Sawdust with 3300 Vacuum

putttn · Post by **putttn** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:02 pm

While the jury is out I've purchased a Festool system that works. NO dust, no sawdust, absoloutely nothing. OK, maybe a few bits of sawdust. I'm really disappointed in the lower saw guard. I won't be using the SS for sawing much. Not trying to push Festool, but if this SS is so well made then why can't SS make something that really works. They're 95% there, just finish the job.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:53 am

[quote="dustywoodworker"]Ed

I was sort of intrigued by the idea of capturing dust above the table. The webpage(the Shark) sort of leads one to believe that there is a shark designed for the SS until you go looking for details----deadend.

Anything else that I might consider would have to be pretty good though because I am quite happy with the SS Blade Guard]

Dusty
I guess I'm confused by what your saying here. There is a Shark Guard designed just for the SS. Lee manufactured a riving knife that is a real riving knife it stays on the machine. Then he designed a Shark guard with vac port both 21/2 and 4 inch that comes off the top.
If you look at the picture, the Sharkguard you see is actually mounted on a Ryobi Bt3100 but for all intents and purposes the Shopsmith one looks virtually the same.
The biggest advantage is you only remove the upper blade guard for non through cuts the riving knife remains in place. A big plus if you decide to rip something with out replacing the SS upper guard and the wood pinches the blade and causes kick back.
Ed

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:10 am

putttn wrote:While the jury is out I've purchased a Festool system that works. NO dust, no sawdust, absoloutely nothing. OK, maybe a few bits of sawdust. I'm really disappointed in the lower saw guard. I won't be using the SS for sawing much. Not trying to push Festool, but if this SS is so well made then why can't SS make something that really works. They're 95% there, just finish the job.

Puttn
Talk to me! I have been thinking that the Festool guided tools system may be the perfect complement to the Shopsmith. I have been thinking of buying the MFT (multi function table) the TS55 saw, a Ct22 vac and at some later time a router.

How do you like the Festools? Do you see it as a good complement to the Shopsmith? Do you really think the Festool saw will replace the SS as far as sawing?

Almost every solid counter top and ply distributer/wholesalers and installers are converting to the Festools. My ply distributer just replaces his panel saw, Radial arm and contractor saw with the Festools. I was in a solid countertop distributer and he actually gave me a demo. He is going to be a Festool agent. I had a ball cutting solid material counter tops, like a hot knife through butter and your right almost no dust. He told me his installers are also jumping all over the Festool sanders. Apparently with the one sander you can grind, sand and polish the solid counter top joints and do it with no dust into the customers home.

My ply distributer claims one of his clients built a floor to ceiling 20 foot long entertainment/bookcase in the clients living room over a fairly expensive rug and the customer raved about the total lack of dust. He claims he finished the cabinet in wipe on polyoil and sanded between each of the six coats.

Almost sounded like being stronger than a locomotive and faster than a speeding bullet.

Give me your impressions.
Ed

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:44 am

Ed

I don't know. I just went to the webpage that reible referenced and it is there, clear as clear could be. Yes, the Shark Guard is advertised and is available. It looks sort of neat but it's not much different, functionally, than the SS Upper Guard except that it collects dust above board.

Sure would like to test one on my SS though.
________________
Making Dust Safely

chiroindixon · Post by **chiroindixon** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:02 am

Ed....

Festool reviews? Go to woodshopdemos.com. This guy and his gals have tested just about everything Festool makes. Reviews, pictures, videos...it's all there for you to spend an entire afternoon.

On his site, he's got all sorts of other reviews for many other brands, various tools, projects, just about every thing related to a wood shop.

His "super table" is something else...

Surf on, dude....

Doc

putttn · Post by **putttn** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:57 am

Ed, yes everything you've heard is really true. I just started using the system and for me it is much easier. Remember I'm a green pea to woodworking but I've got some friends who have been woodworking for years and when they saw the system they flipped. What's so impressive is how the system all works so seamlessly together. Everything fits perfect and I have the 22 vac, 55 saw, 1400 router, MFT 1080, Rotex sander 150 FEQ and just bought the jig saw. They are introducing the Domino and there are members of review and videos of it in op at the Festool Owners Group. The sites previously mentioned are really great and woodshopdemos.com is really one of the best resources I've ever seen. I sanded a table top in our garage with the Rotex 150 feq and the 22 vac and I couldn't believe, no dust, absoloutely none. I had to show my wife because I was sanding it within 3 feet of our door from garage to house and she's beyond a neat nick. I will warn you right now, once you start your investigation you will be on a very slippery slope to purchasing. Yes, they're expensive but not that much more than a new SS. Like the SS, once you've purchased you have something that will last a lifetime. I'm in a good position to do this because the only thing I purchased was a used SS so I don't have any other purchases that would make me think twice. That being said, even if I did have a shop full of tools I'd still want this system. The only thing I can see the SS being used for would be the drilling and sanding functions for me. I may do a quick cross cut on the SS but it's so easy to do on the Festool that I'm not so sure and I wouldn't have any repeat any sawdust. The lathe is the other but I don't see me doing that for awhile. TheSS & Festool mate perfectly because both have such a small footprint and all the Festools come in the "Systainers" which I have stacked on top of the 22 vac. The Systainers are one of the neatest "tools" in the whole lineup of Festools. Again, everything fits perfectly=snick snick snick and you're done. Take a look and as I said before be careful.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:07 pm

putttn wrote:Ed, yes everything you've heard is really true. I just started using the system and for me it is much easier. Remember I'm a green pea to woodworking but I've got some friends who have been woodworking for years and when they saw the system they flipped. What's so impressive is how the system all works so seamlessly together. Everything fits perfect and I have the 22 vac, 55 saw, 1400 router, MFT 1080, Rotex sander 150 FEQ and just bought the jig saw. They are introducing the Domino and there are members of review and videos of it in op at the Festool Owners Group. The sites previously mentioned are really great and woodshopdemos.com is really one of the best resources I've ever seen. I sanded a table top in our garage with the Rotex 150 feq and the 22 vac and I couldn't believe, no dust, absoloutely none. I had to show my wife because I was sanding it within 3 feet of our door from garage to house and she's beyond a neat nick. I will warn you right now, once you start your investigation you will be on a very slippery slope to purchasing. Yes, they're expensive but not that much more than a new SS. Like the SS, once you've purchased you have something that will last a lifetime. I'm in a good position to do this because the only thing I purchased was a used SS so I don't have any other purchases that would make me think twice. That being said, even if I did have a shop full of tools I'd still want this system. The only thing I can see the SS being used for would be the drilling and sanding functions for me. I may do a quick cross cut on the SS but it's so easy to do on the Festool that I'm not so sure and I wouldn't have any repeat any sawdust. The lathe is the other but I don't see me doing that for awhile. TheSS & Festool mate perfectly because both have such a small footprint and all the Festools come in the "Systainers" which I have stacked on top of the 22 vac. The Systainers are one of the neatest "tools" in the whole lineup of Festools. Again, everything fits perfectly=snick snick snick and you're done. Take a look and as I said before be careful.

Puttn

I have been looking long and hard at the machines. What I'm wondering is since I have nearly all the tools if I just won't be better off going to the EZguide system.
My other change of thought was to Craiglist my tools and use what ever I got there to offset the cost of the Festools.

Like you said there are costly. WOW! But I agree if they work, it is worth it. I'm getting real tired of fighting poor design and sloppy assembly in even some of the better tools.
Thanks for the feedback.
Ed

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:08 pm

chiroindixon wrote:Ed....

Festool reviews? Go to woodshopdemos.com. This guy and his gals have tested just about everything Festool makes. Reviews, pictures, videos...it's all there for you to spend an entire afternoon.

On his site, he's got all sorts of other reviews for many other brands, various tools, projects, just about every thing related to a wood shop.

His "super table" is something else...

Surf on, dude....

Doc

Doc
I'm an old fan of John Lucas and Woodshopdemos.com. He has given me some of the best advice and he is really a nice guy. I check his site weekly.
Ed

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:18 pm

dustywoodworker wrote:Ed

I don't know. I just went to the webpage that reible referenced and it is there, clear as clear could be. Yes, the Shark Guard is advertised and is available. It looks sort of neat but it's not much different, functionally, than the SS Upper Guard except that it collects dust above board.

Sure would like to test one on my SS though.
________________
Making Dust Safely

Again the package is not just the upper guard but the Riving knife that the upper guard attaches to and the blade guard itself that separates from the riving knife. The allows the riving knife to stay put on the Shopsmith even on none through cuts like Dados.

The upper saw guard besides making your SS look different also has the vac port.

So what Lee is selling is an authentic riving knife, removable blade guard that has a vac port. Along with the shark face to dress up your machine.

The sharkguard came out for the Ryobi BT3000 and BT3100 and the guys that tried them raved about how much better they were. Slowly Lee started making the Sharkguard for other machines like the Unisaw. People were raving again. I talked him into making them for ShopSmith and he did.
If I wasn't trying to decide which way to jump I would probably have a Sharkguard by now.

I really torn between Festool or enhancing my Shopsmith. I'm dying for someone to tell me all the features and uses of the overhead pin router. But even shopsmith doesn't have a demo.
Ed

putttn · Post by **putttn** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:38 pm

Ed, if it was me I would sell what I had and get into the best system. Actually the money is not that much compared to other stand alone systems. Look at the cost of a high end table saw. I sure wouldn't try to make the SS into something it never will be and it will never be a Festool, not even close. If I were you I would spend a lot of time looking at festoolownersgroup.com to get to know the level of acceptance and customer satisfaction. I think you will be surprised at how happy all the owners are. I realize they might be biased but there are so many who have been in your shoes and made the switch. I purchased the sander and 22 vac in the package deal and once I saw how it functioned I went in and bought everything else because I knew, for me, that was going to be something I would keep for the rest of my life and I'd enjoy working with that type of precision. If you have a Woodcraft store or someone who sells it near you, go play with the tools some more and you'll be convinced. I used to own a Mercedes Benz dealership and I know the value of precision machinery. It is a lot more enjoyable to work with somehting that is so precise and as I said before - everything fits and everything works and they have a great "system". Look at what the owners have to say and you'll see that this is truly a revoloution in woodworking for us in the US. I know you'll be happy you made the switch plus how long are you going to continue woodworking? I hope I have 20 years + and I'm glad I made the purchases.