Cheap TS55 Rival

Ado

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Joined
Feb 17, 2007
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.....Well I suppose it was only a matter of time. Available in the UK for £170 including guide rail.
 
That just screams "COPY!" or "CHEAP KNOCKOFF!" to me. It looks so much like a TS55, including the name, that I have to wonder if they're going to get sued.

And look at all that sawdust going everywhere!
 
I think I can see where they have saved the money,those clamps look more suited to securing an optic [big grin] [big grin]
 
What's with the boy racer yellow highlights on the handle? 

It is apparent that from the video that the fit and finish of the saw is of lower quality than Festool TS saws, but at least it doesn't flop over when making a bevel cut!

I would imagine a low end track saw will now pop up at Harbor Freight in the US sometime soon.  People who were hesitant to jump on the track saw wagon will see the benefits, AND when the cheapie craps out they may finally jump on board with Festool. 

I wouldn't consider this a "rival" per se, maybe a cheaper alternative.   
 
Track saws are really starting to take off here. It's quite often the first FESTOOL people come into contact with. Bosch, Makita and Dewalt are all making them now. Of course there's Mafell in Europe which is IMO the only true competition to FESTOOL's saws though I've never used one or even seen on in person. I FESTOOL plans to update any of their hardware I would have to assume the track saw line would be first on the list. Not that I think any of the cheaper models come close to FESTOOL's quality, I just see the track saw line as a flag ship piece of kit for FESTOOL and now that there is some competition on the market I'd like them to take a good shot at remaining dominant by outdoing the competition. Backwards compatible of course!
 
GhostFist said:
Track saws are really starting to take off here. It's quite often the first FESTOOL people come into contact with. Bosch, Makita and Dewalt are all making them now. Of course there's Mafell in Europe which is IMO the only true competition to FESTOOL's saws though I've never used one or even seen on in person. I FESTOOL plans to update any of their hardware I would have to assume the track saw line would be first on the list. Not that I think any of the cheaper models come close to FESTOOL's quality, I just see the track saw line as a flag ship piece of kit for FESTOOL and now that there is some competition on the market I'd like them to take a good shot at remaining dominant by outdoing the competition. Backwards compatible of course!

I would put mafell at the top of the pile, festool have sliped already,it is well known that festool has a replacement in the pipeline it needs to be great to be better
than the Mafell
 
To be honest right now I would probably go with a Mafell saw if they were even sold here. FESTOOL's customer service tips the odds in their favour here
 
EWTHeckman said:
That just screams "COPY!" or "CHEAP KNOCKOFF!" to me. It looks so much like a TS55, including the name, that I have to wonder if they're going to get sued.

The patent has expired that's why there's suddenly track saws from other brands all over the place.

 
Vindingo said:
I would imagine a low end track saw will now pop up at Harbor Freight in the US sometime soon.  People who were hesitant to jump on the track saw wagon will see the benefits, AND when the cheapie craps out they may finally jump on board with Festool.  

I wouldn't consider this a "rival" per se, maybe a cheaper alternative.    

Let's face it- this saw isn't meant to be a "rival" to the TS55 anymore than a Ryobi miter saw is meant to "rival"a Kapex.  What this saw will do is provide an avenue for the mass market to get the benefits of a track saw without the high price of the current offerings.

Also, while this saw is likely not made to the same standards as a TS55, it's probably more than accurate enough for the average homeowner- and probably 99% of contractors.  Let's face it- unless you're building high-end, stain-grade work, the levels of precision that Festool can provide aren't necessary for most people.   I trimmed out plenty of spaces with a $200 Craftsman miter saw (and an $89 Ryobi), and was always able to get clean, accurate cuts- the main reasons I bought a Kapex were for the dust collection, the low weight, and the forward guide rails.   The same results will likely be possible with the saw in the video.

They're also likely to sell a dozen (hundred?) times the quantity of saws that Festool does, and probably at a higher margin, which is what most companies are in business to do.
 
I bought the TS55 many years ago when they first came out in the UK. Superb bit of kit and one of my all time favourite investments.

One of the great things about the Mafell MT55cc, which I now use, is that it raised the bar ever so slightly. Now Festool will have to respond
when they replace the TS55- you just know that this will be a fantastic machine.

I know what I'll be buying and it won't be the Woodster!
 
Funny how the Woodstar is a cheaper,crappy,ugly copy of Festool TS55 but I love how they have all the features you would of thought the Festool TS55 would of had by now. 

Anti tilt
Of the Rail depth lock so you can cut of the rail
And a black rubber strip!  Oh wait festool DID have black but now have crappy white.

[tongue] [tongue]

JMB
 
If it's anything like their small planer/thicknesser I used a while back the recycling skips will be full of them after Xmas.
Made me laugh that they think that "even mdf" can be cut is a huge sales point...lets see it handle 55mm of oak or greenheart ;D

How long before Axminster brings out a "White Series" version?

Rob.
 
GhostFist said:
To be honest right now I would probably go with a Mafell saw if they were even sold here. FESTOOL's customer service tips the odds in their favour here

Thats a big compliment to shane and the gang  [thumbs up]
 
My god, at least throw a dust bag on that thing!  That dust going everywhere make me nuts.

Jon
 
Jonhilgen said:
My god, at least throw a dust bag on that thing!  That dust going everywhere make me nuts.

Jon

Well at least they havn't copied a CT yet.  Probably figure there are too many inexpensive vacs on the market  to bother.

Seth
 
its  128.52  L  in the UK  including VAT  so explain laddies what is that in american dollars... thanks  blokes  !!!  lol
 
honeydokreg said:
its  128.52  L  in the UK  including VAT  so explain laddies what is that in american dollars... thanks  blokes  !!!  lol

It's approximately $203. VAT is roughly $35.5

Leaving you with a total of $167.5
 
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