Daniel Berg Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Okay I am at an impasse. I really want / need a new table saw. (Its an old craftsman but a potato chip is flatter then the table) But I keep thinking maybe I don't need one. Could I just do without a tablesaw and use a Festool TS55 for most of my cuts? I've got a 14 inch bandsaw I use for ripping and I also have a radial arm saw I could use for crosscuts. Now I'm thinking if I went with a TS55 I could do all the large breaking down of material that would traditionally be done on a tablesaw. Anybody elses thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Really depends on what you use your table saw for. I cut a lot of joinery on my TS, so the festool wouldn't be able to accomplish the joinery tasks. My TS is the heart of my shop. It would be very hard for me to function without it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Woodguy Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Much as I like the TS55, unless room is an absolute must, I think there will be less regret in owning a table saw and going without a TS55, over owning a TS55 and going without a table saw. I've always viewed my track saw as a compliment to my table saw (or secondary 'table' saw with MFT) and not a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Agree with Pug.. I use my track saw to break down big panels but, I use my table saw for final cuts. The only way I could consider not having a table saw is if space was an absolute premium and it just wouldn't fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgewaterWW Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 What about Dado cuts? and how will you do small rips (like if a board is 3' wide and need to rip into 2 1 1/2 rips), miter, cross bevel, rip bevel, and compound miter cuts? Yes some (most) dado type cuts can be done on a router table and some miter or cross bevel can do done on your RAS. But I think a TS is the way to go. My RAS is about to go on CL, because I just don't use it anymore, Oh and I got my 4th TS today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 +1....There's just so many times I want to take a skim cut on something...cut a dado...nibble the end off of something to sneak up on a cut or make a thin strip thinner. The TS55 has it's place but 20 years from now, nothing will change...there will still be new and innovative table saws being sold by the thousands and people thinking they can replace their Table saw with this overpriced, limited use tool. This is like a timeshare presentation.......walk away and breathe and shake off the critters that have your mind and when you get about a mile away from the place, sanity will take over.....you'll buy your table saw and you'll be glad you went that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 I have seen picture of amazing pieces made by Peter Franks (not a member of this forum) and he does not have a table saw but uses his TS55 and MFT for all of them - so it can done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghmyn Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 I've got the TS55, and a table saw. I can say that the TS55 does not replace the table saw in any way, shape, or form for me. It does have enough benefits for me to make it worth keeping it around. But I wouldn't like working without my table saw, as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Get both. 'nuff said. Short of that though....keep a running list of all the things you do with your TS, and see if there's an alternative to make the same cut - maybe not with the TS55, but some other way. Dado? Router. Tenons? Bandsaw or router table. Accurate cross cuts? TS55 with a guide. I think the one I'd be stuck on would be a replacement for a good TS sled for cutting small parts...not sure how I'd do that. Maybe the BS. I don't see this as a TS55 vs TS comparison, as it is a TS versus "the rest of the shop". I really like my TS and I don't ever see doing without one. But there are options out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calblacksmith Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 yes, pretty much two different tools. Your work really will guide you but like others, I use my TS much more than any other tool in my woodworking shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Table saw. It just makes everything so easy. Dados, tenons, miters, rip cuts, cross cuts, everything is fast, easy and accurate with a table saw. I know some guys use a track saw as a shop tool, but to me it is more of a job site tool and probably a life saver for wood flooring guys. If you have the space for a table saw, there is no comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Berg Posted April 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thanks, everyone. I've come to the conclusion that i will probably be going to purchase both in the long run. My shop is rather spacious. (25ft by 60ft). So space isn't an issue for me. Like others have said being able to break stock down into smaller chunks is rather nice and the TrackSaw excels at that especially with a back that is bothersome. Thank you all for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Hell, with that much space, I'd have 2 or 3 table saws... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 with that much space I'd have 2 table saw, a big and small band saw, a 20" planer, big jointer, drum sander and a team of elves to do all my grunt work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgewaterWW Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 with that much space I'd have 2 table saw, a big and small band saw, a 20" planer, big jointer, drum sander and a team of elves to do all my grunt work. Sounds like Marc shop ( -1 TS), Mateo is 2 1/2, he could be a elf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieboy Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Table saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 If you are talking about breaking down sheet goods, the TS55 is hard to beat. And yes, it can make finish ready cuts. If you don't deal with a lot of sheet goods or are space limited, a TS55 is hard to justify. If you are talking about breaking down rough lumber both are overkill, and a good jig saw will do fine. Unless your current TS is really warped, the sled would deal with small pieces - although a hand saw with a bench hook and shooting board is probably safer. For dados I actually like a router over a dado stack - I find it easier to keep the depth even. Where I have not found a TS replacement is in cutting long bevels. I am building a couple of David Mark's bar stools and those bevels would have been hard to do any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 A lot of people like the Hammer table saw...seem to be gaining in popularity. http://www.hammerusa.com/us-us/products/table-saws.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I think if you want to make finish quality cuts, and a table saw is not in your picture, for whatever reason, track saws are great. If you have, or plan to buy, a table saw, and have no need for finish quality cuts away from the table saw (say, on site...), a track saw is a waste of money. Any decent circular saw can break down sheets, with or without a 5 minute, $5 shop-made guide. If you think out the guide, you can build it so the saw uses one side, and a router the other... The router can clean up an edge nicer than the saw, as well as dado. I have 48" and 96" versions of the guides. I often don't even bother with the guide, and freehand my breaking down cuts to a pencil line, then use the factory edge against the table saw fence. I make these cuts with an 18v DeWalt saw and Matsushita fine tooth carbide blade, with the sheets on the floor on pink foam sheets. Below is an example of the guide from startwoodworking.com. Make the base double wide if you want to use it for both cutting and routing, then mark which side carries which tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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