Mitered legs

[fritz0216]

Hi,  I am new to this group and a potential new Festool user.  I have been a traditional cabinet maker for over 30 years and will be retiring soon and downsizing my shop significantly.  The Festool system holds some attraction but I have some concerns about how I convert my traditional joinery to the Festool methodology.  Specifically I make a lot of what I would call mitered furniture legs.  Specifically from quarter sawn white oak.  The legs are between 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" to about 3" square and about 30" long.  To make these legs I cut the pieces with a lengthwise miter and  then roll 4 pieces together to form the leg with the quarter sawn face on all 4 surfaces.  This is easy to do on a table saw.  Any suggestions how this might be done with Festool equipment and what equipment would be needed to do it?

Thanks for any help lyou might have.

Walter

 

[butzla]

Hi Walter,  Welcome to the FOG!  From one table saw owner to another, you will miss it if you get rid of it.  There's just nothing handier.  If You have a large saw with a 52" fence, do like I did and downsize to a 36" fence.  Or you could just cut yours down to any size you like.  If you do want to get rid of you table saw altogether, you could use a CMS router table with an OF 1400 router and chuck a lock miter bit in it. @fritz0216

 

[Holmz]

If you already have a process that works, I cannot see why you would change that unless there was a better process??

I can envision:
A bandsaw.
A table saw and a sled.
A track saw and a rail.
A router and jig.
A jig saw and a jig.

 

[Birdhunter]

I am a dedicated Festool user, but my big table saw would be the last piece of equipment I would ditch. In many cases, the table saw is the safest, most accurate, and easiest tool to use. I have numerous specialized jigs that further enhance the table saw's safety, accuracy, and ease of use.

 

[Brent Taylor]

I also agree, keep your table saw, even if you go down to a portable job site unit. You have probably used one for years anyway,  so  you know that it's the best and safest way to get a lot of work done. I have been using one over 40 years now and would not think of giving it up.

 

[roblg3]

i have tried the mitered legs with the track saw.  It's quite difficult to pull off.  I have tried the lock mitre bit method also.  I prefer that to the track saw method FOR SURE!  But the table saw is just easier.  I'm not sure how it can be safer, but everyone has their opinions.  It is definitely the absolute fastest way I've found.  But then the domino adds time.  If I was using the lock miter bit more often and it didn't take me so long to get it set up right, i'd like that the best.  The legs come out best that way. In MY experience.

 

[tiralie]

Use a TS 55 or 75 and a track miter one side of each leg from a wide board or create a wide board from four pieces by taping them along the rip edge. Then take the pieces or legs with a miter on one edge and tape a mitered edge to a straight edge on a second leg side and repeat till all four side are taped together to create a wide enough surface to support the track and then cut the bevel for the second side removing each leg and taping it behind the last in the series to support the track till you complete your bevels.

Or use your table saw...
Tim

 

[Gary in Texas]

Hi Walter,  Welcome to the FOG!  From one table saw owner to another, you will miss it if you get rid of it.  There's just nothing handier.  If You have a large saw with a 52" fence, do like I did and downsize to a 36" fence.  Or you could just cut yours down to any size you like.  If you do want to get rid of you table saw altogether, you could use a CMS router table with an OF 1400 router and chuck a lock miter bit in it. [member=14024]fritz0216[/member]

Walter, I will go a step further and state you will be lost without your table saw. 

I too downsized my cabinet saw from the Incra 92" rails down to the 72" rails.  I no longer needed the rip capacity the longer rails provided, having converted over to the TS-55 for cutting down sheet materials.  Downsizing the rails also gave me back some much needed floor space.