Anybody pre-ordering Carvex?

[Stephen B]

My experience with low serial number products, especially custom shotguns, isn't all that positive. Lots of early production issues that only get ironed out in later production runs. Is Festool better with getting early production units right?  I've now got a workshop full of Festol products, but all have been in production for a while before I bought them.

I do not own a Carvex.

However you should note that they have been on the European and Australian markets for some time. You have been waiting for the 110v and associated electronics to be designed / modified for Nth American market. Therefore one would expect that any fundamental design/production issues to  have been sorted by now.

 

[peter halle]

My experience with low serial number products, especially custom shotguns, isn't all that positive. Lots of early production issues that only get ironed out in later production runs. Is Festool better with getting early production units right?  I've now got a workshop full of Festol products, but all have been in production for a while before I bought them.

As someone who was highly anticipating the Carvex coming to North America a few years ago and then read the news that it was postponed, I can tell you that the decision to not release it here told me as a consumer so much about Festool's commitment to customer satisfaction.  Was that decision a temporary black eye?  Yes and no.

My guess is that the amount of attention paid to the design of the Carvex 420 line was enormous, and the testing was long and tough.  I'll be getting the 420 without thinking twice.  Barrel handle.

Peter

 

[AdamM]

I plan to win one in the July sweepstakes drawing. ;D

If by some strange chance that doesn't happen, I will order on later in the fall.... Mostly wasting as I will be traveling a fair amount in Sept and wasn't too make sure I'll be around when it arrive.

 

[Timtool]

Shane,

30% of the time will the strobe actually go WITH the blade to create the stand still appearance!  The % was with the Carvex 400 and the Carvex 420.  I have used BOTH for a while now.

....

Dont get me wrong I like the carvex 420 nice jigsaw!

That is my experience as well, i resigned myself to turn the light on without strobe after a year or so only to find out i can see much better without the strobe in general.
Because the strobe illuminates the dust and particles in the air above the blade and makes them appear still as well so that you can barely see the blade or cut line.
It works well when making fine slow cuts in material that doesn't make thick particles, but the light selection procedure is so confusing that one mistake will turn the saw on with your fingers on both triggers inches away from the blade. Happened once to me and that was enough for me to not bother anymore.
The curved plastic transparent front doesn't help either, it distorts view and makes it only possible to see well from the front and not from the side, and when i need to see i lift it up but during the cut it usually falls backs down on it's own...

All in all it's a nice jigsaw though, i think they did what they could with the time they had to repair the PS400. You can feel they initially wanted to make the best most advanced jigsaw ever, but it didn't work and had to resort to making "just" a nice jigsaw out of it.

 

[jmbfestool]

We all know this strobe is pretty much a hit or miss function! Im sure Festool knows this and you should do.

That's not been the case in my experience. I will say that I've not spent a lot of time with my Carvex yet, maybe a 2-hours-ish.

That's not to discredit you or say that you're not having trouble. But, I think you're implying that I'm well aware of it being a problem, which I am not.

Sorry maybe your not aware.  

I assumed you was because both carvex I have owned have always been like that.  

I have often tried to show people.  

ill go   ''look look this is dead cool the blade stops moving but you can still cut wood with it! You can stick your finger in it and it wont hurt''   (JOKING) as they try and stick their finger into the blade! Then calling them an idiot for thinking it was true lol!   Then I would explain its because of the strobe light!    

BUT

I would have to turn the Carvex ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON-OFF (you get the point) to get the strobe to run with the Blade.   Some times I had to give up as they stand and watch me being an idiot showing them how to turn the thing on and off  with no luck lol.  

I stopped showing people because it wouldn't always work because they just start to think im lying or its crap jigsaw which only occasionally works.  

 

[pugilato]

Just a couple of questions about the Carvex... If I were to buy the battery model, how does the vacuum get turned on during operation? Second, are the blades for the device standard, or would I have to use Festool blades?

 

[jmbfestool]

Just a couple of questions about the Carvex... If I were to buy the battery model, how does the vacuum get turned on during operation? Second, are the blades for the device standard, or would I have to use Festool blades?

Blades are standard dude.  

Battery powered carvex will not power vacuum automatically.  For me if your going cordless its because your doing short cuts so a vacuum is not needed.  If your having to get out a vacuum you might as well have a corded carvex in my opinion.     Saying that I never use vacuum on a jigsaw even if it was corded.