CANCELLED - Festool Carvex Jigsaw 2011 Version

[David NY]

Festool USA has announced that they are indefinitely delaying the release of the much anticipated Festool Carvex Jigsaw. Although this is a real disappointment to many here, it is a testament to the high standards that Festool USA holds themselves (and Festool Germany) to.
I wanted to give you guys a heads up on this. I know many of you here are in touch with Sean and I on a regular basis, so I decided to post this on the forum so all of you can be aware as well as provide a venue to dispel any rumors. I am sure Shane at Festool will pop his head in here soon.

We here at the “Nut” will continue to keep all our customers in the loop as the developments unfold over the next several weeks and months in regards to the Festool Carvex Jigsaw. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news guys.

David Murry
General Manager
Tool Nut
914-621-0200

 

[David NY]

The official announcement:

Quote:

INFORMATION SERVICE FOR FESTOOL DEALERS
#13-2011

Special Announcement – Carvex Launch Postponed

Dear Festool Dealer,

At Festool we take great pride in delivering the most innovative and useful products available, while applying the highest possible quality standards. Though our tools are used by consumers at many levels, they are ultimately designed for the most demanding professionals, many of whom rely on them for their livelihood.

As a premium brand, our customers have extremely high expectations of us, and it is our ceaseless commitment to meet these expectations, oftentimes at great cost and effort.  Our unwillingness to compromise means that we sometimes have to make hard choices.

With these factors in mind, we have decided NOT to introduce the Carvex jigsaw to the US and Canadian markets at this time. Late round testing in certain applications specific to North America has demonstrated that the current design does not meet the exacting standards that we demand of ourselves, and that our customers have come to expect.

Though we are certain that the Carvex, in its current configuration, would be an excellent tool for nearly any user, we believe that launching it as is would mean compromising many of the values that make us who we are today.

For now, we are sorry that we have to disappoint you.  We believe, however, that we would have disappointed a few of you even more, had we introduced a product that didn’t meet the level of quality and precision you have come to rely on from Festool.

We will continue to refine the new jigsaw’s design, with the full expectation that the Carvex will be introduced at a later date, executed in a manner that will be satisfying to even the most demanding customer.  As this process unfolds, updates will be announced on our website and through our email newsletter.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continued support of the Festool Brand. 

Sincerely,

Christian Oltzscher
President and CEO
Festool USA

 

[Steve R]

Late round testing in certain applications specific to North America has demonstrated that the current design does not meet the exacting standards that we demand of ourselves, and that our customers have come to expect.

As this process unfolds, updates will be announced on our website and through our email newsletter.

Christian Oltzscher
President and CEO
Festool USA

Makes you wonder what "certain applications specific to North America" are  [eek]..... Do you think it might not work underwater like I had planned to use it...to fix holes in boat hulls? [jawdrop]

I'm looking forward to someday knowing what we do wrong here....LOL

So my  money down on the Carvex.... might collect a bit of wood dust.... I still want one.  [crying]

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Deansocial]

Late round testing in certain applications specific to North America has demonstrated that the current design does not meet the exacting standards that we demand of ourselves, and that our customers have come to expect.

As this process unfolds, updates will be announced on our website and through our email newsletter.

Christian Oltzscher
President and CEO
Festool USA

Makes you wonder what "certain applications specific to North America" are  [eek]..... Do you think it might not work underwater like I had planned to use it...to fix holes in boat hulls? [jawdrop]

I'm looking forward to someday knowing what we do wrong here....LOL

So my  money down on the Carvex.... might collect a bit of wood dust.... I still want one.  [crying]

Cheers,
Steve

sorry that information is NAINA [poke] [poke] [poke] [dead horse]

 

[David NY]

LOL.

Well I do give NA credit. They do have, and so far as i have seen yet, the highest standards. A bit of a shame that it is announced at the 11th hour, but I am glad it is before you guys got the product than after to be honest.

David

 

[jonny round boy]

The official announcement:

Quote:

INFORMATION SERVICE FOR FESTOOL DEALERS
#13-2011

Special Announcement – Carvex Launch Postponed

Dear Festool Dealer,

At Festool we take great pride in delivering the most innovative and useful products available, while applying the highest possible quality standards. Though our tools are used by consumers at many levels, they are ultimately designed for the most demanding professionals, many of whom rely on them for their livelihood.

As a premium brand, our customers have extremely high expectations of us, and it is our ceaseless commitment to meet these expectations, oftentimes at great cost and effort.  Our unwillingness to compromise means that we sometimes have to make hard choices.

With these factors in mind, we have decided NOT to introduce the Carvex jigsaw to the US and Canadian markets at this time. Late round testing in certain applications specific to North America has demonstrated that the current design does not meet the exacting standards that we demand of ourselves, and that our customers have come to expect.

Though we are certain that the Carvex, in its current configuration, would be an excellent tool for nearly any user, we believe that launching it as is would mean compromising many of the values that make us who we are today.

For now, we are sorry that we have to disappoint you.  We believe, however, that we would have disappointed a few of you even more, had we introduced a product that didn’t meet the level of quality and precision you have come to rely on from Festool.

We will continue to refine the new jigsaw’s design, with the full expectation that the Carvex will be introduced at a later date, executed in a manner that will be satisfying to even the most demanding customer.  As this process unfolds, updates will be announced on our website and through our email newsletter.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continued support of the Festool Brand. 

Sincerely,

Christian Oltzscher
President and CEO
Festool USA

That is a very bizarre statement. Basically they're saying it isn't a problem with the machine as such, just that there's an issue with the way they think Americans might use it?!?!?

Weird... [huh]

 

[David NY]

Well I will behave here, as I should, but the fact it is being used and is Ok'd everywhere except here makes me tip my hat to the guys in Indiana.

Crime and politics..."la stessa cosa." (the same thing- Godfather III)

 

[5280]

I wounder if it has something to do with UL?

I'm boarding the plane to Henderson for training and was hoping to spend the next couple of days using one.

 

[Wonderwino]

[crying] What are the producers of the new horror flick, "Indiana Carvex Massacre" going to use for a prop now?  [scared]  [eek]  [scared]  [big grin]

 

[Frank Pellow]

That's ridiculous!  

I trust the the European standards for tools more than the Canadian and USA standards.  I expect that it is something to do with the litigious society that we seem to be stuck with here in North America.  Our Canadian courts used to be saner than ones in the USA but the stupidity has been creeping north of the border for many years and now we are almost as bad as they are.

 

[peter halle]

WOW!   [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad]

I was so excited about this tool.

Peter

 

[Holzhacker]

The same section Steve R posted got my attention immediately. Seems like a very odd statement. I'm guessing:
- Possible liability issues because our courts think every moron deserves to get paid for his own stupidity
- Material components or electrical isolation that doesn't hold up to some of our climate conditions such as deep cold or humidity
- Material shortcomings that don't hold up to the way some of us animals toss our tools around; plastic too thin, metal too soft, etc.
This does blow, I was hoping to put the Trion on ebay to offset the cost.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

WOW!   [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad] [sad]

I was so excited about this tool.

Peter

I just came in from the shop, all dusty from trying to do a cut on the bandsaw that I know the Carvex would nail.  I was gonna pre-order today.   What a bummer!   I guess we will learn more soon.

 

[Guy Ashley]

The same section Steve R posted got my attention immediately. Seems like a very odd statement. I'm guessing:
- Possible liability issues because our courts think every moron deserves to get paid for his own stupidity
- Material components or electrical isolation that doesn't hold up to some of our climate conditions such as deep cold or humidity
- Material shortcomings that don't hold up to the way some of us animals toss our tools around; plastic too thin, metal too soft, etc.
This does blow, I was hoping to put the Trion on ebay to offset the cost.

You ever been to Scotland in the winter!!!!! It works there!! [scared]

 

[windmill man]

Come on Shane , spill the beans!!!

 

[Jeff Hein]

When we were in Router class in Henderson, we played with the cordless version (note...this was a PRE-Production model) and it had significant blade drift.... the blade was going WAAAAY out of vertical when we were cutting curves.

If I had to guess, maybe there is a lot more blade drift than the PS300 had and they are looking to correct it????

 

[Sean7a]

When we were in Router class in Henderson, we played with the cordless version (note...this was a PRE-Production model) and it had significant blade drift.... the blade was going WAAAAY out of vertical when we were cutting curves.

If I had to guess, maybe there is a lot more blade drift than the PS300 had and they are looking to correct it????

My short experience with the saw using it personally and also seeing it demo'd at various times, I don't believe it was due to blade drift.  I actually don't believe it was due to poor performance either in regards to the quality of cuts.  I truly, and I wouldn't BS you guys, believe that Fes USA is holding themselves to a standard that at times we may think is a double edged sword.  Their commitment to quality and perfection seems to have resulted in Festool USA unilaterally making a decision that they won't put their name on a tool that they know may damage their reputation for utter perfection.  Yes Festool USA has made mistakes, but when you browse through their back catalog of products and current products...my oh my, there's not really much of a "miss" in the entire bunch.  Like I said, I truly believe there was something about this saw that they just knew may come back to bite'em in the butt (whether it be a base or accessory not working properly like we saw in the early Euro production runs) and take their track record, that yes isn't perfect, but relative to all others in the industry, really is perfect, and tarnish it....it just wasn't worth it.

The saw should be here eventually.  Hopefully it's a few months, but this depends on how serious of a rework this really turns out to be.

Please note, my statements are bred of my own wild imagination.  I don't have ANY inside info as to what / why / how / or where this decision was made.  Honestly, no clue.

 

[David NY]

When we were in Router class in Henderson, we played with the cordless version (note...this was a PRE-Production model) and it had significant blade drift.... the blade was going WAAAAY out of vertical when we were cutting curves.

If I had to guess, maybe there is a lot more blade drift than the PS300 had and they are looking to correct it????

That's interesting..Sean and I were at the last Show and I got a chance to do some aggressive cutting with this tool, and was particularly zeroed in on any "drift" (I am not a natural when it comes to jigsaw's and have inherent bad form so Drift is something that is always on my radar) and I didn't notice any at all.

but that was only a half hour of working hard with it.

David

 

[Frank Pellow]

When we were in Router class in Henderson, we played with the cordless version (note...this was a PRE-Production model) and it had significant blade drift.... the blade was going WAAAAY out of vertical when we were cutting curves.

If I had to guess, maybe there is a lot more blade drift than the PS300 had and they are looking to correct it????

Jeff, I am certain that your guess is wrong.  

When I used the corded version a week ago today in the class in Indiana there was no drift.  And, people outside North America would be just as picky about drift and they have had the saw for some time.

 

[fritter63]

My money is on the strobe LED that makes the blade appear to be stationary. UL (or Festool lawyers) probably viewed that as safety issue, because us Ameri-can'ts are too stupid to watch out for ourselves.

Seriously, when I finished my first woodshop/basement, the inspector wanted to make sure I'd isolated the flourescent lights from the saw circuit as they could pick up the frequency of the blade and synchronize the flickering to the blade, making it appear stationary and therefore -DANGEROUS.

So when I saw that feature on the Carvex, I was thinking "hmmm, some idiot with earplugs" is going to cut his finger off.

Also, maybe it was too much of a risk for hearing impaired (and vibration impaired!) users.....