Festool Drill Stand

[bkharman]

Does anyone in the UK have this puppy?  Is it halfway decent?  I am headed back to the UK (Basingstoke, yay) next week for a few days and was thinking of picking up something small but useful.

http://www.festool.com/EN/Products/Accessories/Pages/Detail.aspx?pid=768768&name=Drill-stand-for-carpentry-GD-320

 

[AlexThePalex]

Does anyone in the UK have this puppy?  Is it halfway decent?  I am headed back to the UK (Basingstoke, yay) next week for a few days and was thinking of picking up something small but useful.

Never used one for real, but saw and fondled them when they were still in the store under the Protool name. They're built like a rock, very sturdy. But there's nothing small about them. They are very big. A lot bigger than most of these stands you're used to from other brands. These are meant to drill holes in large construction beams.

 

[jonny round boy]

Does anyone in the UK have this puppy?  Is it halfway decent?  I am headed back to the UK (Basingstoke, yay) next week for a few days and was thinking of picking up something small but useful.

http://www.festool.com/EN/Products/Accessories/Pages/Detail.aspx?pid=768768&name=Drill-stand-for-carpentry-GD-320

I doubt you'll find a Festool dealer who has one of these in stock anywhere in the UK. They could get them, but it would need to be specially ordered beforehand.

 

[bkharman]

I doubt you'll find a Festool dealer who has one of these in stock anywhere in the UK. They could get them, but it would need to be specially ordered beforehand.

I figured as much... I am not sure I have enough time this trip to get ahead of the ordering curve.  Thanks for looking out!

I didn't think that it would be so tall through, guess I should have checked the dimensions.

 

[GreenGA]

I wonder if something like this is available here in NA...

 

[Svar]

Does anyone in the UK have this puppy?  Is it halfway decent?  I am headed back to the UK (Basingstoke, yay) next week for a few days and was thinking of picking up something small but useful.

http://www.festool.com/EN/Products/Accessories/Pages/Detail.aspx?pid=768768&name=Drill-stand-for-carpentry-GD-320

There is a short video of it when it was still Protool:  http://www.timberwolftools.com/tools/protool/P-GDP.html

And yes, it is available in NA.

 

[GreenGA]

WOW!  I just looked at the pricing on these things. [eek]

 

[bkharman]

WOW!  I just looked at the pricing on these things. [eek]

Totally agree!  I would just spend a bit more towards a DP instead. Looks nice, but about a foot taller than I effectively need.

"Dear Festool, please make a smaller version of this to be used with the CXS and others and price it under a hundred bucks.

Cheers,

Bryan"

 

[GreenGA]

+1

"Dear Festool, please make a smaller version of this to be used with the CXS and others and price it under a hundred bucks.

Cheers,

Bryan"

 

[Kev]

I'd like the 320A. The 460A is available locally ...

http://www.idealtools.com.au/festool-sanding-discs-stf-d150-16-p50-ru-50-by-festool-14

... maybe [unsure]

 

[land_kel]

Is this one junk?

Google "General Tool 36/37"

 

[newinwood]

I have this one - General Tool 36/37 and I think it is a junk. Very clumsy.
Ed.

 

[epicxt]

Is this one junk?

Google "General Tool 36/37"

I agree with the junk assessment. I've got one and it's very sloppy. I ended up having more luck drilling angled holes by eyeball than using this.

 

[Mark]

Yeah complete rubbish. I had an old one that was at least cast aluminum but the new ones are plastic. Still think there's a great opportunity for Festool to make a crill press accurate guide for their line of tools...

 

[mouppe]

Is this one junk?

Google "General Tool 36/37"

I agree with the junk assessment. I've got one and it's very sloppy. I ended up having more luck drilling angled holes by eyeball than using this.

+1. Garbage or worse. Pay the shipping and you can have mine for free. The five years of dust it comes with are free as well.

 

[MahalaHomecraft]

So does anybody know of a halfway decent one that's somewhat affordable?  I have a "portable shop" with no room for a drill press so something like this would be ideal for me, but I'll never spend that much.

 

[bkharman]

So does anybody know of a halfway decent one that's somewhat affordable?  I have a "portable shop" with no room for a drill press so something like this would be ideal for me, but I'll never spend that much.

This one from Garrett Wade looked promising.  I tried to do a little more research on it, but didn't find much.  Anyone have one?  or can speak to it?

http://www.garrettwade.com/portable-drill-guide-jig/p/91G01.05/

 

[tiralie]

This one from Garrett Wade looked promising.  I tried to do a little more research on it, but didn't find much.  Anyone have one?  or can speak to it?

http://www.garrettwade.com/portable-drill-guide-jig/p/91G01.05/

This is essentially the same as the General Tool 36/37 maybe a bit better but same mechanisim. I don't have the Garrettwade version but have the General version and it does what it's supposed to do. Yes there is a little play in the shafts and it's not fun to use.  I changed the chuck and attach a base to it to keep it steady as the stock base doesn't offer much support.
You might want to take a look at the Wolfcraft/Rockler version which has some nicer features.
If you want more accuracy you really need to spend more money on a bench top or floor press or a Wabeco or Duss stand like Guido Henn uses.
Tim

 

[epicxt]

So does anybody know of a halfway decent one that's somewhat affordable?  I have a "portable shop" with no room for a drill press so something like this would be ideal for me, but I'll never spend that much.

I'm in the same position as you. Living aboard a sailboat pretty much means all the work I do is on-site and storage unit space is shared with tools and toys (11-12 bicycles and a lot of climbing and skiing gear).
The only thing I've found that meets the Festool-quality standard that's available in NA is Mafell's drill stand. Unfortunately, the price is more than I can swallow until I absolutely need it.

 

[bkharman]

I'm in the same position as you. Living aboard a sailboat pretty much means all the work I do is on-site and storage unit space is shared with tools and toys (11-12 bicycles and a lot of climbing and skiing gear).
The only thing I've found that meets the Festool-quality standard that's available in NA is Mafell's drill stand. Unfortunately, the price is more than I can swallow until I absolutely need it.

So I think there might be some room for one of our lovely 3rd party engineer folks here.  Just this week, I bought the Precision Parallel Guides from Precision Dogs and I have to tell you, the setup is very nice, inexpensive and well made.  I am going to do some stuff with it this weekend and write it up.  Perhaps other vendors on this site could take note on this drill stand thread.  One of them may just have the know how on building one.  It is a few simple parts really.

I am by no means affiliated with any of the vendors.  I have bought quality stuff from Qwas, Precision Dogs, ParfDogs, RTS and others.  I find the time and quality put into these products is very nice and if one of them wants to take a stab, I am sure the market could accommodate.  for now, I will use my "drill blocks" to get 90 deg holes.