Considering Saving up for the CMS

[Charles Wilson]

Even though I am only a hobbyist, I am considering saving up for the the CMS.  Due to having an old home, I have had to become my own contractor on many projects (which I like doing).  I like the fact that the dust collection is excellent and the CMS has an incredibly small foot print for my incredibly small shop space.  Lastly, if I have to pack it up and put it in the wagon, it is highly portable (much the same as all Festools).  Thoughts on this for a hobbyist?  Positives/Negatives for those that own it and use it.

Regards,
Chuck

 

[bkharman]

I don't have anything to add other than I have been having the same thought. I would love to have a CMS in my shop these days.

I have invested in an MFT/3, OF 1400, RO 90 and added accessories (including 2 rails). I really wanted a TS 55 REQ but am stuck at the moment.

I am doing a kitchen remodel and built ins and both of these tools are essential to me. Don't want to drop another 2 g's in a few minutes if I don't need too.

 

[festnoob]

I'm mainly a hobbyist as well, but I bought it. Dust collection is excellent and it fit perfectly in my 2 car garage. I had a rockler table for a few years and it worked fine also, but I love the cms

 

[nclemmons]

I purchased a CMS after having a different router table for several years.  Motivation was dust collection and flexibility.
I have it connected to my shop dust collector and I've been very pleased with the dust and chip control.  Plus I can easily disconnect the hose from the back of the fence and clean up any chips that miss collecting.  This is most apparent when cutting dados versus edge routing that does a much better job given chips eject into the fence area.  Perhaps the Vac would be a bit better, but I didn't want to have to roll my CT over to the router every time I rout something.

Pros:
- dust collection is amazing
- really like the sliding table
- router adjustment up down is great with the removable crank
- ability to change bits above the table.  this takes a bit of effort but I run mostly 1/4" bits in the 1400 and it works really well.
- easy to move around.  My old router table took two people to move it around.  This one I can move to the middle of the shop if needed.  I don't take it offsite, but it could easily pack up
- I like that I can use accessories from my other Festool items for extra options - MFT fence, Kapex extensions, etc
- the 1400 router is really quiet versus the old Porter Cable that I was using in a router table
- accessories like the bearing bit guide provide an extra degree of safety for guiding work into a bearing guided bit
- i like the aluminum top - you can write on it with a pencil for key measurements or indexing marks for setting or resetting the fence.  My old router table had a black top
- it feels a lot safer than my old router table.  The holddowns and guards do a nice job of keeping your hands away from the bit area.

Cons:
- it is expensive to get into the unit, but I think you get what you pay for with Festool and the 'system'
- there is some flex in the legs, thought it has not affected precision

If you end up getting one, take your time setting it up.  There is a high degree of adjustability if you read Rick's supplemental manual for the CMS.  My dealer actually assembled mine before I picked it up.  It comes in a BIG box and I could not fit that in my car.  Anyway I got it home and made some final adjustments to align the outfeed table and the sliding table to the unit

I did make an accessory holding unit to hold all the accessories and keep them organized.  I found it on the German Festool magazine site.  It was mentioned on the FOG but I don't have the link handy.

neil

 

[peter halle]

Neil, thanks for that post!

Peter

 

[nanook]

Jessem has a really great $200 benchtop model and their lifts are awesome.  
w/ the big 3hp PC router and lift, I think your still under a grand with their system.    The Jessem benchtop router table has I think *just* as good DC as the Festool CMS.
No sliding table however

 

[sancho57]

I purchased a CMS after having a different router table for several years.  Motivation was dust collection and flexibility.
I have it connected to my shop dust collector and I've been very pleased with the dust and chip control.  Plus I can easily disconnect the hose from the back of the fence and clean up any chips that miss collecting.  This is most apparent when cutting dados versus edge routing that does a much better job given chips eject into the fence area.  Perhaps the Vac would be a bit better, but I didn't want to have to roll my CT over to the router every time I rout something.

Pros:
- dust collection is amazing
- really like the sliding table
- router adjustment up down is great with the removable crank
- ability to change bits above the table.  this takes a bit of effort but I run mostly 1/4" bits in the 1400 and it works really well.
- easy to move around.  My old router table took two people to move it around.  This one I can move to the middle of the shop if needed.  I don't take it offsite, but it could easily pack up
- I like that I can use accessories from my other Festool items for extra options - MFT fence, Kapex extensions, etc
- the 1400 router is really quiet versus the old Porter Cable that I was using in a router table
- accessories like the bearing bit guide provide an extra degree of safety for guiding work into a bearing guided bit
- i like the aluminum top - you can write on it with a pencil for key measurements or indexing marks for setting or resetting the fence.  My old router table had a black top
- it feels a lot safer than my old router table.  The holddowns and guards do a nice job of keeping your hands away from the bit area.

Cons:
- it is expensive to get into the unit, but I think you get what you pay for with Festool and the 'system'
- there is some flex in the legs, thought it has not affected precision

If you end up getting one, take your time setting it up.  There is a high degree of adjustability if you read Rick's supplemental manual for the CMS.  My dealer actually assembled mine before I picked it up.  It comes in a BIG box and I could not fit that in my car.  Anyway I got it home and made some final adjustments to align the outfeed table and the sliding table to the unit

I did make an accessory holding unit to hold all the accessories and keep them organized.  I found it on the German Festool magazine site.  It was mentioned on the FOG but I don't have the link handy.

neil

I like to add a relatively small foot print, adaptable to different size routers, light and can fit in with the rest of the system. Its height is the exact same height as the MFT. The MFT can be used a a huge in/feed out-feed table depending if you own 2 or not. The angle stop (miter and fence) will mount to the MFT and the MFT fence can be mounted on the CMSs angle stop/ miter. These are just a couple of the the advantages I have found.

 

[copcarcollector]

Neil, thanks for that post!

Peter

+1 - Thanks Neil and Sancho for the insight of owner / users. The CMS is at the top of my want list - probably be here in my hot little hands in about a week!

 

[goguppy]

xxxxxxxxxx
I did make an accessory holding unit to hold all the accessories and keep them organized.  I found it on the German Festool magazine site.  It was mentioned on the FOG but I don't have the link handy.
neil

Neil, I did a quick google in German and found the following site, but it was for a MFT 4. The principal would be the same for a CMS, only a fair bit smaller.
http://thewoodtinkerer.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/festool-mft3-unterschrank-teil-6.html 
This will show Teil (or Part) 6 of the series, see the the links below the second photo for Teile (Parts) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  The pictures in at each page will tell the story.
Let us know if it bears any resemblance to the accessory holding unit you saw.
Cheers
Peter

 

[Bainiet]

Hi Chuck,

Please note as neilc said: Cons:  - it is expensive to get into the unit, but I think  you get what you pay for with Festool and the 'system'  [eek] (you should KNOW it's worth every penny...)

Using the CMS with TS75, OF1400 and the PS300 will give you a great workstation, especially with the sliding table and the side extension table.
I try to plan ahead but some cuts are just easier and more safe to do on the MFT/3. Although it is easy and very quick to take the tools out, you still want to buy another saw and router soon! [tongue]

Another negative point is that aluminum is very cold during winter but I just stop working when the temperature drops below 5 Celsius (41 Fahrenheit).  [oops]

 

[fshanno]

One alternative would be to buy a SawStop contractor saw and mount a cast iron router top on the side.  That wouldn't cost much more than a CMS router setup.

 

[sancho57]

Heres 1 of a series of videos on the CMS filmed at festool connect.



this is just the set up video. there are others

 

[Kev]

By some responses I'm guessing many NA members don't realise that the CMS is more than a routing platform ... sadly that's all that is offered in the US and Canada at present. Elsewhere it offers far more.

 

[fshanno]

By some responses I'm guessing many NA members don't realise that the CMS is more than a routing platform ... sadly that's all that is offered in the US and Canada at present. Elsewhere it offers far more.

I think most of us on FOG know about the other three inserts.  We even think the sander is cool.  That's how bad we've got it. 

And there are other things that could come along.  A drill press insert with a Fastfix chuck to mount a T18 would be nice.  And insert that would turn the Domino into a stationary mortiser would be nice.  Dollars to donuts (or Euros to donuts)  there are functioning prototypes of such inserts hidden deep in the Black Forest.

It's a feedback loop.  The power tools make the CMS desirable and the CMS makes the power tools desirable.  But you've got to have all the modules.  It's like the Doomsday Machine,  what's the point if you don't tell people about it.

I keep telling myself that I'd be interested in the CMS if all four inserts were available in the US.  But I'm in my 50's so I probably won't live to see it. 

 

[Kev]

By some responses I'm guessing many NA members don't realise that the CMS is more than a routing platform ... sadly that's all that is offered in the US and Canada at present. Elsewhere it offers far more.

I think most of us on FOG know about the other three inserts.  We even think the sander is cool.  That's how bad we've got it. 

And there are other things that could come along.  A drill press insert with a Fastfix chuck to mount a T18 would be nice.  And insert that would turn the Domino into a stationary mortiser would be nice.  Dollars to donuts (or Euros to donuts)  there are functioning prototypes of such inserts hidden deep in the Black Forest.

It's a feedback loop.  The power tools make the CMS desirable and the CMS makes the power tools desirable.  But you've got to have all the modules.  It's like the Doomsday Machine,  what's the point if you don't tell people about it.

I keep telling myself that I'd be interested in the CMS if all four inserts were available in the US.  But I'm in my 50's so I probably won't live to see it. 

Then there's only one solution for you .. move to Oz [big grin]

 

[sancho57]

Or move to the UK

 

[Davej]

Or move to the UK

Welcome to Blighty Sancho .  Hope you enjoy it here.

Dave

 

[sancho57]

Been here about a week. Looks like we might get some sun today for a change  8)

Everyone Ive met has been very nice.

There are some jobsworth running around here.

But they are everywhere in any country arent they?

 

[L.Alexander]

Hey Chuck,

was just thumbing through here and reading your post. I use the CMS as a part of my setup for my OF2200 and also for the carvex, etc and I can't fault it one bit. Hasn't let me down once. OK pricing is one thing when you look at what you need. depending on your requirements, it's worth looking at a package deal if a festool dealer in your area will oblige. If you're using it as a table saw only and you have a TS55R or TS75 (referring to current models anyway) there's an insert and adaptor kit for it. depending on whether you're ripping sheet goods, you'd need to look into accessories for your CMS like extension tables, etc but be aware of pricing, that's the only downside. For me, I couldn't do without my CMS. I have the sliding rail unit for it and am debating extension beds for other work, my main table saw is the CS70 because I use it as a panel machine, trencher, edger and more, so I get all my main work from her. If you're doing ripping, cross cutting, etc have a look at the CMS with TS55 or 75 system, extension beds, etc or the CS55. all depends on your budget and use. once you use a saw like this, you won't go back.

lew