Install the Exaktor table saw cover on Festool CMS is easy
The Exaktor table saw cover comes with a good mounting instruction, and there is no problem to any part of the mounting. Thus I do not go into it here. However, installing Exaktor table saw cover on the Festool CMS turns out not to be easy without doing some small alterations. Those alterations are in fact very small:
- You need to drill two 4 mm holes in the Festool CMS side board aluminium v-track.
- You need to loosen and refasten one bolt on the Festool CMS side board extension.
Neither of the two above tasks require any hard work or fancy tools.
I have summarised a few reasons why use the Exaktor saw cover instead of Festools saw cover for CMS in a separate page. This page deals only with the installation of the Exaktor table saw cover and dust collection.
Installing the Exaktor side stand onto CMS side board extension
The Exaktor side board extension comes with:
- a plate
- two screws with knobs on them
- two slots in the Exaktor side extension for fastening the plate to the Exaktor with something squeezed in between.
For the Festool CMS, this does not give us a good mounting. There is not flat surface to "squeeze" between the plate and the side leg plate. In fact, the only thing there is is a "V". Festool does not provide any fastening addition that is stable or suitable. The V-track fastening for their angle fence is bulky, still misses the fastening point, and is not stable in height. So what is needed is:
- Buy an "L"-shaped piece of metal (I used aluminium).
- Cut it to a length longer than the Exaktor plate
- Aim and drill on on the L-plate so that it will be above the center of the bottom of the "V" if the plate is pressed towards the CMS side board extension
- Place the L-plate on the CMS V-track, and drill through the V-track, using the L-plate as template
- Fasten the L-plate using metal screws, washers, and a nut below the V-track
- Mark the placement of Exaktor leg fastening holes in the L-plate by using the Exaktor plate as template
- Place Exaktor plate behind the L-plate and fasten Exaktor leg
Installing the Exaktor mast brace onto Festool CMS table
To secure the Exaktor mast brace onto the CMS, an angle iron (①), need to be secured onto the CMS (③), where later the mast brace is secured onto the angle iron (②). The work is easy:
- Remove the nut securing the CMS sideboard brace onto the CMS (behind ③ in the picture)
- Fasten the angel iron by refastening the same nut again
- Screw the mast brace onto the angle iron