centrotec Installer Set Is Bloody Expensive !!!

[ifit]

the problem with centrotec is there are no bits in the 11-25mm range other than the zobo in 5mm increments

 

[Kev]

the problem with centrotec is there are no bits in the 11-25mm range other than the zobo in 5mm increments

The Zobo's are really nice though ... and to be fair, you can use any other bit.

My thoughts are the Festool drills are excellent and the chuck system is brilliant. It would be nice if Centrotec was a bit cheaper, but Centrotec is about process speed and by doing things faster, making more $'s. Nothing really stops you using any bit in the drills.

 

[Davej]

the problem with centrotec is there are no bits in the 11-25mm range other than the zobo in 5mm increments

The Zobo's are really nice though ... and to be fair, you can use any other bit.

My thoughts are the Festool drills are excellent and the chuck system is brilliant. It would be nice if Centrotec was a bit cheaper, but Centrotec is about process speed and by doing things faster, making more $'s. Nothing really stops you using any bit in the drills.

To use other dril bits you just put the Jacobs chuck on and totally negate the centrotec 'system'  .easy !  Might as well stick with my makita  [tongue] I do have a cxa and it's excellent but only for smaller stuff. 

 

[Kev]

the problem with centrotec is there are no bits in the 11-25mm range other than the zobo in 5mm increments

The Zobo's are really nice though ... and to be fair, you can use any other bit.

My thoughts are the Festool drills are excellent and the chuck system is brilliant. It would be nice if Centrotec was a bit cheaper, but Centrotec is about process speed and by doing things faster, making more $'s. Nothing really stops you using any bit in the drills.

To use other dril bits you just put the Jacobs chuck on and totally negate the centrotec 'system'  .easy !  Might as well stick with my makita   [tongue] I do have a cxa and it's excellent but only for smaller stuff. 

Yep, Makita is a good colour for you [wink]

I always giggle when I see people posting pics of Makita's and similar brands carefully fitted into Systainers and Sortainers

 

[pugilato]

I like festools a lot, buy them and use them all the time, but in truth, they are getting way out there expensive. Since I bought a TS55 back in 2009, there have been three or four price increases. I worry that if I buy a Domino, in five years the dominoes will be out of reach. I have an RO90 and I worry about the sandpaper also. I think I overpaid for the CXS, but I did have to have the right angle chuck (which has been helpful) and find that I seldom use it because it does not have the power or battery life.

That said, I will continue to buy festools because they make doing what I do better. I don't do the green Kool Aid thing, although I would love to have unlimited funds to buy the whole line. I just try to buy the tools that will make my work easier and more efficient, allowing me to pocket the efficiencies. Domino and MFK700 in sight, but not totally convinced that I need them.

 

[Claimdude]

Jimmy,

Have you used a Festool cordless drill? I have a brushless Makita 18v impact and brushless hammer drill. I have used Makitas for years. I picked up a T12+3 at McFeeley's when they closed them out for $200 (the entire kit w/extra systainer) and I gotts say the difference in quality and feel is much more than just a little. I smile evertime I pull the trigger on the T12+3 and am not trying to figure out how to get the T15 impact and a T-18.

Jack

So there's no reason you become stuck with anything in the field, unless you really don't know what you're doing.

I do realize that I can use a alternate chuck or an adapter to use ¼" shank bits.  I also realize that a Centrotec bit extension is $21.  

You can get stuck in the field, even if you do know what you're doing.  It happens to everyone.  It's happened to me more than once in my 20+ years of doing this for a living, mostly in New York City. In NYC, you don't always have your van out front.  Sometimes, the van is back at the shop and I just drop stuff off, because parking is $100 a day.  These are the times it's possible to get stuck in the field.  And it's way easier to run to the hardware store and pick up a bit for $3 than go back to the shop

For me, the drills and Centrotec are not worth the premium.  At some point, I may think a cordless drill is worth $600 and a set of bits is $500.  For now, I'd rather spend that $1100 on a router, sander, a couple MFTs, or a few days vacation.  The drills, in my opinion, are not worth the premium. Most of the Festool stuff, I'll happily pay 2-3 times the "big box" tool price, because the quality and system are worth it to me.  But there is nothing 3x better about the Centrotec.

That being said, I AM going to use the $1100 I didn't spend on Centrotec and cordless drill and get another MFT and a Rotex150.  Those are totally with it!  [wink]

 

[sancho57]

So this wouldn't be the time or place to brag about buying 2  MFT/3 tables,  The VS600 dovetail jig with all the templates,  3   4 drawer sortainers and  4 quick clamps….

all within the past hour or so.    [tongue]

  I guess I'm brainwashed !   [wink]   [scared]   [tongue]

Eric

Score!!!!!!! [not worthy]

When I get back to the states Id like to get another MFT or 2

 

[jimmylittle]

Jimmy,

Have you used a Festool cordless drill?

Jack

Not yet.  I have over a dozen Makita cordless tools (drills, drivers, grinder, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, hand planer, circ saw, etc...) and am very happy with all of them.  Part of me fears using the Festool drills and liking them, thus beginning another expensive journey to complete the set  [wink]

The other part of me dreads dragging two battery chargers around, because Festool doesn't make cordless versions of every tool I use.

 

[3PedalMINI]

I had such a hard time justifying the cost of the centrotec kit my self, but i figured without centrotec im losing half the capability of the $630 T18 i had just purchased. You also need to deduct the amount of the systainer and inserts. I will say that every thing in that kit is of the utmost quality. I am still on my same philips bit even with an over zealous employee that never learned how to properly use a drill  [scared]

It is well worth the money but when i bought it it was on the top end of my limit. One of the best investments I have ever done and the drillbits are amazing, even with tons of drywall into stud drilling. They however do not hold up when some idiot (ie my employee) uses it to try and drill a hole in concrete.  [huh]  [blink]  [censored] [mad]

 

[Stone Message]

I bought the installer set last week (£255) as I have just had a new drill
I thought it was expensive when I bought it but justified it by saying its Just over £2.50 per bit.

Tonight in the post I had a leaflet from screwfix and in it was a bit set from dewalt 100 piece for £20
I could have bought over 12 of them for the same money!!!

Have we all been brainwashed?

I can generally see the value in quality items but sometimes i think i must be going mad.

The centrotecs will snap, go blunt, get lost & borrowed just the same as cheaper bits.

Am I losing my mind?

Hi Ifit,

I must say that a couple of months ago I would have been thinking along these lines but not now...

I could start a shop with the number of cheap and cheerful screwdriver bits that I have collected over the years. I have bought all sorts of other standard fit items like drills , countersinks and so on. I have so many that they live in their own drawer and guess what - half of the bits are either worn or broken and, in the case of the drills, dull and useless. I dread to think how much I have spent on the stuff in that drawer, half of it picked up from shows, a lot came from Screwfix and some came free with tools.

Then along came Centrotec which I have been using with the demo model of the PDC 18 - I accept that the installer's set is not cheap but there is absolutely no comparison with the rubbish in that drawer of mine. When you put a Centrotec bit or drill into the chuck it is held firmly and does not wiggle all over the place like the other stuff. The selection has been well thought out and has some innovative items as well. I cannot fault the quality at all.

Now, in the few weeks that I was doing the PDC 18 review work I would open the installer's set and get a little lift from seeing all those lovely items. I have never opened that drawer of assorted rubbish bits and drills and felt anything other than annoyance for wasting my time and money on such rubbish. The only good things in that drawer is my Wera kit.

Peter

 

[AlexThePalex]

You can get stuck in the field, even if you do know what you're doing.  It happens to everyone.  It's happened to me more than once in my 20+ years of doing this for a living, mostly in New York City. In NYC, you don't always have your van out front.  Sometimes, the van is back at the shop and I just drop stuff off, because parking is $100 a day.  These are the times it's possible to get stuck in the field.  And it's way easier to run to the hardware store and pick up a bit for $3 than go back to the shop

I fail to see why you can't get the same $3 bit for your Festool drill as for any other drill.

 

[ifit]

So I was using my centrotec hss bits today and snapped 4 of them
who stocks the spare bits in the uk ?

 

[amt]

I like festools a lot, buy them and use them all the time, but in truth, they are getting way out there expensive. Since I bought a TS55 back in 2009, there have been three or four price increases. I worry that if I buy a Domino, in five years the dominoes will be out of reach. I have an RO90 and I worry about the sandpaper also. I think I overpaid for the CXS, but I did have to have the right angle chuck (which has been helpful) and find that I seldom use it because it does not have the power or battery life.

That said, I will continue to buy festools because they make doing what I do better. I don't do the green Kool Aid thing, although I would love to have unlimited funds to buy the whole line. I just try to buy the tools that will make my work easier and more efficient, allowing me to pocket the efficiencies. Domino and MFK700 in sight, but not totally convinced that I need them.

This almost perfectly reflects how I feel.  I got the Domino because I felt there was no equal, and I would never get rid of it.  However, I do have a hard time justifying getting a Kapex or 3 different Festool routers.  The MFK is almost certainly out for me because of its price/usage ratio (for me as a hobbyist).  The next thing I'll probably get is the LR32 system, but I'll probably get just the router plate (I have the rail) and use home made parts for the rest.  I do have a couple Festool sanders, and I like them a lot, but I'll probably limit my sander purchases to 3 total.  For jigsaws, I like my Carvex a lot, but I wonder if I would notice the difference between it and the best Bosch jigsaw.  

Most of these 2nd thoughts are my own fault.  I should have bought products from two different brands at the same time and sent one back after a extensive evaluation.  I just have a hard time buying 2 of something, knowing there's a 50% chance one of them is going back.  I suppose I still have that opportunity with a miter saw.

 

[BMH]

I did think it was overpriced till I got it. Now I think it is fairly priced. I use them all of the time and have a hard time using other people drill and bits as they are mostly cheap junk. I would add that the Zobo set is also worth every penny.

Having a festool drill and not having the centrotec system is like having a festool sander and using Home depot sand paper.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

So I was using my centrotec hss bits today and snapped 4 of them
who stocks the spare bits in the uk ?

What the hell were you drilling, that you managed to break 4 of the drill bits........?????

I got a Centrotec  Installer Set recently when I brought a C15 Set. I have to agree with Peter Parfit, the quality is excellent and so far, I have no complaints about how much I spent on it.

 

[ifit]

So I was using my centrotec hss bits today and snapped 4 of them
who stocks the spare bits in the uk ?

What the heck were you drilling, that you managed to break 4 of the drill bits........?????

I had to drill out 30 snapped stainless steel screws, to be fair I was very impressed by how easily they were drilling but then 1 snapped and 3 more trying to get the snapped one out

 

[ceddy]

So I was using my centrotec hss bits today and snapped 4 of them
who stocks the spare bits in the uk ?

What the heck were you drilling, that you managed to break 4 of the drill bits........?????

I had to drill out 30 snapped stainless steel screws, to be fair I was very impressed by how easily they were drilling but then 1 snapped and 3 more trying to get the snapped one out

Ok well that makes sense then...

 

[TelcoRandy]

I had to drill out 30 snapped stainless steel screws, to be fair I was very impressed by how easily they were drilling but then 1 snapped and 3 more trying to get the snapped one out

I broke off a drill bit in copper once that I couldn't pull out with pliers, I had no success in drilling it out either. It's kind of hard to drill out something with the same hardness as the last bit you broke... I just ended up making a new hole, only use Norseman bits when drilling metal at work these days. I used to use a lot of cobalt bits but my co-workers would snap them frequently when reaming holes or forcing the drill with too much pressure. I didn't know Festool's metal drilling bits were good enough for stainless either, they're made in China if I'm not mistaken (see: http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/festool-drill-bits-22776/) and generally speaking, I don't trust anything made in South America or Asia.

Not yet.  I have over a dozen Makita cordless tools (drills, drivers, grinder, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, hand planer, circ saw, etc...) and am very happy with all of them.  Part of me fears using the Festool drills and liking them, thus beginning another expensive journey to complete the set  [wink]

The other part of me dreads dragging two battery chargers around, because Festool doesn't make cordless versions of every tool I use.

+1, I wish they made other tools like a portable band saw + reciprocating saw. A portaband with a Festool table similar to the ones Swag make for Milwaukee and Dewalt saws would be pretty slick.

It seems to me that if someone pays for a product, with their hard earned money, than they have a legitimate right to comment on it. Also, an online chat board dedicated to that specific product/brand seems like a pretty logical place to do so.....maybe we should ease up on the 'stop whining' stuff?

ifit, you are having a bit of buyers remorse.... its no big deal. We have all been there. If you are within your 30 days....just bring it back to your dealer.

I personally feel the quality isn't there with the Centrotec set as half of my 1" long Phillips #2 bits are crooked/not straight. Maybe my experience with this doesn't coincide with others here on the forum but all of my Dewalt bits are straight. I have a CSX, C15 and T18. The T18 came with a really crooked bit, the C15's in moderate crooked and the CSX's is perfectly straight. 2 out of 3 of my Centrotec bitset's Phillips bits are straight and the ones in my Twinboxes (I have 2) seem fine. I know it's Wiha making these bits but I kind of expect more in terms of quality when I buy a Festool branded bits and like Motown said, I feel like I have the right to whine, especially at the price paid for them.

But maybe I shouldn't whine too much, they still work fine for driving screws.

 

[Kev]

I personally feel the quality isn't there with the Centrotec set as half of my 1" long Phillips #2 bits are crooked/not straight. Maybe my experience with this doesn't coincide with others here on the forum but all of my Dewalt bits are straight. I have a CSX, C15 and T18. The T18 came with a really crooked bit, the C15's in moderate crooked and the CSX's is perfectly straight. 2 out of 3 of my Centrotec bitset's Phillips bits are straight and the ones in my Twinboxes (I have 2) seem fine. I know it's Wiha making these bits but I kind of expect more in terms of quality when I buy a Festool branded bits and like Motown said, I feel like I have the right to whine, especially at the price paid for them.

But maybe I shouldn't whine too much, they still work fine for driving screws.

The big difference is that Festool would bend over backwards to address a situation where you received a crooked bit !

The way I look at this is, if you ignore the price concern, quality is the responsibility all the way down to the consumer. Festool obviously outsource manufacture of certain things, but I doubt they would ever want those outsourced items to be anything other than excellent.

If you get a damaged or poorly manufactured part - let Festool know ... it's the only way they'll get the detail they need to hammer their supplier and improve what we get. Sure we're talking about trivial bits, worth only a few dollars to us - but in the long run the issue is worth raising for all our sakes.

 

[Thistleman]

My last drill system cost £4K and did not include the cheaply made but expensive to buy blow moulded case to hold it. The drill bits are single use and cost £25+ each. Am I whinging about the cost - No, why? because it works every time I use it, it makes me quicker and better at what I do and the customer support is excellent. I am also using it professionally so can pass on the cost of consumables and the purchase price to my customers.

I use my Festools for fun and do not have to make a living from them, however they work every time I use them, I am quicker and produce better results with them and although I have not needed to use customer support the feedback about it is excellent.

IMHO buying the best you can afford works out cheaper in the long run