Track saw question

tri4sale

Daniel
Corporate Member
I see where Festool makes the STM 1800 mobile sawing table for only $995.00.

I do see a good use for this table, I work out of a 1 car garage that has a full size ShopBot total table is like 5.5' x 10' so it uses up most my floor space, so I often have to move outside for some work. . I have the similar concept but much lower priced Centipede table, and use it with a the 1" foam board on top with my track saw. The Festool is definitely much higher quality, but not worth $995 to me. I'm sure some people would be ok at that price, but my $99 Centipede table and $20 foam board does fine for now. Sure the tilting feature to load a sheet of plywood would be nice and much better on my back than getting a sheet on my centipede by myself but not worth $900 extra (I may change my mind as my age gets higher and my back gets weaker)
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I only have a few Festools, a hand sander that hooks to a shop vac, a plunge base for my Fein oscillating saw, and a Domino. They are all nicely made tools and are all, in my opinion, overpriced. I look for alternatives and when I find them, I go that way. So my track saw is a DeWalt, my favorite sander is a Bosch DEVS 1250 (similar to the biggest Rotex), my jig saw is a Bosch and my oscillating saw is a Fein. My only Systainer is in storage, it takes up too much space to store it in the shop. I thus do not consider myself a fan boy but I don't hate Festools either.

I think Festools make the most sense for people who use their tools to make their living and do a lot of their work at clients homes. They consistently incorporate good dust collection. The tools are relatively easy to transport in cases that fasten together and can roll on top of the vacuums. While Festools may not be best in class for all their tools they are consistently good. They make the extras you need (sandpaper for sanders, tenons for dominos, etc..) so you can get work done. I enjoy shopping around to find what I think is the best tool for the price when I am in the market. But if I was loosing money the entire time I shopped, and my work was mainly in somebody else's house, I might just give in and have a truck full of Festools. I still cannot imagine paying $1000 for a cutting surface for my track saw, however.
 

smallboat

smallboat
Corporate Member
centipede table

I use the track saw at school on this set up. Phil S was kind enough to contribute the fold out stand. We have a couple of dedicated 2x4's we fit across it. They are sacrificial in that they get cuts across them but so far not cut though so we reuse them. Previous to this we supported the work on chunks of foam on the floor.. Works fine but I can set up the centipede outside on the grass and gets us up off the floor. And floor space is at a premium
 

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