Festool Junkie Blog

Hello all,

If you are a Festool Owner / User and like the group feeling that you get in a forum environment; www.talkFestool.com has moved into it’s new home. The new Festool oriented forum has a crisp new look, a team of moderator’s, incredible software with hundreds of features, and well, just a great bunch of folks that have already started posting there. This is where FestoolJunkie, TimmyC, RW, and MarkE will base our forum activity and I hope to see many of you woodworking enthusiasts over there to share, play, and learn.

As I mentioned above, the software is indeed superb and will be the perfect arena for content, reviews, and good ol’ conversation about Tools and woodworking. In my opinion, it is going to be a fresh, and certainly unique forum that has beautiful untended soil, that has not been “churned and burned.”

Please stop by and say hi,

Timmy C

One challenge some of our peeps have is which saw to choose; the Festool TS 55 or the Festool TS 75. Both saws operate the same way, and both saws are awesome with regards to precision and usability. However, in many ways, choosing the “right” saw can be a bit of a task.

Here are a few questions that may make it easier.

Before you click the purchase button, consider these questions:
1. Is size and weight important to me?
2. What are the most common materials and thicknesses of you are cutting?
3. Is cost a factor in my decision?

Questions 1 and 2 are really at the core of which saw you should choose. For me, I am a short little Irish guy, and like the “nimbleness” of the TS 55. It has served me in my furniture business for years. One of the toughest materials for a saw to cut is Solid Surface used for countertops and the like. National solid surface fabrication, and installation companies are using the TS 55 for field work. For those folk that are the furniture making types that do a lot of plywood and 4/4, 5/4, even 8/4 (surfaced) solid wood, the TS 55 will suit you fine. Even with the occasional 8/4 stock that is surfaced to 1 3/4″ the TS 55 has the juice to do the deal.

If you are considering using your TS for production, I would recommend the Festool TS 75. The increased size of the motor, and the increased power provide you with a “beefier” saw that will take the “production environment” all day long. That is not to say that the TS 55 wouldn’t work for production, we are just talking “much more saw” with the TS 75.

The TS 75 is a lot of saw. Doors, no sweat! All day on a construction site cutting 1 1/2″ stock, then going to cut out a window, then trimming doors at 2″ the TS 75 is your saw. Further, if you are using the TS to joint rough lumber such as Oak, Maple, etc. The increased motor size will do you well.
Here are some one liners I have heard:

“The TS 75 will do anything that the TS 55 will do plus…”

“Weight is irrelevant due to the way the saw travels on the Guide Rail” My take, True but you still have to lift it, and place it on the guide rail.”
“The TS 55 is awesome for what I do…mostly single sheets of Plywood and 4/4 - 6/4 stock.”

More Considerations:

The TS 55 comes with a 55″ rail. The TS 75 comes with a 75″ rail.

To cut an 8′ length the TS 55 uses a 106″ rail. The TS 75 requires the 118″ rail.

Spec Comparison:

Mr. Brice Burrell is an outstanding carpenter. Brice has been a long time friend of FestoolJunkie and has been kind enough to allow us to post his review. Brice is a Pittsburgh based Renovation Contractor and truly a Festool Junkie. There is some killer information in this review, and the shots of the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw and the Saw Helper Ultra Fence he incorporates with the Festool Saw.

Click Here To See Brice’s Review Of The Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Enjoy the reading, and if I know Brice, he would be more than happy to answer any questions you have. Brice can be found by going through his home page: Burrell Custom Carpentry

Thanks Brice….You Rock!!!

Timmy C

Hello all, Timmy C will be in the Denver Metro area on July 1st delivering several Kapex to fellow Festool Junkies. I still have room for several more saws. If you are interested, you can place your order on-line at www.FestoolJunkie.com . I would be honored to personally deliver your new saw to your door step, and perhaps even spend a few minutes with you setting up if need be.

If this sounds cool with you, Hurry on this one, space is filling up in the back of the “Grey Ghost.”

Order Here For Your Festool Kapex Delivery To The Denver Metro Area,

Timmy C

A friend of ours has graciously allowed me to post his latest creation. “Building a Festool Kapex work center for your shop or studio” has some awesome insight to the latest offering from Festool. If you are on the fence (no pun intended) or have pre-ordered a Kapex, you need to check out Jerry’s latest.

Festool Kapex Workstation

There are many of you that have pre-ordered from Festool Junkie that are planning on putting the Kapex to work in smaller shops. With Jerry’s idea, you can streamline the Kapex into an entity of the shop that is both vital, and doesn’t take up much space at all.

Check it out! Definitely worth the read!

Timmy C

Pre-Order Your Kapex Today On FestoolJunkie

I am honored to have been asked to moderate a section of a new forum out there in the wonderful world of Festool. The forum is called talkFestool; We all know that Festool can be a bit tricky with all the attachments and accessories that are available with many of the Festool tools. The vision is to centralize many of these questions and be able to access answers quickly and confidently.

The forum is brand new, and they are anxious to get the information rolling in. Upon perusing the site, it is very functional and already allows for pictures, there are several “off Festool” zones that you can join in on, and overall it is a very nice environment.

One of the cool things about this is watching it grow. I am sure there will be little anomalies that will arise, and frankly, that is truly part of the attraction. It appears that there are already some great minds that are involved, and I am just tickled green to be part of it.

Get over there! Sign-Up and start sharing ideas, concepts, projects, and most of all….Have Fun!

Timmy C

When we had the Kapex in the shop last week, the one thing I wanted to see above all other features was the dust collection capability of the highly acclaimed Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw. We did a little test with me and my camera behind the Kapex. We then cut some 6/4 Alder board both with the hose on, and with the hose off. Here is what the camera saw:

Amazingly, whether the saw was bevelled or at a ninety, the dust extraction capabilities were the same. Festool recommends that you hook up a D36 hose on the machine and vacuum to get airflow to a maximum. We have indeed tried it on your midi in the shop, and it certainly works, but the increased diameter of a D36, and the CFM of the CT22 or CT 33 do make a difference.

Stay up to date with the RSS feed; there is much more to come as we get closer and closer to July 1st.

Have a great weekend,

Timmy C

Be the first to own a Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw! Pre-Order Today

One of the handy features of the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw is the ability to set the depth of the cut. This feature allows the user to plow dados into the workpiece. The video below show us here in the shop doing that very thing. With the laser so “dead-on” it is easy to get the side walls of the dado perfectly aligned.

To get a nice smooth bottom, you will notice the backer board against the fence. This allows the bottom of the blade to pass entirely over the workpiece. ***If you leave this step short, you will not be as deep on the back of the cut*** Make sure your backer is wide enough to accomplish this maneuver.

With this feature, it is almost like having a mobile radial arm saw, only different. Now you have dust extraction and accuracy.

Timmy C

July 1st is only six weeks away. To get you ahead of the learning curve for your new Festool Kapex, the Festool Junkie blog is going to be posting frequently as we uncover the Kapex. If you have not already subscribed to the RSS feed please do so. This will ensure that you are notified of all the new posts that come on-line.

The pictures below are of the unloading and unpacking of the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw. Festool has done a nice job in securing this gem inside the box. Festool Junkie will of course be reinforcing the packaging prior to shipping.

Stay tuned for more Kapex stuff coming, and remember to click the little orange RSS feed tab to subscribe; you don’t want to miss out on some pretty new cool stuff coming on-line about the Kapex.

So here is your shot to PRE-ORDER YOUR KAPEX (click that and guarantee July 1st Shipping)

Timmy C

Can someone help me please. We were inundated with these saws today. The Festool Kapexii have a home here in Nebraska until July 1st. In the weeks to follow we will be updating the site nearly daily with video and pics of this greatly anticipated saw. The Kapex is here and we are ready to rock and roll these beauties out of here come July 1. You thought we were kidding when we said we would GUARANTEE the July 1 ship date. Check out the proof. Pre-Order to reserve one, they will go quickly.

Signing up for a Kapex raffle I think. Or at least signing the bill of lading is my partner Mark E Mark.

The wall of Festool Kapex:

Once again Pre-Order Your Festool Kapex at FestoolJunkie.com

Timmy C