Festool tools to purchase in order of priority

[Packard]

I have not tried that and I will look into it.

But the leaf blower has been working OK so far, so I am not highly motivated.

Online, $49.50 seems the price, except for ToolNut who has it at $75.30 (including an adapter. I will have to do more research on how this attaches to th saw.

The video does not seem to show an adapter.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

What I recognise - and somewhat identify - is the obsessional-based interest in matching tools … in this case, own all green tools. I like having good tools, and generally would rather wait to afford the purchase of a better tool, and there is no doubting that Festool make some of the better tools. But there are other makers of higher repute, and for myself I do not limit myself to one manufacturer.

This ^^^^^^^

In the back of my van, you’ll find tools made by Festool (4), Hilti (5), Mafell (1), Fein (1), Lamello (1), Mirka (1), DeWalt (2), Makita (4), Bosch (1), Stabila (1), and Rothenberger (1). Every one of these manufacturers makes great tools - but they also make some complete turkeys. I tend to find that many other long-term professionals have adopted the same diverse approach, ending up with what they consider to be best-in-class for any category of tool - or at the very least, tools which completely meet their individual needs. I’ve never understood the one-brand mentality, and denying oneself the opportunity to have something great just because it doesn’t come in a grey-and-green box seems totally counterintuitive to me. And as for “but it’s a system” = all my equipment works perfectly well with everything else. My 2 cents for what it’s worth.

Kevin

 

[Cheese]

I have not tried that and I will look into it.

But the leaf blower has been working OK so far, so I am not highly motivated.

Online, $49.50 seems the price, except for ToolNut who has it at $75.30 (including an adapter. I will have to do more research on how this attaches to th saw.

The leaf blower works fine it's just that you will eliminate 90% of the dust that you oil delivery company frets over...out of sight...out of mind.

Just remove the side panel and replace the old part with the new part.  [smile]

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[Crazyraceguy]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] How old is that saw? I have never seen a hose fitting like that. Mine looks like your second pic, same as the TS75. It's the one that everyone complains about, for rotating to easily.
Funny thing is that the one on my new TS60 looks the same, but seems to ratchet a little stiffer.
I may still swap it with a ToolCurve fitting, since I am used to the way it works.

 

[Packard]

I will have to look at my saw to see which fitting I have.

I may have miscommunicated earlier. 

I have a 1-1/2” Grizzly for the whole shop.  It keep it connected to the table saw, and I have a second hose that I can shunt for other tools.  But the radial arm saw and the chop saw have poorly designed dust ports and even when hooked up, they spew lots of dust. 

When I use the track saw in my basement shop, I hook it up to my shop dust collector.  I don’t remember, but I think I bought a Bosch hose to connect to the saw.  It was much cheaper than the Festool version.  I will look at it when I get home.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Now that I think about it, maybe the TS75 that the shop used to have was like that? I don't recall that one moving like the one on the TS55does.  I bought my TS55 (new) in late August of 2019, but I don't recall how old it was.
I have bought some Festool equipment that was over 2 years old, when new. I think one of them was over 3? maybe the RAS115?

 

[Cheese]

That’s a TS 55 EQ purchased new in 2010.

 

[Coen]

My TS 55 from 2006 looks like that too.

I have central dust collection, so after the track saw, a vacuum hose to fit.

I do most of my track cuts on my driveway, and I use a leaf blower to scatter the dust after making my cuts.  There are likely some who would object to that approach.

But, for sure, a Festool saw can generate a lot of sawdust.

As a side note, my oil delivery company said that they would not continue to offer a maintenance contract if I didn’t do something to mitigate the dust.  Apparently, they believe that sawdust can cause maintenance issues, though I don’t see how.

If you don’t plan on using your saw on site, a shop dust collection unit can save you money, and I believe the larger ones, like I have, generate more volume of suction.

My system does not rely on disposable bags (apparently, a not insignificant cost).

Again, I expect to hear a lot of nay sayers on that point too.

Dust into appliances creates all kinds of trouble. But oil for heating? I would would hope that is a closed system..?

As for cutting on the driveway and blowing the dust; the '1 house per acre' USA? In NL most houses don't even have their own driveway and if they do it's 3m wide. So the neighbors would object.

 

[Frank-Jan]

when I got my ts55r, the first thing I did was exchange the dustport for the one of the battery powered version. Just make sure to keep track of the springclip that holds the transparant window in place.
https://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?pretty;board=ask-festool;topic=ts55-where-does-this-metal-clip-part-go.msg385930#msg385930

 

[Crazyraceguy]

My TS 55 from 2006 looks like that too.

As for cutting on the driveway and blowing the dust; the '1 house per acre' USA? In NL most houses don't even have their own driveway and if they do it's 3m wide. So the neighbors would object.

I understand the reference, and that might even work out as some kind of average, but it is not the case for a whole lot of people.
I grew up in a neighborhood of equal sized lots, for the most part, some of the corner lots were bigger. They were about 1/4 acre each. My first house was on a tiny lot 45' x 54'. It was actually sectioned off of the back of the house next door's back yard, many years before I was there.
Then we moved to a huge 5 acre lot. It was 200' wide and 1100' deep. Now the entire block I live on is smaller than that. There are 9 houses on my block and even counting the street out front and the alley across the back, the whole thing would be less than 1/4 of that big lot.

 

[Packard]

My TS 55 from 2006 looks like that too.

I have central dust collection, so after the track saw, a vacuum hose to fit.

I do most of my track cuts on my driveway, and I use a leaf blower to scatter the dust after making my cuts.  There are likely some who would object to that approach.

But, for sure, a Festool saw can generate a lot of sawdust.

As a side note, my oil delivery company said that they would not continue to offer a maintenance contract if I didn’t do something to mitigate the dust.  Apparently, they believe that sawdust can cause maintenance issues, though I don’t see how.

If you don’t plan on using your saw on site, a shop dust collection unit can save you money, and I believe the larger ones, like I have, generate more volume of suction.

My system does not rely on disposable bags (apparently, a not insignificant cost).

Again, I expect to hear a lot of nay sayers on that point too.

Dust into appliances creates all kinds of trouble. But oil for heating? I would would hope that is a closed system..?

As for cutting on the driveway and blowing the dust; the '1 house per acre' USA? In NL most houses don't even have their own driveway and if they do it's 3m wide. So the neighbors would object.

I think the oil company’s objection was about a solenoid switch that went bad.  There was dust on the outside of the metal can, so he blamed that failure on the saw dust.  Personally, I think the mechanical device simply aged out and the sawdust had nothing to do with it.  But dust collection made sense, so I went with it.

 

[guybo]

So the neighbors would object.

just cannabis get a break in NL

 

[Packard]

[... ] I don’t remember, but I think I bought a Bosch hose to connect to the saw.  It was much cheaper than the Festool version.  I will look at it when I get home.

It was a Bosch hose and it fits the Festool saw just fine.  I got it from Amazon.  The current price is $51.00 for a 16’ 4” long hose. As I recall, the Bosch hose was substantially cheaper and was not likely to degrade the performance of the saw.

It seems to be a very well constructed hose.

 

[Coen]

So the neighbors would object.

just cannabis get a break in NL

That isn't even legal here. We just stopped enforcing a part of the law.

 

[Packard]

The zoning laws where I live are a bit odd.  The minimum setback from the road is 30 feet. 

My house it just about 60 feet from the road, and aligns with all the other houses on the street.  I that case, I have to get a variance to extend my house closer to the road.  It would break up the uniformity, I guess.  But it is in the zoning laws.

We also have a 25 foot setback from the property line to my house, as does my neighbor.  So all the houses on this street are at least 50 feet apart.  Also, only small windows set high on the wall are allowed facing adjacent homes.  I guess this is to minimize peeping toms. 

In any case, I doubt my neighbors are aware that I use the leaf blower, but some have seen me saw wood on my driveway.  It usually prompts a, “Whatcha making?”

 

[Coen]

Just 50x60 feet is more than the average plot here in total. Floorspace inside often exceeds land area.

 

[Coen]

What I recognise - and somewhat identify - is the obsessional-based interest in matching tools … in this case, own all green tools. I like having good tools, and generally would rather wait to afford the purchase of a better tool, and there is no doubting that Festool make some of the better tools. But there are other makers of higher repute, and for myself I do not limit myself to one manufacturer.

Grabbing all from the same brand gives a "system" bonus. In case of Festool; compatible boxes (Systainers), Plug-It, rail compatibility etc.

I have a TS 55, a TS 55 F, an HK 85, a PS 300, an OF 1010 an OF 1400 and the LR 32 set, all using the same rails. It might very well be that the Mafell K85Ec is better than the Festool HK 85 (I honestly didn't even investigate that) and their P1CC might be better than my PS 300. But that would require a 2nd set of rails, so no.

The same reason why I have all the rail related tools from Festool is also why I don't own of their battery tools; the system bonus. By the time Festool came out with their TiD 18 I had already a bunch of Bosch Pro 18V and I just don't want to keep too many battery systems around.

 

[luvmytoolz]

What I recognise - and somewhat identify - is the obsessional-based interest in matching tools … in this case, own all green tools. I like having good tools, and generally would rather wait to afford the purchase of a better tool, and there is no doubting that Festool make some of the better tools. But there are other makers of higher repute, and for myself I do not limit myself to one manufacturer.

Grabbing all from the same brand gives a "system" bonus. In case of Festool; compatible boxes (Systainers), Plug-It, rail compatibility etc.

I have a TS 55, a TS 55 F, an HK 85, a PS 300, an OF 1010 an OF 1400 and the LR 32 set, all using the same rails. It might very well be that the Mafell K85Ec is better than the Festool HK 85 (I honestly didn't even investigate that) and their P1CC might be better than my PS 300. But that would require a 2nd set of rails, so no.

The same reason why I have all the rail related tools from Festool is also why I don't own of their battery tools; the system bonus. By the time Festool came out with their TiD 18 I had already a bunch of Bosch Pro 18V and I just don't want to keep too many battery systems around.

I'm super happy with my HK85, it's a beast of a saw but gives a beautiful clean cut. I was the same with the cordless offerings, as nice as I'm sure they would be, I'm too heavily invested in Makita's range to consider anything battery powered from Festool.

 

[Boski]

I have the full TSO parallel edge guide and 2 x of their squares,  can't say I am too happy with the system.

what aren't you happy about with the TSO system?  I've heard of a few examples on this forum where less than desirable results were produced but for the most part it is a highly rated system.  Asking also since I've been interested in buying into the system myself.

Im ready to sell mine, just PM me - I have the whole set as well and have the same issues as the OP.

Hi Mikkel

Did you resolve the issue? or did you sell?

 

[TSO_Products]

I have the full TSO parallel edge guide and 2 x of their squares,  can't say I am too happy with the system.

what aren't you happy about with the TSO system?  I've heard of a few examples on this forum where less than desirable results were produced but for the most part it is a highly rated system.  Asking also since I've been interested in buying into the system myself.

Im ready to sell mine, just PM me - I have the whole set as well and have the same issues as the OP.

[member=69715]MikkelF[/member]  and [member=79993]Boski[/member] :
if you will give us the opportunity to help you, the odds are in your favor that we can help overcome whatever obstacle is on your way.

If you do not get satisfactory results with your TSO brand tool, we will go out of our way to provide a helpful outcome which can include a refund if you communicate directly with us and, if necessary, escalate the issue to attention "Hans" via email to info@tsoproducts.com

include your full name, phone number and email address so we can connect.

Woodworking does involve skills, sometimes seemingly small steps of technique or use of a new combination of accessories benefit from a bit of help [smile]

Hans