Router? Drill? Jigsaw? Dust Extractor?

[kdzito]

My 2 cents:

1. Router - 1010 or 1400; also depending on your existing bit selection.  If you are going to use 1/2" shank, then get the 1400.

2. CT22 Vac

Don't get to caught up in the other tools.  Buy an economical cordless drill on Ebay.  The Festool drills are great; however, I can't justify the extra cost yet.  As for the jigsaw, get a Bosch.

In summary, get the Router!!!!

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I'll get in line behind the poster who said get the router and start saving for a dust extractor.  If you are doing serious router joinery such as mortises and dovetails, the router will generate enough waste to bring that old wheezing shop vac to its knees some day soon.

If you need to cut curves freehand (e.g., making templates), then you might have to go for the jig saw. 

I have the drill.  Its nice, but not as much value added as I get from the router (I have the OF1400 and the 1010, use the 1400 most of the time) or the vac.

A proposition for down the road:  Consider reclaiming the space that table saw takes up and getting a Festool plunge saw and an MFT.  I have both a Unisaw and the Festool saw, but use the Festool 95% of the time.

The good news... its hard to go wrong buying a Festool, whichever one you go with.

 

[johnsonri]

Not to sound rude but really if I wanted other brands I would of asked elsewhere about other brands.....

I love it. Stick with the Festool stuff...you just can't go wrong.

My two cents...
1. Go with the OF1400 router first. It offers the most all-around versatility for you.

I think that you will get two types of answers from the people in this forum. The answers from the professionals tend be about specific jobs. As in, get the tool that is needed for the job. For example, if your next job needs a lot of router cuts, then get a router first.

The answers from the enthusiasts/hobbiest, like me, will be about providing your shop with general capability. For example, the hobbiest may not know if the next project will require router cuts, or jigsaw cuts. 

In my workshop, I use the router more than the jigsaw.

Btw, I have a Delta bandsaw that works out pretty well for me. It needed to be aligned to fix drifting and the tires are bad on some of them. What was the issue with your Delta bandsaw?

Rey

 

[jvsteenb]

In my workshop, I use the router more than the jigsaw.

I agree most definitely. And a jigsaw would be a rather strange tool to cut penblanks as well.....

There is ONE but:  A jigsaw without dustcollection is still, well, a jigsaw.

One of the beautiful Festool routers without dustcollection is, well, just a router.

Point being: you loose much of the benefits of the Festool routers if you use them without proper dustcollection - or at least in my book you do. Dustcollection is at the very heart of the Festool design rationale, so whatever you choose: take that in mind.

Where you situated in Europe, I'd vote for the OF1010, for 8mm bits are standard over here. In the USA, that would probably restrict you to the use of 1/4" bits, so the balance tips over to the OF1400.

You'll probably LOVE the drill, but in a DIY setting, the price might be a bit prohibitive.

The sanders come to mind,  but it's a lot easier to hand-sand ( or hand-saw for that matter ) then it is to hand-route...... so you might want to post-pone that purchase.

Anyhow: the best of luck with your decision. And welcome to the slippery slope  [cool]

Regards,

Job

 

[johnsonri]

[off topic]

Continued (I don't know why, but my browser makes it difficult to post long threads, it keeps scrolling to the top and I can't see what I'm typing at the bottom. It only happens on FOG though)....

I have this issue too...and figured it was something with my laptop. I am using Internet Explorer 7. My computer with INternet Explorer 6 doesn't have the issue. I will post in the Forum Technical section about this.

Rey

update: new post in tech section

 

[jvsteenb]

I can tell you that IE8 exhibits this exact same problem.
It's rather annoying, and forces me to use an external editor  for anything longer than a couple of sentences.
Since I do tend to be a bit longwinded  [blink] I frequently run in to it.

Regards,

Job