Help me out, new to Festool Cordless

[Thompmd]

Considering HKC55(576819) and a T18 E Easy(576758) tool only, using the batteries from the HKC??

Is that possible, make sense(hobbyist so not a lot of use) and can I get a Bluetooth Remote Control (202097) to hook this to my CT36?

Or should I consider (205602) Which is an impact/hkc and add a Bluetooth remote

Thoughts, pro’s & cons,

 

[RKA]

Yes, you can use the 18v batteries on the drill, saw and impact driver.

So your choice is impact driver or drill.  To me they are different tools.  I use the impact driver for construction related tasks like driving 3” screws into framing materials or driving lag bolts.  For woodworking related tasks where it’s more finish work, I prefer the drill.  I have more control over speed and torque limits and the 3 jaw check will accommodate any of my drill bits and there is less runout in the bit.  But there is overlap between the two, just choose the one best suited to what you’ll find yourself doing most of the time.  Of course, if you already have a good drill or impact driver, but not the other, it’s a good time to add the addt’l tool to the bag!

 

[shdesign3]

I personally would only buy their CXS/txs. ( I own one). Their impact/drill line up is under pefroming and overpriced for what it is when comparing to current competitors.

 

[jonnyrocket]

I won’t disagree with what shdesign has said and if you are looking to buy a drill or impact purely based on the “spec sheet” then go with a different brand.
However, I may be the minirty here in that I have been switching my cordless drills And other tools over to Festool for the following reasons:
1- having the swappable chuck system on the larger drills and small (cxs/txs) has enabled many different usage scenarios.
2- having a common battery with my cordless TS-55 and the cordless HK-55 has enabled me to simplify my battery situation.  Now instead of having 4 different platforms, and a single charger for each, I now have many 18v Festool batteries and multiple chargers for that type. This allows for many batteries charging at once as well as
3- once I had a good fleet of batteries, I could start buying bare tools from Festool and didn’t have to buy additional batteries (this is true of any brand) but Festool has some tools that others don’t have in cordless or at least ones that are worth owning (I.e. the cordless Venturi and cordless grinder).

The irony in all of this is that I never would have appreciated these aspects had I not owned multiple dewalt/Milwaukee/Bosch/Makita tools prior to this.

I still have a few specialty tools that Festool doesn’t make and they have their own batteries. So it isn’t a complete changeover. But those aren’t tools that I use every week. So not having a common battery system on those hasn’t mattered Nearly as much as it has for the tools that are used regularly.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Their impact/drill line up is under pefroming and overpriced for what it is when comparing to current competitors.

Nothing beats the versatility of centrotec.

And their FastFix interchangeable chucks are sooooooo "under performing" that everybody copies it now.

 

[Thompmd]

Thanks everyone, I’m thinking the hkc 55 w airstream batteries and small guide rail (576819) and also the T18 E cordless drill(tool only) (576758).

Will also add the dust bag, extra finish blade.

 

[Cheese]

Will also add the dust bag, extra finish blade.

Good idea to purchase the dust bag.  [big grin]  In spite of its open blade design, the HKC with a bag will collect around 80%+ of the sawdust...I was shocked.  [smile]

The bags fill up pretty fast however so keep your eyes open. When the saw seems to be "leaking" a small amount of sawdust, the bag needs to be emptied. If you carry-on without emptying it, the dust port quickly plugs and then the saw "rains" sawdust.

 

[Martin Johnson]

Double check but I don't think the 18E uses centrotec....that would disqualify it  for me.