Long centrotec bits rubbish?

[promark747]

For the cost of these things (I just paid $19 each for the P1, P2, and P3 two-packs), they should be top quality.

 

[Greg Lock]

Hi
So from that, i take it you are 100% not on a promo drive for certain manufacturers, including Festool.
A fine line exists between providing balanced information for others in a community of like minded souls and pushing/promoting from a supplier (s) who provides free kit and gains favourable representation in a noted forum such as FOG. I would guess those who contribute on a regular basis are aware of this anyway. I have used the forum (not posting)over a couple of years to gain balanced information which is the great strength of this site and personally i hope it continues without direct/indirect advertising. I have been a trade 'woody' for many years and am Festool all the way through.
 If a product is given for free it is difficult to be objective as the basis of being given it is for a positive result. If a product is directly purchased and reviewed then the end result is possibly more equal as loyalty is not present.
G.L

 

[Steve R]

Interesting topic twist of how reviews are interpreted by viewers.  [popcorn] waiting for next volley.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Stone Message]

Greg

This is becoming tedious and boring the pants off the regular guys...

I am an absolute Festool fan and have been since I sold up all of my heavy machinery and bought the brand. I have answered your original question. I have owned Wera products for years and have bought every single one and I pay all of my taxes - but the that surely won't be your next question - will it? I think that we should get back to enjoying the FOG now rather than putting on a side show.

Shane...SHANE!!

Peter

 

[luke1984]

Hi people the long gold bits are rubbish I've snapped / broke about 7 so I've stopped buying them .spoke to my dealer about exchanging them and he said they wouldn't because they are classed as a consumable. All the bits I used were pz2 so I ground 2 of them into slotted bits work quite well. Luke

 

[Kev]

If a product is given for free it is difficult to be objective as the basis of being given it is for a positive result. If a product is directly purchased and reviewed then the end result is possibly more equal as loyalty is not present.
G.L

I'd like to jump in and argue that point ... If something is free it is "given" and it comes down to the integrity of the reviewer.

My area of concern has always been "reviews" in publications that accept paid advertising ... if you've ever seen how that side of the industry works - that's where you should level your integrity concerns.

Back on your earlier point and as far as Peter is concerned - he is a true gentleman and a person I have come to highly respect from my time here on the FOG - though I certainly don't share his taste in music  [big grin]

Kev

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Guys, let's stay on topic and not get into personal attacks. I think the question of Peter's acquisition of the products he reviews has been answered. I would expect any member of the forum to have the courtesy of disclosing if they were given a product for review. I know that any time I send a Festool product to someone I ask that they include that disclosure in their review, whether it be written or video.

Any additional posts that seem to be personal attacks will be removed without warning. Thank you.

Now... back to bashing the driver bits.  [huh]

 

[Stone Message]

Thanks Shane.

I think I might have an early night!

Take care.

Peter

 

[Frank-Jan]

Just after I got my protool drill (the pdc 18-4, which was my first drill with the centrotec system) I was looking into which centrotec systainer I would get for my drill, the protool version, with the trays that would fit the  (then new) systainer attic-lid. or the soon to be introduced festool centrotec 2008 set, which came with an adapter to use the centrotec stuff with a non-centrotec drill aswell. (needless to say I ended up getting both sets )

When I asked about the protool set only having the 55 mm centrotec bits instead of the longer ones, which were in the festool version, the protool rep said that was because the longer bits weren't suited for the high torque of the protool drill.

Sofar I have broken three of the longer centrotec bits, they were all of the flat kind, trying to remove painted over old hinge screws.

Since I was warned about the long bits being less strong I'm probably a bit more carefull using them, but I do use them regularly, often in conjunction with the long bitholder. But I wouldn't call them rubbish, in some cases they're very handy.

(For the regular short bits I prefer the wera diamant bits, I used quite a lot of different ones: witte, wekador, wiha, kwb,festool, dewalt,... but I settled on the wera diamant (some of the kwb bits were actually rebranded wera diamant bits))

 

[waynelang2001]

The first time i got a festool cordless drill I decided to buy some of the festool pozi bits. I went through 4 of them in one week. I then bought some wera pozi bits and I only broke 1 every few months. I wont buy festool bits again. The centrotec drill bits though are great though.

 

[Greg Lock]

I was not being personal just opening a debate which i thought was a reasonable thing to do. [crying]

G.L (also having an early night due to an early start as i am oiling a 4m oak hall table)

 

[semenza]

Sofar I have broken three of the longer centrotec bits, they were all of the flat kind, trying to remove painted over old hinge screws.

Try this tip  removing painted screws

Seth

 

[b_m_hart]

I had the #2 phillips head version break on me the very first time I used it.  The screws were not painted over, however they were fairly firmly in place.  I lost grip, and as soon as I could release the trigger, I stopped and looked at the bit.  Sure enough, it was jacked.  I'll grab a pic of it later on.  I was on the fence about buying the centrotec kit, but figured I'd go ahead and grab it since I got a new drill, but after having that happen, I'm not planning on ever buying another festool centrotec bit.

 

[Timtool]

A member pointed out to me that Spax screws have their own special heads, and indeed on the box there is a white circle drawn inside the torx head, it's not security torx and i cannot find it anywhere else on the internet.
Apparently you are supposed to buy the spax heads because they fit a little better. the box is empty so i can't check how it looks, but i probably won't buy spax again and stick with reisser.

 

[Stone Message]

A member pointed out to me that Spax screws have their own special heads, and indeed on the box there is a white circle drawn inside the torx head, it's not security torx and i cannot find it anywhere else on the internet.
Apparently you are supposed to buy the spax heads because they fit a little better. the box is empty so i can't check how it looks, but i probably won't buy spax again and stick with reisser.

Hi Timtool

I may be wrong but I think that there might be a 3td Torx variant, normal, security plus a new one - I might be thinking of something else.

Peter

 

[Vindingo]

A member pointed out to me that Spax screws have their own special heads, and indeed on the box there is a white circle drawn inside the torx head, it's not security torx and i cannot find it anywhere else on the internet.
Apparently you are supposed to buy the spax heads because they fit a little better. the box is empty so i can't check how it looks, but i probably won't buy spax again and stick with reisser.

The Spax torx head is the opposite of a security torx.  There is a round nib on the end of the Spax bit which fits into a circle recess inside of the star shape of the torx. 

I was not happy with how my Wera or Festool torx bits fit in the head of Spax screws, but the bit which Spax provided was definitely superior.    I have never had a problem with GRK torx screws and Wear or Festool bits though. 

GRK T15 size fit the Wera and Festool bits better than Spax T15 IMO.

 

[Frank-Jan]

A member pointed out to me that Spax screws have their own special heads, and indeed on the box there is a white circle drawn inside the torx head, it's not security torx and i cannot find it anywhere else on the internet.
Apparently you are supposed to buy the spax heads because they fit a little better. the box is empty so i can't check how it looks, but i probably won't buy spax again and stick with reisser.

I mistakenly bought a spax bitset once thinking it were regular torx, on regular torxscrews the bits don't work too well, because the little round end prevents them to seat at the bottom of the screwhead, thus are more likely to strip the screwhead.

I mostly use hecofix or spax screws, but mainly with pozidrive heads, but not so long ago we got a few boxes of the longer reisser screws from our lumberyard, and we like them a lot, and they were cheaper too.

At least you know now what caused your bit to wear prematurely, the combination of the softer steel and the spax screws that only use the very tip of a regular torx bit.

/edit: removed double quote

 

[neeleman]

Recently I bought some new screws named MaxxFast (http://www.maxxfast.com).
The also use the Torx head with the little knob and it's called TTAP.

I also think other manufactures use this kind of Torx today.
The new type of screws are also pretty good to use.

 

[green fever]

hi peter , never mind about winning the lottery you have just found the cure for insomnia, [ just kidding ] the bit issue will carry on no doubt but in my own experience i have found wera to be a very good choice although not without faults though , last year whilst replacing a garage roof i was using an impact drill with the wera bits all new with the appropriate screws, first three bits sheered off and after a quick call to the supplier i was put in contact with a wera rep who was very concerned about the bits breaking , i was then asked to send the offending bits and the holder back to wera u.k. and i was told the offending bits would be sent back to germany for testing, a few days later i received a whole set of wera impact bits and the holders x 2 . very happy with them so far, now wera have just brought out another version of the bits and holders impactor i believe, any how i am just putting the message out there that the good tool companys such as festool etc will always be looking to improve on their products for the good of all of us the end users, love the videos buy the way , if you would care to pm me i shall be more than happy to send you one of the sets i received  the least i can do after all the information you put out there for us.

 

[jmbfestool]

Recently I bought some new screws named MaxxFast (http://www.maxxfast.com).
The also use the Torx head with the little knob and it's called TTAP.

I also think other manufactures use this kind of Torx today.
The new type of screws are also pretty good to use.

Not for UK  [sad] wanted to try them out.

Oh well