TS 55 & MFT 1080-Do you still use your crosscut sled?

[munchcolo]

I already own a good cabinet saw, and I've got the TS 55 EQ and MFT 1080 coming soon.  Before getting Festoolified (which began with the Domino), I was planning on building a nice crosscut sled for the table saw, and maybe upgrading the miter gauge to an Incra or another good model.  For those of you with all of these, do you still use your crosscut sled much, or do you do most of your crosscuts using the Festool saw?  Just curious.

BTW, I'm a home hobbiest.  Everything is done in the shop, not on a jobsite.

 

[fidelfs]

I have the TS 55 and MFT 1080 and a Delta Unisaw.

I am a hobbyist like you.  I still using the crosscut sled; why? for some reasons such as:

1. Cut parts with the same lengh (i.e. my own dominos  ;D )  You can do this whith the Festool tools but I think is faster with the crosscut sled.
2. Nible a mortise or finger joints.
3. Handle long pieces.  My unisaw has a 50 inches auxiliar table.

Don't get me wrong the MFT1080 and guide and stops are great but IMO I think the table saw and crosscut sled still has some use in my Hobby.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Ditto,
I love the TS55 and the MFT, but I'm sure not gonna sell my unisaw or toss the crosscut sled.  I was making corner braces for a dining table yesterday, needed to cut out the square around the legs and I wanted a tight fit.  Easy on the crosscut sled with a stop and the braces standing vertically against the fence.  Not sure how I would have done that with the MFT/TS and even the Festool jigsaw probably isn't precise enough for a good square and plumb cut...

Additionally, both the Unisaw and the MFT have large horizontal surfaces, just perfect for assembly.  So realistically, one of them is generally in use as an assembly table and the other does the sawing. : :

 

[Lou Miller]

Count me as someone that still uses the corss cut sled as well. I'm happy with both methods, but I do prefer the crosscut sled more. The MFT is better for wider cuts such as 24" panels for cabinet carcasses, IMO. Other things get cut on the sled though. The TS is just faster, at least for me it sure is.

 

[munchcolo]

Thanks to all, I'm going to go ahead and build a crosscut sled this weekend.

 

[Loren Hedahl]

Maybe things would go better if you would use your TS 55 & MFT 1080 to cut out the pieces for your new cross cut sled.

Just a thought!

Loren

 

[sroxberg]

Thanks for asking the question. I'm in the same situation, have all the parts for the cross-cut sled and then bought the 1080. I'm still going to make the cross cut, but design it for smaller parts and do the really wide stuff on the MFT. Mine will probably handle up to about 18 or 20 inches.

American Woodworker Magazine has an article this month, and there is a good thread about them on www.woodnet.net this week as well.