As A perspective first time buyer --- ???

[Johncarlo]

SOLD!

I will be picking up a TS55 in the next few weeks! Just thinking of cutting a sheet of 4x8 MDF on my table saw  [scared] is enough, thanks again for all the input! A lot of my work is on site so the less in my trailer the better. The more Festools I buy it seems the more room I have in there. I like when work becomes simplified.

Johncarlo

 

[Wonderwino]

The closest I came to using my TS 55 for framing recently was when a guy accidently bought a 2x10 instead of 2x8 and wasn't confident about ripping it down on his portable jobsite saw.  I laid the 3000mm guide rail on it and with the 28 tooth blade, gave him a glue ready cut on framing lumber.  He was a little amazed and happy.  I had a good laugh.  That's the straightest 2x8 to ever come out of Home Depot.  [wink]

At least on one edge...  [big grin]

After getting both a TS55 & TS75, about the only thing I use my table saw for anymore (besides a work table) is for repetitive cuts on a sled.

 

[sancho57]

SOLD!

I will be picking up a TS55 in the next few weeks! Just thinking of cutting a sheet of 4x8 MDF on my table saw  [scared] is enough, thanks again for all the input! A lot of my work is on site so the less in my trailer the better. The more Festools I buy it seems the more room I have in there. I like when work becomes simplified.

Johncarlo

I have a old delta contractors saw, cast iron wings, rolling base etc. Since I started using festools, about the only thing I use the saw for is cutting thin strips and face frame stock. Also a occasional quick cut where it was easier to pll the saw out plug it in make the quick cut rather then set up the guide rail. I used the table saw maybe 5 times in the last year.
Im going to sell this and pick up a small site light weight saw for this.

It will save me a lot of room in my shop, the same with my 6 jointer.

I want to pick up the festool planer and the stand for it to use as a bench top jointer.

I hardly ever use it.

Even festool reconizes the need for a small tables saw, they have a modular system thats not available in the USA yet.  Its basically a table with drop in modules that convert the TS55 or TS 75 into a tables saw and a module for a router table.

You can locate them on any of the Euro festool sites.

 

[billlbee]

I was worried I would get responses like this!!

Now I have a hankering to buy the TS55, OF1400 and the MFT/3, plus an extra guide rail to provide me the ability to rip an 8' sheet. I guess better throw in some clamps while I am at it.

As for dust collection, I have a Fein sander that I will be able to use until I can come up with funds to having a matching Festool unit!

Are there any other auxiliary items that are on the must have list (other then some more power tools)?

 

[sancho57]

once ya get the MFT look at the clamp elements and unless ya build another table the same hieght as the MFT you might want to look at the table extension.

once ya drink of the kool aid its more habit forming then anything I known

 

[Steve R]

I was worried I would get responses like this!!

Now I have a hankering to buy the TS55, OF1400 and the MFT/3, plus an extra guide rail to provide me the ability to rip an 8' sheet. I guess better throw in some clamps while I am at it.

As for dust collection, I have a Fein sander that I will be able to use until I can come up with funds to having a matching Festool unit!

Are there any other auxiliary items that are on the must have list (other then some more power tools)?

* Think about the speed clamps for the dog holes
*Qwas dogs and Qwas rail dogs
* Fs-Rapid Clamp And Fixed Jaws (works with the rail alone and clamps you to the wood your cutting)
* Rail connectors
* if you add a rail think about the 32mm system one
* blades for the TS55 for cutting Alu, plastic, rough lumber etc.
* systainers to keep extra stuff in (good for both storage and if you work on site)
* Festool first aid kit if you don't have one in the shop kit now

Cheers,
Steve

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Lot's of good advice here.  I would recommend the MFT/3 and 55 purchased as a combination to save some money and also a couple of other guide rails to give you the best flexibility.  This will give you a lot of options and the MFT can be used with many other Festools and for assembly and finishing.  I have not turned on my cabinet saw in over a year and have been using Festool's almost exclusively.  The cuts are that good...some things are not as fast as a tablesaw, but you develop different workflows and become faster with practice.

Scot

 

[FulThrotl]

I am on the verge of taking the plunge into the world of Festool. I have been wanting to start my Festool collection for a very long time, but have been holding off on investing the $$$.
I would like to purchase the TS55 with guide rail kit.

I came across the TS55R in my research and see that it is not yet available for sale in the USA. I have waited years to buy my first Festool, so I am not rushing into this. With that said, is there any projected release of the new 'R' model, to the US market. Should I wait ?

ok... lets be candid, and brutally frank here.

the R version might be a smidge more useful, but you probably won't have that many situations where it's worth waiting half a year.

and if you just can't stand it when it does get here next year, you can take that TS 55 and get 80% of what you paid for it, including taxes,
on craigslist. my guess, after six months, nobody could pry that out of your fingers.

the first festool i owned was a ro 150. i had no intention of buying it. that mean evil store manager at woodcraft stuck in in my hands,
clamped a mill sawn side of teak on the bench, and let me sand with it for two minutes.... then asked me if i wanted one to take home.

that was $10,000 + ago.

this will not be the last festool you buy. you might as well get started.

suck it up, and welcome to the forum.

's funny... today, i had to get some 3/8" lag bolts for tomorrows work, so i dropped into home
dipsnit, and they had this display with all these different drills, and a couple 2x12's clamped in
a jawhorse, and people could come and try them... and there is a milworthless brushless in the
pack, at $300.... sorry if i slaughtered anyone's sacred cow....

and i remarked to the salesman that the rest of the world was finally catching up to festool...
and he said... there is no way there is anything better than this here drill..... down went the glove....

out i went to the van, grabbed the festool, and a 30 mm festool forestner bit, and back in we went....
just set it on high, and kept drilling.... did about 3 dozen without stopping, ate up the whole double
2 x 12 board..... there was about a 15' diameter circle of chips.... all these shiny holes in rows, next
to the snarfy chewed up holes......

of course it drills twice as many holes. it cost twice as much.... ;-)

 

[Kev]

's funny... today, i had to get some 3/8" lag bolts for tomorrows work, so i dropped into home
dipsnit, and they had this display with all these different drills, and a couple 2x12's clamped in
a jawhorse, and people could come and try them... and there is a milworthless brushless in the
pack, at $300.... sorry if i slaughtered anyone's sacred cow....

and i remarked to the salesman that the rest of the world was finally catching up to festool...
and he said... there is no way there is anything better than this here drill..... down went the glove....

out i went to the van, grabbed the festool, and a 30 mm festool forestner bit, and back in we went....
just set it on high, and kept drilling.... did about 3 dozen without stopping, ate up the whole double
2 x 12 board..... there was about a 15' diameter circle of chips.... all these shiny holes in rows, next
to the snarfy chewed up holes......

of course it drills twice as many holes. it cost twice as much.... ;-)

What's it like to be banned from a shop for showing off  [big grin]

 

[semenza]

Did they make you buy the 2 x 12 s?

So how come you didn't go grab the CT and clean up after yourself  : [cool]

Seth

 

[FulThrotl]

's funny... today, i had to get some 3/8" lag bolts for tomorrows work, so i dropped into home
dipsnit, and they had this display with all these different drills, and a couple 2x12's clamped in
a jawhorse, and people could come and try them... and there is a milworthless brushless in the
pack, at $300.... sorry if i slaughtered anyone's sacred cow....

and i remarked to the salesman that the rest of the world was finally catching up to festool...
and he said... there is no way there is anything better than this here drill..... down went the glove....

out i went to the van, grabbed the festool, and a 30 mm festool forestner bit, and back in we went....
just set it on high, and kept drilling.... did about 3 dozen without stopping, ate up the whole double
2 x 12 board..... there was about a 15' diameter circle of chips.... all these shiny holes in rows, next
to the snarfy chewed up holes......

of course it drills twice as many holes. it cost twice as much.... ;-)

What's it like to be banned from a shop for showing off  [big grin]

it's home dipsnit... it's not like its a real store or anything.

 

[fdengel]

I was worried I would get responses like this!!

Now I have a hankering to buy the TS55, OF1400 and the MFT/3, plus an extra guide rail to provide me the ability to rip an 8' sheet. I guess better throw in some clamps while I am at it.

As for dust collection, I have a Fein sander that I will be able to use until I can come up with funds to having a matching Festool unit!

Are there any other auxiliary items that are on the must have list (other then some more power tools)?

Actually, you will basically need a Festool CT if you get one of the sanders, because of the suction control.  You don't want the full-force suction of a shop vac running through the sanders and pulling them into the workpiece.

But you can wait and get that with the sander (and again save some $$ by leveraging the bundle deal)... then be pleased with the even better extraction it will give you when combined with the other tools, too...