Friday, February 11, 2011

Festool TS-75 Review

So, I have a backlog of videos I've posted to the FOG for their Festool review contest.  Here's another popular one on the TS-75.  I like it when these video reviews get replies on the FOG threads from experienced users stating they picked up something they didn't know about.
The review is a playlist of two videos though they total about 13 minutes (so, not as long as the OF-1400 review! nothing could be that long!)
My neighbor's puppy makes a cameo...

7 comments:

  • Patrick said...
     

    Found your reviews from the festool owners group. I think they are great. Thanks for taking the time put out these helpful videos!

  • Captain Geezer said...
     

    Hey Paul, it's GhostFist from the FOG bugging you again! Anyway, I'm saving the pile to get an MFT/3 and a TS75. I'm choosing the 75 over the 55 as I want to be able to use it for exactly what you're doing in this video here, edge jointing hardwood. Apart from the rails included with the 75 and the MFT/3, what's the "third rail" you use the most? My upgrades to this package will be incremental of course and will probably be using the table and saw mainly for cross cutting and angle cutting sheet goods at first, but if you had to modify and build your package in stages, what order would you do it in? are table cross braces necessary? a set of dogs first? You know that sort of thing. Anyways keep happy and keep posting, love your stuff

  • HalfInchShy said...
     

    Hi, Captain :)
    I'm not certain which rail comes with the TS-75 anymore. Originally it was the 1400 just like the 55, which sucks because you cannot do a decent crosscut on ply with a 1400 and TS-75. I believe they now ship it with the 1900. Verify that when you buy yours as you'll want the 1900 over the 1400.

    If you have the 1900 rail for the TS-75, you are pretty much set except for long straight-lining operations. But that also depends on what length you typically straightline. Me? I bought the 3000 rail and use it often since I tend to get 8-10' rough stock.

    Now, the 3000 is pricey due to freight shipping and the sheer size. If you got the rail connectors and a rail longer than 1100mm, you'd get the equivalent. Honestly, you could likely find someone on the FOG who has some 1400 rails they aren't using (likely a TS-75 owner like me) who might sell it at a good price. 1400+1900 is much longer than the 3000 rail so you'd be set.

    I don't know if you follow the rest of my blog (insomnia? :) but one episode of the Mahogany Vanity series shows how to use the TS-75 and guiderail to do panel glue-ups. The same series' stock preparation episode actually shows how to straightline stock with the TS-75 and some tips (unlike this video that just talks about it).

    I have an MFT-1080 and it is attached to the wall so I don't have cross-braces as an option and don't need them. You'd likely have to ask that one on the FOG to see what MFT/3 owners say. Here's the entry on how I anchored my MFT-1080 table to the wall; it's very quick to undo, but leaves it stable enough for some planing.

    I love the modifications I made to the 1080 and love that I can take it all apart and back together calibrated in minutes. For that you need those Qwas dogs. With those dogs and the rail dogs, you can do a lot of crosscutting of large stock on the table; you'd have to see if that is something you need, though.

    Thanks, too, for the compliments!

  • James said...
     

    Paul,
    when you do a rip cut (for edge jointing) using the TS and MFT on a piece of stock that is longer than you MFT do you hang it over the front and side edges of the MFT and make the cut?

    James

  • HalfInchShy said...
     

    Hi, James,

    Yes, absolutely you can do the rip with the board placed close to the edge so the blade won't touch the table surface. Of course in the long direction you'll need to remove the front guide block, but that's quick with just a thumb screw; there's a stop screw to make putting that part back on quick.

    If you haven't seen it yet, look at the Mahogany vanity series specifically the "dimensioning" episode as I believe that one did the edge jointing for the large panel.

    Enjoy your new TS-55!

  • James said...
     

    Awesome, that is exactly what I was looking for..Thanks! I will most certainly enjoy the TS55. I ended up also buying an MFT1080 and a 75" guide rail from a guy here locally. Thanks again!

  • Anonymous said...
     

    Hi Paul-Marcel!
    Thanks always for your great videos!
    Headed to the shop this morning to open and use my new TS55.
    -Chris