CMS / MFT ripoff...

[trendspotter]

Everyone should check out what Skil tools has just introduced. Its called the X-Bench Workstation and its a total knockoff of a Festool CMS and a MFT. Its a Drill Press, a Router table, Bench Sander, Dog walker, Car washer, a baker and a candle stick maker. I know that imitation is the best form of flattery but I think this is a complete ripoff of a great system. I hope they're not setting themselves up for a lawsuit from Festool. Check it out and lets discuss.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...65?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1192642413&sr=8-1#gallery

 

[Eli]

Well, you could also say it's a rip-off of the Triton workstation. But if It could bake me a decent bagel ovah heah, I'll buy one.

 

[Tinker]

I suppose that the table is designed to fit skil tools.  That possibly being the case, I would guess they are skirting any patent laws.  Hey, I'm no lawyer.  i once designed a piece of equipment for excavating earth.  A lot of my friends and competitors told me:
A  I was crazy
B  I should get a patent

Well. i did not spend the time, or money to get patent.  Within weeks, somebody (I had made the mistook of asking my dealer about my idea.  He of course was one of the ones who had serious doubts about my sanity.) had followed my idea with a better way, but basically the same idea.  Now, every heavy equipment company uses the same idea, different (and I might add much better) method and design to the same thing I had done.  I don't think ideas are, or need to be, unique to any individual or company.  Patents are made to protect from exact replicas.  In this case, i have bought some Skil tools.  I made the mistook of going for price (low) instead of quality.  I have since learned something of the value of quality.  I would not buy a platform made to fit only Skil tools over a platform designed to fit only Festool toys.  there just ain't no comparrison.

Another note on this: a friend of mine once worked for a competitor of the company who first built the WorkMate.  That company turned the designer down as they thought his idea was crazy.  Now look how many companies have come up with their own copies. Each one is just enough different they can beat the patent laws.
Tinker

 

[Eli]

I think you only have to change >10 percent, as long as you reference the original patent, to be legal. By that definition, the Skil table is nothing like the MFT or CMS.

 

[CharlesWilson]

The corner hinges on that bench resemble those of a card table. I think they are targeting the balsa woodworkers market.

Charles

 

[trendspotter]

Eli, I've heard that somewhere as well... That a 10 percent difference is all that is needed but I've never seen that info written anywhere. I wonder how true that statement yes. BTW, I wonder if this is the closest North America will ever get to purchasing a CMS-ish tool... ;D

 

[sw1211]

If it looks like junk and "smells" like junk then it must be ......

From the looks of it I doubt if Festool will lose any business due to this.

 

[Dan Clermont]

If it looks like junk and "smells" like junk then it must be ......

From the looks of it I doubt if Festool will lose any business due to this.

It was only a matter of time before somebody tried to duplicate a CMS or MFT.

Their will always be someone, somewhere trying to undercut a company with a lower quality knockoff.

Dan Clermont

 

[gkeas]

Crap, look at all the money I could have saved if I'd held out just a little longer.

:

 

[Fred West]

I have to agree with sw1211. If that is as close as anyone gets to the CMS and MFT then Festool has absolutely nothing to worry about. It truly is a very, very poor imitation. Fred

 

[pteubel]

I has holes and folds up. Otherwise, it's not even close to the MFT or CMS.

 

[Dave Rudy]

If this is a Festool patent violation, then isn't the MFT a violation of the B&D Workmate table?  IMHO,  I'd say not even close on both.

 

[Eli]

Eli, I've heard that somewhere as well... That a 10 percent difference is all that is needed but I've never seen that info written anywhere. I wonder how true that statement yes.

I always thought it was BS, but was told that by an engineer who was doing some drawings for me last week. To paraphrase him, he said "you could do that by changing the color in most cases"

 

[woodshopdemos]

I has holes and folds up. Otherwise, it's not even close to the MFT or CMS.

I am quite with Peter.  There are competitors and there is competition. This is not competition. Let the B&D market enjoy this product...they will be in garage sales for decades to come.

 

[joiner1970]

You cant really say its a rip off it seems quiet original really and a dam sight cheaper than an MFT.

There are so many of these sort of work benches out there they must all be rip offs of each other in that case.

 

[Greg Pavlov]

.......Patents are made to protect from exact replicas.  ......

That sounds like the (very bare) definition of a copyright violation.

 

[Greg Pavlov]

The Skil set appears to me to be much more of a variation on the traditional workbench than a "ripoff" of Festool's approach/design (which, of course, borrows from a lot of past ideas as well).   

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Eli, I've heard that somewhere as well... That a 10 percent difference is all that is needed but I've never seen that info written anywhere. I wonder how true that statement yes. BTW, I wonder if this is the closest North America will ever get to purchasing a CMS-ish tool... ;D

It is NOT a true statement.  Infringement is not measured in terms of percentages.  Infringement or the lack thereof is determined by comparison of the features of the competing device to the claims of the patent.  The claims are the numbered paragraphs at the end of a [USA] patent.  You can find a lot of information at www.USPTO.gov if you are interested.  And about trademarks, too.  My Registration Number is 29,106. 

Dave R.

 

[lynnsr]

I,m gonna run out and get a X-Bench to eat lunch and play cards on while I rest from using the MFT work bench

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Lynnsr,

That's probably not going to get the legal beagles at MS after you, but watch out for MacDonald's if you try marketing your McBench or worse yet, your MacBench (you might even get another company upset with you - one that makes products identified by a piece of fruit with a bit taken out of it.

Dave R.