Festool TS55 vs Bosch GKT55

[GhostFist]

Competition encourages innovation and only benefits the consumer. Yesterday's hero can be tomorrow's zero.

 

[DzordanoBruno]

I have a chance to look at the Bosch.
Bosch copied Festool, but Bosch isnt that good like festool.
Feel, design, weight is better on Festool. But Bosch is good too. My English is terrible so:

Bosch 3.5/5, Festool 4/5 points.

 

[painter 1]

I love my festools but some of you guys get so touchy when someone has the audacity to mention another tool makers name except mafell of course ! I'm primarily a painter love my festool sanders if I could only have one it would be the dts 400 as for the saws their all good . I love my carvex but then probably don't push it to its limitations there's room for all the tool makers ! As a parting shot the Mirka deros is by far a superior sander than the festool Ets ec. It came out way before has both heads option and feels much more balanced I was very disappointed with festools offering considering they had a heads up from Mirka

 

[Holmz]

I love my festools but some of you guys get so touchy when someone has the audacity to mention another tool makers name except mafell of course ! I'm primarily a painter love my festool sanders if I could only have one it would be the dts 400 as for the saws their all good . I love my carvex but then probably don't push it to its limitations there's room for all the tool makers ! As a parting shot the Mirka deros is by far a superior sander than the festool Ets ec. It came out way before has both heads option and feels much more balanced I was very disappointed with festools offering considering they had a heads up from Mirka

I agree.
On the bright side we have all these great tool choices.

It is bewildering to see the "this versus that" and polarisation of opinion.
Many of these tools have great features, and most of them are very capable.
To claim one is better that next based upon color is disappointing when we could discuss facts... But the emotional and psychological component is strong.

 

[rst]

If we all want to be honest, the price we pay for something often prejudices the attitudes towards our purchases.  No one wants to think they paid more than should have been spent.

 

[eastwind]

I'm about to buy the festool TS 55. I've been reading lots, but there are a couple points I don't see mentioned much.

Is the Bosch really cheaper? Here are the prices I've been looking at:

BOSCH GKT13-255L (saw only): $572 (home depot, US dollars)
2x 63" track kit (carrying case, joiners) $266 (HD)
2 clamps $62
rail stop $25
total $925

Festool TS 55 REQ-F-Plus-FS (saw and one 55" rail): $699
1 extra 55" track FS-1400 $145
(no bag for the tracks)
TSO guide rail connectors $50
2x Dewalt DWS5026 clamps $40
total $934

So that's a wash on price. A pair of genuine festool clamps would cost $84, making the difference $53, but people say the dewalt clamps fit the festool rails just fine and are a little easier to use. Still, I say a difference of $53 on a thousand is half a percent difference, not really significant.

Notice that I'm pricing in TSO rail joiners. They are supposed to work better for festool rails than the festool ones. That should negate at least some of the advantage of the bosch rail joiners.

Second, people complain about the sliding action on bosch rails after a while. There's a silicon spray that is recommended for that, a cheap solution that can be reapplied as necessary (cheaper than replacing the strips on the festool track). So I discount that complaint.

Another thing I like better about the bosch is the slightly larger blade that will do a clean 45 degree bevel cut on 2x lumber. But I figure I won't be doing that very much, so I'll live with the disadvantage.

The thing I like better about the festool rail system is the availability of TSO add-ons, like their rail square attachment.

In the end, I'm wary about the bosch warped base plate issues, plan to use the tracks in a shop where I can get them joined once and leave them together most of the time, like the availability of add-ons for the festool rail system, and hope that the TSO joiners mostly negate the advantages of the Bosch system. So the scales tip toward Festool for me. I can do without the case for the tracks since I won't be taking them out of the shop.

This will be the first festool tool I own. It's a close call. If the bosch was actually meaningfully cheaper, I'd probably risk hassling with the base plate issue and go for it instead, but $54 isn't enough of a difference.

And a NB: to those noticing the difference between square and rounded corners in the window, notice also the disappearance of "Made in Germany" on the newer plastic cover, as manufacturing has been outsourced to vietnam.

I just wish the festools had the tip-lock track like the makita, better rail connectors, and a 6 1/2" blade instead of a metric one that's slightly too small for US lumber.

I post all this so someone will argue with me and tell me where i'm wrong

 

[Spandex]

I post all this so someone will argue with me and tell me where i'm wrong

If you insist…

Still, I say a difference of $53 on a thousand is half a percent difference, not really significant.

It’s about 5%, not 0.5%.

 

[eastwind]

[eek]  [blink]  [blink]

So would I sacrifice my credibility completely if I said I was just testing you?
;D

Well, anyway, is that really enough of a difference such that one "couldn't afford" a festool track saw over a bosch?

 

[notenoughcash]

I just wish the festools had the tip-lock track like the makita, better rail connectors, and a 6 1/2" blade instead of a metric one that's slightly too small for US lumber.

anti tip yes.  better rail conections yes, they just relised a improved verson, and are you really expecting one of the most metric countries to put a imperial blade on?  its not happening.  i personaly have never needed to bevel rip through 2x so that feature is wasted on me.

 

[Cheese]

If you use the silicone spray on the rails, be very careful where you place the saw after you remove it from the rail. Silicone migrates to everywhere you don't want it to be and causes finishing issues.

If you need larger diameter saw blades, Mafell offers a 162 mm blade while CMT offers several 165 mm blades.

I own the MT 55 & TSC 55K so I have to deal with both Mafell & Festool rails. As nice as the TSO rail connectors are (and they are nice), the Mafell rail connector is still easier & faster.

The TSO guide rail squares work well, I keep a GRS-16PE attached to a 1400/2 rail and a GRS-16 tucked in the HKC 55 Systainer.

FC Tools & Taiga Tools both offer rail squares for Mafell/Bosch rails, I'm sure some others will follow.

 

[TSO_Products]

The TSO guide rail squares work well, I keep a GRS-16PE attached to a 1400/2 rail and a GRS-16 tucked in the HKC 55 Systainer.

FC Tools & Taiga Tools both offer rail squares for Mafell/Bosch rails, I'm sure some others will follow.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - We are are certain you are correct. Keep reading between the lines  [wink]
Hans

 

[Sbradley0911]

+1 on keeping the GRS-16PE on my guide rail