KSC 60 or KS 60, which one to buy?

[MarkXu]

Hi,

I am getting one of them. Which one should I get? I have plenty of batteries. But none of them is Bluetooth version.
And my vacuums do not have Bluetooth as well. I have a potable generator. It can run a vacuum and KS 60.
Therefore I can run both saws on site with no electricity available.
Are they the same saws? Are there any new features with KSC 60? I have read some reviews on KSC 60. People say a full 5.2ah battery only on make a few cuts. Is it true?

 

[ChuckS]

Snip.I have read some reviews on KSC 60. People say a full 5.2ah battery only on make a few cuts. Is it true?

[attachimg=1]

If one battery could make just a few cuts, that means two would make only 2 x few cuts?

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

MarkXu,

It might be helpful to consider your use case for these machines. I am a professional tradesperson, so my considerations may be different than that of a consumer.

To my way of thinking, "daily driver" tools or tools that go up a ladder benefit from cordless technology.

On the other hand, good quality, professional tools tend to last a really long time. I spent much of my career performing on-site, residential remodeling work (slowly transitioning the business towards Shop-based production of windows and doors). With the remodeling work, I often performed every stage of the project, from form work to finish carpentry and touch-ups. I bought into the HILTI 18V (which morphed into 22V) cordless system. The tools are top-notch, but what I've found is that now HILTI has migrated to a new battery platform (NURON).

So, now I have a pile of tools (various drills, impact drivers, recip saw, impact wrench, rotary hammer, chargers, radio, collated drywall screwdriver, drywall cutout tool, angle grinder, etc....) that each likely have 10+ years of life in them, but the batteries are now discontinued, and I'm faced with the option of buying up extra (unneeded) batteries now, or if I just continue to use the tools as I have been, and roll the dice that I'll still be able to get "A-22" batteries in 10-15 years.

Festool has a track record (just like all of the other manufacturers) of changing battery form factors over time, so in my mind any cordless tool should be considered "disposable", or be ok with the tool being unusable if/when access to batteries dries up.

Going forward, I'll probably go back to buying mostly corded tools (with the exception of a core set of drills/impact drivers), since I can count on one hand the number of tools I've actually worn out.

So, circling back to your question about the KS(C)-60, I'd suggest asking the question: "Will I get the full value out of the KSC-60 in the next ten years, that I'd be fine tossing it?" If the answer is "Yes" then go for it.  Otherwise, if this is intended to be a low-use or "lifetime" tool, then there's a certain stability in buying a corded tool.....

 

[Cheese]

If one battery could make just a few cuts, that means two would make only 2 x few cuts?

Fortunately Chuck it's not a linear function.  [smile]  I find that with the TSC 55 K, adding a 2nd battery gives me 3+ longer run times

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I am totally with [member=2726]Tom Gensmer[/member] on this. As a tradesman (pro) who is now fully in the shop after many years of doing both shop work and site installs, I don't see the need for cordless. I am tethered to the CT via the hose anyway, so the cord is a minimal extra.
Corded tools in the quality range of Festool are indeed "lifetime" in all but the most extreme cases. There are guys on here who have track saws and sanders that are 20+ years old and still going strong.
I have a Delta drill press in my garage that is from 1936 and it still performs flawlessly.

With batteries, you are always taking a chance that the form-factor will change with the up-dates in technology. Makita for instance, has had the same shape/fitment since the LXT, which was their first jump to Lithium Ion. That was introduced in the fall of 2005. At this point, with the huge volume of tools that they produce for that platform, I don't see them changing it anytime soon. They will bend over backward to keep a newer battery fitting that model. Before that though, they had several iterations too.

With the exception of the CXS, all of my Festool equipment is corded.

 

[peter halle]

It pained me to order other "brand" batteries on Amazon for my C-12 that uses NiMH batteries.  But the darn drill is enjoyable to use and just works as expected.

Corded for me as much as possible.

Peter

 

[woodferret]

I'm getting the KSC because i keep.blowing 15A fuses with my trim Makita slider.  I tend to randomly take that here and there for a few cuts so trying to find a circuit that isn't already fairly loaded gets annoying.  I also don't expect my tools to be heirlooms so I already go in with a 10yr expected life amortization.  Life beyond that is bonus. As for battery incompatibility, Festool is going all in on the 18V form factor and eschewing the industry trend of more cells (eg 40V, etc).  They're bending over backwards to use dual batteries instead.  I do expect high current models etc but also expect it to be backward compatible like every other mfg that did that.