Plunge saws: M akita versus Festool

[el_ingeniero]

I have enough in Amazon gift cards to buy a much wanted plunge saw. But I'm looking to get the best value I can.

The 2 choices I've come up with are:

1) The Festool TS55EQ, which comes with a 55" rail.
2) The bare bones (no rail) Makita plunge saw, plus a Festool 32" rail (yes, Makita & Festool rails are interchangeable) and the Festool track clamps.

The only thing that's stopping me from getting the Makita is that it's got no riving knife. I don't know how much of an issue this is, considering that the Makita has an easier plunge depth adjustment and more power.

So how big a deal is the riving knife? Is it worth having to deal with a too long rail, and paying almost $100 extra?

[wallywally]

If you can support your work on both sides of the cut all the time the riving knife is no big deal. I was faced with the same decision a year ago and I chose the Festool, I am very pleased with it. The rail is easily cut using a carbide tipped blade on a circular or miter saw if it is too long. Also look at the cost and availability of replacement blades, when I was looking the Makita blade was next to impossible to find, Festool blades are readily available at a considerable cost. Resale value was another factor with my decision to buy the Festool.

[el_ingeniero]

The Makita and Festool each have advantages over the other. Festool has dozens of useful add-ons and extensions you can get. The Makita doesn't have an anti-chip insert or a riving knife, but it will do bevel cuts at 48 degrees, and as I mentioned before, has a more powerful motor (12 amps versus 10 amps) and nicer plunge depth adjustment than the Festool. Finally with the Makita, you can take a standard $10 6-1/2 blade and use a $25 metric step drill to open up the 5/8" arbor to 20mm.

I'm just worried that the chipguard and riving knife are worth the extra $80 ...

[67baja]

I looked long and hard at the plunge cut saws before I bought mine. The Festool has proven itself to be the one to beat, which Milwaukee and Dewalt are trying to do. The only down side to the Festool is the cost -- the price of the tool, then the price of the blades when you need them. If 10 amps won't cut it, I don't think 12 will either.

My solution: I bought a used Festool with a short (18" ish) track, the 55" track, and a 100" track package deal off craigslist for $400. Of course, I went and bought another blade ($80). The only problem I have so far with it (I haven't used it much yet) is it cuts slow and burns the wood. These are signs I need to align the blade (I hope) to the track. That's what I get for buying used.

[el_ingeniero]

I went with the Makita, with a 32" Festool track and a pair of the DeWalt track clamps.

I found another feature of the Makita that kind of tipped things in it's favor: a built in 1/16" stop that you score the wood with, so you don't really need the anti-splinter guard. Yes, it requires 2 passes, but I'm not a contractor.

Final bill was $438.58, including shipping.

Next thing to think about is the mitering setup that comes with the Festool tables. Not to mention, I still have enough gift card left to buy a Forrest WoodWorker II blade for it.

[Steve Regier]

Riving knife - worth it
Chip Guard -sooooo worth it
Owning a tool that does what it says it will, is clearly well engineered, has great US based support, and everyone else makes claims to just as good as or works like... -priceless

[el_ingeniero]

Riving knife - worth it
Chip Guard -sooooo worth it
Owning a tool that does what it says it will, is clearly well engineered, has great US based support, and everyone else makes claims to just as good as or works like... -priceless

Sigh. I think Festool is great stuff, but I'm not necessarily a fanboy. Makita has been selling contractor grade equipment in the US for 40 years (and their range is at least 20X larger than that of Festool).

I did my research. There are several points where the Makita is clearly better than the Festool:

* the saw base locks into the rail so that the saw won't tip off the rail on deep bevel cuts
* the bevel adjustment runs from -1 to +48 degrees
* the bevel adjustment has locking cams both front and rear, instead of a single screw in front
* the plunge depth is set with a cam, rather than a screw
* you can get standard 6-1/2" blades to work with it (if you take a 20mm step drill to it)
* the motor is 20% more powerful

As far as support goes, I know several people in the trades who don't buy anything but Makita power tools. As one of them told me, the best support is the support you don't need to use.

Mind you, I'm not knocking Festool here, but I'd be surprised if I ever had a reason to regret buying the Makita saw, that is aside from bragging rights.

That being said, I'm looking pretty hard at a Festool OF1400 router. When we get the new house, I'll probably redo the trim in red oak, so the Porter-Cable will end up in a table, and I refuse to use that crappy Ryobi.

[Steve Regier]

Just to beat the dead horse further into the ground
My TS55 has two locking cams front and rear for angle adjustment and plunge depth is not set with a screw but with a rather ingeniuis easy lock system that is graduated in mm and can be adjusted on the fly with one hand.
Either one is a good tool but we all have our favorites

"Great Taste ... Less Filling" and so forth

[el_ingeniero]

For what it's worth, I haven't been missing the riving knife. The Makita works a treat. I did have to adjust it. Then I waxed the bottom, which was probably overkill.

But with the cash I saved, I was able to pick up a killer vintage block plane that's older than I am, already set up and ready to go, and a set of 8 English mortising chisels made in the 60's needing some TLC. When we get the new house, I'm going to have a go at building furniture. I'll be starting with a roubos-type workbench.

[67baja]

My solution: I bought a used Festool with a short (18" ish) track, the 55" track, and a 100" track package deal off craigslist for $400. Of course, I went and bought another blade ($80). The only problem I have so far with it (I haven't used it much yet) is it cuts slow and burns the wood. These are signs I need to align the blade (I hope) to the track. That's what I get for buying used.

FYI - I finally got around to adjusting my Festool per the instructions in the manual and it cuts perfect now - no burning wood, and it cuts a lot faster. I used it on my latest AT and it works perfect!

[UROK]

And the planer!

Nice!

Pics??

I know.