Hi Everyone

I have made a pair of videos showing the setting up of the CMS-OF. I know that it is not recommended in NA but I show the OF 2200 being put into the unit. The variation for the OF 1400 and OF 1010 are mentioned but not demonstrated.

Here are the Links:

Festool CMS-OF Router Table - Part 1:



Festool CMS-OF Router Table - Part 2:



I made these videos earlier this year. I think that I must be going nuts because I thought that I had posted links to these videos, in the Review Section,  before... never mind.

I have learnt that if I go to the supermarket and forget what my wife sent me to get I just ask to borrow someone else's shopping list - it works every time - and yes I really do this but just to brighten up the shopping experience.

Peter

[just adder the new CMS icon - well done Shane]

Hi Carl

I get a steady stream of enquiries asking me to compare the two....

They are totally different beasts and each have their own strengths. The UJK table is very much the static workshop machine, it is quite heavy and needs the help of special castors to allow it to be moved around the workshop. The cut finish is reasonable but this is largely a factor of the router which is inside - I have the CMT (Dewalt 625 clone) which does a passable job but does not come close to any Festool router. I did have a Dewalt 625 in there but the collet failed rather dramatically - I will not buy another! The UJK fences are superb. Dust collection is good.

The CMS-OF setup is in a class of its own and gives the best of both worlds with its solid design yet brilliant portability. As always, Festool have thought the whole design through and so every single little piece of the setup has been designed to integrate with the other parts - hence a flawless performance every time. Dust collection is superb - it is a pity that my trimming of the inside edge of the picture frame shows a lot of dust but that type of operation prevents the dust from getting a clear run to the extractor.

I think that it is unfair to say that one table is better than the other as they are designed completely differently. For the static workshop where space is not an issue then the UJK table works well. For the mobile user or person with a smaller workshop then the Festool CMS-OF is the answer. The CMS-OF produces better results for me but that is probably due to the quality of the router. I have always had two router tables (see my early videos) and my workflow usually requires both to be in use. I feel that I have the best of both worlds. I may move house in a couple of years and that will probably mean a smaller workshop - in that case I will take just one unit with me, the CMS-OF.

Peter

Peter, have you seen the Wood Whisperers excellent podcast videos? There is one where he demonstrated the Festool CMS router table and points out what look like its limitations. e.g. the awkwardness of feeding stock with the hold down in place. What are your thoughts on overcoming this? He suggested perhaps a different way to feed but as he mentioned wasn't sure on the correct way at that stage. I'd like to know what is the correct way. Sure seems like it hasn't been thought through but I don't have one to test it. Also some here have commented on the fence setup not being of repeatability like a Incra fence setup. I don't have the router insert but do have the cms with the ts55r insert and do find the fence lacking in accuracy and fiddly personally, definitely not upto Festools usual standards for me. Things that are good is its stability, size is customisable (greater or lesser size with the extension wings) and good vac hookup and extraction.

Ive found not the hold down to get in the way but the clear plastic feather board was awkward to use. I went out and got the jessum stock hold downs, after playing with Garry Martins at my get together. I canned the clear plastic feather board , they work great. I still use the black hold down too.

Thanks for this really nice review/overview Peter, looking at router tables at the moment and quite liked what I saw here, feel like I know the module now.

I have two questions;
- Assuming I find an after market solution for the on/off switch, what would be against using this module without the base unit? I'm looking for a router table to be used mainly in the workshop, I like that I don't have to put much time into the Festool solution and can use it right away with my Festools but it does add up quickly for the whole package.
- Your workbench looks really interesting, do you have a video on that by any chance? Otherwise I would love to see some pictures if you ever feel like taking them.

Your solution to the ever recurring problem of shopping lists put a nice big smile on my face, it is brilliant in it's simplicity! Thanks for that too.

Cheers, Bob.

Hi Bob,

I will start with the simple things...

There are plenty of after market solutions for the on off switch - just Google NVR Switch and you will see.

It is not difficult to put a module, like the CMS-OF, into a custom made bench.

Now the rest...

By taking part of a well thought out system you will lose functionality, have to make compromises and may end up with less value for money. You will have to look at new ways to do the fence and the switch which we have already identified.

If you are dead against the Festool "system" approach then maybe, for you, Festool is not the answer. What I like about the complete CMS-OF solution is its portability (not taking it for journeys in a truck but being able to move it around a relatively small workshop), the fact it works with all of the others things without a second thought (such as my CTL 26 and I can use either my OF 1400 or OF 2200 in it) and it produces great results. If you fully embrace the CMS system then you can have several modules using the same base. The CMS-TS is brilliant and I could not survive without it.

Now the tough bit...

I also have the cast iron top UJK router table - definitely for the static user. It produces pretty good results but being unable to fit a Festool router inside lowers the quality of the finished work. The end play/bearing play on a CMT (Dewalt 625 clone) is such that it will never touch the quality that either of my Festool routers achieve. The UJK fence is great but dust collection is only 'okay' (nowhere near as good as Festool).

So, I think that you need to think hard about all of this.

The mobile bench has a number of videos. I put them in this FOG thread:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/mobile-bench-project/

Peter

Ive found not the hold down to get in the way but the clear plastic feather board was awkward to use. I went out and got the jessum stock hold downs, after playing with Garry Martins at my get together. I canned the clear plastic feather board , they work great. I still use the black hold down too.

Jobsworth,

Glad you like the Jessums. I think they are great!  I got them early on and and think they're any fence so much better. Next up for you is the Incra LS and a Precision Plate and... And...

Cheers. Bryan.

Great videos Peter.

I was studying and comparing the cms and ujk router gear at my local Axminster the other day and your videos have pretty much confirmed to me that I should go for the cms unit, plus I own the OF 1400 router!

Maybe a silly question, but instead of buying the whole cms unit would it be possible just to buy the cms extension (two legs) to connect to my mft and use it all in the same way?

Hi Jimmy,

I have never used the CMS-VL unit and not even played with one in Axminster. I had a home made router table that fitted on the end of my MFT 3 in the same way that the VL unit fits. The main problem that I found was that sometimes the router was set up but in the way of me sawing on the MFT3 or vide versa. If you are able to get the proper CMS base unit then I would recommend that as the MFT3 and your router table would operate independently.

Peter

Thanks sooooo much Peter for posting this video,

Will make it a breeze to install my router. 

yes I definitely will .

thanks