Thread: Using a festool plunge saw instead of a table saw?

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.

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]

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

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

Whats 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

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

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.

Originally Posted by Harry72

The festy plunge saws are very good and can do
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

had a thought about dado problem, although the plunge saw may not be able to do it easily, i figure using the router with guide rail should be be able to do it nicely.

nice, repeatable ripping is still the ($$) problem

Originally Posted by Harry72

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

we use our's on real wood 90% of the time, not much sheet products for us.

Originally Posted by pkjames

had a thought about dado problem, although the plunge saw may not be able to do it easily, i figure using the router with guide rail should be be able to do it nicely.

nice, repeatable ripping is still the ($$) problem

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Gaza

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.

The only reason that I want to get the festool is due to the constrain on space and accessibility of my workshop, so if I was going to get a table saw, I would probably not even need the plunge saw anymore. As at the moment I am just a weekend warrior

Originally Posted by justinmcf

sam has nailed it.

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.

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.

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?