Carvex Issues

[mouppe]

Hopefully the North American models will have the fixes incorporated before they arrive here in 2011.

 

[jmbfestool]

Carvex Update

I have now had my re worked Carvex back for about 10 days and have given it a very thorough shake down before posting back here.

I received it back from Germany with a letter of explanation as to the cause of the problems and a list of the parts that have been replaced or upgraded.

The guy who became involved, to sort it out, holds a very senior post in Festool Germany and over saw the whole process of the reworks, modifications and upgrades. He states in the report that he did the final QC and test cuts and that the operation my Carvex now is to his standards and expectations. I thought my standards and expectations were high but they are dwarfed by his.

The thing is amazing; I even checked the serial numbers and the work blemishes as I could not believe it was the same saw. It s cut and operation is remarkable and beyond anything I thought a jigsaw was capable of producing.

I have just about done everything and anything you can do with a jigsaw over the last few days and cut every material I could think of . In every case the Carvex performed above and beyond my expectations.

Some here will say what is the point of this post, well it's simple.

If you own a Carvex and are having problem with it, e.g.

Blade jumps out of the v guide.

It is not cutting square.

The quality of the cut is poor.

You have any rotational movement in any of the bases.

You are burning and bluing blades more than normal

It will not follow a straight line.

It will not follow smoothly curves.

It will not follow on the guide rail or any other fence (i.e. Speed square or guide baton)

You cannot get near perfect circles using the attachment.

The dust port does not firmly attach to the bases and pulls out easily during use

The blades release over shoots the mechanism.

The above are problems know to Festool and they now have reworks to correct them.( By now this information should have been disseminated to  the various national companies and service departments of the countries into which the Carvex is now being sold )  and you should return it for repair.

Just one more point, there has been posted on here a ?fix? for the Carvex, (removing and bending a spring) I would not do it . This item was not replaced and you may invalidate your warranty.

Its a simple spring something like that shouldn't void the warranty if it does its ridiculous. Also how can they prove you have done something to the spring you cant tell. I will be showing this post to my festool rep as he is still saying their is nothing mentioned about any carvex problems so basically he doesnt believe me.

Thank you for that info by the way!

JMB

 

[Rob-GB]

Sorry to jump in here, as I don't have a Carvex (yet!) but going back a few posts it was mentioned that the carvex does not have the carbide guides that are adjustable.
Instead it has a 'V' guide and a leaf spring (visible in JMB's pics, Ta for those by the way) does this arrangement make or is it meant to make the guide self adjusting to suit differing jigsaw blade thicknesses?
You know what Festool is like they come up with a clever idea and try not to let us in on it! [blink]

If it is an auto adjuster system then I think it is flippin clever! I don't mind adjusting my Trion guides because I appreciate the benefit of doing so, but if I can save some time I'll drop Santa a brief missive.  ;D
Rob.

 

[windmill man]

Hi Rob,
Yes it is a type of auto adjustment system. You can swap between any blades with out having to adjust anything.Just tell Santa to get you one manufactured after June 2010 and all will be good. [big grin]

John

 

[jmbfestool]

Yes just like John said its its kinda like a auto adjuster.  The thinner the blade further it goes into the groove.  It is clever!  I own a cordless Milwaukee M18 jigsaw aswell and I have some really long blades which are also thicker well they dont fit in the wheel they just sits in front of it not very good really. Still good jigsaw thought!  Still didnt stop me from buy the cordless carvex though lol  The Milwueakee one of for site work well thats what I tell my self any way. 

Using the jigsaw a lot maybe a year down the line the V groove must wear out how would you replace it?!?! Looking at it it wont come off easy.  Like my Milwaukee most jigsaws have a wheel so it turns when the blade goes up and down so it wont wear the wheel out but the V is stationary and the blade is rubbing it up and down all the time. I know its harder metal but it must still wear eventually.

JMB

 

[windmill man]

Evening JMB

If memory serves me right, The V guide plate is  sprung loaded. The piece you removed in you video is the bit that gives it , its loading. That`s one reason I would no bug about with it. Above the V guide is a hardend steel nub.

The Carvex carries its blade slightly more forward than most Jigsaws. So as you cut  the blade is not against this nub but is "supported" by the sprung loaded V  guide. If you increase the cutting pressure the guide retreats and the blade rubs against the hardened nub . If you increase cutting pressure again it will start to blue the blade because of the friction. The nub is a lot harder than the blade. So wear should not be a problem.

John

 

[joiner1970]

I wonder if those carbide guides that were on the Trion have been scrapped for good reason. I have just been sent Bosch's new jigsaw the GST 150 CE to test out and give my opinion on, and the first thing I noticed was that they have also removed the carbide guides that they had on their other model. I seem to remember lots of people moaning about blades burning etc on both the Trion and the Bosch jigsaws.

By the way the Bosch is a very nice jigsaw

 

[Brice Burrell]

I wonder if those carbide guides that were on the Trion have been scrapped for good reason. I have just been sent Bosch's new jigsaw the GST 150 CE to test out and give my opinion on, and the first thing I noticed was that they have also removed the carbide guides that they had on their other model. I seem to remember lots of people moaning about blades burning etc on both the Trion and the Bosch jigsaws.

By the way the Bosch is a very nice jigsaw

Can you share your opinion of the Bosch here on the forum?

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Here's my 2 cents.  I've owned the Bosch 1591 barrel grip since it came out.  Love the thing.  I've cut almost everything imaginable, except myself.  Never had a problem with it.  I tried the newer version at the Baltimore trade show and even though it's got a bigger, more powerful motor, I didn't like it.  Too big and bulky, so no advantage to me.  Also the blade change mechanism is different.  Softer blade ejection.  I like the old ejection a little better, but that's not the deal breaker for me.  The weight and larger barrel grip are the killers.  They also got rid of the toolless base (bevel) adjustment in favor of an on-board hex wrench.  I didn't notice the new blade guide being any better than mine and never had an issue with blade problems, even using the push-in guides frequently.

 

[windmill man]

Festool are keeping the Trion in its Jigsaw line up.

From what I can gather the Carvex with the new V guide is supposed to be more of an all rounder and better at curved work.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Brian Sedgeley told me that the Carvex has a more refined and comfortable grip.  He thought they couldn't improve their previous design, but they did.  Maybe you guys that already have one can comment on that too?

 

[jmbfestool]

Evening JMB

If memory serves me right, The V guide plate is  sprung loaded. The piece you removed in you video is the bit that gives it , its loading. That`s one reason I would no bug about with it. Above the V guide is a hardend steel nub.

The Carvex carries its blade slightly more forward than most Jigsaws. So as you cut  the blade is not against this nub but is "supported" by the sprung loaded V  guide. If you increase the cutting pressure the guide retreats and the blade rubs against the hardened nub . If you increase cutting pressure again it will start to blue the blade because of the friction. The nub is a lot harder than the blade. So wear should not be a problem.

John

Alrite John

I understand.  Just to confirm when I meant the V is stationary I didnt mean it as it doenst move but I ment it doesnt move with the blade up or down so the blade is running up and down while the V stays in the same place but just moves back and forth as more pressure is applied like you said. Increasing the strength of the spring by bending it will increase the V pressure which should hold the blade more which should in theory keep the blade straighter.

I really only did the video on how to remove the spring because the other guy was showing how to remove it with some pliers but I found a easier how to remove and attach the spring back thats all really.  Showing off  [embarassed]lol

JMB

 

[windmill man]

Ergonomically and design wise it is superior to the Trion

 

[windmill man]

Hi JMB
Think there is more to the design of the Carvex than meets the eye. The V guide is just a guide . ( In the trion it seems to act more like a lateral support)Think the spindle and how it works and its position in relationship to the guide is the key to its performance. I also think the way the blade locks into the spindle and how it is held also have a lot to do with it.

John

 

[jmbfestool]

Hi JMB
Think there is more to the design of the Carvex than meets the eye. The V guide is just a guide . ( In the trion it seems to act more like a lateral support)Think the spindle and how it works and its position in relationship to the guide is the key to its performance. I also think the way the blade locks into the spindle and how it is held also have a lot to do with it.

John

How a blade is held is import like you said well the Maffel Jigsaw just rely on that welll held blade and nothing els!  The advantage to that is you can turn the blade around and have if facing backwards so you can jigsaw backwards away from a wall so you can start closer to a wall.

Innovative CUmax sawblade clamping ensures a positive fit because of a wedge pushing against the blade. This design reliably fastens the sawblade so that it cannot be displaced.
[attachimg=#]

JMB

 

[Michael_MA]

Just to add some information to the V-Guide of the Carvex..

it is definitly out of best machined CARBIDE MATERIAL, which required erosion or laser cutting to get in shape.
This V-Guide is soldered to the holder like the teeth of the blades of the TS circular saws.

So, there is simply no way to wear out the groove by using regular Jigsaw blades, even if you push the blade as hell.
And Yes, it does an Auto Adjustment, as it is pressing the V-Groove against the saw blade and therefore centering and guiding the blade.

kind regards, Mike

 

[Michael_MA]

Hi JMB
Think there is more to the design of the Carvex than meets the eye. The V guide is just a guide . ( In the trion it seems to act more like a lateral support)Think the spindle and how it works and its position in relationship to the guide is the key to its performance. I also think the way the blade locks into the spindle and how it is held also have a lot to do with it.

John

How a blade is held is import like you said well the Maffel Jigsaw just rely on that welll held blade and nothing els!  The advantage to that is you can turn the blade around and have if facing backwards so you can jigsaw backwards away from a wall so you can start closer to a wall.

Innovative CUmax sawblade clamping ensures a positive fit because of a wedge pushing against the blade. This design reliably fastens the sawblade so that it cannot be displaced.
[attachimg=#]

JMB

Well, the Mafell Jigsaw is also very nice from it's design and features..
besides, it's weight (2,5 Kg) and size, it requires special CUMax Sawblades, which are rarely to get on the market, except from mafell, because they have welded two saw blades together and nobody else does this..
The Shortcoming of this is the price - in Germany, 2 CUMax sawblades cost about 30 Euro, which is raughly 37 $..

In the German Woodworker forum, some colleagues told from the Fair in April, that the people at the booth of mafell showed their Jigsaw with 1 inch chipboard and ply telling the people near by, they should stand clear, as the saw blade could simply pop off during curve cutting.. and it did ! - nobody was hurt furtunatly..
Festool showed the Carvex first time with 40mm melamin lam?nated Kitchen tops and ply wood.. notheing fell of.. actually, there is also a video from the fair on youtube:
Festool Carvex on the German Woodworker Fair  2010

 

[joiner1970]

I wonder if those carbide guides that were on the Trion have been scrapped for good reason. I have just been sent Bosch's new jigsaw the GST 150 CE to test out and give my opinion on, and the first thing I noticed was that they have also removed the carbide guides that they had on their other model. I seem to remember lots of people moaning about blades burning etc on both the Trion and the Bosch jigsaws.

By the way the Bosch is a very nice jigsaw

Can you share your opinion of the Bosch here on the forum?

Yeah Brice Im sure Bosch wont mind its all good publicity for them I suppose. When I get a chance I will do a review. Ive only had it a week and a half now not really put it to the test properly yet. I put my name down about a month or so ago on the Bosch website to become a tester and I was lucky enough to be picked they then sent me out the gst 150 ce as it was what I chose to test. I wanted to try out a barrel grip jigsaw as Ive never used one, here in the UK most people use the D grip type jigsaw. It looks like the barrel grip is much more popular your side of the pond.

Chris

 

[spikfot]

Hi JMB
Think there is more to the design of the Carvex than meets the eye. The V guide is just a guide . ( In the trion it seems to act more like a lateral support)Think the spindle and how it works and its position in relationship to the guide is the key to its performance. I also think the way the blade locks into the spindle and how it is held also have a lot to do with it.

John

How a blade is held is import like you said well the Maffel Jigsaw just rely on that welll held blade and nothing els!  The advantage to that is you can turn the blade around and have if facing backwards so you can jigsaw backwards away from a wall so you can start closer to a wall.

Innovative CUmax sawblade clamping ensures a positive fit because of a wedge pushing against the blade. This design reliably fastens the sawblade so that it cannot be displaced.
[attachimg=#]

JMB

Well, the Mafell Jigsaw is also very nice from it's design and features..
besides, it's weight (2,5 Kg) and size, it requires special CUMax Sawblades, which are rarely to get on the market, except from mafell, because they have welded two saw blades together and nobody else does this..
The Shortcoming of this is the price - in Germany, 2 CUMax sawblades cost about 30 Euro, which is raughly 37 $..

In the German Woodworker forum, some colleagues told from the Fair in April, that the people at the booth of mafell showed their Jigsaw with 1 inch chipboard and ply telling the people near by, they should stand clear, as the saw blade could simply pop off during curve cutting.. and it did ! - nobody was hurt furtunatly..
Festool showed the Carvex first time with 40mm melamin lam?nated Kitchen tops and ply wood.. notheing fell of.. actually, there is also a video from the fair on youtube:
Festool Carvex on the German Woodworker Fair  2010

Thanks for posting that video Michael... I almost fell off my stool.
I have been a little confused over why folks have been so wound up over the Carvex until now-  thinking...*how could a jigsaw really be improved?* Iv'e  been satisfied with my Trion, and even the Bosch industrial models for many years. It looks like
What that rep did in the video with the Carvex is astounding.

 

[decoy]

I haven't experienced any of the mentioned problems with my Carvex (ps400), but am I the only one who finds the autospeed-function kinda annoying for precision work? It slows down so much that the vacuum has trouble removing the MDF dust, making it hard to see where I cut. I'm not 100% sure how Carvex-speed is connected to dust extraction, but the visibility does get worse when I slow down :-/

Also, the top-speed on auto seems to be higher than the top-speed I can set manually?