Festool on "This New House"

[fritter63]

Just sitting here unwinding with an ep of "This New House". Title: "The Low Load House".

They're covering the CNC Timber Frame (and double walled) houses by Ten Benson (saw him on TOH many many years ago
during a timber frame "rebuild"). In his factory, I spotted a scene where they were using a TS55 (or 75?) to cut the panels.

OK, now I feel like a FesGeek.

 

[Joberwocky]

I watched an episode of this old house just last week and they were building an ipe deck.  They were using a sliding dovetail to attach the members of the railing and using a festool router, OF 1400 I think to rout the dovetailed groove.  I just got a festool router and was really excited to see them using what I believe was the same model.  I turned to my girlfriend and was like , "that's the one I got!". Needless to say, she wasn't nearly as pumped as I was.  No shame in geekdom.

 

[ccarrolladams]

Joberwoky,

Actually that was a fairly new episode of "Ask This Old House" with Tom Silva featured as the contractor/consultant. Tom is a big believer in Festools, despite Stanley Works being a major sponsor of both "This Old House" and "Ask This Old House"

That would be a fine use for an OF1400. You probably noticed that after the decking was fastened, Tom Silva used a long Guide Rail and TS saw to trim it evenly.

 

[Joberwocky]

Oh, thanks.  Since I only catch the show now and again (no knowledge of the programming schedule) I often get the shows confused.  I was impressed with the dovetailed construction of the deck, unortunately I don't have such a big project in store for mine.

 

[ccarrolladams]

In the 2-part "Ask This Old House" about constructing the deck, Tom Silva provided a compelling explanation of the advantages using the sliding dovetail.

Ages ago, in the 1960s when I designed several homes with decks, I specified sliding dovetails. By the late 1960's in the areas of Southern California where I designed homes, the fire laws changed eliminating wooden decks and railings. In our climate my experience is that welded steel railings are more practical than PVC, which hardly stands up to wild lands fires.

Fortunately for woodworkers most of the USA still allows wooden decks and railings.