Newbie

[sl_1800]

Bought my first Festool tools yesterday!!! ;D

I got the TS55 saw and CT22 vac and a few extras such as another rail, clamps and vac bags.  I'm really looking forward to getting a few more Festools.

 

[jonny round boy]

Welcome aboard!

Have you used them yet?

 

[ccmviking]

Congratulations on the purchase.  You are going to be extremely pleased with the performance and ease of use of your new saw.  If you haven't already, make sure you read Rick's Manual on the TS55.  Have fun, and be safe!

(http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/docs/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf)

Chris...

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Welcome to the slippery slope.  I would recommend a sander as your next toy!

 

[AZSportsFan]

Congratulations on the purchase.  You are going to be extremely pleased with the performance and ease of use of your new saw.  If you haven't already, make sure you read Rick's Manual on the TS55.  Have fun, and be safe!

(http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/docs/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf)

Chris...

I am new too, with the same tools - almost the same order it seems.  Are you saying that the linked manual above was not provided by Festool?  Is it normal for Festool to not offer owner's manuals, guides, etc.?

Brad

 

[bruegf]

Festool does provide a manual, although in typical German fashion they assume you already know almost everything you need to know about the tool or you wouldn't buy it (This isn't just a Festool quirk).  Rick's manual's are just far better than the Festool manual.

Fred

 

[dirtydeeds]

my take on the german manuals is that pehaps they have better / longer apprentiship schemes

safety is also put squarely in the users court

there are no "dont dry your cat in this microwave" stickers or messages on bags of cashews saying "this product contains nuts"

festool do do training days but they are geared mainly towards "this is how you change a cutter in the OF1400"

 

[Daviddubya]

I am new too, with the same tools - almost the same order it seems.  Are you saying that the linked manual above was not provided by Festool?  Is it normal for Festool to not offer owner's manuals, guides, etc.?

Brad

To add a little to what bruegf said, Festool USA has arranged for several manuals to be written, Rick Christopherson's TS55 manual among them.  There are links on the Festool USA site, links on Bob Marino's site, as well as links here at FOG to a wealth of "supplemental" manuals that will enhance your knowledge of Festool's products.
http://www.festoolusa.com/woodworking.aspx
http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/tips.html?sid=01c2194ad7eca6d2bbea00199099e62c
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=1185.0

 

[sl_1800]

Thanks for the links to the manuals.  I am headed to the garage to do some cutting now !!!! ;D

 

[Corwin]

You might want to setup some kind of cutting table out in the garage to keep your new FesTools company.  Most any simple arrangement will be helpful.  Lengths of 2x spanning a pair of saw horses is a start...  covered with foam or MDF works nice.  For sheet goods, make a setup sized appropriately and get the length Guide Rails you will need.

Good luck with you new tools!

 

[sl_1800]

First impressions:

The TS55 makes the best cut I have ever seen,  I went through my scrap plywood and cleaned up a bunch of raged edges just to get the feel of the saw, it's amazing, the cleanest truest cuts I have ever seen. 

I can now see my next purchase, the hose garage for the CT22, I really feel the unit should come with this from the start.

Tomorrow's project is a cutting table.  I have a plastic folding table that I use as a work bench but it's a little to close to the ground  and sometimes not wide enough.  I have seen a thread on this forum for a collapsible  saw table  made from plywood, that is what I'm going to make and use it on top of my folding plastic table.

 

[Jerry Work]

Hi Brad,

Festool USA leadership recognized early on that the multi-language, pictographic world manuals supplied with their tools were not optimum for the US customer.  They encouraged and sponsored the writing and posting of a variety of reviews and manuals to compliment the factory offerings.  Most are available for free download from the Festool USA web site on the home page under Application Tips > Woodworking. 

Those of us who have helped close the gap have taken different approaches.  The Festool offerings (and most all tool maker's manuals) are written from the standpoint of how you set up and adjust the tool.  Many users are more interested in how to effectively use the tools to achieve a desired outcome and that is the point of view from which my manuals are written.  It is the richness of these different points of view that in my mind makes the totality of Festool manual, website and training offerings among the best in the industry world wide.

Given the wide availability of internet access it makes far more economic sense to me to offer these other manuals in digital download form than to have to include the price of hard copy printing to include them in the box.

Bottom line, there are numerous sources, including this post group, to help you get the most from your Festools.  Enjoy!

Jerry

Congratulations on the purchase.  You are going to be extremely pleased with the performance and ease of use of your new saw.  If you haven't already, make sure you read Rick's Manual on the TS55.  Have fun, and be safe!

(http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/docs/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf)

Chris...

I am new too, with the same tools - almost the same order it seems.  Are you saying that the linked manual above was not provided by Festool?  Is it normal for Festool to not offer owner's manuals, guides, etc.?

Brad

 

[tim atchley]

Hello, I to am a newbie to this forum and to owning Festools as of Jan.9 I did not own any Festools, I went into my local toy store to buy a new PC orbital sander to replace the one that had burned out the day before, and luck had it a Festool Rep was there to demonstrate there line of sanders so I watched as he played with a piece of rough maple and within a couple of minutes he turned the rough maple into a nice smooth surface and with no dust to be seen very impressive. The sander he was using was a Rotex 125. I left the store without a sander went home and thought about the sander most of the night ( I can remember when I use to think about women most the night, NOW TOOLS!!! whats happening to me).Well the next morning I went back to the toy store and purchased the RO125 went back to the shop and put it to work and was amazed at how well the sander performed. To make a long story short I'm now a proud owner of:
CT22
TC55
OF1400
PS300
C12
DF500
DTS500
LS130
ET150/3
ETS125
RTS400
MFT1080
and many acc. for above

Now I need to hit that tree at the bottom of ski slope and get off this green sliegh that I've been riding.

Thanks
Tim

 

[semenza]

Hi,

  Welcome.  THIRTEEN tools plus accessories in twenty days.  That must be some kind of record. I think I saw you go airborne when past me going down the slope!!!

Seth