Of all the Festool tools, this impact driver could be a game changer for Festool. If they get it right...
Up till now, Festool has been a niche market, the best of the best so to speak.
This could be the tool that brings Festool to the Mass Market if it has the WOW factor. And a quiet impact driver would certainly get people's attention.
Of course there is that last little detail that I forgot to mention.......Price.
This will be the clincher, and if they get the price right, then the people will come.
I couldn't disagree less. Noise would be hard to mitigate. The tool itself isn't making the noise... the vibrations are transmitted into the wood, and that's what's amplifying the noise. If you transmit a shock, it's going to make a noise. And even if they come out with a 'soft impact,' a price drop to appeal to a mass market is not at all in character. The people that see the value in the Festool line, and in Festool quality, will pay the price. Anybody can make a lesser tool, and sell it for less.
In terms of pricing, My only real worry is that they'll opt to make it centro-tec standard, instead of setting it up to use the regular ball detent 1/4" hex bits that every other impact driver uses. That would be a deal-breaker for me. I have an old NiMh (fat handle) Makita impact that's still running strong, though it needs new batteries, on top of my C12 and T15. Not having to a) replace those batteries, and b) bring a whole separate charging setup, would be good.
I'm seeing either compatibility with C and T series batteries, or CXS batteries. A CXS/ impact set might be worth considering if they go that route.
Aside from a brushless motor and making it compatible with other Festool batteries, I'd like to see the following:
-Auto-on AND select-on light. Basically, a separate switch to turn the thing into a flashlight.
-A select switch for speed control, that would cut the speed in half, across the full trigger range, for more control. Blasting away isn't always what's needed.
-Bit storage. And possibly earplug storage.
-I do like the square drive on the Protool, and I think it would be cool to have a 3/8" drive built-in somehow, possibly underneath/ behind the hex bit holder. I do have a square drive bit that I use with my impact driver, but sometimes I don't find my bits where I left them, if you know what I mean. So, the ability to just stick a socket on the thing would be great. A centro-tec socket set is NOT in the cards for me. For that kind of money, I can keep replacing the batteries on my Makita.
-Drill mode. I know Makita tried to do a combo drill/impact, and all of the reviews I read said that the end result was really lacking in power, and thus didn't justify the high price. If Festool manages to make one that works, works well, and has power... this would be worth the price. I'm not holding my breath on this one, but it might be interesting.
-Something better than a simple clip to holster the thing. I don't know how I'd do it, but it would have to be good..even if they have to include an actual holster with the tool, in lieu of a systainer insert. This is not a tool that typically fits into the boom arm and MFT, portable shop kind of paradigm, where you have so many tools at hand in a controlled but portable environment. This is typically the kind of tool that, if you really need it, you have it on you, like a hammer, and it lives a life that is much more mobile. There aren't a lot of accessories that are required, aside from bits. So... skip the insert, and throw in a holster.
