Carvex PSC 420 or PS 420. Corded or Battery?

[tomba26]

Hi all,
I have quite a few tools from Festool but am currently looking for a new jigsaw as my old Bosch is ready for retiring.
I'm a Carpenter/Joiner by trade but recently I find myself doing more and more fitted and built in bedrooms and offices and find myself doing quite a few wavy cuts, etc.
Considering the Carvex 420 but wondering if anyone is using the battery version? Most of my work is in people's homes so I am near a mains electric supply but I just like the idea of no cables. Anyone using a battery Carvex instead of the corded version on domestic work, does it have enough run time, pros/cons, etc?

Also D grip or barrel preferences?  I've had D grip in other jigsaws but at times I like to cut from underneath when cutting scribes on skirtings and such, the barrel grip looks like it could be easier to use.

Thanks.

 

[Mahomo59]

Carvex was first barrel grip I had used, and I love it. Mostly used for scribes so under neath cuts, the great is great in opinion and my Collins coping foot pretty much stays on. Started off on Carvex corded,dust collect is not all that great as per other festool kit. Bought festool bhc, T18 and C18 so the Carvex went. Much happier with it being cordless and use a lot more than I did when owned the corded. Not really taken much note of battery life as its not used all day. I really like it

 

[NL-mikkla]

Sorry, I have quite a few of festool kit but the least impressed with the carvex corded 420.
I would opt for the Mafell one if I had a choice once again.

 

[joiner1970]

I use the 420 cordless for pretty much what you're planning to do and its great.

Plenty of run time and its never struggled to cut anything including solid oak tops

 

[Staniam]

I started off with the cordless barrel grip and liked it though swapped it for my current corded version about a year after purchase. The cordless is much heavier (obviously) and with the added angle attachment is even heavier. I also knew I would never really be far from a power outlet so that made it easier for me to switch to the corded. Both perform very well and while you'd think the cord would be annoying, for me it really isn't as the plug in adjusts which makes it easier to keep out of the way.

While dust collection on a jigsaw will never be as good as with most other saws, I've found the dust collection to be much better than none at all, basically to me it's more than worth having it hooked up to one.

 

[DB10]

  Go cordless and cut out side and just let the wind take care of the dust.
Connecting a hose to a jigsaw is pointless exercise anyway and just gets in the way.
I run mine on both 14.4 and 18v batteries, If I use it all day I never run two batteries flat but quite often get through one battery.
I use mine a lot and especially for kitchen worktop cut outs and and I get excellent results.
  If you are going from a Bosch to a Carvex then there will be a bit of a learning curve in setting up the blade guides, but once you get used to it swapping out blades is quick and easy.

 

[Kev]

The corded model is the right choice if you ever intend to put it in a CMS module ... otherwise the cordless is sweet!!

 

[tomba26]

Thanks for the replies.
No I won't use it in the CMS, it's almost exclusively for scribing and non-straight cuts when fitting built in bedrooms/offices/wardrobes.
Up until now almost all my tools have been 110v (UK) which means carrying an extension flex and heavy transformer for almost every operation. I see very little site work these days so don't really need 110v...it's really a choice between mains 240v or battery power for mainly residential work.
I just like the idea of batteries and no cables. Actually considering a TSC55 for the same kind of work and reasons, I have a TS55 at the moment but again for residential work it's a pain having to drag that 110v transformer and extension flex for even the smallest of operations.

Any carpenters/joiners gradually making the switch to more battery powered equipment rather than traditional corded?

 

[neeleman]

You should also consider the HKC 55 battery powered saw.
Weight is less then TSC 55 and works with the smart FSK rails and FS/2 also.
If necessary it can also do plunge cuts.

 

[DB10]

Any carpenters/joiners gradually making the switch to more battery powered equipment rather than traditional corded?

I started to switch over about eight years ago with the introduction of the Li-ion battery technology. I now run everything cordless even my mitre saw.
It's just more convenient for me, I don't need to work around sparky's turning the power off or fighting over power outlets to plug extension cords in, or worse of all no power and lugging a generator around.

 

[fin]

ive just popped my carvex's cherry today. id never used one before. but decided to upgrade from my makita d handle jigsaw to this barrel grip carvex. it feels much more natural to use.

never tried a jig saw for scribes yet on things like skirtings. gonna be a learning curve like but its cool.

the ps420 seems canny good like. mines the corded version.

 

[Kev]

I'm not a tradesman, but I grabbed a Metabo cordless SCMS for the ease/simplicity. Ironically I justified the KAPEX+UG cart+extensions to myself based on ease, time, etc ... but for the quick jobs the Metabo makes it super simple.

I think cordless tools would really explode in popularity if a common battery connection standard was developed - but that would only benefit the consumer [sad]

 

[weekendwarrior]

...
I think cordless tools would really explode in popularity if a common battery connection standard was developed - but that would only benefit the consumer [sad]

I had the exact same thought only an hour ago regarding standardized battery connections!

There's a standard receptacle plug, why no standard battery connection!  There's standardized 1.5V batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, etc), 9V, coincell, car batteries... why does it not apply to tools!?!?

I hate having Ridgid, Ryobi, Craftsman, & Bosch batteries about my house.  Having to deal with another battery form factor has kept me from venturing into Festool's cordless models.

[mad]

 

[DB10]

...
I think cordless tools would really explode in popularity if a common battery connection standard was developed - but that would only benefit the consumer [sad]

I had the exact same thought only an hour ago regarding standardized battery connections!

There's a standard receptacle plug, why no standard battery connection!  There's standardized 1.5V batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, etc), 9V, coincell, car batteries... why does it not apply to tools!?!?

I hate having Ridgid, Ryobi, Craftsman, & Bosch batteries about my house.  Having to deal with another battery form factor has kept me from venturing into Festool's cordless models.

[mad]

 
  I hear you,  I started off years ago with Dewalt's 18v cordless range on the Ni cad battery platform. I then switched over to Makita 18v Li-ion range ( good choice) and sold off all the Dewalts, but over the years I've invested in 18V platforms from Festool, back again to Dewalt, Li- ion this time because I wanted their cordless nailers and was fed up with Paslode, I then bought Ryobi just for their cordless 18g nailer and now have quite a lot of Metabo I bought into them for the cordless mitre saw and have been impressed with their cordless range. so that's just 18V, 10.8V is another story.
One battery platform would certainly make life easier, just a shame one manufacture doesn't make everything I need.

 

[peter halle]

Regarding batteries and a standardized system - You are a manufacturer and make a tool that runs on batteries.  You test it and do all the various testing with your batteries and the performance is great and the tools hold up and life is great.

You decide to adapt your tool to the new "standard" and then all heck happens.  Tools are being returned, the internet is now full of reports of tool issues, etc.  Which comes first, a problem with the tool or a battery induced issue.

As a manufacturer it would be logical to reduce your potential issues by keeping control over what operates and powers your tools.

[2cents] [2cents]

Peter

 

[Holmz]

...
' potential issues'
...

Inductive reasoning...  [wink]

 

[weekendwarrior]

Regarding batteries and a standardized system - You are a manufacturer and make a tool that runs on batteries.  You test it and do all the various testing with your batteries and the performance is great and the tools hold up and life is great.

You decide to adapt your tool to the new "standard" and then all heck happens.  Tools are being returned, the internet is now full of reports of tool issues, etc.  Which comes first, a problem with the tool or a battery induced issue.

As a manufacturer it would be logical to reduce your potential issues by keeping control over what operates and powers your tools.

[2cents] [2cents]

Peter

Does this happen with corded models?  Corded end users are are on all sorts of poor power sources, spikes, generators, dirty power, in suboptimal environments (wet, dusty), etc., and this doomsday situation doesn't happen.

It's a fear of manufactures they'll lose business and a tactic to keep users into their money-making ecosystem.  Not good for the consumer.

Imagine a life if we didn't have D cells, AAA cells, etc.  People don't return those products.

18V at 5.3Ah is 18V at 5.3Ah.  Granted, there will always be cheap battery knock-offs, but Festool is free to keep making batteries, and if they work better than Energizer or have better support than Ridgid's lifetime warranties, I'm positive folks will still use the same manufacturer for both tool and battery despite having options.  The electronics and the battery connection standard would just have to be able to survive dirty battery power sources like any mains connection.

 

[Holmz]

Regarding batteries and a standardized system - You are a manufacturer and make a tool that runs on batteries.  You test it and do all the various testing with your batteries and the performance is great and the tools hold up and life is great.

You decide to adapt your tool to the new "standard" and then all heck happens.  Tools are being returned, the internet is now full of reports of tool issues, etc.  Which comes first, a problem with the tool or a battery induced issue.

As a manufacturer it would be logical to reduce your potential issues by keeping control over what operates and powers your tools.

[2cents] [2cents]

Peter

Does this happen with corded models?  Corded end users are are on all sorts of poor power sources, spikes, generators, dirty power, in suboptimal environments (wet, dusty), etc., and this doomsday situation doesn't happen.

It's a fear of manufactures they'll lose business and a tactic to keep users into their money-making ecosystem.  Not good for the consumer.

Imagine a life if we didn't have D cells, AAA cells, etc.  People don't return those products.

18V at 5.3Ah is 18V at 5.3Ah.  Granted, there will always be cheap battery knock-offs, but Festool is free to keep making batteries, and if they work better than Energizer or have better support than Ridgid's lifetime warranties, I'm positive folks will still use the same manufacturer for both tool and battery despite having options.  The electronics and the battery connection standard would just have to be able to survive dirty battery power sources like any mains connection.

The more you write, the more I like it.

 

[peter halle]

...
' potential issues'
...

Inductive reasoning...  [wink]

In my scenario as a manufacturer all reasoning should be applicable.

 

[Holmz]

...
' potential issues'
...

Inductive reasoning...  [wink]

In my scenario as a manufacturer all reasoning should be applicable.

Sorry Peter - I read your "Potential" and thought it was a clever pun, so I responded with one. (my misguided reasoning)  [embarassed]