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Author Topic: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools  (Read 3551 times)

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Offline TWFwoodworking

  • Posts: 5
Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« on: May 05, 2023, 08:31 AM »
Hi everyone, it's my first time posting.

I have a small barn (10 feet wide x 12 feet long) located in Canada. I use it for storage and my workshop. I am currently working on upgrading my shop setup and tools. Hoping to get some helpful input on making the plunge into Festool tools ownership  :)
 
I currently have a dewalt table saw, rigid planer, dewalt miter saw, Milwaukee cordless drills, various hand tools and rigid shop vac. I just built a Paul Sellers work bench and I am currently in the process of building a maple dining table.

I hoping to start to invest in Festool tools and slowly work my way up each year to different Festool tools.

I have some money saved up this year to invest and I am looking to see what everyone would recommend to start off with?
Track saw, domino , dust extractor? Most of projects I was dealing with plywood but I am slowly transiting into hardwood furniture making.

Also if you have any tips on starting a setup in a small shop for best lay out idea's.

Thanks
Thomas
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Offline woodferret

  • Posts: 537
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2023, 12:43 PM »
Welcome.  A MIDI or CT26 then a DF700.  You nominally can go DF700 first then replace your shopvac with an extractor, but honestly the hose kludges to get non-german shopvacs fitted onto Festool has annoyed me.  The festool hose kludges to 2.5" ports for NA small/jobsite tools is far less of an issue than something you use in-hand.
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Offline gfinn

  • Posts: 3
  • Old, but not Old AF
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2023, 02:43 PM »
Greetings,

Check out Pete Millard.  Runs a business out of a small one car garage from what I can tell and has tons of videos. Maybe even has one dedicated to having a small shop.

My first investment was in a track saw and a vacuum, followed by an OF1000. I gave up the table saw about 15 years ago and have only recently purchased a used table saw insert for my CMS router table for those times when only working against a fence works. If I need to do lots of work on a table saw I'll use a friends or find one at work. I switched to a Kapex specifically so I could push it closer to the wall and save space.

Cheers,

Greg

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Buy once, cry once.

Offline demographic

  • Posts: 775
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2023, 03:21 PM »
Track saw, extractor, and for site use a HKC55.
Never been blown away by the jigsaws and the drills seem overpriced to me.

If I was in a workshop all the time I'd likely gst a Domino but realistically Id rather be stabbed in the eye with a thistle than be in a workshop a the time and much prefer site work.
Basically the circular saws, tracks and extracrors are great, drills and drivers? Meh, whatever.

On and the radios nice.
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Offline TWFwoodworking

  • Posts: 5
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2023, 06:26 PM »
Quote from: woodferret on May 05, 2023, 12:43 PM
Welcome.  A MIDI or CT26 then a DF700.  You nominally can go DF700 first then replace your shopvac with an extractor, but honestly the hose kludges to get non-german shopvacs fitted onto Festool has annoyed me.  The festool hose kludges to 2.5" ports for NA small/jobsite tools is far less of an issue than something you use in-hand.

Thanks for the recommendation , is there much difference between the CT Midi, CT26 and the CT15 performance wise ? or is it just the same with less options.
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Offline Crazyraceguy

  • Posts: 3295
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2023, 06:33 PM »
That's funny @demographic I am 100% opposite. I absolutely hate site work.  [eek]
It always seemed like there were way too many avoidable problems. It may not be as bad if you do it all of the time, so you have everything with you all the time. I did it in a much more casual way, usually installing the big desk units that I had just built, and it always seemed like I was missing something. (that I actually owned, back at the shop) I never mind having to buy a new tool, but it really bugs me to have one and not have it with me. When you only do it once in a while, you just can't carry everything. That's not my only complaint, but it's the only one I had control over.

Anyway, back on topic.
In a small shop, I would definitely go with a TS55, DF500, and probably a midi. (though that's not what I have now) Sander next, ETS EC, the size is a bit debatable. Personally, I like the 125, but that's mostly because it matches the Rotex I already have. Router kind of depends on your intended use (and bit collection) The OF1010 is a fantastic tool that will do most jobs, until you get to the point where you need big bits. It can't accommodate 1/2" shank bits.
The ergonomics of the CXS cannot be overstated. There have been a few companies that tried to copy it, apparently not as successfully as they would have hoped.
"Furniture Making" might also benefit from a jig saw or bandsaw, depending on what that actually means to you.
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CSX
DF500 + assortment set
PS420 + Base kit
OF1010
OF1010F
OF1400
MFK700 (2)
TS55,FS800, FS1080, FS1400/ LR32, FS1900, FS 2424/ LR32, FS3000
CT26E + Workshop cleaning set, Bluetooth remote
CT15
RO90
RO125
ETS EC 125
RAS115
ETS 125 (2)
RTS 400
TS75
Shaper Origin/Workstation/Plate
MFT clamps set
Installers set
Centrotech organizer set
Socket/Ratchet set
Pliers set
TS60

Offline TWFwoodworking

  • Posts: 5
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2023, 06:36 PM »
Quote from: gfinn on May 05, 2023, 02:43 PM
Greetings,

Check out Pete Millard.  Runs a business out of a small one car garage from what I can tell and has tons of videos. Maybe even has one dedicated to having a small shop.

My first investment was in a track saw and a vacuum, followed by an OF1000. I gave up the table saw about 15 years ago and have only recently purchased a used table saw insert for my CMS router table for those times when only working against a fence works. If I need to do lots of work on a table saw I'll use a friends or find one at work. I switched to a Kapex specifically so I could push it closer to the wall and save space.

Cheers,

Greg



Thanks Greg , appreciate the video link. Was a great resource, he shop does look like a similar size to mine.
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Offline ChuckS

  • Posts: 4848
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2023, 06:37 PM »
Quote from: TWFwoodworking on May 05, 2023, 06:26 PM
Snip.
Thanks for the recommendation , is there much difference between the CT Midi, CT26 and the CT15 performance wise ? or is it just the same with less options.

How one retailer puts it:

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/festool-vacuum-comparison.aspx

If you do a lot of woodworking that will require changing bags a lot, I recommend using the dust extractor with a Dust Deputy (esp. DD 2.5) to eliminate most of the need for replacment bags and filters. If you supply the bucket(s), a DD2.5 costs about $90Cdn. The same goes with using a shop vac if you don't end up buying a dust extractor. But for a shopvac set-up, use it also with an iVAC auto-switch so the vac is turned on automatically when you switch on the power tool.
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Offline Crazyraceguy

  • Posts: 3295
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2023, 06:42 PM »
Quote from: TWFwoodworking on May 05, 2023, 06:26 PM
Quote from: woodferret on May 05, 2023, 12:43 PM
Welcome.  A MIDI or CT26 then a DF700.  You nominally can go DF700 first then replace your shopvac with an extractor, but honestly the hose kludges to get non-german shopvacs fitted onto Festool has annoyed me.  The festool hose kludges to 2.5" ports for NA small/jobsite tools is far less of an issue than something you use in-hand.

Thanks for the recommendation , is there much difference between the CT Midi, CT26 and the CT15 performance wise ? or is it just the same with less options.

Suction-wise, they are effectively the same. The difference lies in the capacity and "details".
The CT26 is the biggest of these 3, and most costly. The CT15 is essentially an midi that has been stripped of the extras. It doesn't have bluetooth, the brake to keep it from rolling, or Systainer connection.
The bluetooth is an add-on to the CT26, so it will cost you more to get it, but it is possible.
I bought  CT15 as a second unit, already having a CT26, but I if had it to do over, I would probably just get 2 midis.
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CSX
DF500 + assortment set
PS420 + Base kit
OF1010
OF1010F
OF1400
MFK700 (2)
TS55,FS800, FS1080, FS1400/ LR32, FS1900, FS 2424/ LR32, FS3000
CT26E + Workshop cleaning set, Bluetooth remote
CT15
RO90
RO125
ETS EC 125
RAS115
ETS 125 (2)
RTS 400
TS75
Shaper Origin/Workstation/Plate
MFT clamps set
Installers set
Centrotech organizer set
Socket/Ratchet set
Pliers set
TS60

Offline TWFwoodworking

  • Posts: 5
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2023, 06:48 PM »
Quote from: demographic on May 05, 2023, 03:21 PM
Track saw, extractor, and for site use a HKC55.
Never been blown away by the jigsaws and the drills seem overpriced to me.

If I was in a workshop all the time I'd likely gst a Domino but realistically Id rather be stabbed in the eye with a thistle than be in a workshop a the time and much prefer site work.
Basically the circular saws, tracks and extracrors are great, drills and drivers? Meh, whatever.

On and the radios nice.

@demographic hahah, thanks for the feedback. Most of my work will be in the workshop , but I work an office job so I'm always glad to be out there when I can be.
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Offline TWFwoodworking

  • Posts: 5
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2023, 06:52 PM »
Quote from: ChuckS on May 05, 2023, 06:37 PM
Quote from: TWFwoodworking on May 05, 2023, 06:26 PM
Snip.
Thanks for the recommendation , is there much difference between the CT Midi, CT26 and the CT15 performance wise ? or is it just the same with less options.

How one retailer puts it:

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/festool-vacuum-comparison.aspx

If you do a lot of woodworking that will require changing bags a lot, I recommend using the dust extractor with a Dust Deputy (esp. DD 2.5) to eliminate most of the need for replacment bags and filters. If you supply the bucket(s), a DD2.5 costs about $90Cdn. The same goes with using a shop vac if you don't end up buying a dust extractor. But for a shopvac set-up, use it also with an iVAC auto-switch so the vac is turned on automatically when you switch on the power tool.

Great link @ChuckS  And its actually quite funny you mentioned the Dust Deputy 2.5 , I literally just ordered one this morning, after reading a post on here stating how it will save bags.
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Offline Crazyraceguy

  • Posts: 3295
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2023, 04:14 PM »
I'm not entirely convinced that a separator (of any kind) is all that beneficial. You can buy a whole lot of bags for what it costs to buy even a low-end unit. Dust extractors are just that (dust), not huge chip (high CFM) collectors. It takes quite a while to fill a bag with sanding dust, Domino crumbs, and track saw debris. It's only when you get involved with routers that things fill up quicker.
I change mine on the CT26 somewhere between 6 weeks and 2 months, and that's in a cabinet shop, where it gets used a lot. Of course a lot of what I do is with other machines, including my SCMS, which are connected to the central system. All of my Festool stuff and my router table go into the CT26 or CT15 (which also takes some away from the CT26, and it never gets router table use)
At a cost of about $4 per bag, you could go many years before the cyclone would ever break even. Plus, you don't have to deal with the reduced suction that comes from them. That part is bothersome to some people, others not so much. YMMV
If you use bags more rapidly, the math might work in your favor....
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CSX
DF500 + assortment set
PS420 + Base kit
OF1010
OF1010F
OF1400
MFK700 (2)
TS55,FS800, FS1080, FS1400/ LR32, FS1900, FS 2424/ LR32, FS3000
CT26E + Workshop cleaning set, Bluetooth remote
CT15
RO90
RO125
ETS EC 125
RAS115
ETS 125 (2)
RTS 400
TS75
Shaper Origin/Workstation/Plate
MFT clamps set
Installers set
Centrotech organizer set
Socket/Ratchet set
Pliers set
TS60

Offline woodferret

  • Posts: 537
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2023, 05:35 PM »
If you're that tight on floorspace, probably the VA20 is a better choice than the dust deputy.  I've got both.  Even made an systainer adapter for the DD to sit on my MIDI, but boy is it huge.  The VA20 can easily destack and fit underneath the workbench.  The DD cannot.
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Offline Vtshopdog

  • Posts: 237
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2023, 06:45 PM »
Besides Festool, I have a similar assortment of tools (lunchbox planer, miter saw, multiple M18 cordless tools and contractor's table saw)

My vote is basically what Crazyraceguy said:
Some combination of TS55, Domino 500 plus an extractor.  Next, pick a sander, use it a few times and then go buy another because it will be soooo much cleaner than  anything you have used. 
The Domino machine is a flat up game changer for your work flow and you absolutely need an extractor to go with it.

Personally I love all my M18 stuff and suggest building your Festool quiver to compliment the Milwaukee tools you have or might consider buying in the future. For me, ditching the 4 battery platforms I previously owned and consolidating into one brand has been great.
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Offline jobsworth

  • Posts: 7001
  • Festool Baby.....
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #14 on: May 07, 2023, 09:41 AM »
festools are a system,
the basic foundation of festool is their core / foundation tools which are :
MFT,
 TS 55,
CT

after that you can expand to buy what whatever you need to do what you want. But those are the core foundation tools of the system
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Offline dylanbalfour

  • Posts: 2
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #15 on: September 15, 2023, 04:06 AM »
For your first Festool tool, I'd say go for the track saw, especially since you mentioned working with plywood. It'll be a game-changer for you. Dust extractors are also essential when you're dealing with fine woodwork; it'll make a big difference in keeping your workspace clean. And since you're venturing into hardwood furniture, the Domino joiner would be a superb addition for complex joinery.

With all these upgrades and projects, you might end up with more waste material than you're used to. It could be a good idea to invest in a cost-effective dumpster rental to keep your shop clean and organized. Check out pittsburghpadumpsterrental.com, they've got different sizes that could fit your needs.

Hope this helps and happy woodworking!
« Last Edit: September 18, 2023, 04:31 AM by dylanbalfour »
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Offline ElectricFeet

  • Posts: 220
Re: Building small woodshop , upgrading to Festool tools
« Reply #16 on: September 15, 2023, 04:57 AM »
Quote from: TWFwoodworking on May 05, 2023, 08:31 AM
Hi everyone, it's my first time posting.

I have a small barn (10 feet wide x 12 feet long) located in Canada …

Just in case you haven’t spotted it, here’s a link to the Canadian catalog which might spark some ideas too: https://www.festoolcanada.com/knowledge/downloads
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