the ox, the mathematician, and the hive

Bill Lantry

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Hey, folks,

So, as a web guy, I've always believed in the concept of "the wisdom of crowds". Case in point: in the 19th century, some mathematician got it into his head to ask a whole village to guess the weight of a particular ox. Every single individual got it wrong, but when he averaged all the guesses, the group was dead on. Web theorists call this the 'hive mind', and they use all sorts of examples.

So you'll remember the poll, a part of which is below. On another site, I swore up and down that my next table saw would have a riving knife. And while a bunch of people messaged me privately on the subject, some said they'd owned both the ez smart and the festool, and they too were in agreement. Thanks to all who voted and especially those who wrote multiple long messages... you guys are great!


View Poll Results: Best thing for cutting up sheet goods?
Go with Festool, with a long guide. $640 25 49.02%
Go with EZ-smart, with a new saw. $550 5 9.80%

So the other day we got into the car and drove all the way up to baltimore. They had both the 55 and the 75. I was thinking 55. Then I saw it, right next to the 75. Both cost way too much. And I knew I'd need an extension guide, to rip the length of a full sheet. And a plywood specific blade. The cost was adding up. WAY over the price of my table saw. But the last thing I wanted was to end up wishing I'd gotten the bigger saw. I saved 100 on my drill press, and now I've got a drill press that I don't love, but will have to live with forever. So after much sturm and drang (and many Doorlink jokes about her leaving me for her Venezuelan pianist who doesn't crave expensive power tools), we settled on the 75.


Here's the old jury-rigged setup. It worked, but it was inaccurate and I had to defeat the safety features on the saw to use it.
BOF 024 (Medium).jpg

I know, no pics, didn't happen. So here are the boxes:
BOF 023 (Medium).jpg

And here's the new beast:
BOF 025 (Medium).jpg

The good (economic) news: I can't imagine ever wanting to upgrade my tablesaw now, and doing that would have cost way more. And it's a lot safer: one minor accident with the old thing would have cost more than this saw. And I'll never be staring at it, and saying to myself "I wish I'd gotten something else..."

Thanks for all your help with this one...

Bill
 
Bill, you will never regret buying good quality tools.

I know that saw and guide system was not cheap, today, this month, but in five or ten years, you will look back at the expense and understand that it was NOT an expensive purchase.

With your vacuum attached to it, you will also be pleased with how cleanly it cuts up sheet goods.

Congrats! :thumb:
 
Darn, guess I didn't win. I'd bet that Doorlink wasn't gonna let you get anything at all. :rofl:

That does look like a keeper there, and Doorlink, I think, is definitely a keeper if she let you get that.
 
Good purchase Bill. I have the 55 and have occasionally wished that I had the 75. Trouble is I always get by and won't now pay out fro the upgrade. More capability from the start is now my motto.

(p.s Have you read the Surowiecki book. Its one of my favourites and gets at least 1 airing each year. Lots of lessons about dumbness in there as well)
 
As a famous man once said "you will never regret buying good quality tools". Even when you could get by with a lesser tool they're just plain more fun to use...and sometimes they're actually the only way to get it done right.

I have the 55. It's always a pleasure to use it.

Congrats on your acquisition, and my recommendation is to renew Doorlink's contract.

Cheers.
 
Well, I see the problem with your old set-up. You were using it on the lathe. :p

Congrats on the new system, Bill. :clap: When you buy the best you only cry once. When you buy cheap, you cry every time you use it. I'm sure the E-Z system is very nice, but I doubt you'll be regretting the Festool.

Oh, and I suspect you owe Doorlink quite a dinner.
 
When you buy the best you only cry once. When you buy cheap, you cry every time you use it.

Couldn't agree more, when I bought my first( and currently my only) major power tool I got sticker shock and felt like crying. Now every time I use it, I think about how much I love it.

PS: It's a Ridgid 12" SCMS with the MSUV; if your wonderin'.
 
Uh Oh,.........I think you may be in TROUBLE Bill, and I think Doorlink is pretty Sneaky too, 'cause by agreeing to let you get that Newfangled High Dollar equipment she has just totally obliterated your explanation that "it don't quite fit right 'cause these old cheap TOOLS just aren't built to make tight tolerance joints". :rolleyes::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Anyhow, CONGRATULATIONS onthe new Toys, and Good Luck on finding a new "ACCEPTABLE" excuse.:D
 
Bill,

First congrats on the new acquisition, I am sure you will enjoy the quality of th tool and its performance. Next, you definitely owe your wife some quality time out. Lastly, I have never regretted a quality tool acquisition, only a lousy tool purchase.
 
Uh Oh,.........I think you may be in TROUBLE Bill, and I think Doorlink is pretty Sneaky too, 'cause by agreeing to let you get that Newfangled High Dollar equipment she has just totally obliterated your explanation that "it don't quite fit right 'cause these old cheap TOOLS just aren't built to make tight tolerance joints". :rolleyes::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Anyhow, CONGRATULATIONS onthe new Toys, and Good Luck on finding a new "ACCEPTABLE" excuse.:D

well norman and joe both hit it on the head bill you havnt got one excuse left now....trust me i know.. i got a new shop and what she says now is law!!!!! and i have to be pretty clever in gettin any new toys for it..... but hey i got room to dream in now congrats i have one gree tool and dont regret it at all..
 
Dang you Bill seeing that makes me think that I might want to trade in the old straight edge and get one of those.:thumb:
 
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Dang you Bill seeing that makes me think that I might want to trade in the old straight edge and get one of those.:thumb:


Hey Chuck I'll bet you can't make either one of these guided saw systems in your shop. That is unless you have an aluminum extrusion factory.

( Quoting Chuck)No need for the factory, aluminum shapes are right on the shelf. have a nice piece out there for 20' boards. Might not be as hight tech as the others but works well. And on the flip side if you need a straight piece of aluminum for another project just cut it up into what ever you need tig it up and voila radiator support for the race car.


No :doh: ya don't just take it off the shelf & tig it up voila Chuckster guided saw system.:eek::dunno::wave::rofl:
 
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