How to get younger tradespeople to buy Festool or other high quality tools...

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone,

This is almost certainly the wrong place for this but...

I know that younger tradespeople do not always have the cash to buy the right (best) tools but they could do so much better if they got it right first time.

How can we persuade people to go for quality tools? Obviously I am really talking about Festool kit. My work has been transformed by the TS with guide rails, the Domino, Kapex and Rotex. How can we as a forum or Festool world wide get the message across that going cheap just does not pay?

A bad workman might blame his or her tools but Festool owners have nobody to blame but themselves.

Your constructive views to get younger tradespeople buying Festool would be much appreciated.

Peter

 

[joiner1970]

I think the opposite, young tradespeople should start off with cheaper tools when they're learning. I did then when I qualified I went out and bought some decent Elu tools.

 

[Davej]

I think the opposite, young tradespeople should start off with cheaper tools when they're learning. I did then when I qualified I went out and bought some decent Elu tools.

Me too. Those were the days when elu was a byword for quality  [big grin]

 

[wrightwoodwork]

Any young tradesman starting out should not be worrying about buying tools like festool they are nice but you don't need to learn. They should be developing there hand eye coordination learning to have quality eye for detail how to spot things that are not right and how to overcome the problem. Thinks like learning to sharpen your tools is more important than anything. Sharp tools and a sharp pencil you will produce far better work than having a blunt pencil like a crayon. Don't buy cheap market tools bit there is no need to buy the rolls Royse of tools. Build up your tool collection over time

 

[Stephen B]

[size=11pt]

As background reading to this discussion you may like to read -

http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/festool-marketing-is-their-a-problem/msg279568/#msg279568

If you have comments regarding younger trades persons /apprentices in relation to use of Festool products please add them to Peter's topic here as  I am not wanting to hijack it but rather  to enhance the discussion.

And yes I do think Festool have a problem here. How many young trades persons do you see driving expensive vans/utility vehicles instead of putting their money in to good tools (any good tools).

However -

There is government support in AUST towards tool purchasing by apprentices and Festool AUS recognises this by:
- promoting and providing tools for use in trade schools
- vans visiting job sites and on site demonstrations (one was seen in our nearest large rural town last week)
- competitions for apprentices.

http://www.festool.com.au/apprentice/signup

[smile]

 

[SMJoinery]

Interesting topic !!
An apprentice should buy the best he can afford and not just any old tool just so he can say he owns one.
However there is no point if if he doesn't know how to look after them. (Chisels and planes).
Also most young apprentices are influenced by those they work with and ask for their recommendation or already have experience working with their tradesman's tools and buy the same.
My 1st year apprentice liked my CXS but he didn't like my dewalt so bought the CXS.
FESTOOL aren't as well known as Dewalt and Makita but that's because we don't see FESTOOL up here in builders merchants, screwfix or DIY stores.
In my opinion....

 

[Kev]

I'm with Peter.

I don't like the idea of our next generation of woodworkers choking on dust from cutting MDF or other toxic muck. Apprentices alway get the dirty jobs.

It'd be interesting to see what happened if "safety" mandated dust collection on certain power tools.

 

[wrightwoodwork]

I'm all for dust collection but dust collection should be provided by the tradesmen

 

[joiner1970]

It'd be interesting to see what happened if "safety" mandated dust collection on certain power tools.

It already is here in the UK, only last week health & safety visited our site and checked that our chopsaw and rail saw had extraction.

 

[wrightwoodwork]

Didn't know that I did know that hs was having a push with brickies using sthill saws to have dust collection and to dampen down the dust as the silica damages your health

 

[duburban]

i'm 28 and am a festool addict. younger people shop differently and have access to unlimited information while looking for new products. i feel that younger people will become more particular in the products they buy because there are so many. as soon as a young person is able to see why they need a certain type of tool, it will quickly become apparent that festool is most likely the top choice. obviously this isn't always true, a kapex for a young tradesman would be a waste of tool budget imo.

 

[jacko9]

Peter, While I agree that we should be encouraging the young tradespeople to purchase quality tools, I can think of several reasons what that might be a problem.

First off the obvious, unless there family is supporting them they can't afford tools like Festool.  Secondly, like some have mentioned the youngsters are just learning and will be making mistakes with their tools and trashing a Festool as a learning experience might be considered wasteful.  A very important consideration for the young and unaware is that good quality tools too often "walk off" the job site leaving the young workers in a very difficult bind.

They have a lot to sort out getting started, so showing them the quality tools and educating them on how to care for and protect them is a good start.  Teaching them to budget their income to but quality when they have the resources is the job of the Journeymen.

Jack

 

[GhostFist]

I don't expect a novice tradespeople to have routers or domino joiners. Your apprentices use the tools you train them on. Their starting kits should be proportionate to their output and ability, it also has to make sense to them financially and their investment in tools should be appropriate for their income. I'll let festool and others do their own marketing.

 

[duburban]

I don't expect a novice tradespeople to have routers or domino joiners. Your apprentices use the tools you train them on. Their starting kits should be proportionate to their output and ability, it also has to make sense to them financially and their investment in tools should be appropriate for their income. I'll let festool and others do their own marketing.

it is funny how this company has figured out how to use its customers to market for them. look at the video contests! if you were to put a dollar value on all that marketing media i bet everyone really saved them a lot of money.

 

[jlyons]

Paul Marcel has cost me so much money, and i am eternally grateful to him.

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

The comments are all really valuable - please keep them coming. Every point is valid as it will be based on your experience or circumstances.

I seem to remember that Festool in UK did something at one or two colleges to introduce youngsters to the brand but I can't remember where I read that - perhaps here on the FOG.

If a young chap/chappess were given a grant of £500 but must match penny for penny from their own pocket, what Festool kit should they buy to get started?

Keep the comments coming please.

Peter

 

[r cash]

When I first started in the wood working trade as an apprentice at 14yrs old in 1978. I was the clean up boy who spent hours tailing off on the planer/shaper/
table saw.Then clean up after everybody. At woodshop in high school during the same time I showed some natural talent. I began to love to build and make things
for people. Then began the Journey of acquiring my own tools. First came hand planes Japannese chisels saws you can see where this is going.
Anyway I started buying milwaukee tools they were the best at the time still use a couple of them today. The first makita chopsaw was as good as it got then all of
5" cut no compound. There are are some of those projects produced then that still look really good. I felt even then that training in the trades was lacking.
In my shop I have some blue  some red an orange a lot of green n black also a bit red n black to get me through any kind of project. And with two table saw a panel saw three shapers with power feeds 25" planer 12" jointer  18" resaw 14" radial arm all of this helps me get my work done.
All the times I have bought cheap it has cost double. I do not list brands because I think every person has different needs and thoughts and experience
At the moment my portable table saw is not cutting the mustard no pun intended the best portable saw is what Mafell has it cost more than my 1000 lb 12"
saw does. I will get it for I know it will last and be the best at what it does.
To make the choice at a young age to do what we do for a living is alot of hard yet satisfying work and  having good tools . Well it just makes it better.
I am really bad at typing please forgive all my errors. May all your projects be fun.
Rc

 

[Stone Message]

When I first started in the wood working trade as an apprentice at 14yrs old in 1978. I was the clean up boy who spent hours tailing off on the planer/shaper/
table saw.Then clean up after everybody. At woodshop in high school during the same time I showed some natural talent. I began to love to build and make things
for people. Then began the Journey of acquiring my own tools. First came hand planes Japannese chisels saws you can see where this is going.
Anyway I started buying milwaukee tools they were the best at the time still use a couple of them today. The first makita chopsaw was as good as it got then all of
5" cut no compound. There are are some of those projects produced then that still look really good. I felt even then that training in the trades was lacking.
In my shop I have some blue  some red an orange a lot of green n black also a bit red n black to get me through any kind of project. And with two table saw a panel saw three shapers with power feeds 25" planer 12" jointer  18" resaw 14" radial arm all of this helps me get my work done.
All the times I have bought cheap it has cost double. I do not list brands because I think every person has different needs and thoughts and experience
At the moment my portable table saw is not cutting the mustard no pun intended the best portable saw is what Mafell has it cost more than my 1000 lb 12"
saw does. I will get it for I know it will last and be the best at what it does.
To make the choice at a young age to do what we do for a living is alot of hard yet satisfying work and  having good tools . Well it just makes it better.
I am really bad at typing please forgive all my errors. May all your projects be fun.
Rc

Maybe Rc has hit the nail on the head - perhaps we should be getting the message to the younger generation that you get what you pay for and cheaper tools do not give the return on the investment.

Peter

 

[ajones]

Hi Everyone,

This is almost certainly the wrong place for this but...

I know that younger tradespeople do not always have the cash to buy the right (best) tools but they could do so much better if they got it right first time.

How can we persuade people to go for quality tools? Obviously I am really talking about Festool kit. My work has been transformed by the TS with guide rails, the Domino, Kapex and Rotex. How can we as a forum or Festool world wide get the message across that going cheap just does not pay?

A bad workman might blame his or her tools but Festool owners have nobody to blame but themselves.

Your constructive views to get younger tradespeople buying Festool would be much appreciated.

Peter what is your interest in getting young people to buy Festool are you doing market research for Festool?

Peter

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

  All good points. For me the larger topic may be, "How do young people learn best the value of personal safety, job-site etiquette, caring of tools, mindfulness, patience, precision, quality, artistic process, time management, respect for self and others, and respect for tradition and craftsmanship." It's not my job to sell Festool products, but if a Festool product is the best one for a certain job, in my case, then I would show a younger person why, if they were interested.
  I think that Festool has been doing a pretty good job, so far, with their marketing campaign, to get their message across.  I would like to see more instructional videos on tool usage be made available to high school wood shop programs (what few exist), trade schools, big box store seminars, the internet, etc. It appears that Festool has already been doing this to some extent.  At least at a level far beyond the competition.