Please help me move into Festool

[Mike Cutler]

Matt

I have the following Festool products; TS-75, OF2200, OF1400 and the associated guide rail adapters.

The "gateway" product from Festool is their track saw. I have the TS-75 only because I honestly do need the extra depth of cut. The TS-55 would have been perfect if I didn't live in a 100 year old house, and tend to start projects with 2" + thick boards. From the track saw most folks branch out and acquire the tools in their lineup that suit their individual need and type of wood working.

Next in my opinion is their routers. I've used a lot of different routers in my life and the Festool's, I have the OF2200 and 1400, are simply the smoothest, most ergonomically controllable routers I've used. The OF 2200 can literally be used with one hand.

The Domino isn't really a unique or special niche tool. Depending on what other tools and jigs someone has, or rather doesn't have, it could be a foundation tool for a small home shop. Loose tenon joinery has been around for multiple centuries and the Domino just facilitates an expedient method to effect it.

You may be selling their jigsaws short. Get a 2" thick billet of a tropical hardwood and put their jig saw to the test roughing out a neck and you might change your mind. I have a Milwuakee jigsaw and the Festool is by leaps and bounds a better tool. The Carvex will be my next Festool product.

The Planex is however a little unique. If you have a lot to sheet rocking to do, or redo, it would be very nice, if it works as advertised. I think though that you really mean a power planer though and not the Planex.

You're in a pretty good situation if you're "making do" with a Fein Vac. I have the Fein Turbo II and I see no reason to get a Festool vac myself.

Let your work dictate your needs and so far, from your posts, It seems as if you really just need a track saw, Festool or not, to do the initial breakdown of material and then final cut to size.

PS.

Get a sliding table saw someday Doc'. The best engineered insurance for your hands, is to never have the ability to get them near a blade.

[peter gagliardi]

I'd skip the Ceros sander, and get the Festool sander instead. I have used my Rotex daily in a medium production shop for the last 12 or so years. I just had my first repair! Brushes wore out.

[howard s hanger]

+1 on the slider. Love my Hammer. I never get close to the blade. I would also look at getting either a CSX or t15 drill. I have both and I use them all the time. I have collected quite a bit of Festool products over the last five years and only regretted a couple of purchases. I also lived in the City for a few years so I'm familiar with just how tight living space is there. Big iron is great if you have the room but almost everything can be done with Festool. However, unless you can find your lumber jointed and surfaced, having a J/P is essential for square stock. Accuracy is dependent on this so if have the room somewhere, this would be a priority IMO. I also have the Hammer A3-31 with the silent power head and it's really quiet. Hand planes are fun but trying to flatten a board with one can be very time consuming and tiring. One last thing. Have as much respect for your hand tools as your power versions. One slip and your practice is toast. I sliced my thumb wide open a few years ago with a chisel. A dentist with one working hand isn't much of a dentist so be careful! And get your DI insurance if you haven't already done so. It can be a lifesaver.

[Andy Pratt]

I only own one festool tool but I feel like they are the least expensive brand in the long run. I work my rotex 150 to the bone, I mean really heat it up, almost weekly. Every time I've done that with the dewalt router it is cooked. By this point, it would have been less expensive to buy the festool router. You pay 3x up front but it never wears out. In the meantime, you get to use a great tool that doesn't frustrate you. Given your specified considerations I would either stick with hand tools or go festool gradually as you can accumulate money for it. They have the niche as far as dust collection/portability so they are right up your alley.

They work fine with the fein vac (that's what I have) you just have to drill a few holes in the line if you're sanding so that you don't have too much suction.

[John Sanford]

On the cordless drill, go brushless, either Milwaukee M12 Fuel or Bosch 12v brushless. As previously suggested, get the combo kit with a drill/driver and IMPACT driver. The Festool cordless drills are nice, but the difference isn't enough to justify the cost differential.

Now, I don't really know what all goes into guitar building, but it seems to me that your tool intentions are focused a lot more on larger work than on smaller, whereas your given craft intentions are aimed at smaller work. If I were going to be doing a lot of small work, I'd take a serious look at adding a quality scrollsaw to the arsenal. The DeWalt scrollsaw or better.

[William C Rogers]

Festool makes a very good sander. I was able to use a 125 and a Ceros before I bought a sander. IMO Ceros has these advantages over the Festool, it is much lighter and one handed control, it has better dust control probably due to the Abranet paper and more holes, and seems quieter. What sold me was the weight and control of the Ceros vs the Festool. Hopefully you can try both sanders before you purchase and determine which sander is best for you.

Hope pe the earthquake today didn't affect you much.

[kent borcherding]

The Mafell saws and equipment is top of the line IMHO. www.mafell.com Sold in the US by Timber work tools. Well worth the extra $$$ . quality , workmanship . Long lasting , plain great tools. Your grand children will be able to use them , when they reach woodworking age - Mafell is that well made.

not trying to start a Festool - Mafell debate just offering my 2 cents worth or 1 1/2 cents after taxes.

Whatever you decide to buy enjoy it because woodworking is sure a great trade or hobby.

[Prashun Patel]

I am coming back to this thread because I am in the middle of a project using my Domino and am reminded of the genius of this device.

The Domino is accurate and the fence and depth and cutter settings make this very versatile.

However, what truly sets this tool apart from its peers is the variable width setting of the cutter. It is hard to appreciate how wonderful this is until you go to use it.
You can drill one side of the mortise to fit the tenon tightly, then - with a flip of a switch - cut the other side just a tad wider. This side-side 'slop' results in negligible loss of strength, but allows you to maneuver the joint perfectly before the glue sets. Thus, it eliminates the need to be absolutely perfect when laying out both sides of the joint and when lining up the domino to cut the slot. There are plenty of tools that will cut a joint accurately, but the genius of this tool is that it has sped up the layout process.

Many users report the same thing that I do: you can find ways to use this that you did not imagine beforehand. I use mine for breadboard ends and panel glue ups all the time.

I wonder if the other tools in Festool's catalog are as innovative vs. their peers as this joinery tool is.

[Marinus Loewensteijn]

I only own one festool tool but I feel like they are the least expensive brand in the long run......

Totally agree.

I always go by TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) and often find that buying an expensive item works out the cheapest on yearly basis. Most look only at purchase price and forget maintenance costs and life expectancy (replacement cost). Also remember that at one stage you may want to dispose of it because of non-use or upgrading and then quality tools will sell whereas cheap stuff you cannot give away.

[Peter Quinn]

It's hard for me to make many serious recommendations to you without knowing more about what you want to build and how. You build guitars, I play guitars. And work wood for a living. If I lost a finger it could cost me my livelihood, and equally upsetting to me would interfere with my guitar playing. So safety is critical to us all, and the nut that holds the tool to the wood must always be screwed on straight, that's where safety starts. I've seen guys get a 2 month vacation from improper use of a chisel!

I think your original tool list would allow you to build a great many things. Obviously luthiery had its own tool set, much of which may be small and portable. If you read about Benedettos tool set when he started building masterful archtops you realize it's the man not the tools.

My question is how much control over dimensioning solid stock must you have. Are you using prepared neck blanks or must you start with rough lumber? Acoustics or electrics? Do you need to be able to resaw book matched wedges for tops, or do you buy these prepared. Built ins....framed or frameless? If framed, how will you prepare the stock? Are there any community club based wood shop options in SF that will rent shop time? How are you with a computer and cad? You could use the thermwood program cabinet works which is free, design your casework, have the plywood Cnc milled by a regional network shop....you do the assembly, they machine the plywood....who really enjoys lugging plywood? Then you barely need a track saw.

On sanders....get the ceros. Makes the best festool sander feel like a brick. The rotex is great for taking 1/4" off a chair seat! The ceros is a finishing tool.

[Prashun Patel]

This thread is a year old. Great advice, just know OP probably made decisions already...

[Allan Speers]

I'd really like to know which tools are unique and excellent, and which ones are overpriced.

None of them are overpriced. - However, many of them primarily benefit contractors & production shops. Also as you mentioned, some have the benefit of working together as a system. What you really need to know, is which of them are outstanding in their own right, in a way that will benefit a hobbyist woodworker. That's a very different question.

If it weren't for that "limited budget" thing, I would recommend first getting a CT26 (or 36) because these are lovely shop vacs. Quiet, reasonably powerful, and very well made ergonomically. However, since you have to pinch pennies, you can get by just fine with a Ridgid shop vac and some extra ear plugs.

My most indispensible festool tool is the RO 90 DX sander. I use it on a daily basis. The dust collection is superb, and you can use it for hours without your hand getting numb.

I prefer the Eurekazone track system to the Festool, though Festool's TS75 is fabulous. I will probably eventually put a TS75 on my Eurekazone track ! - But you can't afford a deluxe track system, so I recommend getting something inexpensive, like the Grizzly.

I do think having SOME kind of tracksaw is a very good idea. You then can use a smaller table saw, which also means a smaller, less expensive fence. Of course, if you primarily build guitars, then a tracksaw is somewhat useless. I would expect you to be looking at planers and badsaws.

[Matthew Hills]

This thread is a year old. Great advice, just know OP probably made decisions already...

As they say--"no pics; didn't happen"

[Albert Lee]

Hi Matt
If you want to minimise the possibility of injuring yourself, and you want a tool that will last till the sun runs out of its fuel, the best way is to get a Omga pneumatic saw, ... but they are not cheap, a standard unit without pneumatic control is about 3500 USD. They are 100% handsfree though. you only use your hand when you place the timber on the saw.

here is a link for your info
https://www.omgainc.com/productfamil...ub_id=0&pid=11

Screen Shot 2015-06-30 at 10.03.03 am.jpg

If you are interested to see how the pneumatic saw works, search Omga AL129 on youtube. First video is my saw lol.

[Allan Speers]

The Mafell saws and equipment is top of the line IMHO. www.mafell.com Sold in the US by Timber work tools. Well worth the extra $$$ . quality , workmanship . Long lasting , plain great tools. Your grand children will be able to use them , when they reach woodworking age - Mafell is that well made.....

I agree, without having actually used a Mafell. The Mafell KSP85Ec is the dream saw for my EZ system. - But $1500 is a lotta' cake, and you still "only" get a 1400 watt motor. Plus, if you're in the USA it's not easy to find 9-1/16" blades.

Have you used one of these? I'm curious how tight the arbor is, and how accurate the entire saw is. I assume it's terrific, but being a CS, you never know.
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I wish Festool (or anyone) would come up with a high-precision, 10-1/2" circular saw that pulls 20a. This would of course be a dedicated track CS )or run off a portable generator) but it would really transform things for guys like me, who now use a tracksaw + bandsaw, to completely replace a tablesaw. Well, one can dream .....