Festool - Am I missing something?

[petebucy4638]

I have looked at Festools when I have been at both Klingspor and Woodcraft. I just don't see what all the fuss is about! My perception is that they are very overpriced for what they do, which is not atypical of a lot of European tools. They mostly remind of the tools that you would buy if you have a very limited space in which to work. Recently I was looking at a Festool miter saw. As someone who spent years using power miter saws I saw nothing that jumped out at me as being anything special. There was nothing that the Festool miter saw could do or do better than one of my Dewalt or Bosch miter saws. When I saw the $800 price tag on the Festool Domino tool I just about choked.

Am I missing something here guys? Are Festool tools the miracles that their price tags would suggest or are the just overpriced Euro versions of tools that can purchased for a lot less money?

 

[Vetteman9956]

I have 7 pieces of Festool and can honestly say that I haven't regreted purchasing any of them. Yes, they are pricey but to me worth every penny. In regards to the Kapex miter saw, the 2 things that set them apart from the rest is accuracy and dust collection. These are not that important if your building decks but when doing furniture and paying upwards of $10-20 per bf for wood, it matters. The dust collection is the best you can find on a miter saw. Domino is a fantastic piece of equipment. Also they hold their value. Check ebay and you will see that used pieces go for almost new prices. The best thing to do is read the reviews online and see what others have to say.

 

[thsb]

Let me start by saying i am the kind of person who goes into a grocery store to buy something and get cash back rather than pay the 2.00 transaction fee at a bank other than my own. I just came back from a trip and in the airport i really wanted a soda but couldn't bring myself to pay 3.00 for one.

that said, If you have the money to spend on the Festool items, they are worth it in my opinion. If you don't, it isn't like they accomplish things that can't be done other ways.

But in terms of the Domino, if you look at all the different tools and jigs, etc.. that people use to create mortise and tenon joints, I would argue that this Festool product is well worth the money and actually is a pretty good value for what you get.

the dust collection on all of their products is great. Not perfect, but much better than any competition. I ordered a Bosch miter saw earlier this year and liked it-very heavy and sturdy feeling and made good cuts, but the dust collection was horrendous and i returned it. I then sucked up the price difference and bought the Kapex which is much lighter and easy to move around but honestly makes much smoother and more precise cuts and has great, if imperfect, dust collection.

I probably wouldn't have done as much woodworking in the last year if I couldn't sand with the dust collection that is part of the Festool sanding system. It is phenomenal.

So i think it is worth the money.

 

[petebucy4638]

I have very successfully used Bosch and Dewalt miter saws on custom homes where the interior trim packages have cost over $100k. I never had an issue with accuracy with these saws with the right setup and the right blades. Dust collection, to be honest, was never at the top of the list when I was buying a miter saw. That said, my most recent Dewalt miter saw has pretty good dust collection. The accuracy of the Dewalt saw is for all intents and purposes perfect.

I'm not trying to attack Festool; I just am trying to understand what Festool tools do that warrants their very high cost. I don't mind paying good money for the best tools that I can get my hands on. In most cases the extra cost of a tool is commensurate with the quality and the performance of the tool. That is what I am asking, what am I missing when I look at Festools? I am just not seeing the value for the money. With Festool having so many loyal users, I just wanted to inquire to discover what they knew that I didn't.

I have 7 pieces of Festool and can honestly say that I haven't regreted purchasing any of them. Yes, they are pricey but to me worth every penny. In regards to the Kapex miter saw, the 2 things that set them apart from the rest is accuracy and dust collection. These are not that important if your building decks but when doing furniture and paying upwards of $10-20 per bf for wood, it matters. The dust collection is the best you can find on a miter saw. Domino is a fantastic piece of equipment. Also they hold their value. Check ebay and you will see that used pieces go for almost new prices. The best thing to do is read the reviews online and see what others have to say.

 

[Mike Davis]

I don't own any Festool, I can't justify the cost since woodworking is a hobby for me and I have no income from woodworking.

I have tried the Festool sanders and have worked on the mitresaw.

I have never used a sander that was so vibration free, it was a pleasure to use. The dust collection is incredible, almost zero dust in the air or on the board during or after sanding. You can feel the quality in the material, the fit and finish and ease of adjustments and use. Everything is designed to work together and make work quick and easy. I would not hesitate to take it into a million dollar home and sand the kitchen counters or anything else without worry of cleanup.

The mitresaw I worked on was very slightly out of square, the owner is slightly sight challenged. He had tried to adjust and made it worse. I didn't need a manual to correct the cut. The saws adjustments are obvious, accurate, easy and strong. It will probably never need adjusting again. I used my Starrett master square to set it and made a couple test cuts. We could not see light between the cut ends when set against a straight edge then one board flipped and still no light. I moved the platen to 45° and made a couple more test cuts the mitre was perfect.

If I worked at woodwork as a profession i would own a complete set of Fesstool tools, dust collector and accessories.

I think everyone here knows my reputation for frugality so I don't make this recommendation lightly.

 

[Phil S]

To me the value of Festool is all about dust collection. The Festool track saw is virtually dust free. This may not make a difference to many, but if I am using it to cut a window kit into a door at some fancy law office excellent dust collection keeps me from having to carry the door down to the dock or cover everything in the office and vacuum later. Even at over $500 this saw has paid for itself many times over

 

[Russ Denz]

Let me add a new perspective, especially concerning the Kapex vs. the competition. I don't use a mitersaw a lot, yet I went through a Bosch and one other I don't recall in 2-3 years; I've had my Kapex 3 yrs now and not a single problem. IMHO Festool's QUALITY STANDARDS actually make it less expensive than replacing your tools every few years. That's all, but it means a lot to me.

 

[SteveColes]

Is a festool tool the answer to everything? No, of course not. There is their durability. Dust collection. very often unique and useful engineering. Does this make every tool the right for everyone (other than cost)? No, of not.

I am under impressed with their routers and I have a major issue with their jig saws. For instance, if you use the dust colletion properly you can't see the blade in relation to the line you have drawn. Festool's answer is to to cur from the bottom side. so you can see the blade and the lines. Sorry, I can't work that way and don't want to work that way. So I sold my festal and bought a bosch. There are a few other instances like that. But so what. In general most of their tools are do a create job. It's like most things you have to researchthe buy and then what works best for you.

for instance, if durability and dust collection are primary concerns, then most fetools will fit the bill.

 

[KenOfCary]

I have always agonized over the cost of a Festool, but never had second thoughts once the purchase was made.

It is a system. The tracks work with the Track Saw and the Routers. Everything is well thought out and repairable, not throw away like a lot of other tools.

- Ken.

 

[drw]

To me the value of Festool is all about dust collection.

I agree with Phil, if you want/need to minimize dust in your shop, Festool products are in a class by themselves. Additionally, the tools are built to last and perform beautifully. That said, I can understand people's reluctance to purchase Festool products, they are pricey, but I have enjoyed working with those that I do own and will probably buy again.

 

[petebucy4638]

I have never had an issue with shop power tools wearing out. I just gave away a Makita miter saw that was twenty-years-old and it was still cutting to specs. I have routers and saws that are even older that than that still perform great. Unless you are using Harbor Freight as your source for tools, you can expect Makita, Dewalt, Porter Cable, or Bosh tools to last for years and years. I have a Bosch hammer drill that just won't die, no matter how much it is abused.

What a lot of people don't know is that just about any power tools that you own can be rebuilt. I have an ancient Black & Decker power saw that has been in the family for generations. It has had the bearing replaced a few times and it has been rewound at least twice.

One of the reasons that I started this thread is because I have never seen a Festool power tool on a construction site. I'm a custom home builder by trade and I take an interest in the tools that my tradesmen use. Good trim carpenters, in particular, are very fussy about their tools. When I have asked these guys who make their living with power tools why they don't own any Festool gear their reply is that they are just not worth the money - they don't perform any different than their Dewalt or Bosch equipment. I've never seen Festool in the professional mill shops that I did business with either.

In defense of Festool, in new construction is not a big issue. In new construction saw dust is just part of the game. In renovation work, no on sets up a miter saw inside the home unless it is an addition or renovation that is partitioned off from the rest of the home with a dust barrier. That said, the dust control on my Dewalt miter saw is excellent. In most cases where I have seen dust collection fail on a power tool, it is more a function of an underpowered dust collector than the design of the power tool.

Thanks for everyone for their input on this subject. It certainly proves that Festool has a loyal user base. I'm going to do some more research online.

Let me add a new perspective, especially concerning the Kapex vs. the competition. I don't use a mitersaw a lot, yet I went through a Bosch and one other I don't recall in 2-3 years; I've had my Kapex 3 yrs now and not a single problem. IMHO Festool's QUALITY STANDARDS actually make it less expensive than replacing your tools every few years. That's all, but it means a lot to me.

 

[Tarhead]

Check out http://www.protool-online.com/
This is Festool's professional product line along the same vein as Mafell. Also take a look at some of the solid surface/stone countertop fabricators, hardwood floor installers and lead abatement contractors. You'll probably find some of them using the Rotex sander/grinder/polishers and the bigger HEPA Dust collectors. You'll get a bigger picture here: http://festoolownersgroup.com

 

[PurpleThumb]

I have always agonized over the cost of a Festool, but never had second thoughts once the purchase was made.

It is a system. The tracks work with the Track Saw and the Routers. Everything is well thought out and repairable, not throw away like a lot of other tools.

- Ken.

I agree with most of the positive comments. I too, have used cheeper tools most of my professional career but once you experience Festool you won't be satisfied with inferior quality any longer.