The Germans must be reading Bill's plans

[Steve Regier]

I was at a family gathering talking to my father about my BF cabinet projects and telling him about my desire to get a better table saw. My father, known to his friends as "Milt the Toolman", looked down his glasses at me and said "No, you need a Festool plunge saw". OK, Dad, whatever. He left a catalog at my office and I gave it a look. After all, he has been getting smarter as I have been getting older. Hmmmm TS-55 Plunge cut saw...well I do some plunge cuts in the plans...I'll go check this out.
http://www.festoolusa.com/products/plun ... 61174.html
I went to a local tool store to look at one. I left with it! Here's the deal. For the price of another average home owner model table saw ($480.00) I got a TS-55 saw and guide sled. Yes this saw runs on a sled just like in the plans! The Germans took it a step better. This sled has a guide rail that keeps the saw locked in so it can not drift either direction while cutting. Just like in the plans once you make the first cut the on the guide the sled is set to your saw and all you need to do is line the "cut" edge on the guide of the sled with your cut marks and presto you're ready to cut! put the saw on the sled. Press the unlock button and the pull the power trigger. The saw blade starts to rotate and the unit pivots downward plunging the saw into the matterial or start the saw at the edge of the wood and cut straight accross. Perfect plunge cuts for access covers and perfect milwork quality cuts for all the other panels. Yes, the saw pivots for angle cuts. Again the Germans, knowing you will the building horn loaded cabinets, made the saw pivot on the cut line to eliminate blade drift. No more recalcuating cuts and compensating for the change in the blade offset. Just set the sled guide edge on your cut lines at the long side of the angle, start the saw, pluge the blade, cut, and presto! Ewetho and I just did 2 Otop 15's today and, Damn! My table saw is history!
All I have to say now is "Bring on the DR's...and thanks, Dad."

[Radian]

Ewetho and I just did 2 Otop 15's today and, Damn! My table saw is history!

Muwa-ha ha

definitely "Vorsprung durch Technik"

[gilscales]

Was! Ich habe irgendetwas wie es nie gesehen! wie tun sie das? das ist erstaunlich!

Bill Fitzmaurice, sind Sie mit mir?, gerade wollte sehen, ob Sie German sprechen oder einen On-Line-Übersetzer verwenden!

[LelandCrooks]

They've really come down in price. When they first came out they were a grand. Dewalt has one also. But the Festool is probably better. Not a big dewalt fan.

[AntonZ]

Festool had a patent on this particular system that expired somewhere last year. Since then others have made similar saws (I know of DeWalt, Makita, sure there must be others). That has brought the price down. Stil Festool have a reputation for making very well thought out tools that last a long time. Lots of professionals working with their products here, all praise the handling of the powertools. A bit pricey for DIY use.

[ewetho]

A bit pricey sure, but you only buy one once in a great while and worth every penny.

Miter saw - junk
Circular saw - Junk
Table saw - reduced to dado ravvits and other such actions. Some can be handled by router with table.

We used it to produce perfectly straight slots in the OT15 plans (old plans precut wood) and then jigged the rounded ends. Now he desperately wants their jig saw and router too.

He does not have the table yet which would be really great for small pieces but wow.

We actually got one piece slightly off and trimmed it on the mostly completed box and was perfect. Sure some of you might notice but no one else will. The boxes are just getting prettier and prettier. Amazing stuff.

[gilscales]

They've really come down in price. When they first came out they were a grand. Dewalt has one also. But the Festool is probably better. Not a big dewalt fan.

Ever since dewalt was bought out by black and decker they went downhill!

[doncolga]

I was at a family gathering talking to my father about my BF cabinet projects and telling him about my desire to get a better table saw. My father, known to his friends as "Milt the Toolman", looked down his glasses at me and said "No, you need a Festool plunge saw. OK, Dad, whatever. He left a catalog at my office and I gave it a look. After all, he has been getting smarter as I have been getting older. Hmmmm TS-55 Plunge cut saw...well I do some plunge cuts in the plans...I'll go check this out.
http://www.festoolusa.com/products/plun ... 61174.html
I went to a local tool store to look at one. I left with it! Here's the deal. For the price of another average home owner model table saw ($480.00) I got a TS-55 saw and guide sled. Yes this saw runs on a sled just like in the plans! The Germans took it a step better. This sled has a guide rail that keeps the saw locked in so it can not drift either direction while cutting. Just like in the plans once you make the first cut the on the guide the sled is set to your saw and all you need to do is line the "cut" edge on the guide of the sled with your cut marks and presto you're ready to cut! put the saw on the sled. Press the unlock button and the pull the power trigger. The saw blade starts to rotate and the unit pivots downward plunging the saw into the matterial or start the saw at the edge of the wood and cut straight accross. Perfect plunge cuts for access covers and perfect milwork quality cuts for all the other panels. Yes, the saw pivots for angle cuts. Again the Germans, knowing you will the building horn loaded cabinets, made the saw pivot on the cut line to eliminate blade drift. No more recalcuating cuts and compensating for the change in the blade offset. Just set the sled guide edge on your cut lines at the long side of the angle, start the saw, pluge the blade, cut, and presto! Ewetho and I just did 2 Otop 15's today and, Damn! My table saw is history!
All I have to say now is "Bring on the DR's...and thanks, Dad."

The demo videos on this thing are really impressive. I'm going to try to get one of these. Of course, part of my rationalization for this is that it's a 100% pro tool and that I'll use it on and on. Also, the future selling of my existing rig will help pay for this down the road. And, if things work out as I hope, I'll be building quite a few boxes, so over the long haul this should gets lots of use. Thanks for the tip.

Donny

[netwerks]

My wife bought me a TS-55 for fathers day. I just used it for the first time to build 4 16" T39 slim cabs.

I have about 15 hours in all four cabs total time before fill, sand and finishing.

Before, not having a panel jig and only using a circular saw with a guide board it seemed like it took me forever.

Not to mention the fact I could not rip smaller bracing and access panel pieces easily with a table saw and it was painful (and somewhat inaccurate) to cut the mitre angles.

I would say anyone getting ready to drop a few hundred on a table saw should look at one of these. I know with this i'll never need a table saw and its unbelieveably portable and flexible.

Simply an amazing tool and time saver. It's already paid for itself given the time it saved me during my first build.

Not to mention it makes me want to build more.

[jswingchun]

I have been looking at this website. Sorta a DIY approach to the same thing. It's a bit cheaper and is more flexible than the major manufacturers stuff. You can use your own circular saw or buy one from them.

http://www.eurekazone.com/

Packages start at $160 and go up from there.

[Steve Regier]

I would say anyone getting ready to drop a few hundred on a table saw should look at one of these. I know with this i'll never need a table saw and its unbelieveably portable and flexible.

Simply an amazing tool and time saver. It's already paid for itself given the time it saved me during my first build.

Not to mention it makes me want to build more. [/quote]

I wish I had listened to my father about this saw before I bought my table saw. I love my TS55! It inspires me to build more with more confidence. I intend to get the work table, router, and dust collection unit for working indoors this winter.
'Glad I could pass along a useful tip.

[James R]

I have been looking at this website. Sorta a DIY approach to the same thing. It's a bit cheaper and is more flexible than the major manufacturers stuff. You can use your own circular saw or buy one from them.

http://www.eurekazone.com/


I just went over to the site and I'm very impressed, thinking on getting the basic saw package at least
Packages start at $160 and go up from there.

[Steve Regier]

I have been looking at this website. Sorta a DIY approach to the same thing. It's a bit cheaper and is more flexible than the major manufacturers stuff. You can use your own circular saw or buy one from them.

http://www.eurekazone.com/

Packages start at $160 and go up from there.

After looking at the site I would say not to waste your money. Just build Bill's sled. The site even says that for precision cuts use another tool. Furthermore, you will still have alignment issues when making angle cuts and users of the kit report drift of the unit in the rail. Sure, the Festool is $500.00+ but you get what you pay for. It is more than just a saw on a rail. It is a mobile precision cutting system with plunge and angle abilities that few systems in the price range can match. If you don't have the budget for the Festool the Makita looks like a direct copy.

[netwerks]

you can get the TS-55 for under $450 if you shop around. I got mine for $390 with bing cashback too bad it over. ''''

[ewetho]

Not that the site says use another tool for precision but their limited forum is a bi rough on the product. Too many are having problems with the sled not being tight to the tool and even being tight to the rail allowing too much twisting motion.

Having used baronvonsteves T55 and not having to reguess every cut angle and remember to switch grooves not sure that other system would work out like you want to at least any better than the homemade sled shown by BFM in your plans.

Yeah two grooves one for 45's and one for standard perpendicular 0's but what happens when youre at 22, 30 or 15 and the anti-chipout feature you paid for apparently is on strike and is no good?

Festool or the Makita (Looks like a carbon copy and apparently will use Festool rails) or just use the included plans for the sled rail.