STM 1800 Review

[jaguar36]

I posted my review of the STM 1800.  The short summary is I think its very well made, and very well thought out.  I really like how easy it is to load up plywood on it.  But there are a few spots where I think Festool dropped the ball a bit.  The biggest being the casters, they don't seem up to snuff for the price point here.  I've already had it fall over twice on me and I think it would be alot more stable with some beefier casters.  I was happy to see that its made in Germany and the finish and build quality is excellent. 

 

[DeformedTree]

So you basically have had the same experience I have had with mine.  Of course all of us are just getting started with them.

On the T-10s, I'm ok with them, I would have preferred to see them all around. Why the other screws are Pozi (they are not Philips), and those are torx, I don't get.

I haven't had a toothbrush (thats what I call them), fall off, but it does get a bit awkward because of the mix of quick pins and threaded joints. I think they did the threads on top so they get tight and you can adjust. But I really wish for the storage spots they had a quick pin and a hole in the toothbrush. It would also help figure out which way around they should go, brush up or brush down.

I like the idea of 4 locking casters.

I'm still trying to work out the flip move. I had thin material which wouldn't lay flat, so it wouldn't get "caught" on the flip up catches.  Also still trying to figure out how to gauge where to flip,  if you are to close, then you end up like you did dragging it. I tried it with the arms in, but then you basically drop the table, but with them out, then it's hard to access the casters to lock them.

Overall, it's handy.  I can see having 2, one to unload material onto, and move that around, and a second you slide material your cutting onto.

It definitely can be unstable, but that's just a fact of how it is when compact.  When it's down low, not so bad, but moving it around in the work height, folded would be bad. If I were to move it up down stairs, I would probably remove the tooth brushes just to save some weight.  It's definitely compromise of different things. 

 

[DavidCBaker]

Thanks for the review! I watched the whole thing. It helped me see how the assembly would shape up, too, by seeing better images of the finished product.

 

[sancho57]

Nice review. The tipping over when moving was addressed by Sedge in the festool episode on the STM.
Ive loaded mine up w some pretty good sized wood. With 4ea pine 2"x12"x 8'. I straight lines ripped them with no issues of tipping, I did clamp the wood down with fast clamps before ea cut. I also domino'd them with the 700 I put prolly 8 in each joint. I didnt glue and clamp them up on the STM. Mainly is I didnt want glue all over it.  Now that I glued the pieces you Ill have to sand them using the RO 150. Then cut to size and use the 850 with the undulating head to give me the rustic look I want. All those will be done on the STM.
I found it easy to assemble just take the end caps off and had no problem with the screwing the wood pieces to the arms. the holes were large enough where I could stick my finger in to support the screw to help screw them in place.

 

[jaguar36]

Spreading it open to prevent tipping is great if there is room, but I was going through a narrow doorway the first time it fell over on me.  Put a nice dent in the door frame too :-/

Festool gives a max load of 330lbs, and the casters are likely rated for 150lbs each, so it really shouldn't be an issue putting alot of wood on it.