work with the Brit insert and my American-style TS-55?

Tom in Central PA

It should fit. I'm trying to do the same. Get my family in Germany to send me the TS55 and jig saw inserts.

 

[greg mann]

Shane,

While it might be a little low in operation, would the CMS attach to the back of an MFT/Kapex table? My thoughts are that this would make a great machining station for onsite finish carpentry work.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Greg,

The CMS unit that attaches to the MFT/3 does not have height adjustable legs so it would not work with the MFT/3 Kapex table.  HOWEVER, there is a model of the CMS which is free standing (CMS-GE).  It's still the same height as the MFT/3 but has four legs.  The legs can also be collapsed on this unit and it can be used at floor height.  Here's a link to it:

http://www.festool.net/mediandoweb/index.cfm?sLanguage=English&ID_O_TREE_GROUP=3683&PARENT=1662&AKTIVPROD=1

Edit: Just to be clear, the CMS-GE does not require an MFT table at all.

 

[greg mann]

Shane,

I have seen the CMS-GE. Earlier this year I bought a Precisio from a fellow who had worked in England for some years and when he came back to the US brought his Festool kit with him. He had his workshop here wired for 110 and 220 so that he could continue to use his Festools seamlessly with everything else. He decided to sell the Precisio because he had pruchased a Felder combo. As we were packing it up he was feeling a few pangs of remorse over letting the Precisio go. I told him he could keep it and the check, I would arrange to have the Felder picked up in its place. That cured him nicely.

The gentleman had very nice things to say about the CMS. He especiall liked an overarm attachment that mounted on the back rail to carry a guide over the bit for freehand profiling. I have not been able to pull that accessory up on the UK website so I don't know what it is called. If you don't know what it is maybe Forrest can do his magic.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Shane, might we see the CMS-GE available in the US along with the model that attaches to the MFT/3?

 

[Memphis Larry]

I would like to echo other's comments.  I am a serious hobbyist who works in a 2-car garage.  Unfortunately, I bought a lot of big iron before I discovered that space to work is my biggest need.  I am land locked into the space I have.  I could sell my cabinet saw with outfeed table, my really big Incra equipped router table and maybe my 18" band saw and recoup a lot of work space if I had the CMS and appropriate kits to support the sawing and routing functions.  Can Festool replace my 12" jointer?  [drooling]

 

[Wim]

I'm in the process of moving to the USA permanently. So I will sell my "European" Festool stuff. But I think to keep the CMS table and related components. In the USA, all I have to do is find a new circuit-breaker and plugs and I'm rolling. I have to wrap the table very carefully and then I can carry it with me as baggage on my next flight to the USA. I'm allowed two pieces of baggage of 50 ponds each. Then I don't have to wait until Festool USA sees the light.  [wink]
The alternative is to make a MFT/3 look alike and make adaptors for the saw and router, Steve Jones style.

 

[Dan Clark]

I'm in the process of moving to the USA permanently. So I will sell my "European" Festool stuff. But I think to keep the CMS table and related components. In the USA, all I have to do is find a new circuit-breaker and plugs and I'm rolling. I have to wrap the table very carefully and then I can carry it with me as baggage on my next flight to the USA. I'm allowed two pieces of baggage of 50 ponds each. Then I don't have to wait until Festool USA sees the light.  [wink]
The alternative is to make a MFT/3 look alike and make adaptors for the saw and router, Steve Jones style.

Wim,

The 240V probably won't be an issue, but isn't it 50Hz in Europe?  We're 60Hz kinda folks over here.  Will that be an issue?

Dan.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Shane, might we see the CMS-GE available in the US along with the model that attaches to the MFT/3?

Brice, sorry if I wasn't clear in my comment.  But, yes, I believe both models will be introduced.  The -VL and the -GE.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Shane, might we see the CMS-GE available in the US along with the model that attaches to the MFT/3?

Brice, sorry if I wasn't clear in my comment.  But, yes, I believe both models will be introduced.  The -VL and the -GE.

OK, next question, can the CMS-GE be joined to the MFT/3 with the connectors? I think the idea of a stand alone unit would be a better idea for guy working onsite.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

The gentleman had very nice things to say about the CMS. He especiall liked an overarm attachment that mounted on the back rail to carry a guide over the bit for freehand profiling. I have not been able to pull that accessory up on the UK website so I don't know what it is called. If you don't know what it is maybe Forrest can do his magic.

Greg

I wonder if it was really the CMS he was talking about? The modular system before the CMS came out was the Basis, which also had drop-in router, circular saw, jigsaw and belt sander modules, just like the more recent CMS.

The Basis and CMS are visually similar, but one difference is the side profiles - the Basis used T-slots on the side and top of the profiles like the MFT800/1080, whilst the CMS uses a V-groove along the top, rather like the MFT/3.

Anyway (getting back to the point!), one of the attachments for the Basis was the "Copying Device Basis 5 KE", described as "For Basis 5, Basis 5A and Basis 6A, copying roller with holder, dust extraction hood and hand guard". The order No was 484459. The Basis 5A and the 6A modules were the drop-in modules for the small (eg OF1010) and large (eg OF1400) routers.

Here is a picture of the item, which is listed at 73 GBP in the UK 2007 price list, but doesn't appear in subsequent editions:

It is shown as an accessory (Item 4) on page 89 of the Basis section of an Australian Festool catalogue, but the photo isn't very clear.

I've never met one in person(!), but from its appearance, it looks as though it would attach to the side T-slot on the Basis by means of the brass-coloured rectangular nut, and then stretch over the top of the router plate.

As far as I know, this accessory wasn't sold with a modified mounting suitable for attaching to the CMS, and is now obsolete.

Forrest

 

[paul_david_thomas]

I bought the CMS insert for my OF1400 specifically for making some windows...

I tell you, it's the dogs !! It does not take long to set up and the raiser for the router is really smooth... Take the handle off and their is a special hole in the CMS unit for it...

I makes doing round overs (for window cills) so easy.... A VERY good bit of kit...

I also bought the jigsaw and have been doing plunge cuts - wow !!! Super nice... I need to but the CMS insert for my jigsaw...

thank god i've got the funds to buy tools oops toys...

 

[peter halle]

I bought the CMS insert for my OF1400 specifically for making some windows...

I tell you, it's the dogs !! It does not take long to set up and the raiser for the router is really smooth... Take the handle off and their is a special hole in the CMS unit for it...

I makes doing round overs (for window cills) so easy.... A VERY good bit of kit...

I also bought the jigsaw and have been doing plunge cuts - wow !!! Super nice... I need to but the CMS insert for my jigsaw...

thank god i've got the funds to buy tools oops toys...

Go ahead.  Rub it in.  Glad you are enjoying your toys tools!  [poke]