Mafell Erika 70 questions

[peter halle]

Thanks Peter, also curious if the 2013 ruling had something to do with a goofy Carvex vs P1 cc video that was making the rounds?

I don't remember exactly.  But that video link doesn't work here either.

Peter

 

[HarveyWildes]

It looks like a very nice saw if you need it, but I don't.  Festool's parent company now has the crown jewels of the table saw market with Saw Stop, at least from a business point of view.  I'll be getting one of those in a year or so if they don't jack up the price too high.  It sounds like there is a good market for the Erika among high-end on-site users, but that is a niche market compared to the one that Saw Stop addresses.  I'm pretty sure Festool isn't too concerned about the competition in this case.

BTW, I didn't know anything about Mafell but the name until I started visiting FOG, and most of that came as people compared the pros and cons of Mafell vs. Festool.  But Festool vs Makita or DeWalt or Milwaukee or Mafell or ... whatever - there is a lot of good information in the discussions that I appreciate.  I particularly look for an indication of the kind of work that people do, to see how what they do affects their choice of tools.  I mostly do woodworking in a shop, and that means that I listen a little more closely to people who do similar work because it applies more directly to me.  Of course some discussions lose a practical focus after a while and become dogmatic, but most of us are thoughtful enough to filter what we read.

 

[Holmz]

Thanks Peter, also curious if the 2013 ruling had something to do with a goofy Carvex vs P1 cc video that was making the rounds?

Yes, I believe so.
It was the first cut I did using a whooping big Bosch blade.

...
First, Festool - the owner of the forum - made.

______________

In regards to other comments in the thread, for the record, I didn't censor...
...

I did not mean to infer YOU did.
(What is the word used to describe the URLs being blocked? - I can only think of two words)

I believe that you know that Festool owns FOG, and it is not some democratic 'group of owners' who collected together on their own and make collective decisions... FOG is an extension of the company Festool. So if they deem to block, or censor, then it is their legal right of ownership to do so.

But on the other hand I believe your suggestion to "take it elsewhere (to their forum)", is likely more of an example of "self-censoring"?

 

[Cheese]

It was the first cut I did using a whooping big Bosch blade.

That was your video Holmz?

 

[Holmz]

It was the first cut I did using a whooping big Bosch blade.

That was your video Holmz?

Nope. I just wanted to seeing the video was done with SGi

 

[lwoirhaye]

Saws like the Erika are similar to a radial arm saw in how they work.  The travel of the carriage is theoretically more consistent than it would be on a SCMS.  If you like how a radial arm saw bevels better than a SCMS, perhaps an inverted pull-saw like the Erika would be preferable.  I have a Metabo Secanta.  It's a much cheaper saw than the Erika but not a rinky-jerk piece of equipment either.  It has enough power to cut 8/4 hardwoods but you have to pull slow.  The blade is a smallish diameter which should decrease deflection but it's pretty thin too, which would increase it.  I haven't really used it enough to say whether it bevels better than a SCMS, but it might if what woodworkers are saying about the diminishing quality of the sliding miter saws is true.

Locating one in N. America may be difficult, but the Norsaw portable models have an interesting design for a jobsite saw.  I wanted to find one before I found the Secanta.  The Erika is a pretty fat investment too. I could see it being a money maker for a guy installing floors or cabinets in high-rise buildings in a place like NYC or something like that but for general trim work it seems like a luxury tool.

 

[Holmz]

Saws like the Erika are similar to a radial arm saw in how they work.  The travel of the carriage is theoretically more consistent than it would be on a SCMS.  If you like how a radial arm saw bevels better than a SCMS, perhaps an inverted pull-saw like the Erika would be preferable.  I have a Metabo Secanta.  It's a much cheaper saw than the Erika but not a rinky-jerk piece of equipment either.  It has enough power to cut 8/4 hardwoods but you have to pull slow.  The blade is a smallish diameter which should decrease deflection but it's pretty thin too, which would increase it.  I haven't really used it enough to say whether it bevels better than a SCMS, but it might if what woodworkers are saying about the diminishing quality of the sliding miter saws is true.

Locating one in N. America may be difficult, but the Norsaw portable models have an interesting design for a jobsite saw.  I wanted to find one before I found the Secanta.  The Erika is a pretty fat investment too. I could see it being a money maker for a guy installing floors or cabinets in high-rise buildings in a place like NYC or something like that but for general trim work it seems like a luxury tool.

^Good info^  (Thanks!)

I am not sure if it is in Au, but it seems worth some hard consideration.

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

Sorry driving right now but what I can say is the saws worth tenfold what you pay for it.

If it cost $20 grand I'd still buy it.

Fist pumping, driving and posting to FOG.  You really are a talented person!!!!    ;D [member=20320]rizzoa13[/member]

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

I am interested in what anyone has to say about this saw.  I know nothing about it.  I am considering purchasing it. All comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday morning!

The appeal for me is that it is a GREAT ripping saw and a very precise crosscutting saw. In its base configuration it occupies a very small footprint. With the table extensions you expand to a saw with 24"+ rip capacity, and with the sliding table you get 32"+ crosscutting capacity.

With the Erika (and I assume Precisio saws), it can be a little tricky changing the way you think about orienting the work as compared to miter saws, but after some solid days it becomes second nature. I regularly cut crown moulding on my Erika, small stuff I cut in position, bigger profiles are cut on the flat.

 

[Naildrivingman]

I am interested in what anyone has to say about this saw.  I know nothing about it.  I am considering purchasing it. All comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday morning!

The appeal for me is that it is a GREAT ripping saw and a very precise crosscutting saw. In its base configuration it occupies a very small footprint. With the table extensions you expand to a saw with 24"+ rip capacity, and with the sliding table you get 32"+ crosscutting capacity.

With the Erika (and I assume Precisio saws), it can be a little tricky changing the way you think about orienting the work as compared to miter saws, but after some solid days it becomes second nature. I regularly cut crown moulding on my Erika, small stuff I cut in position, bigger profiles are cut on the flat.

Indeed, as am I.  Thanks Tom.