I don't know about more confiedent - but thanks to you all I'm running around madly trying to get my hands on a Kapex. darn you, if it wasn't for the FOG I might never have known it existed!

Matthew

I would never bought the RAS 115 without seeing the review.We do not have a dealer in Memphis. The FOG is my source of information.My information was SMC at one time, but in my view it has changed at the Creek.Thanks one more time for the work you have put in the FOG.

IMHO I think message boards in general that revolve around a product or something else have a direct influence on whether or not a person will buy something or not.

A couple of years ago I belonged to a car detailing forum and before I knew it I had all sorts of car detailing stuff (waxes, polishes) and equipment. However I had a very shiny car.

The answer to Matthew's question is "definitely yes" for me.  Through this forum I have learned far more about the capabiliities of various Festool (and other) products I would not otherwise have known.  The participation of Festool USA personnel and their knowlegeable ISAs has only added to my knowledge and my "wish list."  Without that additional knowledge I would have remained stuck in the conventional methods of woodworking using conventional tools.  I am truly grateful to members of FOG for alerting me to Domino; you saved me from buying a benchtop mortising machine and a biscuit joiner.   Depending on the models chosen, these two "conventional" machines would have cost about the same as a Domino machine, taken more shop space, and needed more accessories to a narrower range of projects.

Dave R.

Matthew, much to the chagrin of my Fiance, YES the FOG has very much helped?  me purchase more Festool tools and or drool over the unavailable such as the Kapex. Fred

I can say this forum directly resulted in the following purchases:
1) 1010 Router
2) Boom Arm for Ct22
3) MFS 700 and 100mm rails
4) Router plate for 1400
5) Hole drilling jig
6) ETS 150
7) An assortment of Sortainers
Quick clamps
9) LA 650 (still don't have a use for it)
10) Cover Plate for TS55

The experience of others with these tools gave me the information that suggested these would be useful tools for me.

I decided to buy Festools on the basis of them existing, gone for pretty much the full range. Maybe the FOG has helped narrow choice in a case or two. I like hands-on for final decision, meaning I've tried what I bought first. I have found many, many helpful tips on tweaking and fixing them here.



And I enjoy the company.

Cheers John!

I come from the hand tool side of woodworking. Allot of my friends are power tool users and it is rather interesting to see how few of them know or understand Festool and the dust collection it provides along with the whole idea of moving the tool around the work rather then the work around the tool. Those that have seen my Festool's have been thoroughly impressed to the point where the head carpenter at work asked my manager to let me build the 10 foot long boardroom table cause I would do a better job and was better equipped.

Once the table was completed everybody was happy although to me it looks dated as it was made out of oak. Others also started bringing projects to work for me to help out on cause the TS-55 is such a good plunge saw.

Dan Clermont

I don't own one single Festool item - yet.  But I've been scouting the forum for some time looking at ways to integrate the Festool line into my woodworking.  I'm a hobbyist. I work in a double garage that is used daily (except in summer project season) for cars.  My main initial interest in Festool is the outstanding dust collection systems of the tools.  I hate cleaning up the garage after a project.  After joining the FOG and posting a question or two, I'm much more informed about Festool than if I'd just talked to the dealers.  With the how-to articles, I can "picture" how I could use different Festool equipment. Now I just have to find a way to sell a couple of Elu routers to purchase the Festool 1400.  And I'll purchase the TS55 + MFT 1080 (new model when available).  I'd like to eliminate my table saw if possible.  The forum has been a great help in helping me think that one out.
A friend of mine was building a small wooden boat.  He needed a couple of angle irons for it's construction.  To have them made by a metal shop would have cost him under $30 but he said "why should I pay someone else to make it when I can buy a welder for $800 and make it myself"!  I love his logic.

Hi,

   It is always nice to hear that this forum is helpful, especially from newer members (not that I have been a member for that long either). I am seeing more posts from new posters lately. That is a good thing and probably means that the FOG is doing well. Thanks, in no small part, to our moderator Matthew.


Seth

Well I guess better late than never.
The Kapex is excellent in terms of ease of use, the laser guides and most importantly for me as I cut a lot of MDF, dust extraction.  On the other hand I don't find it quite so accurate as my old Metabo / electra Beckum, but the dust extraction left me gasping.  My other criticism is that the accessory stands / stops / tapes, although very ingenious, are in no way a replacement for a permanent installation - I had Kreg guides with my old saw setup which were much better.  But that is probably an unfair criticism as as the Festool "outriggers" and MFT stand are specifically designed to be portable.  I sometimes miss the bigger capacity of my other saw, but I love the double laser - which is spot on - and the dust collection whichreally does beat any other chop saw I've tried

Thanks, Eli, for the verbal "ammunition!" I have already used this quote in explaining to my wife my need for more Festool products, and she has not disagreed!!

Seriously, almost every time I need a tool I don't currently own for some DIY job around my house, and many on my cars, I find it less expensive to buy a new tool that I can use any time I want or need than to pay others to do the job.  Rental tools are frequently abused and not well maintained, and if you don't complete the job in a day or less, you will soon have paid as Henry said.  I have some gear pullers and suspension tools I may never use again, but their purchase enabled me to rebuild the front suspension on a BMW for about 1/4 what a professional shop would have cost me.  While the car was on the floor stands, I did several other repairs, maintenance and a few upgrades including brakes, transmission seals, new shifter mechanism and had the driveshaft rebuilt (less than 1/2 cost of a replacement shaft).

I bought my TS 55 figuring I would use it for cutting sheet materials, which I do now.  But it essentially paid for itself with the first job I tackled: fitting three interior oak replacement doors to existing (previously refinished)frames using old hardware.  I was afraid of tackling that job because each of the doors were custom ordered (read expensive) and had glass panels.  The pros seemed reluctant to take the job, too.  One agree to do it for ~$400, but he kept postponing actually doing the work.  So finally, the wife pushed me to try.  The TS 55 with joined guide rails made the necessary bevel cuts easy.  The largest door (36"W x 80"H) was very heavy due having a single large "light" (stained glass core with outer layers of tempered glass), and had to be hung on existing ancient double swinging hinges mortised into both the top and bottom, after trimming all four edges to keep the panel centered in the not perfectly square frame.  But even that was no problem with the TS 55 and the guide rails.  Without them, a lot more skill would have been required.

Dave R.

And then nothing will say Happy Day After Valentine's Day like the 1200 mg of ibuprofen you'll need every 4 hours after spending a whole day on your knees.  Not to mention up and down fetching wood, arranging the pattern, and walking to the chop saw for the ends.  My back aches in sympathy at the memories.

The TS55 makes a heck of a finished edge though.

Matthew,

I have to say that the FOG doesn't do anything to encourage me to purchase Festools.  There are so many hard charging True Believers on this forum I become rather suspicious with their comments.  They've swallowed the Festool "Superior German Engineering" hook, line and sinker. 

The MFS is one of those things I'm simply not sold on, yet to hear some comments made on it you'd think it changed peoples lives.  Brices online manual on the MFS is an excellent document on the use of it, the pics are clear and consise yet pretty much confirmed to me that it's (in my opnion) a very over rated, high priced set of t-slot aluminum frames.  Quite frankly I think his document is a better tool than the MFS.

One other FOG member made a comment regarding the difference between carpenters and tool collectors (eager to have the latest doodads.)  I think there are a lot of tool collectors eager to talk about their latest Festool purchase and looking for a pat-on-the-back to justify the outlay of their cash on expensive tools.

This is in no way a slam on Festools power tools.  I love the 2 tools I have and consider the money there well spent and look forward to purchasing the ROS 150 to sand butcher block countertops.   These purchases were influenced by my Wood Craft Festool dealer and not this blog. 


Anyway, thats my 2 bits.

Steve