# Festool



## atogrf1 (Jul 9, 2007)

I have been building furniture for quite a while now, and in starting to upgrade my tools, I have decided to start subscribing to the "Save your money and get the best tool" theory, instead of the "This should do for now" theory.
Well, my first purchase was the Domino, by Festool because I make a lot of tables and just don't have a lot of time to hand make the mortise and tenon joints. Sooooo, I saved up and took a shot at buying a Domino. 
I have NEVER, in my life, seen a machine as PRECISE as this one, and accurate. I have built 3 tables in the amount of time it would have taken me to build 1, AND, I was able to set up the aprons and legs without making ONE pencil mark to align the machine. My next job was to tackle a bookcase using "Domino Joinery" and the thing went together easier than anything I have ever put together in my life, AND it was 10 times faster that my old Rabbet-and-Dado construction.
Next I bought that TS55 saw and guide rail system. For a small shop with no help, you just can't BEAT this thing either.
Sooo, my point to all this is: If you can afford to wait a bit longer, and can save up the money (because Festool is nowhere near cheap), then it may be a worth investment. Especially the Domino.
Look online. I actually buy my Festool stuff now from a guy in Jersey because I don't have to pay local tax and he ships it for free.
I am not a Festool rep or dealer, or anything like that, but I have NEVER been as excited about a tool company like this in my life. Especially not a company whose products actually EXCEED their advertised abilities.
On bad thing about the Festool stuff: Make sure you keep a metric-to-fractional conversion chart in your apron/pouch with you. You are going to need it!!!!


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

atorg thanks for this review. As a general rule I have subscribed to the "buy the best and most tool you can afford" for quite some time.

I have wanted to buy the Festool TS75 (the TS55 before the 75 came out) for quite some time now also, and have come close several times and then something else jumps in front. However, I am about to start building cabinets for the house so I need to get it soon because I don't want to set my table saw up for large panel cutting. I use it exclusively for ripping.

On the Domino, I have been tentative because I just could not see how it was so far superior to a good biscuit cutter, and how dominos would be so much better than biscuits (never had a biscuit failure) especially for the money. But I have read enough user reviews now that I am nearly convined I may not be able to live without one. :shifty: 

Thanks for the reviews!


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## Clutchcargo (Apr 9, 2007)

Although I don't own any Festool tools, I've been impressed with all the tools that I've seen and played with at my local WoodCraft store. Even the Festool vacuums are top notch.


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## jodiemeglio (Jan 2, 2007)

After a lot of reading I decided to get the domino a few days ago. Unfortunately I have to wait for my wallet to catch up to my brain to buy it.


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## atogrf1 (Jul 9, 2007)

*Texas*

Texas, you are right about the biscuits. I haven't had a biscuit joint fail, either. Where the Domino surpasses the biscuit joiner is in the layout and setup of your project. You can use it to reference off one edge and it saves you a WHOLE lot of time in laying things out and then with the actual cutting. And, the precision is hard to beat.

You will not regret getting the TS55 either. For 3/4" stock, it is pretty hard to come close to. HOWEVER, here is a tip. Spend the extra couple bucks and get one of the sets of clamps and the hose deflecter thingy that keeps the hose from getting snagged on the rail.
Last night, I had to crosscut a sheet of 3/8" beadboard. With it being beadboard and only 3/8" thick, you can imagine how cupped the sheet was. Well, I put the rail on it, slid the clamps onto the rail and clamped it to the beadboard. It straightened out the beadboard for cutting and I didn't get one single splinter on the cut. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought that I actually scored the cut first. Pretty impressive if I do say so. The clamps aren't a whole lot of money compared to the price on the saw system.

I LOVE their vacuum, but I have to convince myself that $300.00+ for a high-end shop vac is worth it. I just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money for a glorified shop-vac. Even it it IS cooler than heck.

Have a good one!!!!


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

When you say the advantage is that you can reference from one side, I am not sure what you mean because virtually every bisquit cutter I am aware of operates the same way. So I must be missing a detail here.
Not playing the devils advocate - I want to justify getting one actually, i just don't know how you mean it has an advantage that way.

But I am definately going to get the TS75.


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## atogrf1 (Jul 9, 2007)

The only point of reference that I have is comparing it to my Dewalt biscuit joiner. There are 2 pins that stick out of the front of the Domino. They automatically "depress" when you push down on them. But, when you slide the edge of the workpiece up to one of the pins, it references off that side of the workpiece. Then, you do the same thing to the mating piece and you have a PERFECT mortise and loose tenon (domino) joint that is pretty hard to beat. You can, literally, attach legs to the aprons without making one pencil mark. The other nice thing that I noticed was that it doesn't have that "jump" or "grab" when the cutter comes in contact with the workpiece like a biscuit joiner does.

If the TS75 is anything like the 55 that I have, you are going to LOVE it. I didn't pop for the bigger saw because I don't see myself ever needing to cut that deep on any of my projects. With the furniture building, the 55 was more than enough machine for me.

I have had lots of new tools in my time and have been pretty happy with a lot of them. However, since buying the Domino and the TS55 saw, I have noticed that this Festool has taken woodworking to a whole new level.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

atogrf1 said:


> . . . . . I have noticed that this Festool has taken woodworking to a whole new level. . . . . .


Gotta be something to it because you echo what every Festool user says. That their tools are far superior to what we are used to.

It might be hard to keep your enthusiasm in check when writing your first tool review. Have you voted in the poll yet? You are going to write a review when Nathan adds a Tool Review Section aren't you? :yes:


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## atogrf1 (Jul 9, 2007)

I would be more than happy to write an fair and concise review. It would be my pleasure.
And, yes, I will admit that my enthusiasm has gotten the better of me on these tools. I was just shocked at how well they actually did work when used in a situation that wasn't a demo.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I don't think anyone ought to hide their enthusiasm. I have not been able to do so really when I am real enthused about a tool either. Looking forward to your review. I see no reason you can't just copy and paste it as it is if you want.


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## Orson Carter (Mar 24, 2007)

Hi everyone,

I have the following Festool devices. 
2xOF2000 routers with 1/4" 8mm and 1/2" collets
1xTrion Jigsaw (unbelievable cuts)
1xDomino
1xTS75 Plunge saw and assoted rails and joiners
1xRO150FEQ ROS (never more than foot from my side.
1xC12 drill and accessory kit. (12V with guts of an 18V Makita and half the weight.) I think thats it.
I now intend to buy a Kapex SCMS and a 150/3 finishing sander.

If you want any info on these with examples of what they can do, just ask.
One thing about the reference pins. Depending on how deep the rail for a table will be, the 37mm (I think) distance from center doesn't make sense. However, you can change the distance by placing some rare earth magnets, on end between the pin and cutter center.

The TS 75 will give you cuts that are clean enough to allow perfect joins with no further finishing required.

With regard to the "umbilicus" of power cord and vacuum, I would stress the benfit of suspending these from the ceiling. Any drag on the saw will give great, but not perfect cuts and I feel that the situation would be worse with the TS55, due to the lower weight.
I don't work for Festool, but I love tools that do exactly what they say they will do, time after time after time.

Tex, buy the Domino, you just won't look back.

You can see a project that I made using pretty much all Festool gizmos at this site under "Rob's Coffee Table"
www.burrellcustomcarpentry.com

Regards,

Orson


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## Orson Carter (Mar 24, 2007)

Hi,

I forgot to say that I did a review here a while back. Could be interesting to compare the two.:smile: 

Here's some pics of two pieces of Merbau 42mm deep joined together with 6x40 dominoes and with the jointed faces squared using a TS75 and nothing else. No Jointer, no planes. Also, the top required no sanding or planing to level the joint. That's the beauty of the Domino.

Orson


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## Grandpa Sawdust (Sep 2, 2007)

*I bought my first Festool product 3 years ago and now have two sanders and a dust collector. I retired all of my other sanders and actually enjoy finish sanding. The dust collector eliminated all sanding dust.*

*I had considered the Domino and your endorsement helped me decide to spend the $700*


*Thanks*


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Face frames seem to me to be the main imptetus for the Domino and that in itself is sufficient...I have a DeWalt Bisquit machine and am not happy with it...taken it back and had it worked on...but still am not happy so I bought the Lamello but I can see where the heavier dominoes would be the cats whiskers on face frames and I am fixing to do a lot of that for shelving in the living room out of Ash...so Domino here I come...write it off on the project cost...life is too short for bad or cheap tools...

someday I need to upgrade from a contractors saw to maybe a sliding Unisaw...or somesuch for panel cutting...instead of having to use straight edge guides and a little PC trim saw....someday...after the Festool Domino....


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## atogrf1 (Jul 9, 2007)

After the Domino blew my doors off, I bought the TS-55 circular saw for all of my panel cutting from Festool.
Splinter free cutting, dead on straight. You can't go wrong.


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## Trevor H (Sep 22, 2007)

hey texas timbers, just to let you know if you buy a TS 75 or TS 55 right now, Festool is having a promotion where you get a free panther blade with your purchase. It started Sept 1 and goes until November 30.
If you guys have any questions about any of the Festools at all, let me know, i can definetly help you out or at least try. I'm going to Festool training in a couple of weeks and have been using their line for years within the wood flooring industry.


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## Trevor H (Sep 22, 2007)

also bear in mind festool has the best warranty out there, 3 years!


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## Orson Carter (Mar 24, 2007)

Not sure if I posted this here, but you can see what Festool can do for you at this address.

http://www.burrellcustomcarpentry.com/subpage26.html

The tools used were a TS75 Plunge saw, Domino and Rotex RO150FEQ.
I'm the maker, Rob McGilp.
Happy to answer any questions anyone may have.

Also, I now have a Kapex SCMS and a delta finishing sander with a 2.5mm stroke.

Regards,

Orson (AKA Rob)


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## Basset (Dec 15, 2007)

Clutchcargo said:


> Although I don't own any Festool tools, I've been impressed with all the tools that I've seen and played with at my local WoodCraft store. Even the Festool vacuums are top notch.


You've got that right. I'm trying to figure out a way to start buying some Festool sanders. As soon as possible I'll follow with one of their vacs.


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## Grandpa Sawdust (Sep 2, 2007)

*Buy The Dust Collector Last*

_*WHEN YOU BUY A SANDER GO AHEAD AND BUY THEIR VAC HOSE--*_

_*--IT'S ABOUT $40 BUT CAN BE ADAPTED TO FIT MOST SHOP VAC'S.*_

_*THE HOSE IS DESIGNED TO FIT THEIR DUST PORT AND WORKS ON ALL OF THEIR TOOLS*_

_*FOCUS ON TOOLS NOW AND GET THEIR DUST COLLECTOR LAST.*_


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I could have used one last night. I was walking about 200' each way from the room where I was working, to the TS in my shop to straight-line ERC boards. I could have done it right there on a pair of saw horses much easier and quicker. I thought about how I no longer just want a TS75, but _need_ a TS75.

Orson/Rob (that confuses me who are you! :laughing: ) It would be real cool for us who don't have a TS75 to see that thing in action. How about making a short youtube vid for us? 

My 2008 Fine Woodworking Tool Review has several _Poorman Festool_ systems for lack ofa better word, but none of them offer a saw. There are a couple of highly rated rail systems for use with your current saw. The two highest `rated ones presuamably cut as accurately as the Festool, which was also rated. But of course, none of them have that high quality plunge saw that for me is most of the draw.


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## natemclain (Dec 11, 2007)

*Festool Videos*

http://www.festoolusa.com/pages.aspx?docid=337

They are marketing material. But from reading the reviews I would say, WHO CARES... :smile:


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## Orson Carter (Mar 24, 2007)

TexasTimbers said:


> *IOrson/Rob (that confuses me who are you!* :laughing: ) .


Hi TT,
Rob's the name. Orson Carter is a play on words. "Horse and Cart-er"
I'll change my moniker.:smile: 
I haven't got the wherewithall to do a UTube, but if you go to;
http://www.burrellcustomcarpentry.com/subpage16.html 
you can watch a short video on the TS55, which is the TS75's little brother. If all you need to cut are sheet goods or 3/4"-11/2 timber, this will do the job. That said, I prefer the balance of the TS75 and feel it holds to the rail better, so you really can be confident of a clean straight cut every time, plus I do a lot of hardwood frames in 4/4 and 8/4. Its just a joy on these.
You can also see at Brice's site a review I did of the Kapex SCMS, which you guys will see in Spring I belive. For fine trimming and adjusting of mitres out to 305mm (about a foot), this thing is hard to beat. I have a Makita LS1214, so I know a good SCMS when I see one.:smile: 

Regards,

Rob


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Visited a friend today at his shop. During general conversation, Festools came up. He has a TS75 and two rails, one metre and the other looked about 3 mtrs. told me local Festool office in Bury St Edmunds. Although expensive, my friend reckoned time saved had paid for the TS75 very quickly. He works by himself and time is money.

He showed me how the rail guide did not require clamping to the work piece and said also savings from splinter free finish when cutting oak veneeers.

Thats good enough for me, if you know a better tool then lets hear about it.
johnep


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## Toller (Dec 30, 2007)

I bought my domino and CT55 used. I don't think I would have been willing to pay the full price. Great tools, but my new G1023SL cost less than a domino!

I also bought a used Festool vacuum. My wife made me sell it because it put a high pitch squeal through out the house; I couldn't hear it, but she found it unbearable. Fortunately I turned a profit on it.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Thats what i like to hear. My old boss said always make a profit, and he was right.
johnep


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