Festool PS 420 CARVEX Cordless Jigsaw.

[DAIIROKO]

Just purchased the Festool CARVEX 420, D Handle, Battery Driven Jigsaw.

It takes over from 24yr Old Festool PS 1 E 110 v jigsaw. The latter still working perfectly but at 80+ yrs of age lugging the transformer around is challenging.
The new tool is very impressive in terms of quality feel, ergonomics etc. In use a total disaster.
Bought the guide rail adapter for linear work. On start up the tool cuts beautifully for the first 100mm. Then the cutting action challenges the guide rail adapter, in that the saw wants to cut to the left .....not in a straight line. It pulls so much that the blade /wood begins to burn and the blade engages with the guide in the tool producing a nice spark display.
Blades bend and burn.
Using the tool without the guide rail requires holding the saw at an angle to the line of cut to mitigate the left pulling tendency.
I have inserted all four blades used so far exactly according to instructions, including setting the guide jaws.
The wood used was a mixture of 25mm soft wood and 22mm chipboard.

I'm returning the saw and would certainly not recommend it.

I own 15 to 20 Festo/Festool products purchased over the last 25 Years. This is the first one to let me down.

The saw blade insertion mechanism is clever, but not up to the demands of the tool. Needs redesigning!!!!!

 

[TwelvebyTwenty]

I personally think the Carvex 420 is one of the lemons in Festool’s range. Too much trying to be clever and unique, and not enough raw competence. If you want the best bang for your buck get the top of the range Bosch. If you want the very best go for a Mafell. Either are infinitely more competent than the Carvex.

Well done on not drinking the ‘green kool-aid’ and returning an underwhelming and overpriced tool.

 

[DAIIROKO]

Agree totally with your 'lemon' in the range.... Since my last post I have had to continue using it in a few awkward jobs.

The pulling to the left is disturbing, particularly when (even free hand) the CARVEX Blades over heat, wood burns and in response to keeping it on the line the blade even bends in an attempt to keep track.

I expect some Festool CARVEX users might suggest I'm not inserting the blade correctly. To be fair there is only one position that the blade can occupy when locked in place.