Is Festool the best?
- Thread starter AdamV94
- Start date
Adam,
First, welcome to FOG.
Your question is a tough one. Individually you can find some tools that might be a bit better. And some tools are better in some circumstances.
For example, I have a Mirka Ceros. It's a very good sander - nice and light, and has good dust collection. For sanding walls and ceilings, it's better than my Rotex 150. For polishing, it's not as good. For heavy hogging out wood, I think the Rotex is better. It just depends. OTOH, I would NOT have bought the Ceros if I couldn't integrate it with my Festool vac - the 27mm Festool hose fits in the Ceros dust port perfectly. Just like my other Festool sanders.
And that brings me to the next important point - Festool has an integrated system. ALL of my sanders, OF1400 router, TS55, 850 planer, Kapex, etc work with my Festool vac. The rails, clamps and MFT integrate extremely well with my Festool tools. Not having to futz around with tools to get them to work together is HUGE.
I love it when someone blathers away about how XYZ miter saw is better than the Kapex. And then you'll see them buy all sorts of add-ons and gadgets to capture the major dust storm generated by their favorite saw with the glitzy features. I had a Bosch 4410L and a Makita LS1016 before I got my Kapex. The Bosch was decent, but had some quality failures, the bevel gauge was mediocre, and it was HEAVY. The Makita was light and had decent features, but BOTH of the ones I bought had runout and the dust collection was abysmal.
So is the Kapex better? Depends on what you value. For me, the overall quality, light weight, accuracy, and great dust collection are worth every penny.
My suggestion is to evaluate your needs, and then buy the tools that match your needs the best and have the best overall feature set. Stand back and look at the forest not the trees.
Regards,
Dan.
First, welcome to FOG.
Your question is a tough one. Individually you can find some tools that might be a bit better. And some tools are better in some circumstances.
For example, I have a Mirka Ceros. It's a very good sander - nice and light, and has good dust collection. For sanding walls and ceilings, it's better than my Rotex 150. For polishing, it's not as good. For heavy hogging out wood, I think the Rotex is better. It just depends. OTOH, I would NOT have bought the Ceros if I couldn't integrate it with my Festool vac - the 27mm Festool hose fits in the Ceros dust port perfectly. Just like my other Festool sanders.
And that brings me to the next important point - Festool has an integrated system. ALL of my sanders, OF1400 router, TS55, 850 planer, Kapex, etc work with my Festool vac. The rails, clamps and MFT integrate extremely well with my Festool tools. Not having to futz around with tools to get them to work together is HUGE.
I love it when someone blathers away about how XYZ miter saw is better than the Kapex. And then you'll see them buy all sorts of add-ons and gadgets to capture the major dust storm generated by their favorite saw with the glitzy features. I had a Bosch 4410L and a Makita LS1016 before I got my Kapex. The Bosch was decent, but had some quality failures, the bevel gauge was mediocre, and it was HEAVY. The Makita was light and had decent features, but BOTH of the ones I bought had runout and the dust collection was abysmal.
So is the Kapex better? Depends on what you value. For me, the overall quality, light weight, accuracy, and great dust collection are worth every penny.
My suggestion is to evaluate your needs, and then buy the tools that match your needs the best and have the best overall feature set. Stand back and look at the forest not the trees.
Regards,
Dan.
sancho57
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 7,089
I look at it like this.Most tools are made in chna anymore and have questionale quality.
I perfer a high quaitytool w/excellent customer service.
As Tom Belmore told me today, its a heck of a lot easier bringing the tool to the plywood then the plywood to the tool.
pPLus the dust collection is awesome.
But bottom line its all personal preference
I perfer a high quaitytool w/excellent customer service.
As Tom Belmore told me today, its a heck of a lot easier bringing the tool to the plywood then the plywood to the tool.
pPLus the dust collection is awesome.
But bottom line its all personal preference
Paddyfin1
Member
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- Jan 8, 2012
- Messages
- 94
I'm a professional kitchen fitter and use festool equipment everyday
I would say that as complete system of work festool is pretty much unsurpassed.
I started as did many with the ts55 saw and never looked back, when the systainers,kapex and dust extractors get rolled into people's homes they all comment how proffesional the whole system is
I would say that as complete system of work festool is pretty much unsurpassed.
I started as did many with the ts55 saw and never looked back, when the systainers,kapex and dust extractors get rolled into people's homes they all comment how proffesional the whole system is
you got some great responses here.
In general, if you make money with your tools, lets face it, the cost of the tools is an insignificant part of your business, unless you buy the entire mother load of Festools in your first year. For those who are just hobbiest, the issue is more touchy. Wealthy hobbiest have no issues, just like they don't hesitate to buy a BMW over a Chevy. Budget minded hobbiest, well, that is where the wars are on the other forums.
For the budget minded hobbiest, who has limited space, but is a perfectionist, Festool brings a lot too the table for fine woodworking projects. Clean cuts, dust free work system, and the ability to do the work of a prof. fine cabinet shop, then fold up the system and put your garage in the car. tough to beat. OTOH, for non fine woodworkers, some of the luster of the Festool products might be overkill, as there are so many options in power tools today. So, as a hobiest, a lot depends on what type of ww you are doing, as well as, how critical garage space is for your shop.
In general, if you make money with your tools, lets face it, the cost of the tools is an insignificant part of your business, unless you buy the entire mother load of Festools in your first year. For those who are just hobbiest, the issue is more touchy. Wealthy hobbiest have no issues, just like they don't hesitate to buy a BMW over a Chevy. Budget minded hobbiest, well, that is where the wars are on the other forums.
For the budget minded hobbiest, who has limited space, but is a perfectionist, Festool brings a lot too the table for fine woodworking projects. Clean cuts, dust free work system, and the ability to do the work of a prof. fine cabinet shop, then fold up the system and put your garage in the car. tough to beat. OTOH, for non fine woodworkers, some of the luster of the Festool products might be overkill, as there are so many options in power tools today. So, as a hobiest, a lot depends on what type of ww you are doing, as well as, how critical garage space is for your shop.
lino-man
Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2010
- Messages
- 100
Not sure if it was touched on, but I find myself taking on harder and more challenging jobs. Festool really has made things easier and I don't often turn something down. I like the freedom that it provides in that regard. Here its an example of something that the 700 router combined with my ct22 made possible. If curious, thats a thin metal product from Australia, and it went in lastly on this job.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
sancho57
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 7,089
As others have mentioned any festool by itself is well a good tool. What makes festool stand apart is its a system. All the tools seem to work together and can be used with each other. Such as the guide rails. All the routers and saws work with the guide rails. The MFT is the center point of the system. For me its a must have.
I think the reason the tools are or seem to be more expensive is everything is ala carte. You buy everything separate. Basically YOU create your own system based on what your needs are.
Are festools faster? Depends..some things a table saw can do alot faster. Ripping small pieces of hard wood for example. But that is why festool makes a table saw. But unfortunately it isnt sold over here yet.
Once it is, then I will honestly be able to say yes festool is faster.
Initail calibration of some of the festools have a learning curve. At least for me.
But festool is always available to contact incase you need some help. You can call them at festool or contact a rep. Feild reps have been known to go out to your shop and help you set up.
But IMO if you decide to go the Green and Blue way, you need to take a end user class.
I was struggling with my FT for a while and even considered selling them.
But after taking the class I know where my short comings were and love them.
Oh yea, home made jigs really speed things up to. I got a couple love and use the heck out of.
Anyway this is my Opnion. Hope this helps.
I think the reason the tools are or seem to be more expensive is everything is ala carte. You buy everything separate. Basically YOU create your own system based on what your needs are.
Are festools faster? Depends..some things a table saw can do alot faster. Ripping small pieces of hard wood for example. But that is why festool makes a table saw. But unfortunately it isnt sold over here yet.
Once it is, then I will honestly be able to say yes festool is faster.
Initail calibration of some of the festools have a learning curve. At least for me.
But festool is always available to contact incase you need some help. You can call them at festool or contact a rep. Feild reps have been known to go out to your shop and help you set up.
But IMO if you decide to go the Green and Blue way, you need to take a end user class.
I was struggling with my FT for a while and even considered selling them.
But after taking the class I know where my short comings were and love them.
Oh yea, home made jigs really speed things up to. I got a couple love and use the heck out of.
Anyway this is my Opnion. Hope this helps.
So, first off... coming to the FOG and asking if Festool is the best is like walking into a Catholic church and asking if Jesus is Lord....
Yesterday I spent the day putting on 3 coats of water based Poly on a new dining table I'm building (Deft brand). The finish dried so fast that the brush marks were 3D. It looked terrible, or as I call it "The Glazed Doughnut Finish". Today I sandeda it ALL off to bare wood to start over.
Now how long would that take you with a regular sander?
With the RO 90, 220 grit granat, and the CT 36 hooked up... 30- minutes total. And no dust in the shop.
Yeah, Festool is the best. Worth EVERY penny.
Yesterday I spent the day putting on 3 coats of water based Poly on a new dining table I'm building (Deft brand). The finish dried so fast that the brush marks were 3D. It looked terrible, or as I call it "The Glazed Doughnut Finish". Today I sandeda it ALL off to bare wood to start over.
Now how long would that take you with a regular sander?
With the RO 90, 220 grit granat, and the CT 36 hooked up... 30- minutes total. And no dust in the shop.
Yeah, Festool is the best. Worth EVERY penny.
AdamV94 said:
Hello Adam,
I'll say that all depends [eek] did I say that on the FOG.
Adam if you already have 5 routers like I do then it might be questionable to buy the Festool router but, I don't see anything on the market today that can compete with the Domino Joiner and I have been building furniture and cabinets for over 40 years. In the case of the Domino Joiner IMHO you definitely get more than your paying for.
Since I have a full cabinet shop, I haven't bought into the saw and guide options however, I'm sure that they are worth it since I have built homemade versions that took a lot of time and were not easy to use.
Do the Festool tools last? - I have had my Domino Joiner for almost 4 years and have cut thousands of joints and that tool is in pristine condition and I expect it to last many years (probably will go to my kids after I can't do this anymore).
I have the Joiner, the Jig saw, the RO90 and the ETS 150/3 and yes they are all excellent quality tools.
Good luck Adam.