FESTOOL circular saws

[Jim Becker]

But look at the highlighted portions above for some considerations.

Personal Response:

That's out of the context I wrote it, Burt. I was talking about construction applications use vs the intended market for the Festool saw.
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Moderator note:

All posters are reminded of our rules and Terms of Service. Be respectful. And that means everyone. Any deviation from that could result in edits, deleted posts or bouncing of an entire thread. We should all be above any behavior that would cause any one of those things to happen. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

Jim
SMC Moderator

[Peter Pedisich]

Scott,

I have both systems.

I bought the Festool ATF55 first, and I use it with a CT22 vac and MFT1080. It cut my usage of the table saw by about 30% within a week of getting it. The dust collection is 90-95% when you are not trimming an edge. I always hook it up to the vac, as it is integral to the design, and have been very satisfied with my purchase.

But I was always curious about the EZ Smart products, in part due to the SRK for routing dados. I got the SRK first to work with my DeWalt router and was very satisfied. Now I own the SGS-64 and the Cabinetmaker.
I have not had a chance to use the Cabinetmaker yet, but have used the SGS-64 with a Bosch 1658 circular saw with a $15 Freud Diablo blade and made some dust collection mods to get about 70-80% of the dust. I recently picked up a PC324mag as people say the dust collection efficiency with a small mod is about as good as my ATF55.

The following are just my personal observations, from using both:

The cut quality is an absolute tie, no small accomplishment for an older Bosch that was $99 and with a $15 blade.

The Festool ATF55 has better dust collection, as compared to the Bosch, yet some other saws such as the Hilti 267 and PC325 may come close or equal to the Festool. But, also keep in mind the TS55 may have better dust collection than mine.

The Festool rails are flexible and will lay flat on a warped peice of ply, which has been very helpful twice so far. I did have a problem with a 'bump' when I joined 2 Festool rails, and Bob M gave me some tips and it has been perfect since.

The EZ rails are very substantial and strong, great value considering how the price of Aluminum has climbed over the last two years. I like the EZ smart clamps better than the Festool clamps.

Ask yourself the following questions:
How much can I / do I want to spend?
What saw do I like best?
EZ is made in USA, Festool in Germany (both first-rate build quality), does this matter to you?

Stay objective, keep an open mind, and you can't go wrong.

Bob M. has always, and promptly, and without a sales pitch, answered all of my Festool questions. He has also stepped in with other issues to be helpful.

Dino has been generous with both his time, experience, and products any time I needed. He has been very welcoming to me as a Festool user on the Eurekazone forum here at SMC. He is passionate about safety, and I absolutely respect him for that. His constant search for something better and safer, even if it means less profit for his company, puts Dino in very rare company in this world. And if I want to complain about the race to the bottom at the wheel of the greed machine in the tool industry (EZ and Festool excepted), then I feel I must point out and support those like Dino who take the high road.

My advice: Get both!

Pete

[Mark Carlson]

Scott,

I have the older Festool saw (ATF55). I bought it for the dust collection but now really like plunge action. I think its safer. While making a long cut its easy to stop cutting and repostion yourself and continue. The saw is also designed around dust collection and must be used with an attached vaccum. If you use the vac you wont have any problems with dust clogging. I dont agree with statements to the contrary. Good luck with whichever you pick.

~mark

[Rafael Carias]

But look at the highlighted portions above for some considerations.

I'm not sure what you are getting at Burt. For he life of me i don't see anybody doing free hand rough 2x4 cuts with the festool saw, if any thing i advice against doing such.

[Chris McDowell]

Scott I use my festool saw nearly every day. It is great at cutting up solid surface sheets, which is one of the reasons I got it. I also use it for the occasional cut that is easier to use the guide rail than the table saw on. I love the saw and the plunge action and the dust collection is great.
I would suggest getting your hands of whatever you are interested in buying before you lay down the bucks. Everyone has a different preference for how a tool feels in their hands. Best of luck whatever you decide.

Chris

[John Hain]

Burt Waddell, please excuse my bluntness, but why do you do a *Paid Political Announcement* every time something like this comes up. I'm sorry, but this is just really starting to feel old and, if anything, you're doing more harm to EZ than you guys may think. I for one really start to question why it's necessary to take shots at Festool every time you can. Is that the only way you can sell EZ. Your twisting of Jim Becker's post was way out out of bounds. Jim is a respected, knowledgable, impartial, and important contributor to this forum, but you managed to twist his helpful post. I'm sure others feel the same way. Please give it a rest. I'm not trying to start WW III, please don't respond.

You beat me to the punch. Although no one is impartial, Jim included.

Why tell us that the saw isn't as good when caked-on sawdust is affecting the blade? Wouldn't a 5th grader know to clean the saw?

I like the debate, but not if disclaimers about user incompetence forwards the discussion.

[Burt Waddell]

I'm not sure what you are getting at Burt. For he life of me i don't see anybody doing free hand rough 2x4 cuts with the festool saw, if any thing i advice against doing such.

Rafael,

I was just poking a little fun back at Jim. I thought that it was funny how he listed some very good reasons why not to use a festool saw for construction work and then said something to the effect that I see no reason why you can't use it for that.

Unfortunately, others didn't receive it as I meant it.

Burt

[frank shic]

is it possible to get completely CHIP-FREE cuts on BOTH SIDES of melamine using a PC mag saw and the eurekazone? i've been struggling with this problem for the last several months and i am on the verge of throwing in the towel and suquently ponying up for the festool saw since i noticed john lucas managed to achieve this goal with it. does anyone use the festool atf in conjunction with the eurekazone?

[Scott Felicetti]

Scott,

I have both systems.

I bought the Festool ATF55 first, and I use it with a CT22 vac and MFT1080. It cut my usage of the table saw by about 30% within a week of getting it. The dust collection is 90-95% when you are not trimming an edge. I always hook it up to the vac, as it is integral to the design, and have been very satisfied with my purchase.

But I was always curious about the EZ Smart products, in part due to the SRK for routing dados. I got the SRK first to work with my DeWalt router and was very satisfied. Now I own the SGS-64 and the Cabinetmaker.
I have not had a chance to use the Cabinetmaker yet, but have used the SGS-64 with a Bosch 1658 circular saw with a $15 Freud Diablo blade and made some dust collection mods to get about 70-80% of the dust. I recently picked up a PC324mag as people say the dust collection efficiency with a small mod is about as good as my ATF55.

The following are just my personal observations, from using both:

The cut quality is an absolute tie, no small accomplishment for an older Bosch that was $99 and with a $15 blade.

The Festool ATF55 has better dust collection, as compared to the Bosch, yet some other saws such as the Hilti 267 and PC325 may come close or equal to the Festool. But, also keep in mind the TS55 may have better dust collection than mine.

The Festool rails are flexible and will lay flat on a warped peice of ply, which has been very helpful twice so far. I did have a problem with a 'bump' when I joined 2 Festool rails, and Bob M gave me some tips and it has been perfect since.

The EZ rails are very substantial and strong, great value considering how the price of Aluminum has climbed over the last two years. I like the EZ smart clamps better than the Festool clamps.

Ask yourself the following questions:
How much can I / do I want to spend?
What saw do I like best?
EZ is made in USA, Festool in Germany (both first-rate build quality), does this matter to you?

Stay objective, keep an open mind, and you can't go wrong.

Bob M. has always, and promptly, and without a sales pitch, answered all of my Festool questions. He has also stepped in with other issues to be helpful.

Dino has been generous with both his time, experience, and products any time I needed. He has been very welcoming to me as a Festool user on the Eurekazone forum here at SMC. He is passionate about safety, and I absolutely respect him for that. His constant search for something better and safer, even if it means less profit for his company, puts Dino in very rare company in this world. And if I want to complain about the race to the bottom at the wheel of the greed machine in the tool industry (EZ and Festool excepted), then I feel I must point out and support those like Dino who take the high road.

My advice: Get both!

Pete

Pete,
Thank you for a thoughtful reply. I see my question raised some feathers. As a newbie, I guess I hit a trip wire. Let me just add this, it is great to see people enthusiastic about their brand. It is a credit to both EZ and Festool to see talented woodworkers get a little crazy over which is better.
Call me ethnocentric or a four letter word, but I always try to purchase products Made in America. Politics aside, I can no longer tell who I'm helping by buying an American made product. Lines are being blurred more and more each day in Corporate American, the "Global" economy and the New World Order. German made is okay with me. I avoid China made when possible.

I don't have the woodworking skills that most board members probably had by 18. From my point of view, the Festool saw appears more user friendly to a less experienced woodworker. You don't have any reaching for that rear blade guard lever thingy with the Festool plunger type saw. I'm sure I'd be happy with both systems, but the Festool saw just seems right for me. Perhaps Dino could design his own proprietary saw to be used with the EZ system. Perhaps a similar plunger type action, with built in by design dust collection. I don't know the sales level on EZ gear, but you would think a major manufacturer of saws would be willing to build one to spec to work specifically with the EZ system. Thanks again for the input.
Scott

[Pat Germain]

Festool saw must be good because Tom Silva uses one, right?

I've looked at Festool saws at my local Woodcraft. They appear to be very well engineered. Since I've never actually used one, that's the extent of my opinion.

[John Russell]

I have never used the EZ system. I bought the Festool saw and rail system and then the vac. I use it primarily for cutting sheet goods, but I am now finding other uses for it.

The dust collection is a large asset to me.

I have never had any problems with the plunge mechanism and holding it for long cuts. Sometimes I have had to stop a cut on a long piece, but then it is easy to resume with no effects on the cut. My wife does the same thing. It is often easier for her to make part of a cut, then reposition and resume the cut. No problems.

The rail system cuts are comparable to what I get on the table saw and I now use it to cut sheet goods rather than the table saw.

I am new at this, but the Festool saw and rail system works for me.

[Michael Schwartz]

Burt Waddell, please excuse my bluntness, but why do you do a *Paid Political Announcement* every time something like this comes up. I'm sorry, but this is just really starting to feel old and, if anything, you're doing more harm to EZ than you guys may think. I for one really start to question why it's necessary to take shots at Festool every time you can. Is that the only way you can sell EZ. Your twisting of Jim Becker's post was way out out of bounds. Jim is a respected, knowledgable, impartial, and important contributor to this forum, but you managed to twist his helpful post. I'm sure others feel the same way. Please give it a rest. I'm not trying to start WW III, please don't respond.

Where is your proof Burt is paid, or is this just an assumption. Prove that there aren't professional posters working for Fesstool before you go ripping on Burt.

There is nothing wrong with pointing out flaws to the Fesstool System, as this is a discussion on the Fesstool Saw. At least burt posted within the context of the discussion rather than just another post accusing anybody who posts anything favorable about the a product they don't like of getting paid.

I feel the discussion on a Fesstool saw includes the Pros, and Cons of the system as well as the alternatives.

Its sad that everytime somebody posts anything negitive about fesstool that the threads have to go to this.

Why is it ok in a thread about Delta Tablesaws to post all you want about how Delta saws stink, and why Steel City is better?

It is discussion.

Period.

If you are disgruntled about a thread in another forum keep it there.

[Tom Cowie]

Proud owner of the TS75 and rails and a few other Festool products.

For what I need them to do they excell in every way. For those who don't like it or don't agree stay out of my shop and I'll stay out of yours'.

If you like your Ez so much then you souldn't need to bash others . Even in Fun

Tom

[Michael Schwartz]

Proud owner of the TS75 and rails and a few other Festool products.

For what I need them to do they excell in every way. For those who don't like it or don't agree stay out of my shop and I'll stay out of yours'.

If you like your Ez so much then you souldn't need to bash others . Even in Fun

Tom

Nobody was fesstool bashing, I don't get why anything negative said about fesstool instantly gets labeled fesstool bashing.

The thing I see every day is Fesstool guys bashing every thing else.

There is a fesstool owners group for people who only want to discuss fesstool

This is an example of fesstool bashing

O, You don't want fesstool, Fesstool is German for Money Extraction System

I havent even seen one reference to Fesstool as Fe$$tool yet either.

[Dan Lautner]

I have a question for EZ users. How do you make precision beveled cuts. From what I understand the EZ anti chip edge can not be used for alignment with the blade set to a beveled angle. Is this true?

Dan