Are Festool router bits green?

[bluezomo]

I just bought a set of Festool router bits, 50 pieces. They are nicely green but do not have any print of manufacture. The box is definitely Festool. The "manual" is a single page a4 in bad print quality with US norms (inches).

Are Festool router bits green? Is anywhere the company logo on the router bits?
I just had a suspicion that someone sells some router bits as Festool router bits in a Festool container.

 

[peter halle]

I don't believe that those are Festool bits.  In looking at the website for those, I also don't think that they are marketing them as Festool but rather as HM router bits in a Festool Systainer. I believe those are HM Fraiser bits.

They should make it more clear.

Peter

 

[MikeGE]

Here is the link to the Toolnation website:

https://www.toolnation.com/toolnation-50-piece-hm-router-bit-set-in-systainer.html?sqr=50%20piece%20router

The description does not have a Festool part number but states "HM 50 pieces router bits set supplied in Festool systainer." and lists the manufacturer as Toolnation. Anyone can buy a Systainer box, cut an insert, and fill it with anything.

I have never seen a green Festool router bit, much less a box of 50.  The only Festool router bit set I have seen is the Round box 498979 with ten bits.  None are green.

This appears to be a kit developed by or for Toolnation.  Without any provenance on the bits, you have no idea about the quality. 

 

[grobkuschelig]

Festool Bits are always black. [emoji41]

 

[luvmytoolz]

I'd say the price alone rules out them being Festool. They're router offerings are eye wateringly expensive generally.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I'm amazed they were able to get the Systainers. We buy thousands of them, and we are not allowed to buy the same color combination as Festool, let alone with the Festool name printed.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Interesting you say that, as I was thinking Festool surely cant be happy at the cursory appearance that at first glance makes it look like a Festool product, so I can't imagine them selling them loads of branded systainers, so does that mean it's a grey/parallel import or clone product? Or they're simply buying up retail stock?

 

[xedos]

I'm amazed they were able to get the Systainers. We buy thousands of them, and we are not allowed to buy the same color combination as Festool, let alone with the Festool name printed.

If you were a festool dealer in good standing you could order in as many of those systainers as you wanted.
https://www.toolnut.com/festool-576...L05WtzE5Wjfx2gRZT78G4YrYS_hhPupgaAjtjEALw_wcB

I'm sure if the mother ship isn't happy with toolnation about the "package" they will be in touch.

 

[MikeGE]

After looking more closely at the Toolnation listing, this appears to be a Festool SYS3-OF D8/D12 Systainer (part number 576835) filled with a set of green router bits.

The SYS3-OF D8/D12 is available locally for about €54.  A 50-piece router bit set in red is also available locally for about €90.  I assume a similar set is available from the same or similar manufacturer in green.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

Using the "reasonable person" approach, the Toolnation listing could be viewed as a genuine Festool product.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

90 Euros for 50 cutters? 1 Euro 80 per cutter? They have to be Chinese throwaways. I've got individual TCT cutters which cost more than that per piece.

 

[Cheese]

1. The "manual" is a single page a4 in bad print quality with US norms (inches).

2. Are Festool router bits green? Is anywhere the company logo on the router bits?

1. That would be my first aha moment.  [smile]

2. Here's a photo of several Festool router bits, there are 5 identifiers that they all have in common:
Festool name
Festool part number
Max router bit speed
Router bit diameters and cut length
Proper router bit insertion depth marked with this pictogram __V__

[attachimg=1]

 

[Frank-Jan]

Festool Bits are always black. [emoji41]

I think I have a festool small diameter upcut spiral bit that is silver-coloured

 

[jeh]

Were those Festool bits it would cost north of $2000 and possibly north of $3000.

 

[Frank-Jan]

I'm amazed they were able to get the Systainers. We buy thousands of them, and we are not allowed to buy the same color combination as Festool, let alone with the Festool name printed.

The systainer with the routerbit insert is a festool product, toolnation is a festool dealer, they just offer it combined with a (non-festool) bit assortiment aswell.

 

[grobkuschelig]

Festool Bits are always black. [emoji41]

I think I have a festool small diameter upcut spiral bit that is silver-coloured

Yes. That’s a full carbide bit. Exception to the rule.

 

[Coen]

1. The "manual" is a single page a4 in bad print quality with US norms (inches).

2. Are Festool router bits green? Is anywhere the company logo on the router bits?

1. That would be my first aha moment.  [smile]

2. Here's a photo of several Festool router bits, there are 5 identifiers that they all have in common:
Festool name
Festool part number
Max router bit speed
Router bit diameters and cut length
Proper router bit insertion depth marked with this pictogram __V__

[attachimg=1]

That 2nd one can't be right? The mark for 'insert up to here' is at a spot that has already a groove in it.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Just as I thought. It's a cheapo generic set made from Chinesium. A whole bunch of different identikits on eBay. Even cheaper, too - only £60. I'll pass, thanks.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292839768346

 

[bluezomo]

It is definitely a scam then. They don't explicitly state that the router bits are Festool, they just write that the router bits come in a Festool systainer. The quality does not look bad, the bits are really sharp (almost cut my finger when taking the first bit out), but being green, it makes customers believe that the bits are Festool.

Looking at reviews on Toolnation, I do not think there is a big chance to get anything back or that it is possible to return the pieces.
But I will inform Festool that Toolnation is tricking people with their systainer.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

It is definitely a scam then. They don't explicitly state that the router bits are Festool, they just write that the router bits come in a Festool systainer. The quality does not look bad, the bits are really sharp (almost cut my finger when taking the first bit out), but being green, it makes customers believe that the bits are Festool.

Looking at reviews on Toolnation, I do not think there is a big chance to get anything back or that it is possible to return the pieces.
But I will inform Festool that Toolnation is tricking people with their systainer.

To be fair, I don’t see any underhand trickery going on and describing this as a scam is unfair I think. Anyone with an ounce of know-how would know that you can’t buy 50 Festool cutters for less than a hundred bucks. Sure it’s a Festool case and a Festool insert - but no claims are being made that they’re OEM Festool cutters. Colouring them green and putting them into a Festool Systainer strikes me as nothing more than a neat marketing trick. And hey - I’ve used plenty of cheap cutters in my time. They don’t last long - but they get the job done.

 

[luvmytoolz]

It is definitely a scam then. They don't explicitly state that the router bits are Festool, they just write that the router bits come in a Festool systainer. The quality does not look bad, the bits are really sharp (almost cut my finger when taking the first bit out), but being green, it makes customers believe that the bits are Festool.

Looking at reviews on Toolnation, I do not think there is a big chance to get anything back or that it is possible to return the pieces.
But I will inform Festool that Toolnation is tricking people with their systainer.

To be fair, I don’t see any underhand trickery going on and describing this as a scam is unfair I think. Anyone with an ounce of know-how would know that you cant buy 50 Festool cutters for less than a hundred bucks. Sure it’s a Festool case and a Festool insert - but no claims are being made that they’re OEM Festool cutters. Colouring them green and putting them into a Festool Systainer strikes me as nothing more than a neat marketing trick. And hey - I’ve used plenty of cheap cutters in my time. They don’t last long - but they get the job done.

I disagree, they're most definitely giving the "appearance" they're Festool even though they aren't saying it.

Just because you and I know to have a box of 50 genuine Festool router bits we'd have had to have won the lottery, or sold a kidney, others won't know, as evidenced by the OP.

And that is exactly the game they're playing, so in this case, I think it qualifies as a scam.