My hardwood floor installer is loaning me his Festool circular saw and guide track for the weekend in exchange for 8 solid flat slab doors. I will be sizing my woodharbor doors to fit the existing jambs.
Any advice on which blade to use for sizing a door?
Replies
Use the stock blade that comes with the saw, I have the smaller of the two saws with 2" cutting depth, I believe it comes with a 48 toothe blade. Sorry I can't run out to the job trailer to get you part numbers & more information, I'm away on vacation this week.
You will find for doors you can't beat this set up. I have my 1st. blade since 2004 & now its getting dull & it has alot of miles on it. I could go on & on about how much I use this saw but like I said , I'm on vacation.. Oh crap now I miss my saw, my just go home early now!! LOL
Have fun using the saw.
Paul
Any advice on which blade to use for sizing a door?
A sharp one!
If your doing cross cutting then you want a blade with as many teath as you can get. For ripping you dont need a high tooth count.
Its my understanding that the blades for the Festool are unique - cant go into HD and pick one up?
Might have to use what he gives you to use.
If your cross cutting and your concerned about tearing the grain of the wood, dont know if you have the capability to cut with zero clearance or not, dont know if all Festool has this or just the newer ones, then score the cross cut section. For that I mean if your cutting a door down in height then score the styles with a utility knife and cut on the waste side of that cut. I could explain to you how to do a backwards cut to score it via Jeff Buck but I'm not sure what your abilities are and its probably not a good idea for beginers!
Doug
Doug,
"I could explain to you how to do a backwards cut to score it via Jeff Buck"
Though the Festool saw should eliminate the need for scoring...
You've got me interested. Care to share???
BTW, I think that you are the person to credit coping w/ a grinder, if so...
Thank you, awesome technique.
I actually enjoy coping baseboard now (former Collins coping foot user). I have also found the grinder useful for many other scribing/trimming techniques.
Thanks again.
Its hard on this forum to discuss Festool/EZ without it creating a riot but here goes!
On my EZ and on the newer Festool guide rail systems there is a zero clearance deal that prevents chip out. On the older Festools I dont believe that its available, maybe it can be retrofited, not sure though, worth looking into.
ON my EZ I have a insert that goes into the sled that my saw is mounted to that keeps chiping and tearing of veneer to a minimum. The newer Festools have a deal-o-bobby (that is a technical term so dont laugh, that and I dont know what its called)that sits down tight to whatever it is that your cutting which also prevents the chipping of veneer and things like melamine.
The Jeff Buck method is to set your saw to a minimum depth, just enough to score the ply or melamine veneer, maybe 1/16" or less, then runthe saw backwards - you will score the melamine or ply - then go back and cut the piece like you normally would. I've tried it and it works as good as any scoring blade on a fancy sliding table saw.
Some will tell you that this is dangerous but I cant really see how, if the saw kicks out on you when your cutting 1/16 of an inch deep then you probably shouldnt be using a power tool! :)
give it a try on some scrap, you'll be surprised how well it works.
Doug
I finisheed thursday night. 8 doors and 1 bifold. went very smoothly. the cut needed a finish sanding afterwords but other than that it looks great. i would seriously consider buying this tool as a replacement for my table saw except for the fact i cannot work narrow pieces...but for ip and cross cuts of larger pieces you cannot beat this setup
Doug,
Thanks, good tip. I'll try it out on some melamine.
I used it on a basement/laundry room remodel using MDF core melamine. I built 5 base cabinets from scratch. VERY hard on the blades. Worked like a dream, though!
I have the T55, (festool), the one that has been discontinued. I just put a new blade on it and gang cut 45 degree miters on some open treads I was doing Saturday. (read about it in FH) and it worked like a dream. Took some time setting up, but was worth it. Piece of cake to change, and yes, I have a Zero clearance guide. Can't speak highly enough about it.
Now I'm dreaming about one of the new Rotex sanders to finish the oak staircase I'm putting in. A good excuse, is, after all, an excuse!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Festool has weird arbors. If you have time, I think they have a variety, but you'd have to order them. The guide acts as its own zero clearance insert,but it is probably never a bad idea to score it.
The arbors definitely belong to Festool, 12mm. Their blades are 2nd. to nun, super sharp & last forever. As for pre scoring to cut cross grain on ANY thing, doors, fine veneer plywoods, Any thing. Its a waste of time & your not useing the tool for what it is designed for, You will Not get any chipping on either side of the blade.
Since I bought my saw I,ve retired the table saw for cutting any plywood. It's much easier to move the saw over the wood than handle a large pc of wood over a blade on a table. I would put my Festool up against ANY table saw for ease of use, accuracy & cost/investment. Don't get me wrong, my table saw still has it's place in my shop, I cut out all my frame stock. But for not any large sheets,
I also use the Festool saw for getting one good ripped edge on rough lumber.
Hope I did'nt start any thing here,
Paul
I can't argue with you on this one, the closest I've gotten to one of them Festool gadgets is playing with some at a show a couple of weeks ago. They seem awesome and well thought out, but I just can't justify the money at this point(there goes my toolaholic reputation).
I did like the features of the cordless drill, but from what I gathered, you pretty much have to buy their bits too--which seems to be a big downside to me...plus I already have 4 cordless drills or drivers. Once one dies, then I'll look again.
Edited 5/6/2007 11:55 pm by SBerruezo
The only Festool I have is the saw & rail system & really have not looked much at their other tool, I to have so many other cordless tools I don't want to introduce my self to another brand of battery, rather keep the cordless stuff the same so I can swap batteries.
With the saw, a case & two rails I have, I only have $600.00 invested and for the uses I get out of the system it has been well worth it.
The only other Festool that I might like to get is their ROS.
Have a great day
Paul
I know the Festool/EZ thing has been a contentious issue around here, but I'll say my one thing on this and leave it at that.
Table saws can be used for a lot more than ripping or cutting plywood. Neither of the above tools can perform every function that a table saw does. Blind dado and rabbet work come to mind for starters, and I'm sure there's more if I thought about it some. Numerous rips of narrow material goes faster on a TS because there's no setup from one piece of stock to another.
It's the same with airless nailers and cordless power tools: very convenient for certain things, but they should be viewed as a complement to the equivalent corded tool rather than a complete replacement.Lignum est bonum.
I could not agree more. A table saw is a must, it can not be replaced. Haveing a table saw & the Festool saw is just a awsome combination.
Have a great day
Paul
Table saws can be used for a lot more than ripping or cutting plywood. Neither of the above tools can perform every function that a table saw does. Blind dado and rabbet work come to mind for starters, and I'm sure there's more if I thought about it some.
The ez systen offers repeatability, narrow clamping and clampless cutting on narrow pieces. Self squaring, self aligning and antichip protection with or without the guide rails. Integrated measuring system and x-y routing.
And all that before the newest ez invention: The Ez Bridge.
Now you don't even have to lift the saw from the rails or move the guide rail for repeat cuts. Works similar to a beam saw and not similar to other guide systems.
Here is the ez on portable tool stands for long rips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPgdY9IDVoM
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Here is the ez working with warped wood.
Straight line rip saw, tablesaw, cross cut saw and miter in one setup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6J21F9EOWg
david
Edited 5/8/2007 12:26 am ET by davidwood
Wether or not you need to score depends on the condition of the rubber strip attached to the guide. The more beat up or ragged the condition, the worse your cut will be. I've used the same stock blade for several years now and even with a guide that needs to have the rubber replaced, I still get good cuts with no tearout.
Have fun.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Your right, can't work with a ragged rubber! LOL
I've taken the old rubber off my guides & cleaned off the adheisive, put new contact cement on the old rubber & metal guide let it dry & reinstall the old rubber just moving it over 1/8" or so from the original position & re-cut it, good as new.
Now this one I,ve heard of but never tried it, Re-using condoms, Just shake the F_ _k out of them & your good to go!!!
Paul
Yeah because shakeing the cr@p outa them would be piontless.LOL
You mean turning them inside out doesn't work?
From cherry pop'en Festool to reuseing rubbers, only on BT. LOL!!!