Festool research and development

[Paddyfin1]

Is it just me or does it seem that the Festool r&d department gone on strike
This years new tools seem painfully thin on the ground compared to its competitors

Apart from rebadging Protools old back catalogue there's not much to shout about
Let's be honest a four gang plug in a systainer is pretty poor [jawdrop]

 

[bobfog]

Yeah I kind of agree.

A lot of what they've made recently has seemed more evolutionary than revolutionary. They need to make their next "Domino machine", a completely new and brilliant tool that's a bit of a game changer.

 

[Paddyfin1]

I would like to see more wow items, things that make me think " I've got to get that" at the moment there's nothing that I want......... Didn't think I'd say that

 

[GhostFist]

I think the conturo looks pretty decent, a few years old now and not priced for hobbyists but looks a solid machine. Home Depot has us expecting yearly upgrades to tools, this isn't efficient with higher end brands

 

[peter halle]

Festool has never been about huge sales numbers and I suspect that the R&D team is just as hard at work as always.  I was told many years ago that the development to production cycle could be five to six years.  I suspect that new products are being developed but the emphasis right now is meeting demand.  If Festool expands their manufacturing facilities then I suspect innovation will be released quicker.

Peter

 

[bobfog]

Festool has never been about huge sales numbers and I suspect that the R&D team is just as hard at work as always.  I was told many years ago that the development to production cycle could be five to six years.  I suspect that new products are being developed but the emphasis right now is meeting demand.  If Festool expands their manufacturing facilities then I suspect innovation will be released quicker.

Peter

I wonder if they are getting more about volume, I seem to be seeing the brand a lot more than 5 years ago.

Wow, 6 years? That seems like ages for what are, at the end of the day, just powertools. But then I guess that's probably a worse case, something like the Domino or Conturo machines from first sketch to full production I guess are pretty complex machines and 6 years is understandable, converting/developing a tracksaw to cordless I guess would be much less...

 

[GhostFist]

Festool doesn't have the guaranteed sales that cheaper brands have via big box stores. research should be serious to make it worth their while. They've had a couple of failures with the carvex 400 and their impact driver. so something revolutionary should be very well thought out and rigorously tested before it hits the market.

 

[bobfog]

Festool doesn't have the guaranteed sales that cheaper brands have via big box stores. research should be serious to make it worth their while. They've had a couple of failures with the carvex 400 and their impact driver. so something revolutionary should be very well thought out and rigorously tested before it hits the market.

True, but then it's not like impact drivers or jigsaws are complex tools. Every manufacturer and their dog makes a decent jigsaw and impact driver. The more complex and unique tools like the Domino seem to be the ones that get least issues reported.

 

[Phil Beckley]

Festool has never been about huge sales numbers and I suspect that the R&D team is just as hard at work as always.  I was told many years ago that the development to production cycle could be five to six years.  I suspect that new products are being developed but the emphasis right now is meeting demand.  If Festool expands their manufacturing facilities then I suspect innovation will be released quicker.

Peter

.....it does take time to develop new products and the time scale above is not far off - the Conturo was 5-6 years. The R+D at Festool I can assure you is alive and well and working hard.
rg
Phil

 

[peter halle]

And I will add that this company - and rare in today's times - remains a family owned and controlled company.  Emphasis has always been to work towards tools that produce versus pumping out bunches of stuff.

I realize that some will jump in here and point out shortcomings, but at the end of the day and decades, there is a track record.

Peter

 

[bobfog]

And I will add that this company - and rare in today's times - remains a family owned and controlled company.  Emphasis has always been to work towards tools that produce versus pumping out bunches of stuff.

I realize that some will jump in here and point out shortcomings, but at the end of the day and decades, there is a track record.

Peter

Similar to Bosch, owned by Robert Bosch GmbH, but obviously with Bosch being on a much bigger scale.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Festool doesn't have the guaranteed sales that cheaper brands have via big box stores. research should be serious to make it worth their while. They've had a couple of failures with the carvex 400 and their impact driver. so something revolutionary should be very well thought out and rigorously tested before it hits the market.

True, but then it's not like impact drivers or jigsaws are complex tools. Every manufacturer and their dog makes a decent jigsaw and impact driver. The more complex and unique tools like the Domino seem to be the ones that get least issues reported.

When Milwaukee first came out with their 1/4" drive impact driver it had wonderful reviews, and was noted for the high torque produced compared to models, some from companies like Makita who had been making impact screwdrivers for far longer. If I remember correctly, after 3 to 6 months the impact mechanisms tended to fail. Milwaukee seems to have fixed the problems with the later generations of impact drivers, but earlier failures probably convinced some people to continue purchasing Makita or Hitachi impact guns, and since this was around the time Milwaukee was switching to lithium batteries, it may have convinced users who routinely used an impact driver to switch to one of the other battery platforms.

Currently at least two manufacturers, Makita and AEG/Ridgid, have started making impact drivers that use a hydraulic mechanism rather than use a traditional hammer mechanism. The newer hydraulic impact drivers are supposedly quieter, and at least if not more powerful. If a manufacturer wants to be considered a top of the line brand, they would need to manufacture a tool that is at least close to the other guns in both impact force and lack of noise. They would also need to avoid violating anyone elses patents. And they would need to avoid making a tool that was failure prone that might screw with their reputation, or cost them a large anount in warranty claims.

As far as jigsaws go, Festool seems to have enough complaints about their Carvex jigsaws, to say that designing a proper functioning mechanism isn't completely straitforward. Maffel seems to have had a couple failures with the P1cc jigsaw, and they may have changed the specs on a couple parts to fix the problem.

 

[McNally Family]

I think the conturo looks pretty decent, a few years old now and not priced for hobbyists but looks a solid machine. Home Depot has us expecting yearly upgrades to tools, this isn't efficient with higher end brands

For a long time, the upgrades found with Home Depot tools, revolved around new battery technology (and heavier and heavier increases in voltage).  Then the upgrades seemed to consist of just how many tools could be combined in a canvas bag, for one low low price! 

I like a slow pace of upgrades, with significant improvements vs. cosmetic changes.  I have gotten to the point where I avoid the power tool section of Home Depot (or Lowes), and like the fact my bathroom comes complete with a new Festool catalog for light reading.

 

[Paddyfin1]

Im sure r&d does take a while, and im sure they get inundated with suggestions, things just seem a little lack lustre at the moment
Dewalt have just released thier version of a systainer with a very good radio and a place for your phone etc  [scared], and i want a festool one
Maybe it's because theres nothig i want at the moment from the Festool catalog..........thats the problem

 

[Phil Beckley]

Im sure r&d does take a while, and im sure they get inundated with suggestions, things just seem a little lack lustre at the moment
Dewalt have just released thier version of a systainer with a very good radio and a place for your phone etc  [scared], and i want a festool one
Maybe it's because theres nothig i want at the moment from the Festool catalog..........thats the problem

.....be patient. Development is a complex process and Festool focus on the application for the machine and develop from there. I have heard of one company who can develop from conception to delivery in 4 months - this is not Festool territory.
rg
Phil

 

[GhostFist]

Festool doesn't have the guaranteed sales that cheaper brands have via big box stores. research should be serious to make it worth their while. They've had a couple of failures with the carvex 400 and their impact driver. so something revolutionary should be very well thought out and rigorously tested before it hits the market.

True, but then it's not like impact drivers or jigsaws are complex tools. Every manufacturer and their dog makes a decent jigsaw and impact driver. The more complex and unique tools like the Domino seem to be the ones that get least issues reported.

I will say that festool's version of a jigsaw is very different from other manufacturers. their concept of an impact gun that could switch to a regular drill is also unique. I get the feeling that these were developed more to appeal to the hobbyists market however.  The domino xl and the conturo seem to be two solid designs for the pro market

 

[AlexThePalex]

A lot of those brands that have a new model every year don't really make an entirely new model. It's just the old one in a new coat.

 

[GhostFist]

Also to note, the big box stores will guarantee x number of sales on products provided they meet the stores price range target and feature request. you'll see more of x brand because of the larger distribution, you'll see more "upgrades" of x brand, albeit superficial "upgrades" to give the illusion of a newer product just for meeting these guaranteed sales as dictated by the big box boys. This type of r&d is not really for your benefit but for pure profit.

There is a huge cost/risk in retooling for a new product, especially for a German based company that does not rely on the slave labour of china/Mexico.

If you're going to release a quality new product in the hand held power tool field, it's going to take time. A failed launch can be detrimental to a smaller company such as festool.

On a side note, how often does altendorf or felder upgrade their product line? 

 

[Mort]

That's just fine by me. I need to catch up on buying the Festools that are already available that I want.

 

[demographic]

Maybe not with workshop joiners who have more space to faff about with multiple chargers but as I see it site carpenters are wanting to have more tools on one battery platform.
I personally feel that Festool does some great tools but their range is let down by missing out on a few items, more and more people are looking at the whole range of cordless tools before they commit.

Obviously its hard for a relatively small manufacturer to keep up with the rapid pace of development but to me nowadays a powerful impact screwdriver is an essential item. Add a cordless multitool and other manufacturers tools start looking more attractive.

I don't know about you lot but many times that I need something like a multitool its just for a minute or so and I'd rather not be running leads out for that job.

Mind, after saying all that^ I'm after a HKC soon which will be my only Festool cordless tool. To me that is one of those tools that makes faffing on with different chargers worth the effort and space it takes up.