Festool CMS questions

[Just F Me]

I'm just a hobby wood worker.  I'm learning to build some cabinets, built-ins for my house, drawers, etc.

I have a OF1400 router, but sometimes I want to put a rabbet or a dado in a narrow piece of  wood...and I can't (maybe I don't know how?) Or pretty much any thing that has to do with using my OF1400 and a narrow piece of wood.  The CMS is expensive at $1650  I know a lot of Festool products are purchased and then you say to yourself "I know it was expensive but man I should have bought this sooner"

How many of you own the CMS?  Is it worth it?  How many of you use another option and what do you use?

I've already spent $600 on the OF1400 and now if I have to spend another $1650, ugh.  The green koolaid is expensive  [crying]

 

[Kev]

I've got the CMS OF and I'm not going to say it's fantastic. For $1650 in the US you can build a dedicated router table (with router - PC seems popular) with a decent lift and a good fence (Incra Wonder Fence is a great option).

The CMS OF gear is pretty good, it's quality material and well engineered - but I don't think it's the best design it could be. Ultimately it's a compromise. Unless you need to be portable, get something solid.

 

[Amalix]

Unless you need to be portable, get something solid.

Agreed. Cabinets and drawers etc will work fine with the CMS and the 1400 in it, no doubt about it. However if you are spending the money and assuming you got room for it you might as well get the incra wonder fence on a solid table.

Watch that for the wonder fence information. Part 1 of 2.

 

[sancho57]

I have one.  Heres my view on it. Can you get a cheaper router table?

Yes

Can you buy one thats made for festool?

No.

Thats the key really. The CMS is designed to be used with festoons. It sets at 900mm the same height of a MFT3 so you can use it as a in feed / outfeed.

Even in the states you can still get your hands on the modules converting the table for a saw or scroll saw.

So I guess it boils down to personal preferance.

 

[Tayler_mann]

Hands down my CMS table is the handiest purchase I have made. some of the parts of the table take fine tuning but so does every other tool on the market. It's so handy to have a small jointer wherever I go. I can join up to 8/4 edges and with the feather boards and such it's easy to do long lengths. Especially when you put and Mft in front and possibly behind it.

 

[Billedis]

I am a proponent of the dedicated router table, having had the Sommerfeld system for 5+ years now with the Triton router.  Handles the largest raised panel bits with ease as well as the smaller quarter shank bits for making dovetails with the Sommerfeld dovetail jig.  For $1650 you can have all of this, to include the metal table on casters if you do not want to build your own router table.  I know it is not as efficient regarding dust, but we are doing woodworking and some dust is expected.  Bill

 

[Runhard]

I have a very small shop and couldn't really fit a cabinet saw or slider so the Festool CMS works well for me. I normally have my TS75 in the CMS and I have a Kreg router table with lift and PC router. I like having the option of having 2 router tables set up for different functions. It is also nice to have a dedicated router in a table and one (or a few) routers for free hand work.

The CMS is an expensive option, especially if you start adding extras like the Incra LS, but if space and/or mobility are issues than it could be worth it.

If space and/or mobility are not a concern, the dedicated router table and Incra set up would be a good option (as others have stated).

You would have to buy a non-Festool router for this option, but this could all be done for about the same amount of money and you would have the OF1400 to use for handheld work.

Here is a picture of my CMS and Kreg router table (used as a storage cart  [embarassed] ) before I remodeled my shop:
[attachimg=1]

 

[Birdhunter]

The CMS is one of the few Festool products I don't have. If I needed a mobile router table, the CMS would be a no-brainer. If I had room for a second router table, I'd convince myself I needed it.

However, there are wonderful fixed base router table components that allow you to construct large surface tables with extremely accurate fences, excellent dust collection, high stability, and accommodation for most routers with lift features.

 

[jmac80]

The CMS add on.... Can the on/off green and red buttons be swapped to the other side opposite?

 

[charley1968]

I've the CMS and modules for the router, TS55 and jigsaw. I'm happy with it, it works for the dimensions of wood i usually use.
That said: if i had a lot of space i'd probably gone another way and bought stationary, used machines.

 

[Runhard]

The CMS add on.... Can the on/off green and red buttons be swapped to the other side opposite?

Yes it can.

 

[jmac80]

Thanks Daniel.
Good to know.

 

[semenza]

Statement from Festool.

Warning: The Festool CMS System is approved for use with only the OF 1400 and OF 1010 routers in the US and Canadian markets.  It is not approved for use with the OF 2200, nor with any of the CMS modules currently available outside the US and Canadian markets (TS, Jigsaw and sanding modules).  Festool USA does not  endorse the use of these components and will not support them with spare  parts or repairs. The use of anything other than the OF 1400 and OF 1010 routers and their related accessories with the CMS will void the warranty agreement on the entire system for customers within the US and Canada. Festool does not endorse the application or use of any Festool product in any way other than in the manner described in the Festool Instruction Manual. To reduce the risk of serious injury and/or damage to your Festool product, always read, understand and follow all warnings and instructions in your Festool product's Instruction Manual.

 

[charley1968]

I'm lucky not to live in the States, in'it!?

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

If you are mostly working in a shop, you may want to consider some other router tables, as the CMS-OF is optimized for portability and, like most other Festool tools, can be a little quirky and may require you to adapt some procedures you would otherwise use on "standard" router tables. For instance, there is no T-track for a miter gauge, etc, but the sliding table is great and serves the same purpose.

On the other hand, if you primarily work in the field the CMS is a no-brainer!  [cool]

 

[Mr Jones]

I've had the cms router insert for 8 years. Eventually I bought the 1010 so the 1400 can stay in the cms insert. I find the insert and router difficult to store and transport as it's not a regular shape and it has sharp edges, as well as being quite heavy. I have the early cms insert without the lift handle that fits in the top, changing bits is a fiddle when it's in the table and the dust extraction under the table is a bit hit and miss with some bits.

That's the bad stuff, on the plus side it's a solid table/insert combination and the results are accurate and repeatable. It encourages safe working methods with the integrated guards/feather boards so it's worked for me as a transportable option, with the caveat that the insert and router assembled don't fit into the systainer format and are a bit clumsy when not in the table.

The saw insert is fantastic though and it's having the pair that makes the system worthwhile for me. Overall it's saved me time and money and increased productivity so it's been money well spent.

 

[Just F Me]

Thanks for all the great replies.  I live in the US, so I don't have access to any of those CMS inserts so that benefit doesn't apply to me.  So that benefit is mute.  Not sure if I'm interested in it either.

There are always things to get used to when you're used to doing something another way.  Luckily for me, the ONLY experience I've ever had with a router table was a Ryobi router table (which SUCKED).  I will mostly be working in my home shop, but I do need portability as I do not like my cars to be outside at night when they're sleeping.  Having the ability to fold everything up and put it away is very nice.

That Incra wonder fence ultra edition LS ZR1 track pack edition whatever looks neat but it looks awfully complicated.  I don't want to have the room for it.

I was looking on woodpeck.com at all the other router table options and saw their packages start at roughly 900 for a table, fence, etc, then I still have to buy a $350ish router.  Or go with a higher end package for $1300ish and still need the router etc.  So in the end, it looks like this is going to cost me $1600+ regardless if I go with the Festool or not.  The Kreg looks exactly like the Woodpeck "Precision Router Lift V2" or vice versa right?

Looks like the Festool system is again, all apart of an eco-system so it might make sense for me just to get that.  I don't wanna end up with a Incra fence, some other brand router, and all these other pieces and then in the end tell myself "I should have just gotten the Festool CMS".

I still would like a Festool Domino and another MFT/3...which is pretty much the same price as a Festool CMS Set stand alone.  [crying] [crying] [crying] [crying] [crying] [crying] [crying] [crying]  #FirstWorldProblems

 

[Holmz]

Thanks for all the great replies.  I live in the US, so I don't have access to any of those CMS inserts so that benefit doesn't apply to me.  So that benefit is mute.  Not sure if I'm interested in it either.
...

If you were interested, then shipping is pretty reasonable these days.

 

[Wonderwino]

For the original problem of routing a rabbet in a narrow piece; have you considered using a hand router plane?

Veritas Rabbet Plane

 

[Sparktrician]

The CMS is a great tool, especially for those with small shops.  It does have its limitations, especially when compared with more conventional tables equipped with Incra fences and Woodpeckers lifts and the like.  I bought the stand-alone version which allows me to use infeed/outfeed tables.  I wish it had a more consistently-adjustable fence.  Another FOG member modified his using a Woodpeckers Micro Adjuster quite well.  I replaced the power switch on mine to move it up above the work surface where it's MUCH easier to reach (not to mention safer), especially when using both infeed and outfeed tables.  There are other benefits to this switch that I chose.  PM me if you want more details.