Festool drills / drivers, Why?

[semenza]

..Does Festool offer any hand-crank drills?

Festool does not but Bridge City Tools makes a nifty bit and brace type tool to set screws.  It looks like a cute little tool until you look at the price.

These have the best run time of anything!  You just have to keep pumping fuel into the operator.  Precision varies a lot though depending on the operator.  [big grin]

Seth

 

[ChuckM]

..Does Festool offer any hand-crank drills?

Festool does not but Bridge City Tools makes a nifty bit and brace type tool to set screws.  It looks like a cute little tool until you look at the price.

This one?:https://bridgecitytools.com/products/pb-2-palm-brace

Mind you, the price of $229 (brace only) is already set low because all BCT tools are made by Harvey. If the set had been designed and released in the pre-Harvey days, the price tag would have been a lot higher. [eek]

 

[FestitaMakool]

..Does Festool offer any hand-crank drills?

Festool does not but Bridge City Tools makes a nifty bit and brace type tool to set screws.  It looks like a cute little tool until you look at the price.

These have the best run time of anything!  You just have to keep pumping fuel into the operator.  Precision varies a lot though depending on the operator.  [big grin]

Seth

Not to mention the low end torque you get, tirelessly winding at very low speed. The speed may vary by the fuel injected [big grin]

I’d like one again, had but lost one. Still it’s kind of like hand sawing and hand planing. It’s the feeling of working with wood at a closer level. I’d pass on the Bridge City though, the price is, how should I say, quite calming [blink]

 

[mike_aa]

If anyone is interested in Bridge City Tools, sign up for their email list.  They often have sales and I've seen the price for that brace drop below $200.

Mike A.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

Hey guys, thanks for sharing specific examples of why these are worthwhile for you.  I decided to stimulate the economy today and pickup a reconditioned CXS.

I figured I’d try it out and if I’m just as happy with my M12 1/4” impact I’ll sell it and put the money towards the VAC SYS which is next on my list ... at least I’ll know I tried it but hey ... maybe I’ll really like it!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

For drills and impact drivers, I have been a Makita user since the LXT system was first introduced. That first set was 3ah. It included the impact driver and 1/2" hammer drill, as well as circular saw, and the obligatory light. It also had a voucher for a recip saw that shipped separately after sending it in.
The impact driver was so much better than anything else available at that time ('05). Whe the more homeowner driven white version came out sometime later, it came with smaller (lighter) 1.5ah batteries and an non-hammer drill that was quite a bit smaller too.
I swapped the 1.5ah batteries to the impacts and the bigger batteries to the drills, almost never using the hammer drill. It really only came out for big bits, like hole saws. At that time I also used the 10.8v Bosch pocket driver and drill. As the main guy in the assembly/up-fit department of a cabinet shop, I used then all, with specific bits, every day.
When I moved up to the custom department, a few of them got quite a bit less use. So I sold off all of the Bosch stuff to eliminate the battery platform, but it left me w/o a right angle drill.
That was my introduction to the CXS. It covered all of the bases. It is small, light, Centrotec precise, and could do right angle with a drill chuck or not.
When I had to replace everything due to a fire in Aug of '19, I went back to as close as I could to the same set-up. The white drill and driver were no longer available, so I went for the compact brushless (black) and the regular green pairs, along with the trusty CXS. I never repurchased the entire Makita combo kit because the TS55 was joining the team at that time.
The only other Makita 18v tools I have are a couple of routers.
All of that to say, I have what works best for me and how I use it. That can, and usually does, change over time. I experimented with Craftsman and Rigid before discovering the Makita LXT stuff, years ago and was fortunate enough to be in a shop situation where I could sell them on for enough to make it feasible to upgrade. I have no interest in changing my primary drills/drivers, but I'm definitely sticking with the CXS too, it is just so versatile and ergonomic.  It requires two different batteries/chargers but worth it.

 

[mino]

I’m also tired of  [dead horse] from fanboys proclaiming festool drills the best simply because they , themselves, like them or it’s simply a festool. Bugsy asked a legitimate question at the place most likely to have the insight.  To tell him to move on because he doesn’t “get it” at first glance is kinda rude.

It would be nice of you to avoid the strawman production. They are piling up over here.

Pretty much no one said the Festool products are "the best" here. To begin with, "best at what ?".

Is the CXS the most controlable small driver on the market. Absolutely.
Is it the most powerful? No way.
Most cost-effective? No way.
Most ? Most likely not.

For someone who rates the controlability above all, it can be the best tool for the job.

This is why we have different manufacturers catering to different needs. It is called a market.

One can compete on power, on price, on battery platforms.
Or one can compete by laser-focusing on a specific property which no one focuses (so much) on and create "a market for oneself" like Festool /and Apple, and many others/.

If people fit onto that demographic, it means they often naturally align with the priorities of the company. Then, given it is often the only company laser-focusing on their specific needs, they may even give the company some slack when it messes up..

This is natural. If there is no other (or very few) company which matches ones philosophy, one WANTS the company to succeed. As a successful company means more products which will make the person smile.

It is also natural that people will not give such slack to the "main market" companies. Those are not unique, their products are generally interchangeable. So there is no practical benefit for the customer for either company to succeed. Mainstream products will still be available to buy regardless.

But take Festool. The RAS is no longer produced and NO ONE ELSE has respective product like it on the market. This means "Festool not succeed means I cannot buy the tool at all". So naturally, I would care for that not happening.

I would not care for a mass market product like that - as there is no risk I will no longer be able to buy a casual power drill regardless if Milwaukee went out of business. Most likely I would not be able to buy "CXS analogue" if Festool stopped making it. A fundamentally different scenario.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I use mostly the PDC. I have the Centrotec, Depth stop, Jacobs Chuck and th 3/8 square socket driver.

I use the CXS for small drilling jobs, The BHC for drilling in brick. The compatibility of batteries with the HKC 55, Carvex, Vecturo, Ti 15 make it very economical til maintain a battery availability 2 15v 5 18 v 3 chargers they all work well after many years of use.

I'll upgrade the PDC to the newly announced Successor.

I hate the raygun look of many of the other drills form Makita colours on th Dewalt blindingly ugly, the Milwaukee red gives me a headache..

So the Festool all feel good in the hand and look great. Adult tools should all look like this.

 

[jeh]

I have quite a few Festool drills and will say there is nothing I have run across that is as precise. Most importantly I have drills from 2006 and 2008 that are still fully functional and used regularly. I also have newer ones. All I have done on the old ones is replace the batteries.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

For those of you with Festool and other brand cordless tools ... do you buy Centrotec bits or an adapter so you use all your existing 1/4” bits?

 

[AlexThePalex]

For those of you with Festool and other brand cordless tools ... do you buy Centrotec bits or an adapter so you use all your existing 1/4” bits?

Both. Whatever I need. Or come across.

 

[six-point socket II]

I went "all in" with Centrotec from the beginning, so I use mostly that with my Festool drill/drivers. But I do have an enormous selection of 1/4" hex shank stuff as well.

While I use the locking bit-holder to allow use of 1/4" hex bits in my Festool drill/drivers, I do not use the Centrotec/FastFix adapter on other manufacturer's drill/drivers, except for the AEG in my drill stand/drill press.

Kind regards,
Oliver 

 

[DeformedTree]

But take Festool. The RAS is no longer produced and NO ONE ELSE has respective product like it on the market. This means "Festool not succeed means I cannot buy the tool at all". So naturally, I would care for that not happening.

I would not care for a mass market product like that - as there is no risk I will no longer be able to buy a casual power drill regardless if Milwaukee went out of business. Most likely I would not be able to buy "CXS analogue" if Festool stopped making it. A fundamentally different scenario.

So I agree with you, but this is also something that varies by country.  In the US, you basically have the mass market tools, and then a niche of Festool, and a niche in the niche of Mafell.  All the Festool stuff is already hard to get/niche/not available here to start.  Tools that were offered, just go away (folks could create a long list), or just were never offered.  So with that, buying anything Festool becomes a questionable move, as you don't know when the rug will be pulled out.  Like you say, if something goes away, and you just go to another brand, then not a big deal, but here, Festool can be the only brand with a tool of a type out there.  Buying anything Festool is a risk.  In Europe, there is basically no risk of the tool just going away regionally there, but still be around elsewhere (CMS being the only real strange story). And if a tool goes away, you have such a large install base of Festool stuff, you're not left with a freak tool. And then you have manufactures of similar stuff to Festool, which either don't exist here, or they sell just a tiny portion of their stuff here.  Batteries will always make things harder.  The good news it the tool is now global verses corded, the bad news is you have a battery system, so tossing it for something else is never fun.  For those who use their tools every day (professionals), regular battery/tool replacement might just be normal. But for those who are hobbiest, it becomes a bigger issue.  You see in the US where Milwaukee, dewalt have branched out to things like yard tools and everything else one can think of, so folks can maximize battery usage of those systems.

 

[pixelated]

I have a few Centrotec drill bits, mainly so I can use them in the Festool drill's quick change chuck. To me, that works better than 1/4" drive drill bits in any 1/4" adapter.

For driver bits, most often I use 1/4 bits in a Centrotec adaptor. I do have a selection of 50mm Centrotec driver bits and a long Philips to use when the situation fits.

 

[gunnyr]

I’ve never understood the desire for the Festool cordless drill/drivers ... is it brand loyalty, same batteries as the cordless circular saw, actually better quality/ergonomics??

For me it is because of better quality and ergonomics.  I make no claim to quantify.  I own drills and drivers from DeWalt, Milwaukee and Festool. My Milwaukee Surge is my daily workhorse.  Although I own 2 CSX's my go to light drill is my Milwaukee 4 in 1, followed closely by my CSX.  For cabinet assembly I choose the CSX.  For heavy drilling, my Festool PDC 18, no question. 

The Festool drills just feel better in my hands.  I want to own tools I enjoy using.  Adding new battery platforms is not a real concern for me.

Given that these tools will last MANY years, price is not an overriding factor.  If it were price alone it be at Harbor Freight.

Like others have said; no need to hate, just don't buy.  I don't hate Makita but I don't own any either.  I came close to buying their cordless router several times and still might buy one (after all it comes in a Systainer!)

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I'm happy to have a lot of Centrotec bits. It's very nice when switching from drilling to screwing. The quality is high in the Zobo bits, Steel twist bits, brad point and stone bits. When I need to use non centrotec bits I use the hex bit driver with centrotec shaft. The Jacobs chuck works good enough for non centrotec stuff. The square 3/8 is great for driving hex head bolts.. So it's all good here.

Need to replace the 5mm bradpoint bit, that will be expensive in Centrotec as brandpoint bits aren't replaceable to the centrotec integrated holder as the metal twist bits are.

 

[Imemiter]

For those of you with Festool and other brand cordless tools ... do you buy Centrotec bits or an adapter so you use all your existing 1/4” bits?

My CSX came with a magnetic 1/4" adapter. But I spent probably $200 picking up Centrotec bits from Festool and Snappy. Maybe a little more than that actually... The Snappy sets are good kit, imo. The drill set is perfectly fine, if Imperial. And the countersinks and center (Vix) bits are serviceable. On top of that I've tried to get only the bits I'm using regularly - Phillips and Pozi 2&3s, 1&2 Robertsons, a few Torx. Lately I've been doing a lot of door and cabinet hardware and it's been great moving from job to job with just the CSX and the few five or six bits I need.     

 

[mino]

For those of you with Festool and other brand cordless tools ... do you buy Centrotec bits or an adapter so you use all your existing 1/4” bits?

Since bought my C12 I actually do not use the Centrotec bits.

But I DO use all my Centrotec chucks with bit holders in each for the various bits I swap on a project. I find the chuck-with-bit easier to handle than individual bits.

Normally, I would have 2 drills around, and in between them 3 Centrotec chucks and 2 Jacobs chucks pre-filled with tools in them I use/need for the given job.

So, both. I do not use the Centrotec *bits* but take massive advantage of the Centrotec *system* all the time.

I believe the strength of Centrotec for tools is really in the specialist bits - like Zobo and other - while for casual "consumable" bits the CT chuck + holder are a very nice combo. It. Just. Works.TM

Once thing I will say - if you have only one drill having a couple spare Centrotec chucks and one or even two spare Jacobs chucks is gold.
Having several Jacobs chucks ready with the needed bits in them is immensely practical even with one drill. They stand very stably on any surface and having 2mm or 3 mm bits in them is so much better.

 

[Lincoln]

I like the CXS, does everything it should and is super comfortable to use. I think the battery situation is a bit weird, but doesn't worry me that much. Great drill/driver for cabinet work, door hardware etc.
My go to cordless platform is Fein - build quality is superb, batteries are fantastic. They don't have a huge range, but cover enough to keep me happy.
One platform will never be enough. I currently run - Fein, Festool, Hikoki and Mafell.
If I had Festool saws, instead of Mafell, I'd probably use their drills as well.

 

[DynaGlide]

I had a hard time swallowing the price for the CXS. I'm a Milwaukee guy for cordless drills etc. At the time their installer tool wasn't available. Had it been I probably would've gotten it instead. But you know what? I love the CXS. I use it all the time. I find excuses to use it when a more powerful drill would probably be better.

I just picked up the TID 18 set. Not because I particularly wanted the TID 18 but because it was the cheapest path to getting into the 18V batteries for the Vecturo. It's a nice enough impact, feels good in the hand. Had I not needed the 18V batteries, I would've gotten a Milwaukee Surge instead.