• Hi all and welcome to TheWoodHaven2 brought into the 21st Century, kicking and screaming! We all have Alasdair to thank for the vast bulk of the heavy lifting to get us here, no more so than me because he's taken away a huge burden of responsibility from my shoulders and brought us to this new shiny home, with all your previous content (hopefully) still intact! Please peruse and feed back. There is still plenty to do, like changing the colour scheme, adding the banner graphic, tweaking the odd setting here and there so I have added a new thread in the 'Technical Issues, Bugs and Feature Requests' forum for you to add any issues you find, any missing settings or just anything you'd like to see added/removed from the feature set that Xenforo offers. We will get to everything over the coming weeks so please be patient, but add anything at all to the thread I mention above and we promise to get to them over the next few days/weeks/months. In the meantime, please enjoy!

Festoolery

AJB Temple

AJB Temple

Sequoia
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
7,809
Reaction score
1,280
Festool are busy emailing their registered customers. New plunge saw with (they say) much more power and now has anti kick back blade stop. Also they came better blade life. And a new quad drill.

I expect the internet will be awash with reviews soon.
 
I saw a bit adapter in a particular colour the other week and was staggered to see it was at least ten times more expensive than other well known brands. I suppose if you’ve got a lot of their other stuff you’ve just got to have it or your gear won’t colour match! :lol:
 
Andy, I'm coming to the conclusion that Festool products are incredibly cheap!

Recently there was a "Black Friday" promotion on Dominos. I bought my Domino 500 when it was first released, so I bought a new one and sold the old one on Ebay.

It was still pretty clean and everything functioned as it should, but it was still over ten years old. Astonishingly I got almost the same price as I paid for the new replacement, and even though I can't remember what I paid for it originally I'm sure it was a lot less than the sale price.

Prompted by that experience I replaced a few other Festool items that I use regularly. Same story. I ended up with a brand new product, including a two year warranty that even covers theft, and effectively achieved roughly an 80% trade in price.

And it's not as if the supply of these tools was limited by Covid 19, they're all freely available.

I only wish cars were as cheap!
 
As I understand it their 2x18v track saw has done away with a physical riving knife and now has a mechanical spring-loaded do-da that is pressed in when the sole is on a track but stops the motor / blade when it's off said track. I *think* the wired version still has the physical knife. As to the claimed "up to" 2x speed improvements, my initial thought was they'd put a bigger motor in there. But they've just made the blades thinner thus reducing the amount of wood it has to cute way... and you need to buy the newer blades too :lol:

The updated drills do have a new trick up their sleeves in that they have sensors in place now that should stop it taking your wrist off should a drill bit bind - and automatic clutch in drill mode if you like. Having a gammy wrist I picked up a Makita with a similar feature and can attest to it coming in useful [on rare occasions].
 
Interesting about the saw Nelson. I must confess that although I have a bit of Festool kit I didn't read all their marketing spiel. When I got my tracksaw the reason I didn't buy the TS55 and went for Mafell, was because lots of reviews said it was underpowered. When I tried one for the first time to cut 40mm worktops at a friends house, I was surprised that it struggled to achieve a smooth run in comparison with the Mafell along a 3 metre length.

Custard is spot on re true cost of ownership. It's minimal if you take care of the tools as the second hand market is ridiculous currently.

I like their drills, and have the small 12v one which is great for tight spots inside kitchen cabinets, but I can't see me forking out for the quad drill at least until my Milwaukee's die. A drill is a drill is a drill really.....
 
Custard":31uc0o2d said:
Andy, I'm coming to the conclusion that Festool products are incredibly cheap!

Recently there was a "Black Friday" promotion on Dominos. I bought my Domino 500 when it was first released, so I bought a new one and sold the old one on Ebay.

It was still pretty clean and everything functioned as it should, but it was still over ten years old. Astonishingly I got almost the same price as I paid for the new replacement, and even though I can't remember what I paid for it originally I'm sure it was a lot less than the sale price.

Prompted by that experience I replaced a few other Festool items that I use regularly. Same story. I ended up with a brand new product, including a two year warranty that even covers theft, and effectively achieved roughly an 80% trade in price.

And it's not as if the supply of these tools was limited by Covid 19, they're all freely available.

I only wish cars were as cheap!
Click to expand...

I've been looking at getting a new track saw - I currently have a Titan (screwfix own brand) and although it cuts I can't control any of the dust at all it's just everywhere - and yes I'm using extraction. It's just been a bit battered and I have to confess to treating it like the £99 plunge saw it is.

So, for the past few weeks I've been looking around and I don't quite get the "Festool is really expensive" bit because most other plunge saws are around the same price - give or take a few quid.

I appreciate that the Domino is just bonkers money though but I don't understand why the 2nd hand market for them is so close to the new price.

I did find myself also looking at a CXS drill and then a Rotex sander too! It's like staring into the void, if you're not careful you end up falling into it.
 
AJB Temple":26z7uv9w said:
Interesting about the saw Nelson. I must confess that although I have a bit of Festool kit I didn't read all their marketing spiel. When I got my tracksaw the reason I didn't buy the TS55 and went for Mafell, was because lots of reviews said it was underpowered. When I tried one for the first time to cut 40mm worktops at a friends house, I was surprised that it struggled to achieve a smooth run in comparison with the Mafell along a 3 metre length.
Click to expand...
My first track saw was a TS55 and I found it pretty good all round although it did want the right blade for the job otherwise it would bog down a bit (which was fine). I sold it and got the corded Mafell based on the tales of more power - which is noticeably true - and the much less faffy blade change as I was already well conditioned to swapping them over thanks to the TS55.
The absence of a physical riving knife on the MT55 (which has onboard electronics to stop it should it kick back) was a concern (still is) from the point of view that the would can still close up behind the blade. and perhaps it's my ever increasing years, but the Mafell is a piece louder too.

AJB Temple":26z7uv9w said:
Custard is spot on re true cost of ownership. It's minimal if you take care of the tools as the second hand market is ridiculous currently.
Click to expand...
Festool help themselves here with anual price hikes which, in turn, makes their older machines resale values rise too I think.

AJB Temple":26z7uv9w said:
I like their drills, and have the small 12v one which is great for tight spots inside kitchen cabinets, but I can't see me forking out for the quad drill at least until my Milwaukee's die. A drill is a drill is a drill really.....
Click to expand...
I've never laid hands on a Festool drill as they're not carried by any bricks 'n' mortar shops up here and I'm dubious enough about the price difference not to take a punt on one either. The Makita, Bosch and Milwaukee drills I've used all have great control (and the latter two have the offset and right angle chucks too) as far as I'm concerned. It's usually this control that folks cite as a big differentiator but, like I said, I'm not convinced they can be *that* much better.
 
ScaredyCat":13inhdps said:
Woodster":13inhdps said:
They seem to have had a lot of problems with the TS55.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php ... bably-last)-drink-from-the-green-well
Click to expand...

Not entirely convinced one guy with that story can be considered "a lot of problems" - but trying to use a 48 tooth blade to rip solid timber?

Even I wouldn't try that.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but just google it and you’ll get loads of hits. ;)
 
ScaredyCat":7e8tcif3 said:
Nelsun":7e8tcif3 said:
I happened across the post with the video I'd seen showing the new anti kickback gubbins (skip to 29 seconds in) here - https://twitter.com/i/status/1361665428662140928
Click to expand...

The new saw is a revision of the battery version then not the TS55 mains powered one?
Click to expand...
The cordles TSC has received more bells and whistles than the corded TS. The latter has received an upgrade in that you can put the thinner blades on it and get easier cuts! Semi serious joking aside, it may have gained a motor boost to match the TSC but it's hard to tell from the marketing blurb.

The most interesting new thing they've just released is their syspower monster-battery-with-240v-plug-sockets thing. Lots of juice you can carry anywhere and plug in your corded tools from any manufacturer. Other companies have similar devices I think but not really looked TBH. Given how sparse the Festool cordless platform is I can see it being a good move... but it's a bit out of my price range at >£3000. Blimey.
 
Nelsun":82vgcwjr said:
ScaredyCat":82vgcwjr said:
Nelsun":82vgcwjr said:
I happened across the post with the video I'd seen showing the new anti kickback gubbins (skip to 29 seconds in) here - https://twitter.com/i/status/1361665428662140928
Click to expand...

The new saw is a revision of the battery version then not the TS55 mains powered one?
Click to expand...
The cordles TSC has received more bells and whistles than the corded TS. The latter has received an upgrade in that you can put the thinner blades on it and get easier cuts! Semi serious joking aside, it may have gained a motor boost to match the TSC but it's hard to tell from the marketing blurb.

The most interesting new thing they've just released is their syspower monster-battery-with-240v-plug-sockets thing. Lots of juice you can carry anywhere and plug in your corded tools from any manufacturer. Other companies have similar devices I think but not really looked TBH. Given how sparse the Festool cordless platform is I can see it being a good move... but it's a bit out of my price range at >£3000. Blimey.
Click to expand...

I found it funny that they were using a Festool dust extractor via the mains but a battery powered saw, particularly as the vac has a power take off. It's not as if you can't buy the clips to keep the power cable attached to the vac hose either... I found an advert for the SYS-PowerStation but as people in the comments pointed out if it's for site, it'll be 110v but it's 240v. - It was rather comedic though. [youtubeSSL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4F5thHKvfc[/youtubeSSL]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4F5thHKvfc since youtube links are busticated.
 
I remain unconvinced by cordless stracksaws unless the user plans site or outdoor use without a vacuum.

I never use mine without the vacuum and hose connected and the cable just plugs into the vac and never gets in the way. The batteries just add weight. And they add cost, but not longevity.
 
AJB Temple":2k9ucvga said:
I like their drills, and have the small 12v one which is great for tight spots inside kitchen cabinets, but I can't see me forking out for the quad drill at least until my Milwaukee's die. A drill is a drill is a drill really.....
Click to expand...

I have a cxs, love it, also have a 18v Milwaukee, given to me from a friend that hated it, it's so poorly designed that it struggles to stand up on its own, arfter it fell over a couple of times damaging finish work it was put into retirement, replaced by two 18v festools that are always a pleasure to use.

Regards the track saw I was also a believer that it would always be used with an extractor so couldn't see the point in 18v...BUT I've just come down off a low pitched roof that I'm covering in OSB, gosh would I love a 18v track saw, and a 18v ETS sander......

Sent from my Redmi Note 9S using Tapatalk
 
+1 for the CXS drill. For its size and light weight it is surprisingly powerful and the 90 degree adapter which comes with the drill is incredibly useful in tight spaces. Probably the most used power tool I own.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top