On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russellseaton1@yahoo.com"
<ritzannaseaton@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
>> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
>> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
>> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
>> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
>> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
>> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
>>
>> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
>> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
>> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
>>
>> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
>> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
>> year.".
>>
>> Leon?
>
>
>No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.

I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
It could have been so much more robust.

>Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.

I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
so great at "cross-cutting".

I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
surface clamps will, which is always a problem.

Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.

On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
> >>
> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
> >>
> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
> >> year.".
> >>
> >> Leon?
> >
> >
> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.
> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
> It could have been so much more robust.
> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom.. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
> so great at "cross-cutting".
>
> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
>
> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.

Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a 42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars.. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.

As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails.. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.

Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.

On Mon, 7 Nov 2022 19:22:26 -0800 (PST), "russellseaton1@yahoo.com"
<ritzannaseaton@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
>> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
>> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
>> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
>> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
>> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
>> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
>> >>
>> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
>> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
>> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
>> >>
>> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
>> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
>> >> year.".
>> >>
>> >> Leon?
>> >
>> >
>> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.
>> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
>> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
>> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
>> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
>> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
>> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
>> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
>> It could have been so much more robust.
>> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
>> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
>> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
>> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
>> so great at "cross-cutting".
>>
>> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
>> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
>> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
>> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
>>
>> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
>> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
>> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
>> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
>> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.
>
>Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a
>42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.

You can buy a second and cut 8' pieces. ;-)

>As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.

There are certain situations where neither the table saw or the track
saw seem to be the right tool. The piece is big enough that I really
don't want to use the table saw and setting the track up is a PITA for
one cut. I've been thinking about getting a short track and just do
that. I have enough track to build a railroad but nothing shorter
than 55". I could cut one down on a track saw. ;-) I just might.

>Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.

No question they're great for installers. At 42#, hauling one around
would be easy. I didn't like the wobbly legs, either but this would
be an acceptable tradeoff for a mobile workstation. One of the
attendees at the Festool show said that he put a shelf across the
bottom rungs and it's fine. That defeats its purpose as a mobile saw
but solves the wobblies, apparently. They have a router MFT table too.
I *really* didn't like how wobbly it was. I know everything is
referenced to the top and movement doesn't matter to the cut but I
want to work on a solid bench.

Leon has and MFT for his shop and loves it. I was hoping he was still
around to answer questions.

On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 1:21:54 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Nov 2022 19:22:26 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
> >> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
> >> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
> >> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
> >> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
> >> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
> >> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
> >> >>
> >> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
> >> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
> >> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
> >> >>
> >> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
> >> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
> >> >> year.".
> >> >>
> >> >> Leon?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.
> >> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
> >> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
> >> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
> >> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
> >> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
> >> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
> >> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
> >> It could have been so much more robust.
> >> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
> >> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
> >> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
> >> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
> >> so great at "cross-cutting".
> >>
> >> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
> >> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
> >> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
> >> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
> >>
> >> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
> >> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
> >> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
> >> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
> >> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.
> >
> >Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a
> >42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.
> You can buy a second and cut 8' pieces. ;-)
> >As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.
> There are certain situations where neither the table saw or the track
> saw seem to be the right tool. The piece is big enough that I really
> don't want to use the table saw and setting the track up is a PITA for
> one cut. I've been thinking about getting a short track and just do
> that. I have enough track to build a railroad but nothing shorter
> than 55". I could cut one down on a track saw. ;-) I just might.
> >Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.
> No question they're great for installers. At 42#, hauling one around
> would be easy. I didn't like the wobbly legs, either but this would
> be an acceptable tradeoff for a mobile workstation. One of the
> attendees at the Festool show said that he put a shelf across the
> bottom rungs and it's fine. That defeats its purpose as a mobile saw
> but solves the wobblies, apparently. They have a router MFT table too.
> I *really* didn't like how wobbly it was. I know everything is
> referenced to the top and movement doesn't matter to the cut but I
> want to work on a solid bench.
>
> Leon has and MFT for his shop and loves it. I was hoping he was still
> around to answer questions.

I am probably the wrong person to comment in this thread. Since I do not own an MFT and have never used it. Kind of like you. But I look at it and think, I already own tools that can do what the MFT does, but easier than the MFT. So why would I want an MFT? Unless there is a real reason, such as the space aspect or portability aspect. If a woodworker already owns all the tools, then the MFT does not seem like a good replacement. If you are just starting out and have nothing, then maybe the MFT is a good starter that means you never need anything else. Maybe. But I don't think you are talking about that type of situation.

As for shorter rails, I own an 800mm (31"). Not the holey one. Regular rail. I use it a little. But its not much more convenient than the 1400. And if you are cutting short things that fit the 800 rail, then they are about short enough to cut with the table saw or SCMS.

I like my Festool track saw. Its great. And great at many different cuts. But its bad at some cuts too. And the MFT seems to try to improve on the bad cuts. It probably helps. But there are other tools that are the very best for the bad track saw cuts. So why not just get the better other tool. Why try to improve on the track saw and get it just to mediocre. When you can get great with a different tool.

On Tue, 8 Nov 2022 12:53:51 -0800 (PST), "russellseaton1@yahoo.com"
<ritzannaseaton@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 1:21:54 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> On Mon, 7 Nov 2022 19:22:26 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
>> >> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
>> >> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
>> >> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
>> >> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
>> >> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
>> >> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
>> >> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
>> >> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
>> >> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
>> >> >> year.".
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Leon?
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.
>> >> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
>> >> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
>> >> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
>> >> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
>> >> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
>> >> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
>> >> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
>> >> It could have been so much more robust.
>> >> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
>> >> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
>> >> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
>> >> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
>> >> so great at "cross-cutting".
>> >>
>> >> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
>> >> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
>> >> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
>> >> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
>> >>
>> >> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
>> >> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
>> >> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
>> >> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
>> >> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.
>> >
>> >Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a
>> >42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.
>> You can buy a second and cut 8' pieces. ;-)
>> >As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.
>> There are certain situations where neither the table saw or the track
>> saw seem to be the right tool. The piece is big enough that I really
>> don't want to use the table saw and setting the track up is a PITA for
>> one cut. I've been thinking about getting a short track and just do
>> that. I have enough track to build a railroad but nothing shorter
>> than 55". I could cut one down on a track saw. ;-) I just might.
>> >Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.
>> No question they're great for installers. At 42#, hauling one around
>> would be easy. I didn't like the wobbly legs, either but this would
>> be an acceptable tradeoff for a mobile workstation. One of the
>> attendees at the Festool show said that he put a shelf across the
>> bottom rungs and it's fine. That defeats its purpose as a mobile saw
>> but solves the wobblies, apparently. They have a router MFT table too.
>> I *really* didn't like how wobbly it was. I know everything is
>> referenced to the top and movement doesn't matter to the cut but I
>> want to work on a solid bench.
>>
>> Leon has and MFT for his shop and loves it. I was hoping he was still
>> around to answer questions.
>
>
>I am probably the wrong person to comment in this thread. Since I do not own an MFT and have never used it. Kind of like you. But I look at it and think, I already own tools that can do what the MFT does, but easier than the MFT. So why would I want an MFT? Unless there is a real reason, such as the space aspect or portability aspect. If a woodworker already owns all the tools, then the MFT does not seem like a good replacement. If you are just starting out and have nothing, then maybe the MFT is a good starter that means you never need anything else. Maybe. But I don't think you are talking about that type of situation.
>
>As for shorter rails, I own an 800mm (31"). Not the holey one. Regular rail. I use it a little. But its not much more convenient than the 1400. And if you are cutting short things that fit the 800 rail, then they are about short enough to cut with the table saw or SCMS.

On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 7:59:38 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> On Tue, 8 Nov 2022 12:53:51 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 1:21:54 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> On Mon, 7 Nov 2022 19:22:26 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> >> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> >> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> >> >> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
> >> >> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
> >> >> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
> >> >> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
> >> >> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
> >> >> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
> >> >> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
> >> >> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
> >> >> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
> >> >> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
> >> >> >> year.".
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Leon?
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw..
> >> >> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
> >> >> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
> >> >> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
> >> >> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
> >> >> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
> >> >> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
> >> >> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
> >> >> It could have been so much more robust.
> >> >> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
> >> >> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
> >> >> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
> >> >> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
> >> >> so great at "cross-cutting".
> >> >>
> >> >> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
> >> >> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
> >> >> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
> >> >> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
> >> >>
> >> >> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
> >> >> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
> >> >> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
> >> >> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
> >> >> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.
> >> >
> >> >Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a
> >> >42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.
> >> You can buy a second and cut 8' pieces. ;-)
> >> >As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.
> >> There are certain situations where neither the table saw or the track
> >> saw seem to be the right tool. The piece is big enough that I really
> >> don't want to use the table saw and setting the track up is a PITA for
> >> one cut. I've been thinking about getting a short track and just do
> >> that. I have enough track to build a railroad but nothing shorter
> >> than 55". I could cut one down on a track saw. ;-) I just might.
> >> >Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.
> >> No question they're great for installers. At 42#, hauling one around
> >> would be easy. I didn't like the wobbly legs, either but this would
> >> be an acceptable tradeoff for a mobile workstation. One of the
> >> attendees at the Festool show said that he put a shelf across the
> >> bottom rungs and it's fine. That defeats its purpose as a mobile saw
> >> but solves the wobblies, apparently. They have a router MFT table too.
> >> I *really* didn't like how wobbly it was. I know everything is
> >> referenced to the top and movement doesn't matter to the cut but I
> >> want to work on a solid bench.
> >>
> >> Leon has and MFT for his shop and loves it. I was hoping he was still
> >> around to answer questions.
> >
> >
> >I am probably the wrong person to comment in this thread. Since I do not own an MFT and have never used it. Kind of like you. But I look at it and think, I already own tools that can do what the MFT does, but easier than the MFT. So why would I want an MFT? Unless there is a real reason, such as the space aspect or portability aspect. If a woodworker already owns all the tools, then the MFT does not seem like a good replacement. If you are just starting out and have nothing, then maybe the MFT is a good starter that means you never need anything else. Maybe. But I don't think you are talking about that type of situation.
> >
> >As for shorter rails, I own an 800mm (31"). Not the holey one. Regular rail. I use it a little. But its not much more convenient than the 1400. And if you are cutting short things that fit the 800 rail, then they are about short enough to cut with the table saw or SCMS.
> I often get into a situation where I have a long piece (8' for
> argument's sake) that may be 2' wide that I want to cut cross-wise. A
> 55" track is a pain because, while the bench I use will easily handle
> it, the space around it gets cramped. It's too long to cut on the
> table saw easily and the 55" rail gets to be a pain. Your 31" rail
> might be a good alternative. That's pretty much what I'd use the MFT
> for.
>
> The MFT is also really good at cutting sheets at an angle. I have to
> admit, though, that I think I've only needed to do it once. I think it
> would replace a SMCS, though like most here, I already have one
> (three, actually).
> >I like my Festool track saw. Its great. And great at many different cuts.. But its bad at some cuts too. And the MFT seems to try to improve on the bad cuts. It probably helps. But there are other tools that are the very best for the bad track saw cuts. So why not just get the better other tool. Why try to improve on the track saw and get it just to mediocre. When you can get great with a different tool.
> Do you have an example of these cuts and tools?

On Wed, 9 Nov 2022 19:52:02 -0800 (PST), "russellseaton1@yahoo.com"
<ritzannaseaton@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 7:59:38 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> On Tue, 8 Nov 2022 12:53:51 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 1:21:54 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> On Mon, 7 Nov 2022 19:22:26 -0800 (PST), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 6:34:06 PM UTC-6, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> >> On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 00:46:36 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
>> >> >> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 7:56:06 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:
>> >> >> >> I was at Highland today taking a serious look at the MFT/3. I must be
>> >> >> >> missing something (so was the sales guy and the Festool Owner's group)
>> >> >> >> but that think is about as accurate as a dull axe. The rail hinge is
>> >> >> >> just stamped steel, as is the pin it sits on. Before resting on the
>> >> >> >> pin there is about 1/4" play in the rail. Even after it's sitting on
>> >> >> >> the pin, there is about 1/16" play. How the hell can this thing be
>> >> >> >> used for woodworking. Framing, maybe.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> Stamped steel hinges? It's worse than just a hinge. The "hinge" is
>> >> >> >> two pins with about 1-1/2" steel arms to hold the rail. Moving the
>> >> >> >> rail flexes these arms. It's a terrible design.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> FOG members say something like "Yeah, it's a terrible design and has
>> >> >> >> never been addressed but at least they make it more expensive every
>> >> >> >> year.".
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> Leon?
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >No comment from me. I have a vague idea of what the MFT/3 is. A MDF table top with some size of mm holes drilled in it in a grid pattern. And you can use the newer Festool rails and track saw and maybe router on top of it. And expensive posts and other things fit into the mm holes. I never understood the appeal of it. Why not just use your table saw or miter saw to cut the wood? Or if using the track saw to cut the wood, just toss the wood onto a Styrofoam panel, lay the guide on top, and cut with the track saw.
>> >> >> I wasn't much interested until the Festool travlin' road show. They
>> >> >> were demonstrating some other tools, using the MFT. The setup is very
>> >> >> fast and they (of course) were making it look really good. I went
>> >> >> back Saturday to look closer without a bunch of Festool employees
>> >> >> standing around me. I was disappointed but could still be talked into
>> >> >> it by someone who uses one every day. There are just some things
>> >> >> about the rail mechanism (the MFT's bottom line) that didn't sit well.
>> >> >> It could have been so much more robust.
>> >> >> >Now, I will admit to creating my own MFT style table. I glued and screwed a set of 2x4s together to make a frame. Then have a piece of particleboard to sit on top. And some pipe sockets and pipes to make legs on the bottom. I can lay pieces of wood on top and straight line rip the edges with the track saw. Then feed the pieces into my table saw to rip to width. Its kind of an elevated Styrofoam panel so I don't have to crawl around on the floor.
>> >> >> I have a table with a sheet of MDF on a solid-core door, with edge
>> >> >> banding to hold the MDF from moving (it's just sitting there so can be
>> >> >> replaced easily). It's great for "ripping" panels down to size but not
>> >> >> so great at "cross-cutting".
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I plan on drilling dog holes in it but haven't decided on the US 3/4"
>> >> >> or European (Festool) 20mm holes. Since the table is so thick (2",
>> >> >> IIRC) passing the clamps from the bottom isn't going to work but
>> >> >> surface clamps will, which is always a problem.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Since I always work alone and really can't moose full sheets around
>> >> >> like I once did (particularly now) so the table saw isn't very
>> >> >> user-friendly. I'd like to use it just for ripping and small parts.
>> >> >> The MFT is set up to make short work of "cross-cutting" panels. If
>> >> >> it were a little better, it could put a miter saw out to pasture.
>> >> >
>> >> >Again, I have no direct experience with the MFT table. Just seen pictures of it and read lots of comments from devotees about how wonderous it is. But I can't figure out why its so wonderful. I already own a SCMS that crosscuts 12 inches. I guess I could put in stop blocks on one side and flip the piece over so it would then crosscut 24 inches. Maybe that would work OK. SCMS cost $500 lets say. I also own a table saw. Its old now. Delta Contractors saw. I can crosscut and rip with it pretty darn good. Now, I agree working with full plywood sheets is cumbersome. Best to use the track saw and a Styrofoam panel first to cut the plywood down to size. Or to straight line rip an edge on long boards. I probably have at least $1000 over the decades invested into the table saw. Track saw and rails are of course expensive too. But you have to have a track saw and rails to make the MFT work. So you have to buy a track saw no matter what. MFT by itself is $775. Comes with a
>> >> >42" rail. It can cut 42" by 27". So you still need to buy a new longer rail to even crosscut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor before you can even put it on the MFT. And a long rail to rip the plywood on its 8 foot side. And in addition to the $775 base cost, you still "need" to buy all the extra doo-dads for several hundreds of extra dollars. So the MFT table is over $1000 before its in its wonderous state.
>> >> You can buy a second and cut 8' pieces. ;-)
>> >> >As I said, I already own a SCMS. Probably don't need that, but I already bought it. So not going to get rid of it. And I have a table saw that does everything the MFT does. For less money. And I own a track saw and rails. Which you have to buy to use the MFT, so that is a wash. What would a MFT do that I cannot already do now? And I can probably do everything better now too. And faster.
>> >> There are certain situations where neither the table saw or the track
>> >> saw seem to be the right tool. The piece is big enough that I really
>> >> don't want to use the table saw and setting the track up is a PITA for
>> >> one cut. I've been thinking about getting a short track and just do
>> >> that. I have enough track to build a railroad but nothing shorter
>> >> than 55". I could cut one down on a track saw. ;-) I just might.
>> >> >Now, I can understand the appeal of the MFT in certain situations. You are a traveling carpenter living in your van. And all of your cutting is done with the MFT. And you pull it out of the van and set it up on the grass to do all your work. Might make sense in that situation. Or maybe you are moving into the retirement home and you only have a 10' by 10' room as your shop. So you have to sell all your other tools first before moving in. And now you need something tiny to use in your new tiny shop. And you can carry the lightweight Styrofoam panel out onto the retirement home's center lawn when you need to cut a piece of plywood down to size. Before it can even fit on the MFT table inside your tiny shop.
>> >> No question they're great for installers. At 42#, hauling one around
>> >> would be easy. I didn't like the wobbly legs, either but this would
>> >> be an acceptable tradeoff for a mobile workstation. One of the
>> >> attendees at the Festool show said that he put a shelf across the
>> >> bottom rungs and it's fine. That defeats its purpose as a mobile saw
>> >> but solves the wobblies, apparently. They have a router MFT table too.
>> >> I *really* didn't like how wobbly it was. I know everything is
>> >> referenced to the top and movement doesn't matter to the cut but I
>> >> want to work on a solid bench.
>> >>
>> >> Leon has and MFT for his shop and loves it. I was hoping he was still
>> >> around to answer questions.
>> >
>> >
>> >I am probably the wrong person to comment in this thread. Since I do not own an MFT and have never used it. Kind of like you. But I look at it and think, I already own tools that can do what the MFT does, but easier than the MFT. So why would I want an MFT? Unless there is a real reason, such as the space aspect or portability aspect. If a woodworker already owns all the tools, then the MFT does not seem like a good replacement. If you are just starting out and have nothing, then maybe the MFT is a good starter that means you never need anything else. Maybe. But I don't think you are talking about that type of situation.
>> >
>> >As for shorter rails, I own an 800mm (31"). Not the holey one. Regular rail. I use it a little. But its not much more convenient than the 1400. And if you are cutting short things that fit the 800 rail, then they are about short enough to cut with the table saw or SCMS.
>> I often get into a situation where I have a long piece (8' for
>> argument's sake) that may be 2' wide that I want to cut cross-wise. A
>> 55" track is a pain because, while the bench I use will easily handle
>> it, the space around it gets cramped. It's too long to cut on the
>> table saw easily and the 55" rail gets to be a pain. Your 31" rail
>> might be a good alternative. That's pretty much what I'd use the MFT
>> for.
>>
>> The MFT is also really good at cutting sheets at an angle. I have to
>> admit, though, that I think I've only needed to do it once. I think it
>> would replace a SMCS, though like most here, I already have one
>> (three, actually).
>> >I like my Festool track saw. Its great. And great at many different cuts. But its bad at some cuts too. And the MFT seems to try to improve on the bad cuts. It probably helps. But there are other tools that are the very best for the bad track saw cuts. So why not just get the better other tool. Why try to improve on the track saw and get it just to mediocre. When you can get great with a different tool.
>> Do you have an example of these cuts and tools?
>
>For the bad at certain cuts, the track saw is not great at ripping to exact widths, or cutting small pieces. I know there are parallel guides to make the ripping to exact widths repeatable. And I suspect they work. Many different companies sell guides that fit onto twin slot guide rails to allow you to get repeatable width cuts. The MFT might also have something like this built in. As for cutting small parts, track saws just aren't really designed for that. If I had a 3" wide short board and wanted to rip it down to 2.5", and its only 18" long, a track saw would not be my choice. Such as the rails and stiles on face frames. But a table saw would do this easy. Or you are making bottoms out of plywood for drawers. You cut them all to 12" width. But turns out they need to be 11" and 15/16" width. It would take you a minute or two to rip them to final width on a table saw with a rip fence. But a half hour using a MFT. And if you had all your rails and stiles in rough
>lengths. Say 13" instead of the final 12", a miter saw would take care of everything in 30 seconds. Or spend a half hour monkeying on a MFT. Or trying to cross cut small or short pieces with a track saw is also not easy.

On 11/12/2022 2:57 PM, krw@notreal.com wrote:

>
> I wouldn't use a track saw to rip boards. It's underpowered for most
> wood. Great for sheet goods, not so great on hardwood. That's the
> territory of 3HP table saws.

Not an issue with a TS 75. And remember the growling you hear when
cutting is the motor constantly adjusting to maintain a constant speed.

On Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:07:04 -0600, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet>
wrote:

>On 11/12/2022 2:57 PM, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>
>>
>> I wouldn't use a track saw to rip boards. It's underpowered for most
>> wood. Great for sheet goods, not so great on hardwood. That's the
>> territory of 3HP table saws.
>
>
>Not an issue with a TS 75. And remember the growling you hear when
>cutting is the motor constantly adjusting to maintain a constant speed.

I have the original ('10 maybe?) TS55. No, it noticeably struggles on
much more than 3/4" ply.

We discussed this at the time. The TS75 came with the 75" track,
which made it a somewhat better deal. I thought I'd only use it on
ply, so didn't see the point of the larger, heavier saw. I was right.
I've never been tempted to use it for anything else. It's not really
a carpentry tool. ;-)