Comment on Festools & Improvements you may want to see for them.

[Brad Evans]

To borrow a word from Nick (which I criticized earlier in this thread) it is amazing to me the amount of crap that this discussion has generated.

One word:  Usenet

 

[ccmviking]

Michael... That's too damn funny...  and by the way.  I'm sorry 

Chris...

 

[Qwas]

My problem is keeping the fence on the MFT square to the guide rail. After 10 cuts it is out of square. I am wasting time constantly having to check it because it can't be trusted.

My answer is to remove the fence and use bench dogs and/or a fence based on bench dogs. Use the holes and bench dogs to align the guide rail and then use the holes and bench dogs to guide the board. You can see my manual here.

 

[tallgrass]

good luck this time.

 

[Steveo48]

My problem is keeping the fence on the MFT square to the guide rail. After 10 cuts it is out of square. I am wasting time constantly having to check it because it can't be trusted.

My answer is to remove the fence and use bench dogs and/or a fence based on bench dogs. Use the holes and bench dogs to align the guide rail and then use the holes and bench dogs to guide the board. You can see my manual here.

Your solution has popped up in several different threads so I suspect it's probably the best reliable fix.  Not a bad idea, but I think we were hoping for something better from the MFT fence (I don't own one myself, this is one reason why).  You could take the same idea and make a standard out of cabinet grade plywood, MDF or what ever grabs you to cut angles.  I realize you could then end up with a lot of plywood to manage  :-[ but it's better than not having the reliabilty for repeating cuts.

 

[Steveo48]

I have to really pick to come up with any complaints with my little sander.  When I bring it to school, the kids que up to get it first, they figured out it's better than out DeWalt or Hitachi ROS's.

I guess my only gripe is with the dust port and collection bag.  It's location is inconvenient and not east to hook up to, but this doesn't take away from the operation, quiet (OK, for a sander) low vibration, easy on the hands and really fast!

 

[Steveo48]

......Lets get off this Festool is greater then... idea. They are not........I guess I just demand more for the money.

I have to agree with Nick, for the money spent many of these issues should be non-existent.  The manuals are absolute garbage in any of the 6 languages presented.  The video demos are pretty thin when you can find them, they ought to look at what videos that "other guided saw guy" puts out on youtube.

I have always griped about the cost vs return of many festool accessories..... that's why I own so few Festools.  I love what I have though.  :-*

I never bought a festool vac because of the cost.  I use my big shop vac and bought a big drywall dust bag plus a HEPA cartridge filter to go with it.  OK, so it's probably not as quiet or convenient, but the vac was $50.00 and the filters are CHEAP when compared to festools AND I can sand indoors dust free.

 

[semenza]

I have to really pick to come up with any complaints with my little sander.  When I bring it to school, the kids que up to get it first, they figured out it's better than out DeWalt or Hitachi ROS's.

I guess my only gripe is with the dust port and collection bag.  It's location is inconvenient and not east to hook up to, but this doesn't take away from the operation, quiet (OK, for a sander) low vibration, easy on the hands and really fast!

I like how you put the ETS 125 in the heading  Steve, if everyone can change/ add to the heading  the tool they are referring to it may help.

It may be easier to see the different tools we are talking about in this thread as one scans through the find the tool they want info on in the future.

Nick

Hi,

      I am not trying to pull this thread into a discussion of its function. But I think the point about putting the product name in the subject line of the post is important.  It will make it easier to do searches . Because it is possible to search just the subjects, there by eliminating a lot of posts that just mention a tool with out really being about that tool.  It will make it easier to scan this thread in the future and find  only what concerns  your particular problem also.

Seth

 

[clintholeman]

It's funny that I try to even make something like this look nice even though no one else can see it.  It's just me and doesn't take but a few minutes to make it look great.

Chris...

Ahh, but you know it is done right.  And that makes all the difference...

 

[Steveo48]

..... Its like a cheerleading team for Festool. .....

The FOG Blog  reminds me of the Easy Blog on SMC.  They'll try to convince you the product is so good it will do the work for you and clean up after itself. 

Not that there isn't good information on either site, but they can go over the top at times in their professed love and defence of the product.

An earlier poster said that threads like this were ignored by manufacturers and I have to disagree.  Threads like this can be a gold mine for real infomation on product issues. 

After all, it's hard to get good, constructive criticism from the choir.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

..... Its like a cheerleading team for Festool. .....

The FOG Blog  reminds me of the Easy Blog on SMC.  They'll try to convince you the product is so good it will do the work for you and clean up after itself. 

Not that there isn't good information on either site, but they can go over the top at times in their professed love and defence of the product.

An earlier poster said that threads like this were ignored by manufacturers and I have to disagree.  Threads like this can be a gold mine for real infomation on product issues. 

After all, it's hard to get good, constructive criticism from the choir.

I'll step in again to say I disagree with any characterization of this forum as cheerleaders or a "choir."  There are certainly a lot of positive comments here, but I'm not sure what else you would expect from people who like these tools.

At the same time, there have been plenty of open discussions about how the tools could be better.  None of it has ever been off limits or controlled in the least.  In fact, I welcome it.  Even further, the CEO of Festool has come in here to answer members' (customers') criticism and questions.

If you have specific comments or suggestions that can be used to improve the tools, or the services behind the tools, by all means tell us what you think.

Matthew

 

[mastercabman]

I bet everyone reaches for the jigsaw when making a sink cutout, why?  Let's say you have a counter installed (formica for example) with an integral backsplash.  For most over mount sinks the jigsaw won't even get close enough to the back for the cut.  I've sure seen people fight with it.  I can cut out a sink so fast and perfect using a 2" Hole saw and the TS55.  Anyone out there needs to give their rail and TS a try at this.  You can cut most of the way to the corners then I just finish the cut with a Jap saw.  If there's any fine tuning to do I use the belt sander.  It's funny that I try to even make something like this look nice even though no one else can see it.  It's just me and doesn't take but a few minutes to make it look great.

Chris...

An easy solution is to cut with the saw under the piece - then you can see exactly where the saw is cutting.  Takes about 5 minutes worth of practice.  Try it - you'll never go back.

that's a good idea,witch i have use before,for small pieces.
but what happen when you have to cut a sink out of a counter top?or the piece you are working with,can not be moved? or too big to turn upside down?
don't get me wrong,i like the jig saw,but i miss the dust blower like the bosch,and be able to see the line of cut. 

very interesting!  sure when you deal with post form tops,the best way is to cut upside down,but i don't deal too much with post form.when i do,the sink is allready cut out.
i deal with self edge  laminated tops,and sometime those tops can be very long.not very smart to turn it upside down to cut the sink out.
i have seen people using circular saw,i also used a circular saw before,but i've run into some staples and corrugated fastener and it was not pretty!
i bet you i can cut a sink out faster with my jigsaw.
by the time you set up with your tools.you need your drill with hole saw,and then your ts 55 with the fence. 

 

[jakiiski]

TS75/55 - copy the anti-tilt feature from Makita's railsaw - the precious saws can easily drop off the rail if you loose your grip on them when saw is set at an angle.

 

[Brad Evans]

>>>  All I wanted was one place where someone can go and search the complaints, problems and suggested modifications for the entire line of Festools. From packaging to a finger switch being to tight.

Is this for the benefit of Festool for tool improvement?  If so, perhaps email is the best way to communicate complaints, problems and suggested modifications.

If it's for potential tool buyers and current owners, then...

I'm sorry, but it's difficult seeing this as being useful.  Putting this information in a single large thread, with the idea that it will grow with time and be all-inclusive for all tools, is not a good idea, IMO.  What you're proposing is best handled with specific tool FAQs.  But for that to be effective, FAQs need to be managed, edited and maintained with time so that only the essential is distilled.

Many people discover tool nits and work-arounds over time and start new threads with that relevant information - there are years of information here.  The search box is good for finding these.  A monster thread covering all tools and interspersed with comments about different tools appended at different times will not be very helpful - even if all the previous contributions could be encapsulated and assuming this thread did not disappear of the page due to inactivity.

Perhaps working with the moderator to develop a tool-specific structure and forum category that would truly be useful would yield better and more useful information.

Personally, when I'm researching a tool, the search function is my friend and I use it extensively. Over the years I've developed a feel for contributors whose judgement I trust and with which I weigh tool comments accordingly.

 

[Steveo48]

.....i bet you i can cut a sink out faster with my jigsaw by the time you set up with your tools.you need your drill with hole saw,and then your ts 55 with the fence.   

I do believe this falls into the catagory of less is better.  I must confess to using my sawzall for the last sink I cut out.

 

[mastercabman]

.....i bet you i can cut a sink out faster with my jigsaw by the time you set up with your tools.you need your drill with hole saw,and then your ts 55 with the fence.   

I do believe this falls into the catagory of less is better.  I must confess to using my sawzall for the last sink I cut out.

and pretty fast too!!!

 

[ryansmythe]

ratcheting collet on the OF1010.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I found out this morning that Nick has chosen to delete his FOG account.
I'm posting this so people know not to address notes directly to him any more.
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I found out this morning that Nick has chosen to delete his FOG account.
I'm posting this so people know not to address notes directly to him any more.
Matthew

 

[d.epstein]

..... Its like a cheerleading team for Festool. .....

The FOG Blog  reminds me of the Easy Blog on SMC.  They'll try to convince you the product is so good it will do the work for you and clean up after itself. 

Not that there isn't good information on either site, but they can go over the top at times in their professed love and defence of the product.

An earlier poster said that threads like this were ignored by manufacturers and I have to disagree.  Threads like this can be a gold mine for real infomation on product issues. 

After all, it's hard to get good, constructive criticism from the choir.

The ez forum is nothing like the FOG.