Not quite an owner. Yet.

[Jesse Cloud]

Why don't you just put a 1/2 inch sacrificial board under your melamine and cut 1/4 inch into the mft?

 

[EvilNuff]

Hi Harper, I'm in a very, very similar boat to you.  I'm a hobbyist and my "shop" is a 2 car garage that everything has to roll out of the way to accommodate both cars (when my wife's in town).  So my question to you is, what other tools do you already have?  I opted for a TS55 first and while I love it, in hindsight it was a mistake to not get a table saw first.  Yes I can do most everything with the TS55 that I can with a table saw, but the table saw is just easier and faster for most of the things I am doing.  The TS55 is fantastic and flat out superior for cutting down sheet goods, however!

I'll also say that while the CT vacs are awesome, you can buy a shopvac off craigslist, add a hepa filter, and a thein baffle/dust deputy pre-separator all for under $100 and its enough...just not as nice as the CT.  I fully intend to get a CT just not quite yet...

 

[Harper_07]

Well I took the plunge yesterday. Bought the ts 55 ct26 and mft/3. So far i am very happy. Dust collection while not perfect is very very good.  Had re adjust the stops on the mft so the guid rail would sit in the grove correctly and be square to the fence.  Now I need to learn all the correct terms for all the parts confirm every thing is square and start having fun building stuff.

Only questions I have are about the ct 26. There was no documentation at all included with the ct26. Not even a warranty card. I assume that there should have been a litlle book like with the ts55 and mft/3. Also on the front of the ct26. There seems to be a cover plate or module missing. Just to the right of the electrical plug there is an empty spot where it looks like you can plug in some kind of computer or electrical module. I assume since the collector works it is just a cover plate I am missing.

 

[jonny round boy]

Well I took the plunge yesterday. Bought the ts 55 ct26 and mft/3. So far i am very happy. Dust collection while not perfect is very very good.  Had re adjust the stops on the mft so the guid rail would sit in the grove correctly and be square to the fence.  Now I need to learn all the correct terms for all the parts confirm every thing is square and start having fun building stuff.

Only questions I have are about the ct 26. There was no documentation at all included with the ct26. Not even a warranty card. I assume that there should have been a litlle book like with the ts55 and mft/3. Also on the front of the ct26. There seems to be a cover plate or module missing. Just to the right of the electrical plug there is an empty spot where it looks like you can plug in some kind of computer or electrical module. I assume since the collector works it is just a cover plate I am missing.

That receptacle to the right is a space into which you can plug in a second socket, though this option is not available in NA. The fact that the coverplate is missing is unusual and quite concerning. I can't understand how it could be sent out without the coverplate, but the fact there's no documents either would indicate that it isn't brand new. I'd contact the dealer you bought it from ASAP.

Be aware that the terminals inside this recess are live when the vac is plugged in!!! At least, they are on my UK-spec CT26. I think Festool messed up here, those terminals aren't even IP20. It would have been far better & safer if the terminals were the other way round, ie female part of the connection was on the vac & the male part on the module. I suppose Festool get around the safety implication because they can't be accessed without a tool. Which works fine, unless a dealer sends one out without a coverplate.... [eek]

 

[VictorL]

Instructions are usually located inside vacuum.
You need setup maximum suction for TS-55 saw.

 

[GPowers]

Well I took the plunge yesterday. Bought the ts 55 ct26 and mft/3. So far i am very happy. Dust collection while not perfect is very very good.  Had re adjust the stops on the mft so the guid rail would sit in the grove correctly and be square to the fence.  Now I need to learn all the correct terms for all the parts confirm every thing is square and start having fun building stuff.

Only questions I have are about the ct 26. There was no documentation at all included with the ct26. Not even a warranty card. I assume that there should have been a litlle book like with the ts55 and mft/3. Also on the front of the ct26. There seems to be a cover plate or module missing. Just to the right of the electrical plug there is an empty spot where it looks like you can plug in some kind of computer or electrical module. I assume since the collector works it is just a cover plate I am missing.

The 36mm hose will also improve dust collection with ts55.

 

[sancho57]

You will be happy with the CT 26 MFT and TS55 combo you bought.

Thats the combo I first got.

Thanks guys for the info about using the larger hose. I got both and use the larger hose for my kapex. I think I will swap them and give it a try.

Harper ,

I use a sacreficial board for most of my rip cuts on the MFT simular to what this guy does in the Kaos theorie

http://www.festool.de/Service/Externe-videos/Seiten/Guido-Henn-Schrankwand.aspx

You should have 2 MFTs or one MFT and another table to use as a out feed table or buy / make one. A roller stand will work to.

You will soon develope your own methodology building things with the system. It allows for a lot of creativity on getting things done.

A small table saw for cutting veneer makes cutting veneer a lot easier and quicker then using the FT system. But it can be done with the FT system.

Ive done it when my shop was full of cabinets for a job and couldnt get to my TS.

It just takes some patience and creativity  to get it done.

But now that you took the plunge to fesstool, You are on the slipery slope sliding toward bankruptcy, mortgaging your home etc to feed the beast  and smiling all the way.