Using a TS55 on a CMS-TS 75

[CharlieWill]

Hi All,

I'm a newbie to the Festool too set and was hoping someone can help me.

I recently bought a CMS-GE table with a CMS-TS 75 insert with the sliding table attachment.

I have a MFT/3 (which I love), a Mini vacuum and a Rolex 150 sander. The table stuff was only £100, so I thought it was worth a punt to see if I could get it to work as a table saw, but if not its a portable table to use with the MFT/3.

My question is this; can I buy a TS55 saw and use it on this insert? I need to buy the riving knife to go with whatever saw I buy and the plastic protection thingy. I thought it would be an easy match up, but after reading a few threads in here, I'm worried that I might be creating a death trap for my fingers if I don't do it correctly. A guy locally is selling his TS55 for cheap money, which I could buy and just leave in the table.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[mino]

Best bet is you sell on the TS-75 insert ... it is likely to fetch more than the whole table with it cost you ... over here theee routinely go €200.

If you do not want to use it with a saw you already have, then it may be better to shop for the ATF-55 and the relating sliding insert for it.

There are separate inserts

non-sliding one for ATF-55
sliding one for ATF-55 (officially not compatible with the CMS, but the CMS can be adapted for it), I would vote for this one if can find, even for a CMS at the cost of adapting it. You effectively get the CS-50 functionality with the setup.
non-sliding one for the TS-55
non-sliding one for the TS-55R

Keep note that the inserts for the TS-55 and TS-55R are different(!)

Now, why I advise going ATF-55 ?

Almost all the improvements of the later model saws were for hand use on the rail. There is literally no advantage to a TS-55R over an ATF-55 when in a fixed use in the CMS/Basis setups. And the ATF saws can be got cheaper in general. Same hold for TS-55 being preferred to a TS-55R.

That said, the best approach is to get an appropriate insert first an THEN shop for a saw for it. The saws are easy to get. Inserts not so much.

 

[CharlieWill]

Many thanks for the reply Mino,

Any idea where would be best to try and find one of the inserts you've suggested, and also the best place to sell the TS75R insert?

I have a 18v Makita plunge saw at the moment which I love using with my MFT/3 and accessories . I think if I can sell the 75 insert, I'll also sell the Makita saw and just have one Festool saw with which I can use for both.

 

[mino]

I would start with ebay (and such) for the TS75 sale. You can also try putting it up over here under Classifieds.

But you really should add country/location to your profile. This is a worldwide forum, and any answer on buy/sell is geo/country specific.

 

[Cheese]

I think if I can sell the 75 insert, I'll also sell the Makita saw and just have one Festool saw with which I can use for both.

I'd think twice about selling the Makita and using one saw for both of these tasks. I know on the CMS router table insert, it's not a 30 second changeover, not a big deal for occasional usage, but to swap it out daily or weekly, that would not be fun. It didn't take me long to realize I needed to purchase another router.  [smile]

Here are some photos from the CMS-TS 55 R owners manual, there appear to be a lot of small things to tweek. Whatever gets added to the saw will probably also have to be removed from the saw.

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[CharlieWill]

Thanks Cheese,

Perhaps I will keep the Makita.

Quick update. I put the TS75-R on eBay basically asking if someone wanted to swop for a TR55-R. Within 10 minutes a lovely chap came on and said he wanted to swop, and had all of the bits I needed (riving knife, dust collection) that I needed and even had a TS55R he'd sell on.

So all in all a good day I get all the bits I need to chop safely and someone else gets the bits he is after.

Many thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[Coen]

All(*) the CMS parts, including the ones that were "discontinued" can still be bought brand new as spare parts.

(*) to my knowledge at this point

However, if not already owning CMS parts, don't jump in.