Popular Woodworking 2005-04 № 147, страница 62
an inside corner. It required several angled stop-cuts, and with the plunge-cut saw and guide the whole error-free operation took about five minutes. Because the blade retracts completely into its housing, the saw sits flat when you're not using it. It also comes with a removable splitter that prevents material from pinching the blade, a major cause of kickback. (For plunge cuts, you'll have to use the on-board wrench to remove the splitter temporarily.) High-quality blades help to make smooth, splinter-free cuts on veneered plywood, which are prone to tear-out. A splitter mounted behind the blade of the circular saw prevents stock from pinching the blade, which can cause kickback. Remove the splitter before making plunge cuts. The saw blade is smaller than one on a conventional saw, just 6V4". I won't be using this saw to cut a stack of rafters, but the blade is big enough for a 115/16" depth of cut at 90° when used on the guide rail and 17/16" at 45°. An electronic speed control has six settings -altering blade speed from 2,000 to 4,800 rpm - so the saw will cut aluminum and plastic as well as wood. A slightly larger model, the 65 E-Plus, increases cutting capacity by 1/2" with a 71/2" blade. Festool's plunge routers can be set precisely for position over the cut as well as for depth. They can be used with accessory guides Splitter and working tables, with standard edge guides or freehand, just like a conventional router. Both models can be equipped with a chip hood that helps direct debris into one of several tool-activated dust extractors, another Festool system component. Dust extractors are very effective with the circular saws and sanders, slightly less so with the routers. Festool's cordless drills also are designed as systems with more than one component (see "Cordless Drills with Quick-change Chucks" at right). Boxes to Carry it All in Many tools are sold with plastic or metal carrying cases that protect the tools and store extra blades and accessories. But Festool has taken it a step further. Its cases, called "Systainers," are all 15^/2" wide. Latches allow boxes to be stacked atop each other and locked together so it's relatively Festool's plunge router incorporates an accurate and easy-to-use depth setting (right). With an accessory jig, the router uses the same guide rails as the circular saw (below). SOURCE Festool 888-337-8600 or festool-usa.com easy to move a number of tools at one time - either by picking up a couple of small containers with the top-most handle, or stacking a number of containers on a hand truck or the mobile vacuum. Cases are narrow enough to be maneuvered up narrow staircases and through doorways. Systainers make it easy to pull the right tool for the job and keep all the odds and ends that go with a tool organized. The High Cost of Good Tools There's a lot to like about the system, but its components are pricey. The ATF 55 E-Plus circular saw sells for $385, which includes a A variable-speed function allows the circular saw to be used on plastic and aluminum as well as wood. 60 1 Popular Woodworking April 2005 |
