Domino XL 700 with Seneca adapter warranty issue

[Paul G]

....interesting bit of background information Rik. I am certainly not an engineer but as said it comes down to 3rd party accessories.
rg
Phil

I didn't want to bring it up in my previous post, but the Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act prevents that very thing from happening. A warranty cannot be voided solely on the basis of using 3rd party accessories, unless that accessory can be shown to be the cause of the claim.

Thanks for that reference, I'd forgotten the name.

 

[grbmds]

While I would agree that using smaller bits with an adapter wouldn't likely cause a gear problem, I do think it's a potential safety problem, as it is a safety problem to use any tool for a different purpose or for jobs for which it wasn't designed. In this case, I would think it's more likely that, because the 700 has more mass than the 500, the smaller bits would be under more stress in the 700 and more likely to break off. The user would also be more likely to put more stress on the smaller bits than for which they are designed. Plus, I would suspect that, using the 700 for small jobs would be, at best, cumbersome. Festool's warranty is a great one, but they have the right to restrict coverage to use with their own accessories or approved accessories, regardless of whether we believe it was the cause or not. Having said that, I'm not sure why this was an issue. Did the user tell them he owned and used the adapter? Did the user include the adapter with the tool when sent back? Barring those two possibilities, I would agree that Festool wouldn't know for sure and would likely have to cover the repair.

 

[ear3]

[member=19734]grbmds[/member] He included the adapter when he sent it in.  Ooops.

While I would agree that using smaller bits with an adapter wouldn't likely cause a gear problem, I do think it's a potential safety problem, as it is a safety problem to use any tool for a different purpose or for jobs for which it wasn't designed. In this case, I would think it's more likely that, because the 700 has more mass than the 500, the smaller bits would be under more stress in the 700 and more likely to break off. The user would also be more likely to put more stress on the smaller bits than for which they are designed. Plus, I would suspect that, using the 700 for small jobs would be, at best, cumbersome. Festool's warranty is a great one, but they have the right to restrict coverage to use with their own accessories or approved accessories, regardless of whether we believe it was the cause or not. Having said that, I'm not sure why this was an issue. Did the user tell them he owned and used the adapter? Did the user include the adapter with the tool when sent back? Barring those two possibilities, I would agree that Festool wouldn't know for sure and would likely have to cover the repair.

 

[Richard A.]

  If Festool has a problem with warranting their tools when 3rd party accessories are used, would that not mean that if 3rd party blades were used in a Vecturo or 3rd party bits were use in any of their Festool Routers, you would be voiding your warranty?? 

 

[Birdhunter]

The latter part of my professional life was spent in senior management in large companies. The path most followed in corporate decisions was almost always the most reasonable one as judged by a reasonable person. Using non-Festool jigsaw blades, drill bits, etc would not be a reasonable reason for denying a warranty claim in my experience. I can see where using a third party accessory that modifies the operating parts and operation of the product could void the warranty.

 

[jimbo51]

It appears that based on a comment above, for the US market Festool must prove that the third party accessory caused the damage in order to deny a warranty claim. Thus Festool cannot legally deny claims without such proof. Therefore Festool does not have the right in the US to void a warranty just for using a third party accessory.

I remember reading about how the whole Bell Telephone monopoly started to unravel when Bell tried to prevent the use of any third party devices without proving that such devices were causing problems for Bell or its customers. Bell lost a court case and third party devices flourished. 

 

[Birdhunter]

I think the reality is that a private individual trying to coerce Festool into honoring a warranty dispute would spend multiples of what the repair cost could be in legal fees.

 

[grbmds]

Seems like another thread went down this road before. Using another manufacturer's blade or drill bit wouldn't constitute use of the tool for a purpose outside it's original design. I guess I have always thought that the Domino 500 and 700 were designed for work in two totally different scales except where they overlap a little bit in the middle. It really isn't all that important normally. I have never had Festool Service give me an unreasonable answer concerning warranty service. In fact, just the opposite has occurred. Do I sometimes think there are design flaws that Festool won't cop to. Sure. What tool manufacturer doesn't have design flaws in their tools that they remedy with a future version. I have yet to buy the perfect tool but always try to use the tools I do buy for the work they are designed.

 

[antss]

[member=15289]Birdhunter[/member] - normally you'd be correct.

However, in a one off situation the individual can level the field by filing in small claims court.  The economics are then reversed when big biz. has to send their guy or retain local consul and you are only out your time.