The New Festool FS-SYS/2 Plunge Saw - Should I buy?

[Eric The Viking]

I have to pipe up for Makita here!

I've got the 6000K, which has great similarities to the Festool, and costs *loads* less money.

It does indeed leave a very good finish and it's as accurate as you can mark out the stock to be. The rails don't move on 8x4 sheet material (you don't need the clamps for that), because of the grippy rubber underneath, which works well despite sawdust, etc. I have the clamps, and they're useful for short 'crosscut' applications.

Yes you can rough cut with it, but it's a waste - both it and the Festool (and Mafell and DeWalt and Bosch I guess) will make good clean finish cuts in faced boards.

The one thing I want is the 3m rail. You can join the 1.4m rails, and I've done that, but it's not a wonderful system in that regard. I think Festool supplies two joining bars, you get only one with Makita, but there's room for a second one, which would help. The Makita long rails exist, but are harder to find (D+M have them, I think, but Axminster don't). They're around 1/2 the price of Festool (approx.), so worth looking for, even for Festool (see below).

Makita and Festool saws fit each other's rails, with a couple of exceptions: The plunge length stops that fit on the 'back' edge of the Festool rails won't fit Makita ones, and the Makita saw has an anti-tip system that won't work on the Festool rails (there's an extra slot needed).

Both do really good dust extraction.

Hope that's useful. I'm a DIYer - I love the design of most Festool stuff, I just can't justify the price!

E.

 

[petermillard]

There's also a pretty comprehensive list of the available plunge saws with UK prices in a thread over at Festool Owners Group - here - which includes non-plunge circular saws than can run on Festool guiderails. I don't know anyone who's bought the Festool and regretted it. I have the older TS55EBQ - the 'R' model has only just been launched and has a few incremental improvements over the older model; if you're going to Axminster, it might be worth asking if they have an older model in stock for a reduced price/extra accessories??

I've used the older Mafell and DeWalt, and 'played with' the Makita. There's all kinds of little differences between them, but they'll all produce a clean straight cut with an excellent finish and good dust extraction. FWIW I bought my Festool soon after I started doing this for a living ~11 years or so ago; I've never owned a table saw.

I've never had a problem joining two tracks to make a long cut, but a longer track is very useful if you have space to store it - I have a long Makita rail; as mentioned above, it's half the price of the Festool, though in my experience the grippy strips underneath aren't as good as on the Festool rails, though that could just be mine <shrug>

On of the advantages of Festool is the 'system' approach - all the bits works well together e.g. a common, removable power lead on all tools, and systainer toolboxes that stack up and clip together, and can latch onto the vacuums; if you cart your stuff around at all these little things make a huge difference.

HTH Pete

 

[FestoolFishy]

John
Go for the saw and enjoy it the new model is quieter and has improved dust collection I would recommend the longer rail for 8x4 sheets and if you talk to Warren at www.toolfest.co.uk he has the 2700 on special offer, sometimes dealers will let you upgrade the rail if you buy the "special offer" which includes a rail usually 1400.

If or when you get into it you will soon be looking at the MFT table and dust extractors, Good luck with your purchase Welcome to the slippery green slope

FF

 

[Trumpet]

The TS55 was the first Festool I ever bought. For sheet goods it is perfect and still one of the most used (after many more Festool purchases). Hardly ever bother clambing when sutting sheets as the rubber strips do the job. Only revert to clamps when cutting worktop, just in case and the fact that the contact areaand surface conditions are much more likely to cause slippage than a large hseet of ply for instance.

If cutting a lot of boards go straight for the longer guide. A few pieces of foam board / scrap celotex make great supports for cutting on the deck.

Now that the track system is off patent to be honest I don't think you can go far wrong with any of the other track saws n the market. just see what deals are available for the Festool, Mafell, Dewalt or Makita and see what you can get with a 2.7m / 3M track and a smaller track as part of a deal (you won't want to faff with a 3M track if only cutting smaller sheet offcuts or crosscutting worktiop).

 

[RogerBoyle]

My 2p's worth
Get the table saw
As You are already getting the sheet goods cut down.

It will take more abuse than a track saw
With a board made to go over the top it will double up as a work station
You cant readily cut inlays and thin veneers down with a track saw
a table saw is more versatile in its operation
It does not care how narrow the stock is or how thin
A table saw also doesn't mind cross cutting or ripping thin stock on a bevel
Try setting up a track saw to cut 4 identical tapered legs

Lots of good reasons for getting a track saw but From your original post I didn't get any of them
Make a list up what you can do with both items
Decide what you need from each and the one with the most ticks wins

Unless you just really want to get a tracksaw LOL :twisted: :twisted:

Roger

 

[Benchwayze]

My 2p's worth
Get the table saw
As You are already getting the sheet goods cut down.

It will take more abuse than a track saw
With a board made to go over the top it will double up as a work station
You cant readily cut inlays and thin veneers down with a track saw
a table saw is more versatile in its operation
It does not care how narrow the stock is or how thin
A table saw also doesn't mind cross cutting or ripping thin stock on a bevel
Try setting up a track saw to cut 4 identical tapered legs

Lots of good reasons for getting a track saw but From your original post I didn't get any of them
Make a list up what you can do with both items
Decide what you need from each and the one with the most ticks wins

Unless you just really want to get a tracksaw LOL :twisted: :twisted:

Roger

Hi Roger,

Yes, the track saw interests me, for its own sake, but the main reason is I just don't have room for what I would call a decent table saw. I already use a Triton Workcentre, with a circular saw set up as a table saw. It's greedy of space and I can't cut wide boards on it, unless I drag it outside onto the drive. The track saw is more portable, and I could take into my back yard, and work in comparative private, and under cover. Yes I could do that with the Triton, but that is a bit of a pain rolling it all along the side entrance, across the back yard and into the side yard! So the Track-saw would be more portable.

Is the reason!

 

[chippy1970]

I got to have a play with the ts55r last Saturday pretty good but not miles better than the old one that I own.

I actually had a visit from a guy from the festool team who came over from Germany about 2 years ago to go through ideas and prototypes for this saw. Spent an hour or more with him . I see some things I pointed out I thought could be better have been adopted on the new one. Lots of stuff I was shown hasn't appeared too like flexi rails and dust catchers etc

Anyway get the saw you will love it

 

[RogerBoyle]

OK john (hammer)

 

[Benchwayze]

Yes Roger... :---) :-" :lol:

Thanks chippy. That seems to be the consensus; I want a play with it first though, so I might fix up a trip to Nuneaton. (hammer)

 

[chippy1970]

I noticed on the festool forum that Axi Nuneaton are doing 25% off all festool accessories

 

[Eric The Viking]

I noticed on the festool forum that Axi Nuneaton are doing 25% off all festool accessories

That'll bring them down to only 150% of normal price then!

I'll get me coat...

 

[Benchwayze]

I noticed on the festool forum that Axi Nuneaton are doing 25% off all festool accessories

That'll bring them down to only 150% of normal price then!

I'll get me coat...

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[fuster]

Festool is an evil monster that lurks in the corner trying to make you homeless and destitute.
That domino is calling me - it's the devil at work.

 

[Benchwayze]

Festool is an evil monster that lurks in the corner trying to make you homeless and destitute.
That domino is calling me - it's the devil at work.

Shurrup... I don't want divorce!!!

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I regularly rip 8x4s with my Festool and 2700 track. For the level of accuracy I need, 2 short rails and joiners would not be adequate, there is always some play and you need a separate way of making sure the 2 rails are in a straight line.

The Festool is accurate enough that you can easily see how sheet material, especially plywood, moves when some of the internal tensions are released by cutting it, and when I need good accuracy, I always cut 5mm wider than needed, then a trim cut to get a dead straight edge.