New Festool HKC 55 regular circular saw

Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???
 
I'd be interested in the HKC 55, a regular circular saw with track functionality light and I already have compatible batteries..

I think as light alternative, that can use the same type of Dust collection as the TSC would be real handy,I'm aware though that at 18V it's not something that would be useful for big production jobs, more a quick solution, for remote site, up on roof, or where you only need to trim to fit at a installation..
 
JimB1 said:
Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???

Where in the book does it say dust extraction is mandatory?
 
Alex said:
JimB1 said:
Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???

Where in the book does it say dust extraction is mandatory?

I suppose it doesn't but again, what's the point? Without the dust extraction there's nothing new here to entice me to spend that kind of money on a cordless circular saw. It just seems like it's out of place in the Festool system design.

Looks like there are new tracks too?? Does it work with the regular tracks? I'm just saying it just seems like it is a mix of functions that might work well together. It just doesn't seem like it is as well thought out as the rest of the festool designs which fill a specific need in a unique Festool way. That's all...

I'm sure there are some people that will find it useful but it just seems a little like they did it because they could not because they really had something that was missing from the system.
JMHO
-Jim
 
JimB1 said:
Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???
A lot of woodworkers don't work in workshops they work out on site, where dust extraction is not So important. The cordless TS 55 the TSC, works great on site with no cables or hose to get in the way and the dust bag that comes with it is really efficient, hardly any dust left on the ground when you've finished.
 
JimB1 said:
Alex said:
JimB1 said:
Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???

Where in the book does it say dust extraction is mandatory?

I suppose it doesn't but again, what's the point? Without the dust extraction there's nothing new here to entice me to spend that kind of money on a cordless circular saw. It just seems like it's out of place in the Festool system design.

Looks like there are new tracks too?? Does it work with the regular tracks? I'm just saying it just seems like it is a mix of functions that might work well together. It just doesn't seem like it is as well thought out as the rest of the festool designs which fill a specific need in a unique Festool way. That's all...

I'm sure there are some people that will find it useful but it just seems a little like they did it because they could not because they really had something that was missing from the system.
JMHO
-Jim

Are you all kidding? Regular circular saw? Nothing new here? This is THE SAW, provided it is what it appears to be - a Mafell KSS  clone.
 
Maťo said:
JimB1 said:
Alex said:
JimB1 said:
Maybe I am missing the point but how useful is cordless if you still need power available for the dust extractor and there's a hose hanging off the back tethering you anyway? As a woodworker I don't really see the need for this. I have a corded Dewalt circular that is good for cutting 4x6's for outdoor projects and concrete block with the right blade. This saw seems to fall between my Dewalt and my ts55 but just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure there must be a need out there or they wouldn't have made it but I just am not seeing it... ???

Where in the book does it say dust extraction is mandatory?

I suppose it doesn't but again, what's the point? Without the dust extraction there's nothing new here to entice me to spend that kind of money on a cordless circular saw. It just seems like it's out of place in the Festool system design.

Looks like there are new tracks too?? Does it work with the regular tracks? I'm just saying it just seems like it is a mix of functions that might work well together. It just doesn't seem like it is as well thought out as the rest of the festool designs which fill a specific need in a unique Festool way. That's all...

I'm sure there are some people that will find it useful but it just seems a little like they did it because they could not because they really had something that was missing from the system.
JMHO
-Jim

Are you all kidding? Regular circular saw? Nothing new here? This is THE SAW, provided it is what it appears to be - a Mafell KSS  clone.

Hey, if you need/want it go for it. I personally don't see anything here that screams "I really need this" to me, if anything like I said it's just a puzzling design to me. You may see it differently.
Doesn't mean I don't still like Festool...
 
JimB1, looks to me you don't fully get the increase in speed, productivity and ease of working with something like this, has to offer.
Here's a video:

If done right and marketed in the right Festool way, this new circ saw could outsell the iconic TS-55 in the coming years, in my opinion.
 
As an amateur woodworker, I certainly would not buy a cordless TS saw until I could handle this new saw and compare them side by side. (I do not want to buy a cordless TS and then sell it to buy this new one.)

In all the years of reading about Mafell here, I never watched a video about the KSS system until last week. Now I understand what this new saw is all about. At the moment, there is no particular Festool I am lusting after, so maybe I will have a long wait for this new saw. The Sys vac is nice, but not a major need for me and the hammer drills are too expensive for the very occasional need I have for one. The Conturo is not a consideration due to very limited use of edging. 

Yes, I broke down and bought the Vecturo, even though it is corded.
 
I would actually prefer the HKC 55 as a cross cut saw, I don't really see the need for plunge functionality, at least it's not convenient to use it that for that application.

Another plus is it's lighter and with a dedicated track system, so you could have a regular TS for cutting to width, and then have jig setup of the length cut.

Dust collection using a bag on the tool is more feasible with short cross cuts as well.

On site and remote site working without Dust Collection is also easier to accept.
 
The plunge function on these type saws is actually quiet handy for certain type applications. An application where I would use the plunge function is, if I where taking a check out of flooring I was laying and wanted the cut to start about 250 mm in from the start of the cut I would v raises the. Saw up on the cross cut track slide the saw to the area and make the plunge by push the lever down and putting slight forward pressure on the saw. 
 
wrightwoodwork said:
The plunge function on these type saws is actually quiet handy for certain type applications. An application where I would use the plunge function is, if I where taking a check out of flooring I was laying and wanted the cut to start about 250 mm in from the start of the cut I would v raises the. Saw up on the cross cut track slide the saw to the area and make the plunge by push the lever down and putting slight forward pressure on the saw.

I see, so I wonder if this will be possible on the HKC?

I'm getting this HKC, I wonder what is so different about the track for it, and how much it will cost. I'd get the shortest and the longest versions..

I'd probably also get the set version with 2 batteries as my present total of batteries is 1 15 v and 2 18 4.2, I'll be getting one more 15v 5.2 for my new Ti 15 then the two that comes with the HKC will give me enough fire power for a good 4 hours of work.
 
I honestly don't know if will be possible. I would imagine it will be. My guess is the riving knife will be sprung loaded like on the TS saws. On the size of track to go for cross cuts, something to consider is if cutting angles of 60 degrees. To. Cut a batten 200mm wide a cut length of approximately 450mm is needed to achieve the cut

PreferrablyWood said:
wrightwoodwork said:
The plunge function on these type saws is actually quiet handy for certain type applications. An application where I would use the plunge function is, if I where taking a check out of flooring I was laying and wanted the cut to start about 250 mm in from the start of the cut I would v raises the. Saw up on the cross cut track slide the saw to the area and make the plunge by push the lever down and putting slight forward pressure on the saw.

I see, so I wonder if this will be possible on the HKC?

I'm getting this HKC, I wonder what is so different about the track for it, and how much it will cost. I'd get the shortest and the longest versions..

I'd probably also get the set version with 2 batteries as my present total of batteries is 1 15 v and 2 18 4.2, I'll be getting one more 15v 5.2 for my new Ti 15 then the two that comes with the HKC will give me enough fire power for a good 4 hours of work.
 
This looks pretty cool - looks similar to Mafell's offerings, but in cordless. I wonder if they are not partnering together on the tracks.
 
jonathan-m said:
JimB1, looks to me you don't fully get the increase in speed, productivity and ease of working with something like this, has to offer.
Here's a video:

If done right and marketed in the right Festool way, this new circ saw could outsell the iconic TS-55 in the coming years, in my opinion.


Thanks for the video, it's making a little more sense now. To me the killer feature for something like this is that it's sort of like having a portable radial arm saw. Not sure I can think of an instance where I would ever clamp a board to the track and cut vertically but I am sure someone does. The numbers on the track look interesting for making the angles based on bolting the stops to the bottom of the track. Most of the other stuff seems like it can be done with a cordless ts55 and an angle unit pretty handily.

I still like a plunge saw better then a standard circular but I get that this is lighter and less moving parts can be sturdier and someone mentioned thin kerf blades can be used which probably helps battery life and prevent overworking the motor. A few others posted that the collector bags work well on the cordless saws so ok, that takes that one off my question about a vac attached to a cordless. On the sanders,  The sander bags don't work nearly as well as the dust extractor does and they get in the way so that was my concern there, that without a powered dust extractor, having the dust port was less useful.

So yeah I see some of what you guys are talking about it just doesn't look to me at this point that Festool is leapfrogging over the competition with a more innovative product like they have with other tools like the Carvex and Domino. Maybe when they put some product videos up they will show how this is better then the Mafell that is already out there or their own track saws.

That's all I was saying...
-Jim
 
I think if your roofing a lot this saw is a gift from the heavens! I work in the shop and out on site and I think this would get a lot of use on site flooring, roofing etc....
 
Yep I've being using the mafell kss saws for 3 years and when it has come to roofs and floors it has being one of those tools I wish I'd discovered a lot sooner. When doing the likes of a roof once you know the pitch the angle can easily be set adjust then reset. It is far easier to take a kss or the new festool system up a scaffold than to take a chopsaw and stand up to to top of the scaffold and set it up. Plus once you've cut the rafters. You can then take the saw off the cross cut track. Then use the saw with the tracks to cut sheets for the roof. Which certainly can't be done with a chop saw
 
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