want go into the festool but found its not as easy as i thought

[Gerald Yang]

i want to sale all my dewalt tools and table to go into the festool, and my budget was 2000+1000,(1000 is from selling my dewalt). And I was looking at the pro finish pack include the tsc55, jigsaw, T18+TID18. and its 1950 plus 13% tax here in canada.
But I did found out that I need more than that to get even start working. cuz I need 1100 CAD for a MFT to get rails and table to use the saw and also 700 for vac.

 

[DeformedTree]

You didn't explain what you were replacing.

You don't need an mft/3.  It's a nice table, but not required for anything.  People use sawhorses for cutting tables just fine.

For a vac, yes, a vacuum is nice and big part of using Festool stuff.  You could use anything though, if you have a shop vac, you can plug tools into the wall, turn the vacuum on and go. Also you can just use the bag your saw will have.

You mention a jigsaw.  I'd say don't bother.  Use the money for a CT vac.  I don't see a festool jigsaw as something that will get you a great value over any other jigsaw.  You can always look for a used one, or one on the festool recon site to save a few bucks. 

No tool requires the vacuum, but it's a very nice item to start with.  Get a Tracksaw, get a CT vac, start from there.

 

[DynaGlide]

I started with the TS55 and CT26. Then later the MFT/3. Then all the other stuff as needed/wanted. You can do a lot with a cutting table, a track saw, and a CT vac.

Personal opinion, skip the MFT/3 full setup, get the MFT/3 basic and Dashboard PWS guide rail brackets and a 1080 rail. Fence of your choice. You'll be happy you did.

 

[FestitaMakool]

I agree with DeformedTree here.
I have the impression that you are a diy’er. So many including pro’s do not have “all Festool”
Why not keep the DeWalt’s you like most, and sell the tools you want new?

A Festool vac is a very good choice.
The TID18 is no necessity, if you have a good impact.
The TS saw is one of FT best tools.
The Carvex can be very good in the right hands, and if you need something “better”. As I recall, the DW’s have been good too. And a jig saw is usually idle most of the time, unless specific way of working.
And so on.

When I bought my first Festool’s, I steered away from “kits” that had things I didn’t need or wanted badly. I even picked the charger and battery I wanted, at a minimal higher price, but I got “better” batteries that suited me as ie; Bluetooth enabled, SCA 8 charger, accessory kits.
My dealer had better deal on the basic kit HKC 55 with FSA rail, than with batteries included.
Many of my accessories are bought pre-owned and all are lightly used and as good as new.
I bought my MFT new, as these are hard to “pry off someone’s hands” - at least in near new condition, but it doubles as a multi-do-anything table, and it collapses so it can always be a second and additional table if one has one built and bolted to the floor.
Again, see before you how you are going to use the tools, with a rear view mirror to your old tools and projects.

 

[DeformedTree]

Agree, I bought a full MFT,  scrapped those bits fast.  Just get the basic unit, then get some bench dogs, and various add ons for the rails as needed.

 

[rmhinden]

Same for me, I added Festool one by one as I needed/wanted them.   

The order was CT22, Kapex, TS55, RO90, DF700, CXS, TS75, OF1010, and ETS EC 125 over about five years    Plus some tracks of different sizes.

I still use the workbench I built much earlier, no MFT.

Bob

 

[AlexThePalex]

i want to sale all my dewalt tools and table to go into the festool, and my budget was 2000+1000,(1000 is from selling my dewalt).

Sounds like you have a first world problem here.

You have a budget of $3000 and it's difficult?

When I bought my first Festool, the RO150 I had to sell a kidney because I really needed that sander.

Now 12 years later I have more Festools than toes and fingers, and I bought my kidney back.

 

[ChuckS]

Snip.
... I had to sell a kidney ....

Smart choice...a woodworker without an arm and a leg would be really struggling! ;D [big grin]

 

[jeh]

But I did found out that I need more than that to get even start working. cuz I need 1100 CAD for a MFT to get rails and table

Build a 2x4 table just under the size of a 4x8 plywood sheet. I make it about 4" smaller all the way around. My sawhorses have notches to receive 2x4's and I build it so that it falls into both of these making for a rock solid table. Thrown a 3/4" plywood sheet on top and you have a great cutting/work area. I do not mount the plywood to the 2x4 frame so that I can take it apart and stow it.

Do not sell your table saw as you will regret it when you realize how much easier you can make repeated cuts or narrow cuts without a bunch of futzing. I know there are parallel guides and other gizmos, but a table saw blows a track saw away at set up time once a sheet is broken down. That said the track saw is an excellent tool that can do things a table saw cannot.

I'd consider keeping the Dewalt tools that are not redundant. It is always good to have a drill that you do not particularly care about taking care of and same goes for something like a jigsaw. There are times you do not need or want a $400 drill or jigsaw or in case someone wants to borrow. The vacuum is nice, but you workaround that with another brand and an adapter.

 

[Packard]

I got into Festool late.  I already had a 48" contractors' saw with an outfeed table, a radial arm saw and three 30" x 48" work tables (on casters; one is functioning as the table saw outfeed table.).

I also have a welding table. 

I've done a lot of juggling of space and I am making the Festool work, but it is difficult in the winter.  In the warm weather, I can use the track saw to cut down plywood to finish sizes on my driveway, thus saving my back and in my opinion, using a safer way to handle plywood.

If I were starting out fresh, I might skip the table saw and radial arm saw, but I cannot find it in me to sell them.  I will get nearly nothing for the radial arm saw and I doubt I would get $150.00 for the table saw. 

I also have central dust collection.  And that works well with the Festool saw.

 

[Gerald Yang]

But I did found out that I need more than that to get even start working. cuz I need 1100 CAD for a MFT to get rails and table

Build a 2x4 table just under the size of a 4x8 plywood sheet. I make it about 4" smaller all the way around. My sawhorses have notches to receive 2x4's and I build it so that it falls into both of these making for a rock solid table. Thrown a 3/4" plywood sheet on top and you have a great cutting/work area. I do not mount the plywood to the 2x4 frame so that I can take it apart and stow it.

Do not sell your table saw as you will regret it when you realize how much easier you can make repeated cuts or narrow cuts without a bunch of futzing. I know there are parallel guides and other gizmos, but a table saw blows a track saw away at set up time once a sheet is broken down. That said the track saw is an excellent tool that can do things a table saw cannot.

I'd consider keeping the Dewalt tools that are not redundant. It is always good to have a drill that you do not particularly care about taking care of and same goes for something like a jigsaw. There are times you do not need or want a $400 drill or jigsaw or in case someone wants to borrow. The vacuum is nice, but you workaround that with another brand and an adapter.

oh shit I just wanna say I am super regret about selling my table saw. I sold it the day after I post it on Kijiji and started regreting the same night already.

But its too late , so I am not buying another table saw for now, I Knew I fked up already. LOL

 

[semenza]

Add the MFT down the road. Just use one of the many other options for cutting surface and workbench for now. MFT is great but if it is breaking the budget it is not that hard to make do without it for a while.

Seth

 

[FestitaMakool]

A tip, a MFT Kapex might show up pre-owned.
It is smaller, but has all the features and makes a great movable assembly and cutting table for sheet gods broken down a bit. Also as a general clamping table. This table is lower then the standard MFT however, but add a cart to bring it up to 900mm and you can wheel it around too.
I use mine to a high varieties of tasks, it’s great. And it might come in at a very good price.

 

[Cheese]

I started with an ETS 125 and a CT 22 over 14 years ago. I just add a piece at a time and I still don't own or feel the need to purchase an MFT.

As others have said, unless you use a jig saw constantly, I'd put that one on the back burner. Take a close look at your Dewalt tools as I'm sure there are some you enjoy using while there are probably others that you can't runaway from fast enough. Put those down the road and fill in with Festool or others instead. It all just takes time because $$$$ don't grow on trees.

[attachimg=1]

 

[DeformedTree]

I would guess the vast majority of people with festool stuff came in via 1 of 2 points of entry, either a track saw and a CT (saw path), or a sander and a CT (sander path).  Then built from there.

Start with a CT, build from there.  Even as you find yourself buying a festool version of a tool you may own, you will still probably have your old tools, great back ups, loaners to others, etc. A lot of them just are not worth selling as what you get is next to nothing verses having it on hand if needed.

Some tools come up on the recon site regularly, just wait for one to come up.

I really like the MFT, I could probably find myself filling a room with them as you can always used more table. In the end it's a nice working height table, folds up, expensive, and bulking even when stored though.  If you don't need/want something that can be moved/stored away, it might not be of much use.  But if you build a work zone where you are working, they are nice to have. But like all tables, they get covered in junk fast, then you want another.

 

[mino]

Starting on "green field" again as a hobbyist, here would be my shopping list.

Dust extraction:
0) CT Midi HEPA extractor + CT-F Bluetooth Remote  $ 870 + $70
/you will love the remove, get it on day one and will not regret/
/If you cannot afford now, get the CT15 extractor for $450 it is the same kit just without advanced features/

Saw solution: ($1200 total)
1) TSC 55 REBQ Basic (part 201394) $650
/you do want to get the REBQ version with a riving knife while available as the newer version is more geared for track-only professional use/
2) T18 Easy drill set (part 576754) $390
/this will give you a charger + 2 batteries for your saw and a nice drill "for free"/
3) holy 1400 rail (part 496939) $200
/do not buy non-holy rails to start ,they are a bit cheaper but not worth the saving for a hobby user as you will end up buying it later anyway, you can also use LR32 system to make your own "MTF" on the cheap/

"MFT makers kit" ($900 total):
4) OF 1010  $700
5) LR32 router plate (part 494340) $200

Sanding:
6) ETS 125 REQ-Plus $300

Total: $2400 CAD (+ dust extractor)

Upgrades:
a)
- 2nd holy 1400 rail (part 496939) $200
/allows full rips and high cabinets to be made with LR32 system/
- LR32 positioning indexes (part 496938) $50
- Makita rail connectors set $30
/compatible, better and cheaper than Festool ones/

b)
AH-ES sanding guide for ETS 125 $130

d) TPC set version (with angle chuck + corner chuck + 2 batteries + charger) - TBC, around $800+
/this will be available in a couple months and is a golden product for a hobbyist as handles many many roles in one tool/

c) ETS EC 150/5 (part 576339) $800
/you can start with this one too, but a finish sander like ETS 125 is more practical for a hobby user - you can get by for sheet goods with it just fine and the edge guide will be gold/

 

[DeformedTree]

to greenfield is hard since until you use stuff and do things, it's hard to know if they are what you would want.  Thus most of us know what we would do later, but can't know if from the start, and it will be different for others.

I think for some folks, it would be easier to say, go with all battery powered tools.  Now with the blue tooth, and more tools with batteries, it works out. But for those who started earlier, it wasn't an option.

 

[mino]

to greenfield is hard since until you use stuff and do things, it's hard to know if they are what you would want.  Thus most of us know what we would do later, but can't know if from the start, and it will be different for others.

I think for some folks, it would be easier to say, go with all battery powered tools.  Now with the blue tooth, and more tools with batteries, it works out. But for those who started earlier, it wasn't an option.

Agreed.

I commented exactly because was in this position last year when bought all my Festool kit plus some other. And now know what mistakes I made. No proper sander, pointless Carvex, pointless Hammer Drill, only one holy rail, pointless SCA8 chargers which are noisy and not that faster, too many batteries for a hobby user etc. I got the Carvex and BHC almost for free due to the "free battery" deal. But still. It was €600 that could have gone into more useful tools. I regret like not getting 3.1Ah Vecturo set instead of these.

It is really a completely different decision looking to "establish a working capabilities base" and "what vendor/type tool should I buy" when I already have the basic drill-router-saw-sander-dust-extractor capability in place.

 

[ChuckS]

Snip.
I commented exactly because was in this position last year when bought all my Festool kit plus some other. And now know what mistakes I made. No proper sander, pointless Carvex, pointless Hammer Drill, only one holy rail, pointless SCA8 chargers which are noisy and not that faster, too many batteries for a hobby user etc.

Good buying insights shared by you.

It reminds me of some people buying a whole "set" of premium chisels, and later regretting about half of them not getting used much at all. False economy in the set price, they concluded.

 

[Gerald Yang]

Starting on "green field" again as a hobbyist, here would be my shopping list.

Dust extraction:
0) CT Midi HEPA extractor + CT-F Bluetooth Remote  $ 870 + $70
/you will love the remove, get it on day one and will not regret/
/If you cannot afford now, get the CT15 extractor for $450 it is the same kit just without advanced features/

Saw solution: ($1200 total)
1) TSC 55 REBQ Basic (part 201394) $650
/you do want to get the REBQ version with a riving knife while available as the newer version is more geared for track-only professional use/
2) T18 Easy drill set (part 576754) $390
/this will give you a charger + 2 batteries for your saw and a nice drill "for free"/
3) holy 1400 rail (part 496939) $200
/do not buy non-holy rails to start ,they are a bit cheaper but not worth the saving for a hobby user as you will end up buying it later anyway, you can also use LR32 system to make your own "MTF" on the cheap/

"MFT makers kit" ($900 total):
4) OF 1010  $700
5) LR32 router plate (part 494340) $200

Sanding:
6) ETS 125 REQ-Plus $300

Total: $2400 CAD (+ dust extractor)

Upgrades:
a)
- 2nd holy 1400 rail (part 496939) $200
/allows full rips and high cabinets to be made with LR32 system/
- LR32 positioning indexes (part 496938) $50
- Makita rail connectors set $30
/compatible, better and cheaper than Festool ones/

b)
AH-ES sanding guide for ETS 125 $130

d) TPC set version (with angle chuck + corner chuck + 2 batteries + charger) - TBC, around $800+
/this will be available in a couple months and is a golden product for a hobbyist as handles many many roles in one tool/

c) ETS EC 150/5 (part 576339) $800
/you can start with this one too, but a finish sander like ETS 125 is more practical for a hobby user - you can get by for sheet goods with it just fine and the edge guide will be gold/

this is EXTREME helpful, plus it's in CAD, thank you so much for this information.

I do have some more ideas and questions not sure if it makes any sense:

1.Can I get the OSC(OSCILLATING TOOL) for sanding? I never owned any pure sander before, and I love how versatile my Dewalt 20v oscillating tool is. I use it for sanding and flush cut and many other uses. Actually, I sanded a lot with the oscillating tool , even sanded half of my deck......and made many cuts with it. plus it's cordless. But I am not sure how this "sander" holds up in the future with more advanced things.

2.I have to admit the jigsaw was my most useless tool, not sure if there any difference with Festool. And this is the big concern stop me from buying the pro finish pack. Was originally thought about may be useful to make the deep cut with it but I don't think I really NEED it in the beginning.

3.For the Makita connector set, is it the Makita 198885-7?

4.The T18E with batteries is really a steal, fixed chuck is kinda sucks but I already got CXS so at least I got something to use centrotec stuff. But my real question is what is this "TPC" percussion drill? Sorry English is not my native so I may not really fully get the point, is it just like a hammer drill like PDC? or more like a different version of impact-hammer high-tech drill? It really looks like just a PDC in a T18 case. BTW I love how the Milwaukee M18 Surge feels compare to normal impact, it's like from the future.

5.The MFT DIY is a great idea because I was so worried about that unstable table, but the build-in rail is looking kinda essential.