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28th July 2011, 12:34 PM #1Member
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Using a festool plunge saw instead of a table saw?
G'day fellow woodworkers!
While I have been mainly browsing around the fourms for the past year or so, I have finally decided to start building my little workshop, and the first obvious major equipment is the table saw.
I was gonna get a Jet JPS10 because of its excellent feedback around the forum, but then due to the small area that I have (more importantly, hard to access), I am now more inclined to get a festool TS 75 plunge saw with guide rail as a alternative solution, because it is cleaner and easier to store, whilst producing clean cuts.
I only found a slight problem with the festool plunge saw, that is, how do I rip a timber that is say, 90mm wide into 2x 45mm wide pieces? I have googled around, and all I saw about ripping using the plunge saw are on big materials but not fine cuts like this.
Also, any general input about using the plunge saw as an alternative to the table saw is welcomed!
regards,
James
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28th July 2011, 12:58 PM #2GOLD MEMBER
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Can you translate for us poor fools north of the equator?
Is your plunge saw the same thing as a power miter box ( = PMB)?
We often reserve the term "chop saw" for about the same tool but for iron/steel cutting.
I run a 25yr old Delta 25cm PMB (34-079). It nearly died yesterday. I didn't realize how much I have depended on that saw. Today, I spent an hour and got it going again. Far less than $300+ for a replacement.
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28th July 2011, 01:06 PM #3Member
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hmmmm, IMHO, a plunge saw (festool original?) is just a circular saw sits on a guide rail that you can slide across larger sheet material, and the circular saw has a bit of "plunge" action
anyway, this probably explains a hell lot better than me
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4CuvrZiOzE]‪Festool TS 55 and TS 75 Plunge Cut Saw Video‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]
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28th July 2011, 01:29 PM #4SENIOR MEMBER
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Welcome to the forum !
I've been wondering this too, you probably have to pack up the guide rail with another 45 high piece and cut on a sacrificial table top/saw horses.
Slightly OT - On this website Eurekazone | Eurekazone the manufacturer has a 'bridge' that lifts up and down that would rip a 90x45 ok but it appears to be limited to the length between the supports.
Robson Valley, google plunge saw.....it's like a circular hand held saw that runs on a guide rail/track, you may know it as a 'track saw'.
Sam
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28th July 2011, 02:47 PM #5Member
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hi sam, thanks for the eureka link. I wonder if you mean the EZ Ripping jig? (EZ Ripping | Eurekazone). It appears similar to the festool parallel rail.
I do agree that adding another piece of timber to support the rail could be an option, but wonder if there is a better way.
James
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28th July 2011, 06:21 PM #6Whats your budget? If you can afford it, an option would be to purchase the Module support bench saw 75 mm cutting depth.Not cheap once you include the TS75 and the CMS Stand, but will give you the option of ripping and docking/crosscutting and removing the saw for sheet goods.Festool Module support bench saw 75 mm cutting depth
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28th July 2011, 06:24 PM #7
The festy plunge saws are very good and can do most cuts that a table saw can, but they do have limits. They are more aimed at professional cabinet makers(kitchen) who rarely use real wood, but insaying that there is no real reason it cant be used... Like the saying "20 ways to skin a cat".
Things they cant do easily that a table saw can do are things like the use of a dado set or the use of feather boards etc etc....................................................................
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28th July 2011, 06:52 PM #8Member
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Thanks very much for your most valuable input guys. This is getting interesting. While budget is not the biggest factor, no one will easily say it is not an important factor at all.
I initially wanted to have a simple (small working footprint) and robust system that can get the job done, so was thinking of a festool system with MFT table, plunge saw, router, a rotex sander, and a mini vac, so was looking at about $5k all up.
But in order to achieve what I wanted to do, especially working with real timber, ripping etc, a simple plunge saw would not be able to handle it easily. By the look of it, the CMS module suggested by KorDes (TS55 CMS system here: FESTOOL TABLE SAW COMBO) , plus a mini vac will cost like $5K already, where as a Jet JPS10 with Incra TSLS system will probably cost half the price, and I can spend the difference on a proper router and sander.
I have a reasonable area in the shed, the only problem is, there are around 10 steps or so to get to the shed. I wonder if I can transport the 150kg JPS10 into the shed easily.
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28th July 2011, 07:08 PM #9Member
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28th July 2011, 07:48 PM #10Hammer Head
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28th July 2011, 07:51 PM #11Hammer Head
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on festool owners group a guy has made a baseplate kit you can buy to make the saw into a table saw, kinda euro trition work center.
i would buy the TS55 & a ryobi table saw at same time will cost you about same $$ as buying the TS75 and give you best of both worlds, you can upgrade the table saw later on.
you want need the TS75 unless you are cutting down 50mm thick fire doors or ripping sleepers up which you would not be using the fetsool for.
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28th July 2011, 08:02 PM #12SENIOR MEMBER
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sam has nailed it.
you use another piece of 45mm timber on saw stools to prevent the festool guide rail from tipping over.
the festool system is awesome, but very expensive.
my festool cms-ge with ts-75 and the rip fence cost close to $3000.
all festool accessories are expensive, but usually of a very high quality.
you will definitely not be able to use a feather board, which pisses me off, because of the very high price for the cms-ge tablesaw.
i can justify the price as it earns me money every day and i love setting up and using the festool tools as they are designed to be used in a greater system.
kordes question with regards to your budget is critical.
if you do not want to post financial info, thats your choice, but it is hard to know what to recommend without knowing that tiny little detail.....
hope this info helps, good luck with the tool buying.
justin.
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28th July 2011, 08:47 PM #13Member
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28th July 2011, 08:51 PM #14Member
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hi justin, thanks for the advice on festool experience. I actually was thinking about $5K for a festool saw, router, sander and a vac in an earlier post. I think the post was delayed due to "review by moderator".
At the moment, I still want to stick to my $5K budget (on the other hand I don't have to get everything in one go, as I still have a ###### router and sander to play with)
The good thing about festool though, is I can use the guide rail and MFT on the router as well, and if I was going the table saw route, I will probably downgrade everything else to makita as the beauty of festool system is not there anymore.
J.
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28th July 2011, 08:56 PM #15Member
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oh, talking about getting the best of both world.
how about getting the TS55 for daily joy and go to my friend's joinery business 15minutes away for ripping?
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