I recently downsized and need to save space and am wondering if I could use a CSC SYS 50 in place of a cabinet saw? I am also planning to start a renovation on a rental property where I will need to build cabinets, drawers etc. I can't move my cabinet saw to the location and don't have a place to set it up in my current residence. I have an MFT/3 and many track saws but I don't believe that will give me the accuracy. I am interested in opinions from this group, especially those that may have switched from a cabinet to the Festool. Thank you?
CSC SYS 50 as a replacement for a cabinet saw?
- Thread starter MMCO
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woodferret
Member
CSC50 is designed to under the assumption that you have a TS55/60. For carcasses, the TS will be more accurate. Drawer sides would be better suited on the CSC50 - basically anything that doesn't nicely fit under the FS rail. Bevels are faster and more consistent on the CSC if you're within the bed size. If your tracksaws are Kreg or something, I'd upgrade those first before investing in the CSC.
Crazyraceguy
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In a word....no.
In a few more, I would consider it a second saw, for a well-equipped shop, or as a job-site trim saw.
For the cabinet construction you mentioned, a good track saw, along with a parallel guide set and a track square, will serve you much better. You are not giving up accuracy with a track saw, as a few YouTubers would have you believe. In fact, it's better for breaking down large materials.
The CSC50 would be fine for the much smaller parts, needed for drawers, but it is just too small for entire sheets of Plywood, MDF, Melamine, etc.
Plus, the track gives you the option of the LR32 system, for drilling shelf pin holes
In a few more, I would consider it a second saw, for a well-equipped shop, or as a job-site trim saw.
For the cabinet construction you mentioned, a good track saw, along with a parallel guide set and a track square, will serve you much better. You are not giving up accuracy with a track saw, as a few YouTubers would have you believe. In fact, it's better for breaking down large materials.
The CSC50 would be fine for the much smaller parts, needed for drawers, but it is just too small for entire sheets of Plywood, MDF, Melamine, etc.
Plus, the track gives you the option of the LR32 system, for drilling shelf pin holes
luvmytoolz
Member
I currently don't have room for a cabinet saw, so I bought the SYS 50 for doing the multitude of smaller stuff I do, and it handles that and also larger projects better than I could have hoped for, but as noted above, a tracksaw is essential for breaking down sheet goods.
woodferret
Member
We should also point out the elephant in the room that the CSC is rarely ever flat 
So, no, not a replacement for a cast iron cabinet saw.
So, no, not a replacement for a cast iron cabinet saw.I asked in another thread if the MFT tables are the same height as the CSC 50 since I have 3. My idea would be to setup all three and use the MFT/3 and the CSC 50. The MFTs connected should create a large enough work surface in conjunction with the CSC 50. Of course, I would be breaking down sheet goods with my track saws first. I think this may be the best scenario since I need to be able to move the table saw and I don't have enough space in my new place. I also plan to do fix and flips regularly so the portability is critical.
I have 3 Festool Track Saws and the LR32.
Are you saying the top of the CSC isn't flat from the factory?We should also point out the elephant in the room that the CSC is rarely ever flat
luvmytoolz
Member
I've seen some people here report the sliding table isn't perfectly flat in relation to the table, or is slightly uneven, but mine is dead flat so I have no issue, but you can adjust the level of the slider I believe anyway?
mcfal12
Member
The sliding table is not perfectly flat in relation to the table due to the manufacturing technique used. There are several posts on FOG about it- linking one I was actively involved in with troubleshooting and trying to solution.
mcfal12
Member
You may want to consider an mft and rail system since you already have a track saw. It doesn’t have to be the festool mft there are a lot of options these days.
As stated above- the track saw is very accurate and repeatable cuts can be attained with a fence and stop system, parallel guides, etc.
As stated above- the track saw is very accurate and repeatable cuts can be attained with a fence and stop system, parallel guides, etc.
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I bought the CSC SYS 50 last month for the sole reason of cutting ¾" toekick skins.... for mitering and for scribing. It is really just a toy as far as table saws go. But it is PERFECT for the above tasks. I no longer have to take my 10" mitersaw/ stand, 10" tablesaw/ stand, outfeed, fence extra dust extractor, etc to the jobsite. Love it!
tjbnwi
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@MMCO
FULL DISCLOSURE—I test various products for TSO, Hans sends me the products to test at no cost to me.
Until about 5 years ago I did not own a cabinet saw. For the most part I did not use any table saw.
By the time I got a few employees 5ish years ago TSO introduced the rail square, it made life easier. Then came the TSO parallel guides, a game changer for the shop. Before these two fantastic products everything was measured and marked. There is nothing I/we cannot build with just track saws, tables and the TSO products. This system is as accurate, if not more accurate, than a table saw.
The use of the TS saws, MFT’s, a cutting table and TSO products allowed us to build 4-5 quarter million dollar cabinet packages a year.
Cutting table (looks like the link to the thread with CAD drawings is no longer working) the link is in this thread;
Next progression was a cabinet saw, I now own two. The are used primarily for solids.
Final step is the CNC machine, it will cut drill and grove/dado panels. It is very rarely used for solids. The altitude I’m at the machine has issues holding smaller pieces to the table, even with three oversized vacuum pumps.
If you want to know how to accurately process solids check this thread out (I have another thread about ripping, I cannot find it, it was titled-Rips in the Field, maybe someone else has a link to it);
If you search my screen name you will find various pictures of projects from years ago to date. You’ll also run across other “crazy” things I do with the track saws and other Festool’s. They’re tools get creative and use them.
Take a few minutes to think about your finished product, work that process backwards and you’ll know what you need to do.
Tom
FULL DISCLOSURE—I test various products for TSO, Hans sends me the products to test at no cost to me.
Until about 5 years ago I did not own a cabinet saw. For the most part I did not use any table saw.
By the time I got a few employees 5ish years ago TSO introduced the rail square, it made life easier. Then came the TSO parallel guides, a game changer for the shop. Before these two fantastic products everything was measured and marked. There is nothing I/we cannot build with just track saws, tables and the TSO products. This system is as accurate, if not more accurate, than a table saw.
The use of the TS saws, MFT’s, a cutting table and TSO products allowed us to build 4-5 quarter million dollar cabinet packages a year.
Cutting table (looks like the link to the thread with CAD drawings is no longer working) the link is in this thread;
Next progression was a cabinet saw, I now own two. The are used primarily for solids.
Final step is the CNC machine, it will cut drill and grove/dado panels. It is very rarely used for solids. The altitude I’m at the machine has issues holding smaller pieces to the table, even with three oversized vacuum pumps.
If you want to know how to accurately process solids check this thread out (I have another thread about ripping, I cannot find it, it was titled-Rips in the Field, maybe someone else has a link to it);
If you search my screen name you will find various pictures of projects from years ago to date. You’ll also run across other “crazy” things I do with the track saws and other Festool’s. They’re tools get creative and use them.
Take a few minutes to think about your finished product, work that process backwards and you’ll know what you need to do.
Tom
MrToolJunkie
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- Jul 6, 2009
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I agree...you can do just about anything with a track saw and cutting table, some stops and PGs. I went for 10 years or so only using my track saw to build all kinds of furniture and cabinets....beds, tables, dining chairs, dressers, desks, book cases, you name it....and this is stuff made to last. I just moved to a new shop and have space to set up my cabinet saws again. I use them for certain narrow cuts and repeatable cuts that are faster than a track saw, but the cut quality is not as good and dust collection, even with my industrial DC is nowhere near my track saw. This is not a knock on the Festool table saw or anything, but you can do fine as Tom says, with thinking through the process.
smorgasbord
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That surprises me. My old cabinet saw produces fantastic quality cuts, and especially in thicker woods I can't imagine any track saw equalling it.
MrToolJunkie
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I often have faint blade marks on my cabinet saw...and I have it dialed in to within .001 to .002 parallel to the miter gauge and fence. Depends on wood species and other factors, but my track saws all produce glue ready edges. Maybe it is the blade I am using, but I stick to premium Freud or Ridge Carbide or Forrester blades on my cabinet saw.
woodferret
Member
For MMCO again I tried to use the CSC to trim some drawers for a deep sysport cart... things I learned:
You can get about a ~400mm deep piece of wood on the slider for cross cut (safely). You can push it to 450mm but that's really stretching it. The rip fence is a measly 280mm. I barely got the drawer bottom cut on it... so not really a replacement for a cabinetsaw or track saw.
You can get about a ~400mm deep piece of wood on the slider for cross cut (safely). You can push it to 450mm but that's really stretching it. The rip fence is a measly 280mm. I barely got the drawer bottom cut on it... so not really a replacement for a cabinetsaw or track saw.
Packard
Member
In theory, the track saw is as accurate as a table saw. But for me, in practice, not true.
If I am cutting 10 boards the same width, my attention span only needs to be long enough to set the fence on my table saw. After that, it is just safe handling of the boards.
But for the track saw, it would require accurate measurements for each cut. Not a problem with 2 boards, but mind-drift on larger production runs may introduce inaccuracies.
I don’t have a cabinet saw. I have a Contractors II table saw (Delta). Dust collection is problematic. A cabinet saw would be superior for that reason. I have an upgraded fence (50”) so accuracy is good. Cabinet saws tend to have more powerful motors, but not an issue for cutting plywood sheets.
Just to prove a point, I made a wall cabinet using only an edge guide and a square with my circular saw. Joinery was butt joints and nails. (Just like the YouTubers do it.)
It was square and sturdy and entirely indistinguishable from cabinets with dowel joinery and cut on the table saw. I did it just to see how well it would work. I would not use that construction for free-standing cabinets, but for wall-mounted cabinets that gain much of their structure from the attachment to the wall, it would be fine.
I did it just once to see how it would work. You can get good results with minimal amounts of equipment.
If I am cutting 10 boards the same width, my attention span only needs to be long enough to set the fence on my table saw. After that, it is just safe handling of the boards.
But for the track saw, it would require accurate measurements for each cut. Not a problem with 2 boards, but mind-drift on larger production runs may introduce inaccuracies.
I don’t have a cabinet saw. I have a Contractors II table saw (Delta). Dust collection is problematic. A cabinet saw would be superior for that reason. I have an upgraded fence (50”) so accuracy is good. Cabinet saws tend to have more powerful motors, but not an issue for cutting plywood sheets.
Just to prove a point, I made a wall cabinet using only an edge guide and a square with my circular saw. Joinery was butt joints and nails. (Just like the YouTubers do it.)
It was square and sturdy and entirely indistinguishable from cabinets with dowel joinery and cut on the table saw. I did it just to see how well it would work. I would not use that construction for free-standing cabinets, but for wall-mounted cabinets that gain much of their structure from the attachment to the wall, it would be fine.
I did it just once to see how it would work. You can get good results with minimal amounts of equipment.
