The Woodturning Forum - Woodturner's Resource

Ed Weber

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Festool
Jan 28^th, 2015 at 11:33am

For those of you who can't spend money fast enough, Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

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But wait! there's' good news. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

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is on sale. The money you save on the saw can help pay for part of the square.

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Ken Vaughan

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Stubby 750
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Re: Festool
Reply #1 - Jan 28^th, 2015 at 8:34pm

A number of the "big dogs" in the segmenting world use those. The AAW Segmented Turning Group has the discussions on saws a few times a year and for many who post there; -- if you have the coins and the dedication to precision, it is the chop saw to beat.

Have used one a few times and with the soft start and smooth action, they are a pleasure to work with. I just have not put the coins into that jar.

Like Grandma said --- You can have anything you want -- You just cannot have everything you want.

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Len Layman WR Addict Offline What have I got into?? Posts: 3,118 Grand Cayman Cayman Islands Gender: PM 3520b Jet 1220	Re: Festool Reply #2 - Jan 28^th, 2015 at 8:39pm If I could afford Festool I would buy some of their stuff. but for what I do and the money I have most of their products are not even on my radar screen. Nor needed.
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Ed Weber

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Re: Festool
Reply #3 - Jan 28^th, 2015 at 9:16pm

Ken, I know some folks use them and they are nice, but they're not that nice.
I've been a member of the Segmented Woodturners since they started and the funny thing is, I've heard the Kapax users share their own issues with the saw. Many people say the hold downs are cheap plastic and some won't trust them. OR the handle isn't ergonomic or comfortable enough. Sad for a $1400 saw
Like Len Said, if price were not a factor I would probably own a Festool product or two, but I doubt it would include the Kapax.
You guys didn't say anything about the $250 square, do you already have one? Grin

IMO Square is square, you can't get more square just by spending more (within reason)

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Ken Vaughan WR Addict Offline Still learning Posts: 3,685 Juneau Alaska USA Gender: Stubby 750 Jet 1014 vs Bonnie Klein Lathe	Re: Festool Reply #4 - Jan 29^th, 2015 at 9:42pm I have a couple of Starretts that are headed in that direction, but they were not acquired for wood work.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Festool Reply #5 - Jan 29^th, 2015 at 9:49pm Ken Vaughan wrote on Jan 29^th, 2015 at 9:42pm: but they were not acquired for wood work. Exactly my point
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John Cepko Senior Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 491 Pasadena Maryland USA	Re: Festool Reply #6 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 9:58am If I was a professional woodworker, and my work required the ability to repeat obscure angles, maybe that $270 square would be the way to go. For your average hobbyist, it is a sign of having too much money,IMHO, in that it is expense over kill, there are cheaper ways to get the job done the couple of times they need to be done.
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Ed Weber

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Re: Festool
Reply #7 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 10:44am

I agree John, it's a tough pill to swallow even if you're a professional woodworker.
The funny thing is that it's mainly designed to align the fence on one of their MFT work tables with the guide rail.

"Squaring Up Your Festool MultiFunction Table (MFT) Just Got A Whole Lot Easier. - See more at: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

or

"
The Mft table with the guide rail $645 Roll Eyes

The sad thing is that I do like some of their products but sometimes they act like everyone is a millionaire.

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Chris Neilan

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OUCH!

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Powermatic 3520
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Re: Festool
Reply #8 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 11:59am

John Cepko wrote on Jan 31^st, 2015 at 9:58am:

If I was a professional woodworker, and my work required the ability to repeat obscure angles, maybe that $270 square would be the way to go.
For your average hobbyist, it is a sign of having too much money,IMHO, in that it is expense over kill, there are cheaper ways to get the job done the couple of times they need to be done.

Too much money??? Not gonna happen! College tuition for the kids took care of that! Four payments left!!!

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« Last Edit: Jan 31^st, 2015 at 12:00pm by Chris Neilan »

Delta 46-460: awesome
Powermatic 3520: more awesome!
Shopsmith Mark 7: Wonderful! (But I don't use it as a lathe yet)
Shopsmith Mark V
Shopsmith 10ER

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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Festool Reply #9 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 12:12pm I like to eat on occasion as well.
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Gary Hostetter WR Addict Offline Posts: 805 Shrewsbury Pennsylvania USA Gender: Powermatic 3520B	Re: Festool Reply #10 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 2:37pm Some of these tools are like fishing lures, a lot of fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish...lol
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JimQuarles WR Addict WR Patron Offline WR Rocks, BIG Time! Posts: 13,194 Glendale, AZ Arizona USA Gender:	Re: Festool Reply #11 - Jan 31^st, 2015 at 8:26pm Gary Hostetter wrote on Jan 31^st, 2015 at 2:37pm: Some of these tools are like fishing lures, a lot of fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish...lol +1+1+1+1+1
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Ken Vaughan

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Stubby 750
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Re: Festool
Reply #12 - Feb 1^st, 2015 at 1:02am

From the hobbyist perspective -- it is hard to go with the tools that are used by the folks who get paid to do work with them.

From the shop labor perspective, it is all about through put and avoidance of down time. There will always be debate as which is best, but the day in and day out user of tools to make money tend toward the top end.

I have one of the large Festool vacuums and have never looked back. It had what I needed for a production job and did it well -- and then retired to sitting in the garage.

The whole equation changes and tools look cheap when valued on the basis of shop rate labor costs.

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Ed Weber

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Re: Festool
Reply #13 - Feb 1^st, 2015 at 11:11am

Ken, you're no wrong, I was just having a bit of fun poking at the high price of Festool products, not looking for a ownership cost analysis of power tools. Remember, these are the folks who brought you a Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

or

, have a sense of humor about it, lighten up.

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