I have been infected...now what

[MavDog]

Well I made my first Festool purchase. I bought the TS55, additional 55" track and CT22.  All the way home from the store I was thinking wow did I really spend that much for a saw and vacuum.[scared]  As soon as I got home I took out the CT22 and hooked it out to my Dewalt ROS and went to work sanding some shelves.  I noticed the difference right away with the CT22 vs the shop vac I had been using.  There was hardly any dust left on the wood. I also couldn't belive how quiet it was.  The ROS was much louder than the vac.  Then instead of thinking about how much I spent I started thinking about what the next Festool purchase was going to be.[big grin]  I am hooked after only using it for a couple hours.

Next I took out the saw and tried it.  I haven't cut much with it yet but am extremely impressed with the cut it makes.  The cut was just as good as my TS with a Woodworker II on it.  I can't wait to cut up a sheet of plywood with it.

I have one question about the saw though.  When it first starts up is it supposed to make a funny noise (almost grinding like) while it is coming up to speed?  I hear the same noise when I increase the speed of the saw while it is running.  The blade is tight and nothing is rubbing so I am assuming this sound is normal.

I am thinking the ETS150/3 would make a good next purchase. What do you think? Thanks -Kevin

 

[harry_]

[welcome]

 

[waynelang2001]

Hi Mavdog

Congrats on the purchase, now make sure you order some of the limited edition FOGtainers that Peter Halle has arranged for us on the forum.
FOGtainers sales open

From what i know about my old TS55 it makes the same grinding noise, don't quote me on this but i think its just the soft start of the motor to help ease the blade up to speed.

 

[image132]

Welcome Mavdog.

I second that purchase idea by Wayne.  [big grin]

If you want to go with a sander next I would go with a rotex. The ETS150/3 is speciality sander and its purpose is finish sanding. The rotex on the other hand is a general sander, it can rip stuff up or smooth it down to a near glass finish. To quote another member "Rotex first, specialise later."

In terms of the funny noise of the TS55, check here, this is what it should sound like.

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[Guy Ashley]

Mavdog

I would base your next purchase on what you do and how you work, are you a kitchen fitter, 2nd fix carpenter, workshop based joiner, hobbyist or trade.

The decisions will be hard because now you have sold your soul to Festool, there is no known antidote, and you will want one of those, and one of those and one of those and that would be real handy, oh and so would that!! I don't have a wish list just the Festool catalogue. [scared]

I would find it hard to exist without the Domino jointer, but then again the LR32 system for built in's is indispensable, and I couldn't fit those small cabinet doors without the C12 angle chuck. And then of course the OF2200 for heavy routing and his little brother the OF1010 for the finer stuff and the LR32.

I personally use the 150/3 as it suits my needs, anything heavier is dealt with by the Non Festool belt sander (won't mention the make as it is sacrilege!! [big grin])

I am sorry I have probably confused you even more but I would suggest it depends on what you NEED most, and not what you would like.

Welcome to the FOG and the wallet draining world of Festool!!!

Guy 

 

[Brice Burrell]

Mavdog, welcome to the FOG!

As the others have already posted the sound you're hearing when the Festool saws start is perfectly normal.  What you're hearing is a small amount of backlash in the gears as the electronic speed control is doing its thing.  So there is nothing to worry about.

If you are in need of a 6" RO sander the ETS150 models are fabulous sanders.  The one piece of advice I'd offer is look closely at both models, the ETS150/3 and ETS150/5.  The number on the end refers to the stroke or size of the orbit in millimeters.  The 5 mm stroke is better suited for general wood working since it can remove material a little faster than the smaller stroke of the 3 mm model.  You won't notice any difference if finish quality until you get into the finest of grits, say at or over 1,000 grit.  Good luck.

 

[Wonderwino]

I too, started with a saw, dust extractor and sander.  I added several more sanders, Domino, routers, LR32, raills, C12 (now on sale!), sortainers and accessories.  You can't go wrong adding to the stable with Festools.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

You will have to dig a tunnel and sneak them in under the cover of darkness. [big grin]

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Good advice above, especially looking for a tool relevant to your particular needs.

Having said that, some Festools are totally in a class by themselves, and others are great tools, but just better than their competitors.

The really cool thing about Festool is the system (guide rail + dust extraction).  Some tools use or build on the system.  The MFT will make that TS55 a close competitor to your table saw.  The routers use the rails and the combination lets you do really precise work.  The Domino is just totally in a class by itself.

The drills and sanders, while excellent tools (and I own and use them), are worth buying, but won't change your life (unless you do a lot of drilling and sanding).

And at the end of the day, there really is no wrong decision.  If you get a Festool and don't love it, Festool gives you a full refund in the first 30 days.  After that you can put it on Craigslist and sell it for close to what you paid.  I saw a CT22, new in the box, on CL for $20 under retail list price yesterday.  I'll bet it sold, too.

Most of all, welcome to the Slippery Green Slope.  Enjoy the ride!

 

[Holzhacker]

I'd also agree on a sander being the next good buy. It would increase your productivity, reduce dust even more and isn't that expensive.
The saw noise is an issue that comes up all the time. On of these days Festool will put a big orange label in the Sys ... 'This saw sounds like junk when you first start it, this is normal, it's OK, there is nothing wrong, Happy cutting'
I think one of the greatest benefits of a CT is the reduced noise level over a regular vac. Music to my ears.
Good luck

 

[Dan Clark]

Mavdog,

Festool makes excellent sanders, but there are a lot of them.    If you want to use your Dewalt or buy a Festool RO 150 as a more robust sander, then the fine finishing sander of choice is probably the ETS 150/3.  OTOH, if you want a more all-around finishing sander then the ETS 150/5 may be the better option.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[tigger]

[welcome]

Life as you know it is now over!

All you will think about from now on is what your next Festool will be. You will also amaze yourself with what you can go wothout in order to afford your next purchace.  [eek]

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Mavdog, get a Dust Deputy for your vac.  You can go gheap with the $59 DD, a couple of buckets and lid from HD or Lowes and a few 2 inch plastic electrical fittings or you can get the full setup for the Festool vacs from Oneida.  Will pay for itself in bags and filters and work even better over the long term than the vac alone.

Best,
Todd

 

[jujigatame]

MFT/3, without a doubt.

I thought it was absolute insanity to spend that much on a folding table, but it is the greatest tool I have bought. 

Makes almost every thing I do easier and less tiring.

With the TS, the MFT will replace a chop saw and a radial arm saw for 99% of projects. and can replace a table saw for probably 80%.

It makes sanding (with a festool sander of course) a pleasure.

You will not be disappointed.

 

[Michael_MA]

Welcome Mavdog.

I second that purchase idea by Wayne.  [big grin]

If you want to go with a sander next I would go with a rotex. The ETS150/3 is speciality sander and its purpose is finish sanding. The rotex on the other hand is a general sander, it can rip stuff up or smooth it down to a near glass finish. To quote another member "Rotex first, specialise later."

In terms of the funny noise of the TS55, check here, this is what it should sound like.

Hope this helps.

Chris

I second that, what Chris and Wayne mentioned..

Hello Mavdog and welcome to the whole new world of Festool Addicts
Buying and using the first Festool is like taking the red pill to the Festool Matrix..

the Rotex is the most versatile Sander i've been using, but you might get yourself a router too, depending on your work. Here the OF1400 would be the best in class for an Universal use.. Not to heavy for hand work, but strong enough to really tackle the tougher Jobs.
As for the sound.. Brice already mentioned in his Video the MMC electronics.. Most of the Festools do have it and therefore will never blow your fuse, as they have an inrush current limiter, which sounds harsh at the first Moment, but then smoothly accelarates the speed of the saw. Please also note the Breaking system of the Saw blade, which is also a unique feature of lot of Festools.

Believe me, Life will never be the same after buying your first Festool, and when thinking about the next one.. the Price hurts only once.. then the fun sets in and will stay for a long time paying off along with great precision and control of your work.

kind regards, Mike

 

[image132]

This is when the slope gets slippery. If you are going to be doing lots of sanding/routing/sawing your next purchase after the sander should be the MFT. This great invention joins the system perfectly as is enhances all the previously mentioned tools considerably. However this is in the future.