IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN,
A CORDLESS TABLE SAW!
And as we've come to expect from the Festool stable,
this saw excels at what it has been designed to do.
Says Damion Fauser (right), a highly skilled and award-winning Brisbane-based Accredited Studio Woodworker and trade-qualified cabinetmaker who designs and makes exceptional furniture and home-wares in solid timber and high quality veneers who has reviewed the Festool Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw in the Australian Wood Review magazine.
To say that the new Festool Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw raises the bar of table saws is somewhat of an understatement.
This new product has so many new and innovative features it could really only be described as revolutionary, bringing a whole new way of operating, accuracy, versatility and portability to the once, relatively, un-portable and wieldy table saw.
Damion says: "Aside from the obvious benefit of being cordless (and running on proprietary Festool 18V batteries (min 4Ah) common to other tools across the brand), Festool have gone way above and beyond to make this unit stand out in terms of both functionality and quality."
Damien Fauser“Festool have gone way above and beyond to make this unit stand out in terms of both functionality and quality."
Why is it called the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw? Because this saw is so compact it fits into a Systainer hence, the versatility. Accuracy? With parallel cuts up to 280mm, a miter cut width up to 450mm and angle cuts from -2° to 47° all operated with an advanced digital control, the saw provides unequalled precision.
Damion continues: "...what Festool have packed into this unit is impressive. The saw runs blades of 168mm diameter with a 20mm arbor and maximum kerf of 1.8mm, which allows for a maximum cut height at 90/45° of 48/34mm respectively."
Fitting in a Systainer means the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw absolutely ideal to take on-site. Upstairs, up scaffolding, it doesn’t matter when portability is so optimal.
In addition to fitting into a Systainer, the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw also pairs perfectly with the Systainer Saw Mobile Underframe. Not only does the Mobile Underframe easily transport the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw to and from the job it also acts as the perfect table saw table.
Damien Fauser“But what Festool have packed into this unit is impressive"
The Underframe can handle 80kg which means you can transport the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw plus a host of other Systainers as well. Foldaway legs enable the Underframe to be set up and operational in seconds and, in addition, the Underframe can be used ergonomically at traditional waist-level height or folded up for low-level operation. Ideal when laying floor boards or parquetry.
At your fingertips on the front of the saw you will find the unique digital controller. Set the height and angle precisely to within a tenth of a millimetre on the digital screen and it’s done! Any cut can be repeated with 100% accuracy!
Damion says: "Upon completion of the set-up process, I ran some test cuts and verified accuracy to be absolutely perfect when measured with digital calipers."
Preset locking positions also facilitate selection of most commonly used angles just press and turn the digital control and it’s done. No winding, eyeballing and measuring with levels, protractors and test cuts. You are guaranteed to the cut will be precise.
Standard accessories for the Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw include two riving knives, a built-in, fold-out side table, rip fence, and a mitre guage. All these accessories are easily impleneted or changed such as the riving knives. Using the included allen key switching and remiving is easy and fast.
Damion: "Makers that require the very finest in accuracy or fast and easy repeatability will love this capability.
The included mitre guage makes cross-cutting easy. With a 450/340mm width at 90/45° respectively, this sort of performance is usually reserved for workshop tables where portability just isn't an option.
According to Damion: "Cross-cutting is taken to a new level on this unit compared to others in this size class (cutting ability) is superb for a machine of this stature and significantly boosts versatility in both fixed shops and onsite."
Power? Yes, it’s Cordless, portability! 2 x 18V batteries combined with the efficient brushless EC-TEC motor provides a convincing amount of torque and power. Even ripping along in solid wood, power is indistinguishable from a mains-powered saw.
After testing, Damion states: "The cut quality was superb and there was no noticeable reduction in available power at any time through the cut."
The Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw integrates seamlessly with Festool Dust Extractors or can be used with the supplied Chip Collection sack.
Damien Fauser“I see these units being picked up by tradespeople seeking the very best for jobsite work"
Check out the short guide on the new Cordless 168mm Systainer Saw below.
