Table saw North America

[Drich]

Is festool ever going to bring that new table saw to NA?  I'm in the process of moving and decided to sell my Grizzly 1023 cabinet saw as I did not use it a ton and it was a big heavy Saw that I did not want to move. I still want a table saw but something smaller like the TS 80. The mafell is nice but not for 4500$ and all the small job site ones seem like plastic toys. I'm I missing any other options out there? Is there a company that will ship one here to the states? Thanks

 

[squall_line]

TTS Tooltechnic Systems owns both Festool as well as SawStop.

After the CMS system was discontinued, I don't see TTS bothering with the Festool table saws in North America as long as they have their SawStop product line.

 

[rocky100370]

I imported my TKS80. Wouldn't have anything else. Yes expensive to do and requires 230v but well worth it.

 

[Drich]

How did you go about getting one here?

 

[Dane]

Why go to all the trouble of importing a TKS? Just get the sawstop portable and bolt the festool sliding table to it…if thats what you’re after.  That sawstop is pretty nice- hard to imagine the tks is that much superior.

 

[rocky100370]

Drich......I have a tool supplier in Germany.

Dane......Huge difference between the SawStop version and the TKS. Yes they both prevent cutting body parts off (which I didn't need) but the product and precision is unmatched IMO.

 

[Peter Kelly]

If the TKS is anything like a Precisio, it'd be 1,000x nicer than the portable Sawstop for not much more money. 

 

[Dane]

Hm- have you looked at the TKS and the Sawstop pro side by side?  They are the exact same machine- the only difference in the festool is the add ons- stand, sliding table, and the scale on the splitter…everything else is identical.  Same lift mechanism, same bevel micro adjustment.  I mean, I drink the kool aid as much as the next guy and even buy Mafell when it’s superior to the festool offering- but I’m not sure I’d pay 2k extra for the same machine.

 

[rocky100370]

Dane that's another thing that sold me on the TKS. The add ons. I was very close to getting the Mafell Erica but decided to stay with the green kool aid instead of adding red too the mix.

 

[Svar]

Hm- have you looked at the TKS and the Sawstop pro side by side?  They are the exact same machine- the only difference in the festool is the add ons- stand, sliding table, and the scale on the splitter…everything else is identical.  Same lift mechanism, same bevel micro adjustment.

Different table and overall size, different fence, different motor, cut capacity, arbour, variable speed, constant responce circutry... I'm not sure about exact same machine.

 

[Peter Kelly]

I'd imagine the TKS is made in-house at the factory in Wendlingen and the Sawstop portable is produced by a third-party (GeeTech) in Taiwan. Not suggesting this is a negative but GeeTech probably sources most of the saw's generic components from different sub-vendors than Festool.

 

[ChuckM]

I don't think the two saws are identical, since SawStop has always been a different entity. even after the acquisition.

All SawStops indeed are made in Taiwan. Quality-wise, the cabinet models (PCS & ICS) -- with some 12 years of regular use under the belt -- are second to one. I have had only some experience with the Contractor and Jobsite (old model), so I can't say how good they're.

 

[DeformedTree]

Hm- have you looked at the TKS and the Sawstop pro side by side?  They are the exact same machine- the only difference in the festool is the add ons- stand, sliding table, and the scale on the splitter…everything else is identical.  Same lift mechanism, same bevel micro adjustment.  I mean, I drink the kool aid as much as the next guy and even buy Mafell when it’s superior to the festool offering- but I’m not sure I’d pay 2k extra for the same machine.

Was this sarcasm?

Name 2 parts that share PNs that are not fasteners? 

The only thing the same is they have the saw stop system. And even then those bits are not the same. They are fundamentally different saws. I really don't know why anyone keeps bringing the Saw Stop North American products into discussions when someone is talking about buying a tks 80.  People look at the TKS 80 because they have no interest in the Saw Stop offerings.

TKS 80 and a CS 70, those 2 probably share parts, but there you are trading pull saw vs blade stop. But you can use the accessories interchangeably.

 

[EOT]

Hey guys,
I have a question for all of you using table saws. I’m in the market for a table saw and since I’m a big festool fan, I’ve been eyeing the TKS 80. Any one have experience with making jigs for the festool table saws(table sled and so on)?

From what I can see, it’s simpler with a regular table saw because they have runners.

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

Cheers from Spain,
Esteban

 

[Birdhunter]

Probably not too helpful, but I own the SawStop Industrial table saw. It’s big, heavy, and super precise. I have around a dozen table saw jigs I use a lot. I find the slot runners are the key to a really good table saw jig. I like the runners that can be adjusted for a snug fit. I also clean out the slots often as debris can mess up alignment. If I can make it work, I use dual slot runners. Having a slot runner on both sides of the jig virtually eliminates any play.

 

[ScotF]

I have an Erika and a big General 350. I am considering selling my General to free up space as the Erika is a perfect footprint. It is a great saw all around. It is expensive, but it eliminates the need to have lots of jigs and it replaces several saws...all in a compact package.

 

[rst]

I just sold my Powermatic 66 with Jet sliding table yesterday so I'm down to my Metabo 36/18.  The PM was a fantastic machine but with the slider took up 8' or 10 with the slider extensions.  I cut thousands of feet of plastic and wood over the years with that but since the advent of track saw tech have only used it for making drawer dividers for my daughters jewelry business.  I haven't tried the Metabo with a dado set or the 1/4 - 3/8 Freud groovers yet,

 

[Dane]

I wasn’t being sarcastic, but maybe a bit hyperbolic.  Clearly they aren’t exactly the same machine- but when I look at those saws and what the innovations are that make them different/better than your average portable saw I see: the sawstop mechanism, the quick blade lift and the blade angle micro adjust.  If you look at both saws, those components are identical and if you want to believe they are manufacturing those components in some separate factory to some higher standard in the festool, well I’m not going to be able to convince you otherwise. 

The question on the table was from someone who got rid of a cabinet saw because of size issues and was wondering if there was something domestically manufactured that was better than your average dewalt.  The sawstop portable pro model is that saw and shares more similarities where it counts (in my opinion) with the Festool than differences.  Yes, clearly they use European sized blades and probably a slightly differently sized sawstop mechanism for that.  But the motors are similarly powered, they are similar sized and sawstop is well known for making quality saws and having good warranty service. 

To me, importing a TKS and having to run it off a 220 outlet and have no warranty service on a 3000.00 machine with a company that has been having some motor issues lately seems like it might not be the best choice when there is a domestic option that is largely equivalent.  That sawstop model also has a very good fence.  Yes, your missing the slider and I would miss that.

If we were talking about the festool pull saw, I’d would have a different opinion- that is an innovative enough feature that it might be worth forgoing the warranty to import one.  But then, you can get the Erika if that’s what you really want.

Dunno- for a guy that’s been doing without a table saw and is looking for a smallish, high quality option to replace his General (which definitely didn’t have a slider) hard to see the logic in importing a TKS when the Sawstop is here.

 

[squall_line]

I really don't know why anyone keeps bringing the Saw Stop North American products into discussions when someone is talking about buying a tks 80.  People look at the TKS 80 because they have no interest in the Saw Stop offerings.

I was the one who brought up Saw Stop because the OP asked if the TKS 80 would ever be imported to North America.  I used Festool's stingy nature at bringing tools to North America coupled with their sibling company, Saw Stop, as a reason for the OP to not hold his/her breath in waiting for the TKS 80 to show up as a FUSA offering.

I never claimed they were directly comparable or any other such notion, but I also believe in setting expectations.  If someone is really interested in a tool that Festool will never offer on this side of the pond, better to know that early and allow them to move on to something else if that's their desire. 

If someone has that hard of a Jones-ing for a TKS 80 in the United States, they'll find a way to import one regardless of warranty implications, voltage implications, etc.  In fact, a few people have already done just that.

Speaking of which, I see someone listed an SSU on eBay today, in the US.  So it's not impossible for EU offerings to show up in the US, but it's not the kind of thing that happens on the regular, either.

 

[ChuckM]

To me, importing a TKS and having to run it off a 220 outlet and have no warranty service on a 3000.00 machine with a company that has been having some motor issues lately seems like it might not be the best choice when there is a domestic option that is largely equivalent. 

Running off something off a 220v outlet shouldn't be an issue (unless the panel can't support an additional circuit), but I agree that importing something worth three grand with no warranty backup is not a path I'd go down. But every woodworker is different in how they make their machine choices.