Qwas rail dog vs TSO tool dogs with clips

K

kitui

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
45
Hi, I am new to Festool and I am not a professional woodworker. I am a homeowner who decided to attach a project bigger than herself and have some fun with furniture building. I am trying to make my life easier and more "precise" when it comes to wood projects. I purchased a TS55 with a 55" rail and a CT Sys. I was about to be ready to start when I realized that I actually need tons of precise cross cut. So here my assumptions and what my dilemma is all about:
Assumption: I do not want a MFT table (way too much $$) but I would like to buy just the top. I have a beautiful workbench that fits my Festool Sys and has all the drawers for the screws etc. It has wheels. However it is 20"x60". So i need tpo figure out which top to buy. I might have to use cookies to rise it and be able to use the rest of the HW I will describe soon.
Dilemma:
Would it be better to use:
1)http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/qspack/p/QSPACK/ or
2)http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/61-402/p/61hhh402/ + 4 short bench dogs
I both situations I should not need the additional festool clamps ($$$) and I should be able to do my cross cuts accurately. But it is not clear to me how deep 1) and 2) can go underneath the bench hole top. I watched most of the youtube video about the two products but I could not find a comparison video
Is there anybody in the community who have tried to accomplish something similar?
I really cannot justify more money into this so I need to be careful to which combination of tools I will end up with.
thanks for helping, kitui

 
Hi and welcome to the group!

I would definitely recommend the TSO dogs plus clips.

If you are going to be doing a lot of precise crosscuts, be sure to set up some kind of stop block to use instead if measuring each piece.

Another alternative that I like better than the MFT top is the Paulk workbench top from Fastcap.com.  I think it may be out of your price range though.

You could use something like Rockler bench cookies to raise the top off your current workbench.  bench cookies

However, Rockler's are designed for a 3/4" hole.  The MFT and Paulk tops both use 20mm holes.  LeeValley.com may have something similar with 20mm posts.
 
You could buy the Parf Guide System and make your own custom tracksaw cutting station:  That's how I made mine.

Or you could use the Parf Guide System and follow Dave Stanton's plans to make the Stanton Bench.  He has a whole playlist showing how he made his:=PLlD-EUdC407_G2hcAr51JrTEEN5nFTVWF.  The Stanton Bench uses Rockler Bench Cookies to elevate his bench.  They just screw into some threaded inserts on the underside of the bench.
 
You can also just put your top on a pair of saw horses instead of rigging some thing for your existing workbench.  I keep an over size self made top that lives in my van for site work.  Another advantage to this is that it can be lower to work on and thus easier to reach across.  I actually have two MFTs that I cut the legs down so that they are the same height as all my tablesaws and router tables.
 
hello, thanks for your suggestions. As I mentioned, I reviewed most of the videos available before posting my note. Unfortuinately spending $200 for a jig (wonderful although) is not a possible option, adding also the time for drilling is one of my concern. I am not even sure my drill would be able to work that hard. In few words, it is not very economical, if we also consider that I will have to add also $100 for the benchdogs etc. So the price will be $300. It looks like buying a MFT table top is after all cheaper. With respect to the option of rail dog, thanks RobBob for the advise, I will purchase those (they were my first choice too). THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU!!!
 
kitui said:
hello, thanks for your suggestions. As I mentioned, I reviewed most of the videos available before posting my note. Unfortuinately spending $200 for a jig (wonderful although) is not a possible option, adding also the time for drilling is one of my concern. I am not even sure my drill would be able to work that hard. In few words, it is not very economical, if we also consider that I will have to add also $100 for the benchdogs etc. So the price will be $300. It looks like buying a MFT table top is after all cheaper. With respect to the option of rail dog, thanks RobBob for the advise, I will purchase those (they were my first choice too). THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU!!!
Click to expand...
No, I would get the TSO dogs and clips.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Yes, exactly what you said, I will buy the TSO. Sorry for the confusion RobBob.
 
Yes, but I think that the bench dog and the table has more use for what I do and the price comes to almost the same. Thanks
 
If your primary concerns are cutting and saving money, I might think about the Insta-RailSquare and building a decent stop system for your existing bench. 
 
one option to arrive at a 20mm hole pattern work top is to use the free download offered on TSO's websitehttps://tsoproducts.com/plans-drawings/
Email the downloaded CAD file to a nearby cabinetshop with CNC routing capability and get the finished top to of your choice for around $ 150.00 including the MDF. That's how the black surfaced top in our website was made by a Chicago customer of ours.

Hans
 
thanks to all of you. i ended up buying the PARF guide and i am currently experimenting before decide which material to use for the top. thanks again
 
[member=66911]kitui[/member]  - it seems that using 3/4 inch MDF or HDF are the materials of choice for 20mm pattern worktops. Relatively inexpensive material and with a Parf GUide SYstem you can inexpensively replace it as needed.

For breaking down sheet goods we keep a sheet of 3/4" rigid foam insulation cut into quarters for easy handling and storage. Some use this approach with the sheets on the floor. We have a couple of collapsible saw horses (LOWES Kobalt) in our shop which accepts 2/4's to provide support for a 4x8ft sheet of hardwood veneer plywood. This provides a large flat support. The insulation board panels placed on top of that.

When we don't need it, it all stores quickly while taking up minimal space.

Hans
 
smartins said:
How these can be downloaded? No download URL there...

TSO Products said:
one option to arrive at a 20mm hole pattern work top is to use the free download offered on TSO's websitehttps://tsoproducts.com/plans-drawings/
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

CAD files and 2D dimensioned drawings for different size workbench tops are available for free download on TSO's website under the "Plans & Drawings" category:https://tsoproducts.com/plans-drawings/

Let us know if that does not work for you.

Hans
info@tsoproducts.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O
Makita Rail Connectors vs Festool
Replies
1
Views
332
Coen
C
G
TS55/FS-WA or TSO GRS-16 vs. HKC55/FSK rail
Replies
12
Views
714
Cheese
Cheese
S
Advice for next tool purchase : DF 500 or TSO GRS-16 PE v2 and parallel guide
2 3
Replies
43
Views
9K
sebr023
S
S
CT Midi vs CT 36 vs CT 36 AC for a home gamer
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
leakyroof
leakyroof
O
Cross Cutting with the ATF55 Issues
Replies
10
Views
604
onocoffee
O
Back
Top