Festool sword saw chains

[Wooden Lungs]

Hi, absolutely loving this saw for gang cuts and green oak work. It comes with a universal chain and it gives a pretty neat cut on rafter plumb cuts and big beam tenons etc. I thought the parallel guide from my track saw would work with this but no its too short. Anyone have any experience of the different chains you can get for this?

 

[Timtool]

I have had mine for almost 2 years now, it has had a drastic impact on the way/ease i work. I often work with trees in slab form that i need to trim to length before cutting boards out of them. i used to do this with a jig saw but that was very exhausting, slow and tedious, on thick oak blades would wear or snap.
This thing cuts through it like butter, makes that part of work actually enjoyable while it used to be something i hated doing( i cut free handed without rail most of the time).
I was lucky to win this tool for free in a contest, i don't think i would have ever made the plunge to buy it otherwise because of the cost.

I bought the fine cut chain for it to see if it made less tear out, and it sort of does but it's not a dramatical difference.

 

[Phil Beckley]

Hi, absolutely loving this saw for gang cuts and green oak work. It comes with a universal chain and it gives a pretty neat cut on rafter plumb cuts and big beam tenons etc. I thought the parallel guide from my track saw would work with this but no its too short. Anyone have any experience of the different chains you can get for this?

Hi
Good to hear on the SSU 200.
A big difference is with the rip chain - the saw can really fly through and cool finish on the face of tenons etc. Same principle as circular saw blades on the pitch and rake of the tooth - this is what makes the difference to the life of the chain, machine and quality of cut.
rg
Phil

 

[peter halle]

I can't get a Festool sword saw here but had experience with something similar this summer which honestly made me more money than installing expensive trim.  I would love to know the specs on the blades (chains) - particularly the rip chains to see if they are compatible with mine.  I can't get a rip chain for my imitation.

Peter

 

[Phil Beckley]

I can't get a Festool sword saw here but had experience with something similar this summer which honestly made me more money than installing expensive trim.  I would love to know the specs on the blades (chains) - particularly the rip chains to see if they are compatible with mine.  I can't get a rip chain for my imitation.

Peter

Here is the page link
https://www.festool.co.uk/Products/Accessories/Pages/Variations.aspx?pid=769100&ppid=769211
rg
Phil

 

[Wooden Lungs]

Thank you for the comments. This saw is really going to transform my working day as I mainly do green oak work. Bought the paralell guard and a bolle face shield for protection!

 

[Kev]

I was just looking at mine the other day and thinking how good it would be for the sword saw to get a different base to work with the new rails for the HK saws.

 

[ear3]

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]  You talking about the Prazi beam cutter attachment?

I can't get a Festool sword saw here but had experience with something similar this summer which honestly made me more money than installing expensive trim.  I would love to know the specs on the blades (chains) - particularly the rip chains to see if they are compatible with mine.  I can't get a rip chain for my imitation.

Peter

 

[peter halle]

[member=37411]Edward A Reno III[/member]    Yes I am.

Peter

 

[ear3]

Thanks.  I can't wait until I have a project/job that calls for me to use one.  The closest I've come is ripping some logs with my Stihl chainsaw.

[member=37411]Edward A Reno III[/member]    Yes I am.

Peter

 

[Holmz]

I was just looking at mine the other day and thinking how good it would be for the sword saw to get a different base to work with the new rails for the HK saws.

Doesn't it fit on rails? [member=13058]Kev[/member] ?
I was looking at a red one, but will probably do a prazi if I can get a Bosch that runs on a rail and holds a prazi.

There are also some massive circular saws that do ~8" cuts.

 

[Kev]

I was just looking at mine the other day and thinking how good it would be for the sword saw to get a different base to work with the new rails for the HK saws.

Doesn't it fit on rails? [member=13058]Kev[/member] ?
I was looking at a red one, but will probably do a prazi if I can get a Bosch that runs on a rail and holds a prazi.

There are also some massive circular saws that do ~8" cuts.

[member=40772]Holmz[/member]

Yes, it fits on a rail, but a base that stayed connected and cut angles like the rails for th HK saws would be much better.

As you're probably aware, FesOz took the sword saw off the Australian market - allegedly because regs we're going to almost double its price. I'm so tempted to make a base for a track that works with a 36V Stihl chain saw - but I wouldn't want the liability of selling it!!! Imagine how cool a cordless rail chainsaw would be [wink]

 

[Holmz]

...

[member=40772]Holmz[/member]

Yes, it fits on a rail, but a base that stayed connected and cut angles like the rails for th HK saws would be much better.

As you're probably aware, FesOz took the sword saw off the Australian market - allegedly because regs we're going to almost double its price. I'm so tempted to make a base for a track that works with a 36V Stihl chain saw - but I wouldn't want the liability of selling it!!! Imagine how cool a cordless rail chainsaw would be [wink]

[member=13058]Kev[/member]
I did not know that. I like the idea of a beam saw, as I like the idea of timber framing...
Here is a big saw, if you prefer circles to chains.


I an trying (slowly) to find a Bosch track saw that will fit the Bosch track and take the Prazi chain. That red-gear is dearer than FT on price, so if I can do the Prazi, I would be interested... Then to go and find some gum tree dropping branches.

 

[jmbfestool]

I love my Protool SSU 200.  Its 5 years old now I think.

If you mainly work with green Oak the Protool CMP150 is niiiiiccceee!!!!

At the time I didn't think I would use the CMP150 that much. I had one job I kinda needed a tool like this.

Not cheap.  I remember getting a price of Bunny Bolts a while ago and it was a lot to much for one job.  I decided to see if I could get another dealer to sell me the protool CMP150 and managed to get one from another dealer who were able to sale it me hundreds of pounds cheaper so I bought it. 

Im glad I bought it because it has come in LOADS!

The Protool SSU 200 + Protool CMP 150 Mortiser have saved me LOADS AND LOADS of work.  Both have been brilliant for doing oak work and gang cutting. 

Regarding the Chains I have been doing fine using the standard chain supplied. I just ended up getting a few more oregon chains as spares. 

 

[Holmz]

I love my Protool SSU 200....

Good info.

Especially as the Kev mentioned that the FT chain unit is dropped from our region.