Does the Festool Owners Group Affect Your Festool Purchases?

[bruegf]

"why should I pay someone else to make it when I can buy a welder for $800 and make it myself"!  I love his logic.

That's my kind of logic.  I've been telling my wife for years that there's no sense in tackling a project if it doesn't provide an excuse to buy a new tool.  So far it's worked.....

Fred

 

[semenza]

Hi,

  It is always nice to hear that this forum is helpful, especially from newer members (not that I have been a member for that long either). I am seeing more posts from new posters lately. That is a good thing and probably means that the FOG is doing well. Thanks, in no small part, to our moderator Matthew.

Seth

 

[Eli]

"If you need a tool and don't buy it, before too long you will have paid for it and not own it"
-Henry Ford

 

[richard.selwyn]

Richard,

Given the good service that this forum has provided in making your life a little more "exciting", you WILL give us a detailed report, won't you?  (After all, you need to share the pain... uhh, joy.  Yes?)  ;D 

Regards,

Dan.

Well I guess better late than never.
The Kapex is excellent in terms of ease of use, the laser guides and most importantly for me as I cut a lot of MDF, dust extraction.  On the other hand I don't find it quite so accurate as my old Metabo / electra Beckum, but the dust extraction left me gasping.  My other criticism is that the accessory stands / stops / tapes, although very ingenious, are in no way a replacement for a permanent installation - I had Kreg guides with my old saw setup which were much better.  But that is probably an unfair criticism as as the Festool "outriggers" and MFT stand are specifically designed to be portable.  I sometimes miss the bigger capacity of my other saw, but I love the double laser - which is spot on - and the dust collection whichreally does beat any other chop saw I've tried

 

[gkeas]

I have certainly spent a small fortune on Festool as a result of my exploits here, but I have also purchase several non-Festool items as a result of advice received here from other Festool users.  I find that by soliciting advice from those equally afflicted, I can expect to hear the truth about tools not available (at least in the US :) from Festool in other categories I need.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

"If you need a tool and don't buy it, before too long you will have paid for it and not own it"
-Henry Ford

Thanks, Eli, for the verbal "ammunition!" I have already used this quote in explaining to my wife my need for more Festool products, and she has not disagreed!!

Seriously, almost every time I need a tool I don't currently own for some DIY job around my house, and many on my cars, I find it less expensive to buy a new tool that I can use any time I want or need than to pay others to do the job.  Rental tools are frequently abused and not well maintained, and if you don't complete the job in a day or less, you will soon have paid as Henry said.  I have some gear pullers and suspension tools I may never use again, but their purchase enabled me to rebuild the front suspension on a BMW for about 1/4 what a professional shop would have cost me.  While the car was on the floor stands, I did several other repairs, maintenance and a few upgrades including brakes, transmission seals, new shifter mechanism and had the driveshaft rebuilt (less than 1/2 cost of a replacement shaft).

I bought my TS 55 figuring I would use it for cutting sheet materials, which I do now.  But it essentially paid for itself with the first job I tackled: fitting three interior oak replacement doors to existing (previously refinished)frames using old hardware.  I was afraid of tackling that job because each of the doors were custom ordered (read expensive) and had glass panels.  The pros seemed reluctant to take the job, too.  One agree to do it for ~$400, but he kept postponing actually doing the work.  So finally, the wife pushed me to try.  The TS 55 with joined guide rails made the necessary bevel cuts easy.  The largest door (36"W x 80"H) was very heavy due having a single large "light" (stained glass core with outer layers of tempered glass), and had to be hung on existing ancient double swinging hinges mortised into both the top and bottom, after trimming all four edges to keep the panel centered in the not perfectly square frame.  But even that was no problem with the TS 55 and the guide rails.  Without them, a lot more skill would have been required.

Dave R.

 

[Eli]

I hear you. I bought a floor nailer yesterday. 
Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like a thousand bucks worth of new oak flooring in the bedroom.
A lot of things might say it better, but nothing like it.
;D ;D ;D

 

[brandon.nickel]

And then nothing will say Happy Day After Valentine's Day like the 1200 mg of ibuprofen you'll need every 4 hours after spending a whole day on your knees.  Not to mention up and down fetching wood, arranging the pattern, and walking to the chop saw for the ends.  My back aches in sympathy at the memories.

The TS55 makes a hell of a finished edge though.

 

[Eli]

Maybe my back, but not my knees so much.

Untypically, I cheaped out on the floor nailer and only paid $280 instead of the $700 the Bostitch goes for. Looks like the factory just rebranded the Bostitch castings though. By a company called Airco. It has a warranty longer than the floor job will take me, which was too long to just rent one.

I hate renting tools. It's like using a public payphone.

The TS55 makes a hell of a finished edge though.

But I'm guessing the Kapex will be used more. There's a deck right through the sliding glass door where I can cut outside in the warm sunshine.

Ibuprofen is what college kids take when they've had too many beers. I require something a bit stronger generally.

 

[Steveo48]

Matthew,

I have to say that the FOG doesn't do anything to encourage me to purchase Festools.  There are so many hard charging True Believers on this forum I become rather suspicious with their comments.  They've swallowed the Festool "Superior German Engineering" hook, line and sinker. 

The MFS is one of those things I'm simply not sold on, yet to hear some comments made on it you'd think it changed peoples lives.  Brices online manual on the MFS is an excellent document on the use of it, the pics are clear and consise yet pretty much confirmed to me that it's (in my opnion) a very over rated, high priced set of t-slot aluminum frames.  Quite frankly I think his document is a better tool than the MFS.

One other FOG member made a comment regarding the difference between carpenters and tool collectors (eager to have the latest doodads.)  I think there are a lot of tool collectors eager to talk about their latest Festool purchase and looking for a pat-on-the-back to justify the outlay of their cash on expensive tools.

This is in no way a slam on Festools power tools.  I love the 2 tools I have and consider the money there well spent and look forward to purchasing the ROS 150 to sand butcher block countertops.  These purchases were influenced by my Wood Craft Festool dealer and not this blog. 

Anyway, thats my 2 bits.

Steve

 

[Ned]

The FOG does influence my purchase of Festool, more precisely, my purchase of the right product for my particular use.

While the poll question was about Festool purchases, the FOG also has an important effect on my purchase of non-Festools:

1.  It's valuable to find out what non-Festool items are useful and compatible with, say the MFT.  Information shared here becomes a combined research program, and saves us each from having to do all the experimenting that others have done.

2.  While it's not required that FOG members have much in common, there are a few common attitudes about work and tools that are pretty dependable:  FOG members value quality, are willing to look at different solutions, and expect precision.  They are also thrifty (!) in that FOG folk are used to doing a bit of cost/benefit analysis and thinking beyond purchase cost.  This makes the FOG opinions on non-Festools valuable to me.

Ned

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
Thanks to all who have responded to this poll.  Administrative polls really help me understand the FOG community better, which in turn helps me figure out which new features and options everyone wants.  So your responses are really helpful.
Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Neill]

It is nice to know that there are others out there with an almost fanatical dedication to the entire product line.  It instills the confidence in current and future users that they are making the right decision.  The spirit of the members taking the time to share their knowledge and experience with others is unprecedented.  I also love the humor many members impart to their messages.

 

[woodshopdemos]

Matthew,
  I have read with interest the postings so far. That question can only be answered by a resounding  "yes". "Word of mouth applies. I will admit, woodshopdemos, me, Elena, Beth and all others review and use Festool tools to get the word out = bad and good. If it weren't for FOG, Per and Bob would never have come across my how-to on "Menzerna buffing compounds" and my trustee RO150.  That was years ago. Since then we talk all the time including have both of them up last week to be on a video how-to on crown molding and the Kapex...and when that is finished, I will post it here...how else can I get the story out.  Per and Bob are just two of thousands that I have linked within the last 4 years. I get 43,000 pages loaded a month...half of those are new to my website and probably new to Festool. It is a joy to welcome new people and to tell them about Festool and FOG.  I have over a hundred products of other manufacturers reviewed and used on the site. That keeps the site "well rounded", I hope, and it also means that search engines bring new readers from many, many different interests.
  But as an old lady friend used to say "Enough about me, how do you like my dress." (My answer was always "on the floor.")

 

[Per Swenson]

The answer to your question is yes.

But that ain't all of it.

I finer bunch around a digital camp fire I have never met.

And when you make the jump from here to analog reality,

as I have had the opportunity to meet many of you in person,

see Mr lucas above, a nicer bunch of folks gathered around a common subject I have yet to meet.

This includes the boys down at Clancys.

Per

 

[Tim Sproul]

I'd get more but Festool doesn't offer them, at least not here in North America:

Size 1 sortainer.  Size 4 sortainer.

LONG MFT3 rails.

 

[jaegerhund]

Definitely yes --- this place is dangerous! I'm not a professional woodworker/tradesman ---- so when I hear people who have been in the trades for 10-30 plus years rant about these tools --- well I don't think there is a better advertisement.

Justin

 

[vkumar]

Definitely yes --- this place is dangerous! I'm not a professional woodworker/tradesman ---- so when I hear people who have been in the trades for 10-30 plus years rant about these tools --- well I don't think there is a better advertisement.

Justin

I will echo everything Justin says.  All my Festools the ETS, The TS75, the CT 33 the router were all influenced by all of you-- I know who to blame

Vijay

 

[Cannuck]

My first Festool purchase (Domino) wasn't directly attributed to this forum, but it did lead me here when I was trying to learn how to use it to its fullest potential.

This fine people on this forum influenced my second purchase (MFT) and third purchase (TS75) on the merits of the total "system".  After that, I have to say that the remaining tool purchases have basically sold themselves - based on the quality of the Festool system.

All that being said - this is the first place I go now to research my next purchases and projects. 

FOG gives new meaning to going green...

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
Thanks again for posting and voting.  Knowing that this forum can help people learn more about Festool tools, and can help consumers meet a dealer, makes all the effort worthwhile.  As you know, the forum is independent of Festool, but we have always maintained a good-will relationship with the company.

As a follow-up on this poll, I'd also like to hear how the actual buying experience was for you (see this discussion).

Stay in touch,
Matthew