New mafell plungesaw coming this fall

[Frank-Jan]

I just saw the promo/teaser thing of mafell's soon to be released  mt55c plungesaw. It has a bunch of nice features, I especially like the blade change method; this way the saw doesn't have to be plunged when removing the blade, and when in use the entire side of the blade is covered, which seems beneficial for dust collection. I wonder how much they'll cost. (I won't get one though, because we already have an atf 55 and a ts55, and I don't see them dying on me anytime soon)

Edit/tried to fix the link, the forum changes the u with umlaut to a guestionmark...
... didn't work, but it's linked at the homepage of www.mafell.de

 

[Frank-Jan]

Hmm, after looking at it again, it appears it doesn't feature a riving knife. (Which is a bit weird, because they thought of making it springloaded first, the way it is on the ts55 and the new Dewalt saw)

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I just saw the promo/teaser thing of mafell's soon to be released  mt55c plungesaw. It has a bunch of nice features...

Thanks for the link. Interesting how the saw is shown running on Festool guiderails, as well as Mafell's own rails. Although the brochure doesn't specifically mention Festool, and just says that it'll run on rails from "other suppliers", the green rail in the photo on page 7 of the brochure, in the video, and in photos elsewhere on the website, will be very familiar to FOG members!

Forrest

 

[Dan Clermont]

Wonder when it will be available in North America.

I like the fully enclosed blade idea although I think the Festool saws do a great job of dust collection right out of the box (their is an optional cover plate Item# 491750) Not to crazy about the lack of a riving knife though.

Dan Clermont

 

[Mark]

What I like a about the Mafell rail is that the splinter strip is not "black" but red. For me, it would making seeing a tick mark easier because you are seeing black against red vs. black against black. Mafell used red because its part of their brand color but I suspect it adds some functional benefit wrt visibility. Festool could do the same by making their splinter strip green.

 

[Frank Pellow]

What I like a about the Mafell rail is that the splinter strip is not "black" but red. For me, it would making seeing a tick mark easier because you are seeing black against red vs. black against black. Mafell used red because its part of their brand color but I suspect it adds some functional benefit wrt visibility. Festool could do the same by making their splinter strip green.

If Festool were to do this, it would really help me too.  My eyesight is not the greatest and I can use all the help that I can get.

 

[morogue]

Wouldn't it make sense, both functionally and for fashion's sake, to make the strips neon green?

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Thanks for posting, Forrest.  Your post answered my primary questions about this saw -- can it be used on a Festool Guide Rail being the key one.

Are we certain there is no riving knife? That would be a step backwards compared to competition.

Why would a person choose the Mafell saw over Festool?  Is it more powerful?  Greater depth capacity?  Quieter?

I agree wholly with those who would like Festool to offer a different colored splinter strip.  I use a graphite pencel most of the time to mark and it is often hard to see the mark relative to the splinter strip due to old eyes and cloudy NE Ohio.

Dave R.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

Are we certain there is no riving knife? That would be a step backwards compared to competition.

Why would a person choose the Mafell saw over Festool?  Is it more powerful?  Greater depth capacity?  Quieter?

I don't know about noise, but comparative specifications taken from each manufacturer's German website are:

Mafell MT 55 cc:
Depth of cut: 0 - 57 mm
Cutting depth at 45 ?: 0 - 40.5 mm
Swivel range: - 1 to + 48 deg
Speed: 3600 - 6250 rpm
Power: 1400 W
Weight: 4.7 kg

Festool TS 55 EBQ-Plus-FS:
Cutting depth: 0-55 mm
Depth of cut at 45 deg:  0-43 mm
Tilt: 0-45 ?
Speed: 2000-5200 rpm
Power: 1200 W
Weight: 4.5 kg

I agree wholly with those who would like Festool to offer a different colored splinter strip.  I use a graphite pencel most of the time to mark and it is often hard to see the mark relative to the splinter strip due to old eyes and cloudy NE Ohio.

Sounds a good idea to me!

Now then, since we are discussing Mafell saws, here's another track-based circular saw from the company - but with a difference!

Play the (Russian) video and see if you can work out what the difference is going to be before the saw starts cutting...



How about Festool getting their saw to do that?  ;D

(I don't want to give the game away yet, so apologies to those on dial-up who don't want to play the video)

Forrest

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Very Cool caterpillar track, right!!  I like the white anti-splinter strip, too.  I see the greater power and deeper cut capacity. 
Thanks for posting, Forrest.

When will they add RF control?

I'd say the competitive bar has just been significantly raised.

Dave R.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

What about the rail that they have that rolls up and fits into one of their cases for the saw.  Ya pretty sweet too.

 

[JeromeM]

Sounds a good idea to me!

Now then, since we are discussing Mafell saws, here's another track-based circular saw from the company - but with a difference!

Play the (Russian) video and see if you can work out what the difference is going to be before the saw starts cutting...



How about Festool getting their saw to do that?  ;D

(I don't want to give the game away yet, so apologies to those on dial-up who don't want to play the video)

Forrest

And it is only 2,464.00 USD  ;D  or $2,710.00 for 120v

 

[nickao]

That is cool Forrest.

 

[Frank-Jan]

I saw the system about 5 years ago at a building fair; I hadn't heard of the company before, but their products they had there all seemed innovative and of industrial quality. I just checked their website and apparently they introduced this system in 2002 already. I was attracted to their booth by the demonstration of this saw, they also demonstrated the scoring-cut feature and I liked the idea of the DC groove in the rail that's covered buy a tapemeasure-like strip as the saw moves along the rail.
The video shows a few other cool features I didn't notice before at the demo, or in the folder I grabbed there; like the springloaded riving knife, the parrallelguides and the tab for easy allignment of cuts longer than the rail.
They also have a saw that rides on a flexible rail, which is also a nice idea, that "rail" rolls up to fit inside the saw's systainer, but that system only goes to a cutting depth of 40mm.
There isn't a dealer nearby that sells their products, and most of their products are like "specialty" tools with the prices that come with them, but I since check regularly if they have anything new, just out of curiousity.

 

[robtonya]

I liked that! I wonder if that would be NAINA. I see they have North American dealers, but that doen't always mean that would be available either.

 

[joiner1970]

I had a chance to have a close look at this new saw the other week at the D&M tool show here in the UK.

It has some very good ideas and simple ones too, the way you can just twist the pointer on the depth gauge to allow for guide rail thickness is so simple (Festool come on why didn't you think of that).

The whole side of the saw drops away with a touch of a button for blade change, this I am not that bothered about as it doesn't really take long to change a blade on my TS55 anyway.

You can angle the saw to -1 degree to under cut things this is good but not really necessary.

It has a scoring function which you can do anyway with a Festool by just setting the depth at 7 or 8 mm anyway.

What put me off the saw was the horrible (Hammerite type) finish they have on their tools its a small thing but it just looks cheap, the rep said its to look hard wearing but it just reminds me of cheap tools.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Wonder when it will be available in North America.

I like the fully enclosed blade idea although I think the Festool saws do a great job of dust collection right out of the box (their is an optional cover plate Item# 491750) Not to crazy about the lack of a riving knife though.

Dan Clermont

Dan,

I do not know if the Mafell saw has a riving knife or not.  Maybe it has some electronic torque or blade speed change sensor that will cut the power if binding occurs.  But since it is self-propelled on the track, what's likely to happen if it would kick back?

If I was trying to make a living running a one man cabinet shop, the Mafell equipment would be on my very short list to buy!    You could stack sheet goods with one long edge near to being against a wall in a cubby hole little bigger than the plan area of the sheets and rip them without a helper.  I like the side stops for setting repeat ripcuts, and the white anti-splinter strip to facilitate seeing pencil marks.

Best regards and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Dave R.

 

[nickao]

That seems more designed for plywood than hardwood.

In my experince plywood really does not cause kick back on you(rarely at best) like hard wood can from internal stresses on the wood.

 

[erikfsn]

How about their two-man circular saw below. 9 5/8 inch cutting depth, 5.8 horsepower,
$12,347.00. Yikes.

http://www.mafelltoolstore.com/fsg240ktwcis.html

 

[Frank-Jan]

Dave, Dan's comment was about the new plungecut saw, that is to compete in the market with the ts55, the model in the video that Forrest posted does have a springloaded riving knife.