I never ordered the folding table from 1F because they told me it wouldn’t work. Later they told others it would (and I’ve seen some posts that showed it did). I build my own flip table that’s only 22" deep when the table is rotated vertically. I can tuck that against the wall of my garage. I did get the QCW which is working for me but isn’t really necessary. It doesn’t provide any extra capability except for the t-tracks which I could have done myself - didn’t need the QCW to get those but I had ordered it before anyone had one so I just mounted it to my table and have left it.
I looked into this as well and also ordered the journeyman without the stand. I can’t recall now where I saw this but 1F warned against it in part due to the weight of the larger machine being too much for a single individual to lift alone. 155lbs is a lot to balance while you try to pop the legs out and set a fiddly pin, that’s even assuming the stand can reliably support it. The woodworker on the other hand is probably at the limit to be portable IMO. Its certainly an appealing idea. I had to be brutal with my small space to find room but felt this was a priority. The upside. As a fixed machine. I can enclose it and use it more hours without concern of upsetting neighbors.
How loud is it? In reality? I thought about an enclosed system but feel like it may be over kill.
That’s subjective. I live in a duplex and don’t need grumpy neighbors. It not just the sound, but that its endless hours of those sounds. Dust collection, the router, the stepper motors, and cutting the material. I wouldn’t stand in front of it without hearing protection.
You don’t have to enclose right out of the gate but it doesn’t hurt to keep in mind so you have options.