I'm converted!

[ejfud]

I had the pleasure of watching most of the Festool line demoed today at a woodworking show at Seven Corners Hardware in St Paul.

Darn these are some really nice tools. The sander/vac combo is impossible to beat. All the sanders were impressive and made a very flat surface with minimal if any mess. The Rotex can really plow through the wood.

Routers were very impressive. Plunge routing in MDF with very little dust and very smooth operation. Setting the depth of cut was easy and effective. Changing the bit was very easy as well.

Plunge saws were equally impressive with many smart features.

Last but not least was the Domino. Really would be a saver for many jobs. Some of the smallest Dominos could be used in some interesting spots. The largest Domino was smaller than I had thought, but seemed to really make a strong joint.

I'm hooked. Time to save a few extra bucks and get the sander/vac combo.

Gary

 

[Dan Lyke]

Welcome to the cult!  ;D

After you have 'em for a bit you realize that there are still cuts with the router and the circular saw that spew sawdust all over, mostly rabbet-y type cuts done on the guide rail, where you can't mount the side dust catcher. But the "whoops, a little bit of sawdust escaped while I was doing finishing, let me use the sander to vacuum it up" factor is way cool.

Unfortunately, it's spoiled me: Even doing outside carpentry I'm tempted to lug the dust collector out, just so I don't get sawdust on my clothes...

 

[Cynric Williams]

I'm hooked. Time to save a few extra bucks and get the sander/vac combo.

Gary

That's bad news  ;D before christmas I bought the TS 55 and two guide rails. now three months later I have the a 1400 router, domino, Vac, and the MFT arrived today! once it gets to you, your wallet is in trouble!  The payoff apart from dust collection, is that it has totally changed the way i work and the speed and ease of doing jobs makes it an absolute pleasure to own

 

[HowardH]

Let's see... Got the RO150 and CT22 for Christmas, got an MFT 1080 coming today, will be ordering the Domino while the sale is going on, 1400 coming during the summer... yep!  I'm hooked too!  You're right about the sander.  I'll never pick up my PC sander again.  It's still a bit odd to sand and find there is almost no dust to clean up.  Just a quick wipe with a cloth with some mineral spirits on it and any residuals are gone.  Way cool!

 

[ejfud]

The sad part for me is the dollars I've spent on my DeWalt sander in repairs could almost buy me a small Festool sander. :'(

I'm in job limbo at the minute so no danger of getting crazy buying new tools, but will be buying sander/vac combo in a few weeks.

Hey I need new tools to play with when my jobs ends anyway...right? ;D

Gary

 

[Dan Lyke]

Hey I need new tools to play with when my jobs ends anyway...right? ;D

If ya don't have something to do when you're unemployed, you get depressed, and then it's harder to find a job.

So consider your Festool purchase part of the job hunting process! 

 

[bdog01]

hahahhaa. Similar experience here. I got the TS55 for Xmas of '05 and thought I really splurged and would not buy any more expensive Festools...... I now have 3 sanders, CT33, jigsaw, MFT1080, C12 and I am planning on buying the OF1400 soon....

 

[Dan Clermont]

Not me! I am not a Festool fanatic!

I got the TS-55 early in Jan. Today my wallet fell open and landed in Bob Marino's lap. He replaced my cash with an OF 1400 ;D

My wallet is lighter and it is probably going to be awhile before I can buy anymore tools but you no I ain't done yet

Dan Clermont

 

[Dan Clark]

...
My wallet is lighter and it is probably going to be awhile before I can buy anymore tools but you no I ain't done yet
...

Hmmm...  Would that be one month or can you hold out for two months 'til the next Festool buy?!?    ;D

Dan.

 

[Dan Clermont]

...
My wallet is lighter and it is probably going to be awhile before I can buy anymore tools but you no I ain't done yet
...

Hmmm...   Would that be one month or can you hold out for two months 'til the next Festool buy?!?     ;D

Dan.

Dunno, how many months till Father's day  ;D

 

[Tinker]

Welcome to the cult!  ;D

After you have 'em for a bit you realize that there are still cuts with the router and the circular saw that spew sawdust all over, mostly rabbet-y type cuts done on the guide rail, where you can't mount the side dust catcher. But the "whoops, a little bit of sawdust escaped while I was doing finishing, let me use the sander to vacuum it up" factor is way cool.

Unfortunately, it's spoiled me: Even doing outside carpentry I'm tempted to lug the dust collector out, just so I don't get sawdust on my clothes...

I have had the same problem.  the way I have handled it has been to cup my right hand in front of the router as I feed it across by holding onto the base with my left hand.  When i get to the end of the cut I pull the router all the way back to the starting point with the bit still turning.  (Rabbets & dados)  I end up with about as clean a cut as possible and almost no dust. Most of it gets sucked into the vac on the first cut as it all hits my hand and acts like a cyclone goung back into the dust collection collar.
Tinker