BOOM ARM FIX

[Bob Marino]

Some customers have noticed  distortion of the white plastic swivel coupler in the boom arm, resulting in the arm starting to sag. Festool now has a replacement coupler made of solid aluminum that is available for those boom arms with the  problem. It is available by request on an individual basis, shipped at no charge. The item number is 465 -796.

Bob

 

[fpsnyder]

Thanks, Bob. Do we need to contact FestoolUSA directly or can you take our replacement order?

 

[Bob Marino]

Thanks, Bob. Do we need to contact FestoolUSA directly or can you take our replacement order?

Frank,

Either way - call Festool or the dealer.

Bob

 

[tvgordon]

I contacted the dealer where I bought the boom arm and was told Festool only made a few of the repair parts and they didn't receive any yet.  Has anyone else tried to get the replacement part yet?
Tom.

 

[rich1]

I called Festool service today. I received a zero cost warranty invoice shortly there after.

Ric

 

[lynnsr]

FOG Re: Boom Arm Swivel
on the 18th sent an e-mail to Festool  USA and received the following information the next day.

Note the ship date of the 21st.  It is shipping from California and I am in Colorado ,should see it this week.
We shall see.

Tooltechnic Systems, LLC
Ship Via    UPS Ground 48 cont. states
  Customer ID
  47921    Ship Date    05/21/07 
   
465796        Aluminum post for boom arm CT-ASA    1
   
WARRANTY        Warranty Replacement    1
  -10.50
  -10.50
 

 

[fpsnyder]

I received mine today. It fits like a glove and no more sag.

Thanks a bunch, Bob!

 

[brandon.nickel]

Ok, I'm going to break with tradition here and try to find out what I'm missing.  I've had the boom arm for a couple of months now.  I haven't found it to be the best thing since sliced bread that everyone claims.  Yes, it's sagging, but so long as it doesn't break, that's not my primary concern.  Now that it's on my CT33, the vac is much less mobile.  Also, if I want to cut panels on the floor (on a pink foam board) with my TS55, I have to remove the hose and power cord from the boom arm.  That's really not very convenient when I'm switching from panel cutting to dado-routing on the MFT to sanding, etc.  Please don't answer that I should purchase another $84 AS hose to use (or worse, another CT).  After $xxx for the CT33, $xxx for the cleaning kit, $xx for the hose garage, and $xxx for the boom arm, I feel like I've invested enough to be frustrated. 

So, what am I doing wrong here?  It's gotta be something because I don't get it.

 

[fpsnyder]

Brandon - I might suggest that instead of cutting your plywood on the floor, you elevate it. I use 3 folding horses and set a 4x8 2" piece of pink foam on them to use as my cutting board. I wheel the CT22 w/ boom arm and TS55 over to the foam and I've got myself an instant panel saw. Getting the 4x8 sheet of plywood onto the foam isn't too big of deal...I use the orange Stanley panel carriers to lift them onto the foam. I see no need to extend the vacuum hose and power cord for this application. As long as the vacuum is centered along the length of the plywood, I have plenty of range.

Hope this helps.

Frank

 

[James Metcalf]

Brandon                                                                                         

Now that it's on my CT33, the vac is much less mobile.

What has worked for me is to leave off the X braces and adjust the outriggers to just above the top of the front casters.This leaves the casters free to turn and when outriggers are needed you can adjust and slide them down.

 

[Dan Clark]

Brandon                                                                                           

Now that it's on my CT33, the vac is much less mobile.

What has worked for me is to leave off the X braces and adjust the outriggers to just above the top of the front casters.This leaves the casters free to turn and when outriggers are needed you can adjust and slide them down.

This is the way mine is set up and it works well.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[rich1]

Brandon,

I have put down one leg when I thought I might be tugging on the cord/hose, Generally I just leave them up. I have yet to attach the x pieces.

On another note I received the boom arm fix today my boom arm looks as if it got a shot of Viagra, this is no $10.00 part well made and solid AL.

Ric

 

[Corwin]

I'll have to agree with getting the cutting operation off of the floor -- with or without the boom arm.  While saw horses, some 2x4s and that pink foam have worked well for me in the past, I have recently found a better setup...

I was innocently browsing for a roller stand to replace some I have (which are a pain to adjust) when I came across Triton's Multi-Stand.  Now, this ain't your daddy's roller stand.  Actually, it really isn't a roller stand at all, in that it doesn't have rollers.  But one of the noteworthy things about this stand is that the head of the unit can pivot from horizontal to vertical.  Not only that, but the head also has a built-in clamp.  So, with a 2x4 framework clamped in the Multi-Stands, and the pink foam on top, guess what;  if you adhere the foam to the frame you can tip the platform to the vertical postion, set your sheet goods against the foam, clamp and tip the works back to the horizontal position.  Sweet!

I have a sheet of 1/2" ply that I've carted around since '81 -- a leftover sheet from when my dad and I built his last house.  My plan is to affix this sheet atop the framework mentioned above and cut out some of the center portion to reduce weight then fix the pink foam on top.  This will provide a backup for clamping your material in place. 

Sorry I cannot offer up any pictures at this time.  I did take some that didn't look too great, but haven't had any time to retake them.  Since it will be some time before I can try again, I decided to not wait and just offer this much for now.  

Corwin

 

[Tinker]

So far, i have not had the sagging problem, so I am not sure where the fix is needed.  It may be the result that i do not have headroom in my shop and so i have set the boom as low as possible, just alittle over 6 feet high.  I have it permanantly mounted to my CT 33 and I can move it if needed.  Since i have a CT 22 for portability, I do not foresee trying to move the 33 with boom arm.  With the boom set low like that, i have plenty of reach, altho i have not tried working on the floor. there is barely room there for my feet anyhow  :-\
Tinker

 

[sgryd]

Hi all.
Sorry for breaking in with a question of my own. This thread seems so suitable for my question =)

I've just ordered the boom arm for my CT22. My plan is to buy another MFT 1080 and connect with my 1080. This configuration can alomost fit a plywood sheet. I have very little room so I thought I'd use this setup for sheet cutting to save space. I would put pink foam board on the MFTs and possibly some kind of extension if I cant stabilize the edges which "hang over".

Any thought on this?
Will I go wrong?

//Michael

 

[Corwin]

Michael,  The two 1080 MFTs will work great for cutting full sized sheet goods.  For 48" cuts the two tables can be mounted together to produce a table about 48" x 62".  To easily mount my tables together, I have replaced the MFT stop's cheese-head screws with socket-head set screws such that the stops are not protruding from the profiles.  And here I mount a 75" guide rail.

As to the 96" cuts, two MFT's mounted end-to-end are a little short for the job when you consider room for a fence.  No problem -- a spacer (or make a small MDF leaf) can be installed between the tables to give you additional length.  With this arrangement you can swing the long 118" guide rail.  In my shop, I now have a third MFT -- a custom 4'x4' (from stock 1080 parts) that mount between my two 1080s that I use in place of my earlier method.  A third 1080 would work just as well.  My custom-sized MFT will also serve as my router table once I get around to building a base and top to accommodate same.  When I first received my 118" guide rail I was rather impressed with how well it would work for this setup -- I thought that the long guide rail would not be rigid enough for this, but I was wrong, as it works very well -- for me, at least.  A makeshift setup to hold the guide rail up off your work piece is needed.  Here simply insert an eye bolt and nut into the guide rail's top T slot, slide about a third of the way down, lift guide rail and connect eye bolt to string with loop hanging from ceiling.  I like it!  And I would think you will too.

Best luck,
Corwin

 

[Barry]

Any chance we can see some  pics of this setup Corwin??

 

[Corwin]

Which, the MFT combo stuff, or the Multi-Stand?  Down the road I hope to post both.  But for now, I can post what I have -- and what a can take -- soon.  Now, I'll need to have a gallery set up so they will have a happy home.  I did post some photos before on previous Incra discussions, but I clearly need more photos.

Funny thing about taking photos of an operation...  I attempted to document my first time to use the stops from the hole drilling kit to cutting a narrow strip from a full sheet of MDF in my garage.  Took a few shots at first, but soon realized that I had finished without the all important pictures of what came in between.  But, I do have pics of the start and the end result.  ???

Corwin

 

[Ben West]

This is why I'm a Festool customer!

They don't make perfect products (nobody does or can), but when they become aware of a serious issue with one of their products, they quickly fix it. 

It's so refreshing to see a company focus on quality and customer service.  They've won me over with this philosophy, and I suspect there are thousands of future Festoolians out there who will be similarly swayed.

 

[Brice Burrell]

.......Also, if I want to cut panels on the floor (on a pink foam board) with my TS55, I have to remove the hose and power cord from the boom arm....... 

Brandon, simple solution to this problem, remove the screw show in the first picture, place upper boom arm on the support leg.

Third picture is of the bent plastic swivel coupler, that causes the arm to sag.