My 3 tools just arrived!

Shon

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
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13
Just received my MFT3, TS55 and CT22...everything arrived well except for a few minor things which Bob Marino is handling--so far Bob has been great and done everything he said...so far so good.  All 3 tools work awesome--the one thing I would say is the ts55 splinterguard is a waste of money--does not work well.  I think a router is next on my list--then a sander--maybe.  I want to start building more cabinets so I'm trying to set my shop up for that operation--as I transition out of some of my ridgid into festool...
 
Awesomeness on toast.  You'll have fun with all that, for sure.

As for the router vs sander, if you have one or the other, get the other one so you at least have a complete set.  If you already have both a router and sander of other brands, I'm thinking the sander would be better as Festool sanders rock.  Router rocks, too, but in a non-Festool to Festool competition, the difference in sanders is remarkable (IMHO).

If you didn't get the clamping elements with your MFT, you might want to go give them a try.  They are seriously useful; the heads can be used as dawgs, you can clamp boards on edge, round stuff (clamp a donut, gently...), etc.
 
I meant to also say that the splinter guard may not be working for you for a couple reasons: 1) your plunge depth must be enough for the blade to be coming up into the splinter guard (shallow plunge depths may not reach it; minimum depth is 35mm for the TS-75; don't have a TS-55); 2) you need to make sure it is all the way down touching the surface; occasionally mine is off the surface for whatever reason and I get chipout.  It definitely works, though.
 
Shon said:
the one thing I would say is the ts55 splinterguard is a waste of money--does not work well.  
From my experience you are 100% wrong.  ;D

Having said that and having RTFM there are some points to bear in mind.
1) is the blade touching the splinter guard. *
2) is the splinter guard touching the material you are cutting. *
3) has the splinter guard been used with a blade with a wider kerf. *
(*if not of course it can't work)
4) last but not unimportant if you have cut using this splinter guard with this blade at a much greater depth then it will not work as well.

the splinter guard is a consumable it may need to be replaced or exchanged when you change blades
 
great responses--I will look into the splinter guard depth---may simply be pilot error.  and as far as new tools go, I think I'll do a router and an orbital sander--just not sure which sander...
 
Shon,

One thing that many people do is write on the top of the green splinter guard the thickness of the wood they are cutting as well as the depth of the saw cut.  That way when they cut a piece of 3/4 plywood they know how to set the saw and match the splinter gurard to in.  Same for 1/2, etc.  Works pretty well.

Peter
 
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