Finding your way around the products when you are new, feedback glichy.

R

Redcarjoiner

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
48
Hello there
I am new to festool but not new to power tools.
I find the Festool/ dealer web sites a bit glitch and hard to find what I want and am giving the feed back that they could be better. I think that there is a big fan base out there that know every single bit of kit and where to find it but as a site lad wanting a bit of kit to do a job it is not very good.
In the old days you would get a booklet with all the pictures of the kit, is that a thing of the past ?
 
Thanks Garry
I think I will do that on Tuesday as they are closed for the UK bank Holiday.
I am just at the point where I am buying into the system to expand on my mft 3.
The UK dealers use a festool format advert and it is hard to navigate unless you are a fan and know every bit of kit and where to find it.
I am a trade guy and every bit of kit has to pay it's way and I have to say that it's hard to justify the price of this kit never mind not being able to find it on the web site.
I need to get to some trade shows to see the kit in action and get a good on the day price.
I did try to get a booklet from my north east dealer but he said it was a shop only book.
 
The catalogue is worth getting hold of but to be honest it just sits on my bookshelf like some sort of porno mag.
You may be better off letting everyone know what sort of site work you do, what main tools you currently use or what you're lacking and whether you'd be going down the corded route or if you need battery tools.
Either way, it is an expensive brand to get yourself invested in so you want to make sure you start as you mean to go on - at least to begin with.
Once you've narrowed down a few tools, you'll find loads of videos on YouTube showcasing them all and plenty of advice here in the forums.
Tom
 
Cheers Tom
I have started off with an MFT 3 and a track saw.
I have a good idea of what's available but trying to shop around and compare prices is not easy.
I have been looking at the LR 32 hole system and it was harder than it should be to find and for an out fit like festool that is not very good. I have just googled  festool road shows for 2016 and all I got was a utube clip showing a blue wagon with the word Festool on the side but no information ?.
Regards Redcar joiner.
 
I think Road shows should be on week ends so we can work and make money on week days as last years trade tent at the dealers was on a week day and we just court the end of it.
 
Dunno about everyone else but I find the catalogue pretty crap at giving out decent details.
For instance the BHC drill, says its a hammer drill. No mention of it being SDS. Now that's the first thing I look for in a masonry drill.
If it doesn't have it I'm pretty much not interested.

To me the catalogue is dead fancy looking, posh paper blah blah blah but maybe written by a graphic designer who doesn't actually use the tools so doesn't know the UK lingo for the information I'm looking for.

Maybe its the language barrier between German and English and some things don't translate too well?
 
demographic said:
For instance the BHC drill, says its a hammer drill. No mention of it being SDS. Now that's the first thing I look for in a masonry drill.
If it doesn't have it I'm pretty much not interested.
Click to expand...

The Technical data for the range overview on Page 221 and the individual Technical data for the BHC 18 on Page 226 both mention
SDS-Plus. Did you mean in the main title? So rather than saying "Cordless hammer drill BHC 18" you'd rather it said something like "Cordless SDS-Plus hammer drill BHC 18"?

I agree that the catalogues aren't perfect, but I've only very rarely been unable to find the information I'm looking for and generally that information is about how something might be used or fitted rather than more general specifications. For those occasions, most of the product web pages have a link to the manual, so it's generally just the accessories that I struggle with when I can't find something to be honest.

Do you have a view on what a "good" catalogue would look like? Is there another manufacturer that "nails" it when it comes to presenting the information in a very clear way? I don't have any other catalogues, so I'm generally reliant on website information for other brands so would be interested to read your thoughts.
 
Redcarjoiner said:
I think Road shows should be on week ends so we can work and make money on week days as last years trade tent at the dealers was on a week day and we just court the end of it.
Click to expand...

Hi
Call into the office and we can arrange one of our team to visit.
Information on the Roadshow will be available later in the year as the planning has only just started and this can take time to sort the route out.
rg
Phil
 
I agree about the catalogue. It's a bit like the Festool product videos on YouTube - full of fancy graphics and animation but it's all a bit superficial. But I've trained as a graphic designer and they only do as they're told in the brief so I'm reluctant to blame them entirely.

In the UK, there are a few places I tend to find anything I'm looking for and a Google search will tell you which one's cheaper.
Don't get stuck being loyal to any of them. They all have sales or offers on different things at different times and when you're talking Festool money, you have to make savings where you can!
Try FFX, PowerToolsUK or Axminster (in no particular order). Axminster did have a price promise thing going on last time I looked but you'd have to check on the T&Cs before pinning them down on it (and in terms of the LR32 sys, they don't seem to do it anyway)
Festool were at KBB trade show a couple of weekends ago and are always keen to help anyone. I think Axminster has demo days of Festool stuff but I don't know how close you are to one of their stores.
I'm sure I heard about representatives from Festool being available for end users to demonstrate their tools but as it doesn't seem a very well advertised service, I may be wrong...or maybe that's just another thing the graphic designers left off the promo material!  [smile]
 
tomscf said:
Phil Beckley said:
Hi
Call into the office and we can arrange one of our team to visit.
Click to expand...

...as if by magic. Guess I spoke too soon...or too late.  :)
Click to expand...

......and no Graphic designers are used to demonstrate with  [wink]..sure we have a team on the road who can visit - totally free and no obligation either to buy.
rg
Phil
 
GarryMartin said:
[The Technical data for the range overview on Page 221 and the individual Technical data for the BHC 18 on Page 226 both mention
SDS-Plus. Did you mean in the main title? So rather than saying "Cordless hammer drill BHC 18" you'd rather it said something like "Cordless SDS-Plus hammer drill BHC 18"?

I agree that the catalogues aren't perfect, but I've only very rarely been unable to find the information I'm looking for and generally that information is about how something might be used or fitted rather than more general specifications. For those occasions, most of the product web pages have a link to the manual, so it's generally just the accessories that I struggle with when I can't find something to be honest.

Do you have a view on what a "good" catalogue would look like? Is there another manufacturer that "nails" it when it comes to presenting the information in a very clear way? I don't have any other catalogues, so I'm generally reliant on website information for other brands so would be interested to read your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Actually, fair comment.
Despite me looking for the info on it being SDS compatible a couple of times I totally missed the teeny tiny little symbol that showed that info on the full page dedicated to the BHC. Cheers. First time I've seen it.

Good Catalogues?  Axminster is fairly informative despite the massive range of widely differing tools it has to cover.
As Festool provides some really innovative tools I kind of hope that their catalogue gives out more usefull information though.
The user supplemental manuals for Festool stuff is excellent, well worth hunting out.

Could be worse I suppose, try finding good info on Mafell gear. Sheesh.
 
Just to say I got my second batch of festool kit today and made contact with the local festool man
Trevor and am looking forward to planning out my system when I get my festool booklet.
Regards Mike.
 
Redcarjoiner said:
I think Road shows should be on week ends so we can work and make money on week days as last years trade tent at the dealers was on a week day and we just court the end of it.
Click to expand...

Just today I received a postcard from my local Woodcraft, announcing the Festool Roadshow would be in town Monday, April 18, 2016 (10:00 a.m.-2:00p.m.).    Of course, I am retired, so it does not matter to me what day or time they show up, but I can imagine for anyone on the job, it is not the best day or time.
 
Tennessee.  Mondays must be a common thread.  I am going because I want some comparison information on the TS55 and TSC 55 cordless version.  I am not yet sold on battery powered saws, so I thought going to the horses mouth (Festool), would be the best source of information.
 
Phil Beckley said:
......and the catalogue will be with you soon.
Rg
Phil
Click to expand...

Thanks Phil
I got my blue book today and will spend many a happy hour looking and planning my moves.
regards Mike.
 
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