Festool Facts Newsletter with Special Offer Vouchers (UK)

[Forrest Anderson]

Festool publish a newsletter called Festool Facts, and it comes in printed and electronic form. Details of new releases are given, along with articles about the company and selected tools etc, but probably of most interest is that the newsletter is accompanied by eight vouchers. Basically, if you buy a specified item or items, the voucher entitles you to another item (or items) for free.

For example, the Spring 2007 deal was that if you bought a TS55, you got a free blade and safety jacket, and the Autumn 2006 deal was that you got two fast clamps with your saw. Other very useful give-aways over the last year have been 100 free abrasive sheets and a watch with various sanders; a Systainer 1, 2, 3, and 4 when you bought a Systainer Port 1000/2; and a Systainer Screw Box free when you bought a cordless drill and Centrotec IV set.

The latest vouchers, which accompany the Autumn edition of the woodworking edition of Festool Facts, and which are valid from 15 Oct 2007 to 31 Jan 2008, may come as a bit of a disappointment to many, unless they are keen on radio-controlled models. There are eight vouchers as normal, but the freebie in each case is a radio-controlled Audi R8, described as follows:

Do you already have your Christmas presents?
What about giving an amazing Festool radio controlled car?
Or you could just keep it for yourself?
The Festool RC Audi R8 is an original 1:12 replica of the new
car. It is premium quality made under licence for Audi. Although
this car is currently unavailable* in the UK it is valued at 50 GBP
exc. VAT. Festool customers can buy the RC Audi R8 for only
20 GBP exc. VAT or even get it free when purchasing a Festool
Facts offer!

This is a limited offer, valid to 31st January 2008 or as stocks last. No substitutions will
be given when stocks run out. The Festool RC Audi R8 is only available from participating
Festool Dealer Partner and not without the purchase of a Festool Facts offer.
* According to the supplier car is unavailable in the UK at the time of going to print.

Radio controlled car features:
1. Automatic Signal 2. Brake lights 3. Optimised radio control
4. 5-gear tiptronic 5. Car horn 6. Rear Spoiler Lifts up
7. Switch on lights 8. Boot opens 9. Detailed interior

As can be seen, the car is either free (eg when purchasing a belt sander or 1000 abrasive sheets), or available for 20 GBP (eg when purchasing a drill or router).

There is also an automotive edition of Festool Facts athttp://www.festool.co.uk/images/gb_downloads/AutumnFacts07_Auto.pdf which agains centres arounf the radio-controlled car, but has some other deals too.

Frankly, the woodworking offers don't interest me one bit - I'd much rather have a free blade or some clamps - but some people might be keen since Christmas is coming up. What do other UK Festoolians think?

Although the vouchers only apply to the UK, some of the articles in the rest of the newsletter may be interesting to those further afield, for example "Introducing the Quality Department", "ROTEX RO 150 and Solid Surface", and "The DOMINO takes the pressure".

Forrest

 

[jonny round boy]

I'm a bit of agadget freak anyway, so I'd be more than happy with the RC car. And it is a really cool car - I had a demo of it a few weeks ago. The 'tiptronic' speed control is fantastic, but on the flipside the turning circle is abysmal - you'll need either a VERY big room or an outside space to get the most from it.

FWIW, the same model (though presumeably without the Festool logo) will be available to customers of the full-size R8 when it comes out next year, though they will apparently have to pay the full ?50 - on top of the ?75,000 they pay for the car!

 

[Eli]

And here I was actually interested in the newsletter!

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I want the lifesize model, without the contrasting "B-pillar" accent stripes!  Or any other Audi with a V-8.

Dave R.

 

[brandon.nickel]

My wife has the 4.2L V8 in her 2002 S6.  It's a grey wagon and there's nothing quite like blowing off a Corvette in a stoplight drag in a grey wagon with a baby seat...  It's also the vehicle of choice in heavy snows or ice (when equipped with Blizzaks of course).  I'd love to try out the new one.  If you don't mind an older one, '02 S6s don't sell for any more than the A6s.  I guess there's not much market in the US for a super-fast wagon (they were all wagons in the US)

While on things automotive, Audi offers several turbo-diesel options in Europe.  I'd like to know when they're coming to North America.  I had a 3.0 TDI A6 as a rental and that thing was a blast.  330 ft-lbs and 30+ mpg.  Nice.

 

[Eli]

I've been thinking about a Euro work wagon instead of a ute or a truck. Hmmmmm........ Can I get a gray one with green door handles?

 

[Dan Clark]

I want the lifesize model, without the contrasting "B-pillar" accent stripes!  Or any other Audi with a V-8.

Dave R.

Dave,

How about this little number (S5):

Me?  I'd like to get the 3.0 TDI version of this guy (A5):

FYI, the new TDI version of the A4 is supposed to 40mpg highway!

Dan

p.s. This will replace my '02 A4.

 

[Eli]

I'm not sure I'd get the required effect with a roof rack of plywood on that. Although around here, a lot go for trailers.......

 

[Dan Clark]

I'm not sure I'd get the required effect with a roof rack of plywood on that. Although around here, a lot go for trailers.......

Maybe, but your plywood will go 0 to 60 in 5 seconds flat!  ;D

 

[Eli]

I'd probably take off like Chitty chitty Bang bang.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

My wife has the 4.2L V8 in her 2002 S6.  It's a grey wagon and there's nothing quite like blowing off a Corvette in a stoplight drag in a grey wagon with a baby seat...  It's also the vehicle of choice in heavy snows or ice (when equipped with Blizzaks of course).  I'd love to try out the new one.  If you don't mind an older one, '02 S6s don't sell for any more than the A6s.  I guess there's not much market in the US for a super-fast wagon (they were all wagons in the US)

While on things automotive, Audi offers several turbo-diesel options in Europe.  I'd like to know when they're coming to North America.  I had a 3.0 TDI A6 as a rental and that thing was a blast.  330 ft-lbs and 30+ mpg.  Nice.

Brandon,

I am not fully knowledgeable about Audi's offerings relative to model year, but I am certain that S6's (the ones with the twin-turbo charged V-8s) were sold in Ohio in sedan form.  I have had some very quick rides around Mid-Ohio race track in a couple of them.  These owners had pumped up the output to about 550 HP. 

Dave R.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I want the lifesize model, without the contrasting "B-pillar" accent stripes!  Or any other Audi with a V-8.

Dave R.

Dave,

How about this little number (S5):

Me?  I'd like to get the 3.0 TDI version of this guy (A5):

FYI, the new TDI version of the A4 is supposed to 40mpg highway!

Dan

p.s. This will replace my '02 A4.

Any of your recommendations would be fine.  When can I get a ride with you in your new machine?  I wish Audi and the rest of the German auto makers would hurry up and get those modern direct injection, BlueTech diesels here.  They sound like the perfect interim solution to vastly improve fuel economy without having to give up size, weight and power.  A much better, "right now" solution than E-85 which I predict time will prove to be of not much benefit and perhaps a net detriment when you consider the negative effects due to vast consumption of water and soil and fertilizer needed to produce the ethanol from corn.  And the vulnerability of corn based ethanol to insects, plant diseases and weather.

Dave R.

 

[brandon.nickel]

To continue hijacking this thread: 

Dave,
The 2002 S6 was only available in the US as a wagon.  It has a naturally-aspirated 4.2L V8.  There was an RS6 which did have the twin-turbo 4.2L V8.  Those were extremely rare.  So much so in fact that they don't even show up on lists like Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book as a 2002 offering.  I'm not sure how many were wagon vs sedan, but I've seen both.  I had the pleasure of attempting to follow one around the Nurburgring.  I failed miserably, but had a great time doing it.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

You're right!!  I misread S6 as RS6.  Big difference.  Once I was driving on Mid-Ohio track with one of those S6 wagons, which I could keep up with in my BMW 325i (with 3L motor, M3 brakes and suspension) which is a lot less weight.  During that same session, I was easily overtaken by a couple of Audi 6's, which at first surprised my instructor.  At first I did not know what they were, but because I owned an A6 2.7T I knew they had to be something much more powerful.  Both of those cars were RS6's, and neither was stock.  Very hot packages, as well as very luxurious.  And very hard on front tires when run hard on a circuit.

Nurburgring!!  Now I am really jealous (JUST KIDDING)!!  I've watched several videos of laps by others around that famous circuit - fantastic.

Dave R.

 

[brandon.nickel]

My 3 hours lapping the Nurburgring stand as the high point of my driving career (and I've many, many laps stateside under my belt in my Porsche and my Honda motorcycle).  There's absolutely nothing in the world like it.  May it live forever.  I'm currently looking for a way to take a job in Germany and one of the selection criteria will be distance from the Ring.

Now I may humbly suggest that Matthew should move the last half of this thread to the off-topic area...

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Brandon,

You are correct.  At least the last half of this string should be moved to the "Way off topic" section.  My apologies to Matthew and others who have tolerated this rather extreme diversion from Festool.  But hey, did you know you can use your "Toolie Tool" on your Porsche, Audi, BMW or VW?  And it was fun for me.

And I still want a ride in Dan Clark's new R5.

Dave R.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

To return to the Festool Facts newsletter, and keeping well away from the subject of radio-controlled cars this time, here is an interesting quote in the section about Quality Control:

What does quality mean to you? What does accuracy mean to you? On the example
of the ball bearings of the ETS 150 with a diameter of 28 mm round for Festool means
that the deviation is not bigger than 18 μm and that?s much less than the diameter of a
human hair which is in average 50-60 μm.

For those who still haven't come to terms with the metric system, 28mm is about 1 7/64", which seems ludicrously large! I can only assume they mean 2.8mm, which is about 7/64".

Are there any volunteers who are willing to take apart their ETS 150 to check? 

Forrest

 

[jonny round boy]

28mm is about 1 7/64", which seems ludicrously large! I can only assume they mean 2.8mm, which is about 7/64".

Why does 28mm seem 'ludicrously large' for a bearing? OK, it's probably bigger than other manufacturers might use in a similar situation, but isn't that the point? A larger bearing would lead to smoother running.

If they did mean 2.8mm, that'd mean the main shaft would have to be about 1.5mm diameter to fit through it - I don't think that'd last long!

 

[Forrest Anderson]

The Autumn version of the UK Festool Facts newsletter is now available. See the my first post in this thread (in 2007) for general details about this periodic newsletter.

Although aimed at the UK market, with prices in pounds, it should be of interest to Festool users everywhere because it often gives details of items that may later be released outside the UK/Europe.

Contents of the newsletter:

MultiJetstream, the new 150mm sanding pad and abrasive disks with more holes (been discussed in FOG before).
End-user story about the VAC-SYS vacuum clamping system
Short article about the new Kapex KS88 (been discussed in FOG before).
Introduction of the brand new Domino deck connection system
Introduction of the new Centrotec Systainer 09, which now comes with the new "attic" Systainer with parts storage in the lid
Introduction of the new Planex carrying harness and extension poles
Article about the costs of Festool ownership
Mention of a widening extension for the CMS
Introduction of carrying bags for saw blades and guide rails (the guide rail bag is now more of a box than a bag)
Introduction of detachable lamp for drill which can also be used as a head lamp (been discussed here)
Introduction of revised LR32 guide rail
Introduction of new Decorator Systainer - a SYS-5 with a removable wooden insert designed for decorators.
Introduction of Granat abrasive for "extremely hard surfaces" in machine- and hand-sanding formats
Introduction of a hand-sanding version of Vlies abrasive
Introduction of four hand-sanding blocks with dust extraction

There are also some new offers for the UK market, which officially expire on 31 Dec 2009:
Purchase any cordless drill and receive an attachable lamp free
Purchase any jigsaw and receive a 25 jigsaw blade pack for free
Purchase three circular saw blades and receive the latest circular saw blade bag free
Purchase a special guide rail assortment set in the new protective guide rail bag (ie the "box")for 649 GBP - set includes: 2 x Guide rail FS 1400/2, FS-PA Parallel side fence, Guide extensions x 2, Combination bevel, GECKO DOSH-Set, Connecting piece FSV x2, Fastening clamp, Deflector, Kickback stop, Quick-action clamp and Splinter guard.
Purchase a TS 55 or TS 75 as FS version and receive a small guide rail bag for free
Purchase an OF 1010, OF 1400, OF 2200, OFK 700 or MFK 700 and receive a router Systainer for free
Purchase any planer and receive an extra blade and the chip collection bag for free
Purchase 300 sheets of Multi-Jetstream abrasives and receive a Multi-Jetstream pad for free

I don't know which of the above will be of most interest to FOG members, but I reckon the Domino deck connection system is a good contender!

(Click on image for larger version)

Forrest

 

[Brice Burrell]

You know what I found interesting, the picture at the top of the newsletter, the Systainer is full of US coins.