Makita vs Festool?

[pettyconstruction]

Interesting.

How many of you would want an adapter for AC power to your TSC 55, so you could cut all day long with that kind of power?

I think that would be a great thing. Like the d-Wally table saw.
I love my TSC-55 but have a TS-75 also.
Charlie

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[sheperd80]

Go with any of the higher end box store brands for cordless tools. Im a milwaukee guy myself but makita bosch and dewalt all make great cordless tools as well. Dont waste your money on festool in this area. If you want precision woodworking tools with dust collection...THEN waste your money on Festool :-D

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[mrboult]

Despite my original response declaring Makita to be a strong choice....  I wanted to come back and throw some balance into this thread full of people saying the festool drills/cordless aren't worth it....

I had makita drills for 10 years - since i bought my first festool drill i loath using any dewalt, makita or bosch etc drill....

Other people might prefer to have a heaving makita with enough power to turn the world... But as a professional woodworker i can not really express how much i prefer my festool drills over anything else I've ever used. And I've tried a lot of cordless drills.

So while i understand the advice and opinions against the festools, hold your horses with the sweeping finality in such statments. Cos some people disagree with you emphatically!

 

[TXFIVEO]

I have both Dewalt and Milwaukee cordless tools. I am happy with both...but I if I had to pick between Tom he two...probably Dewalt.  The cordless tools they have just seem to outperform overall.  Their drills are pretty much even, but when you throw in other tools like cordless nailer, oscillating tool, etc the Dewalt wins for me. 

 

[Lbob131]

Have  metabo cordless  for some time now.
Just acquired  the KS 18 LTX 57  circular saw. Which is compatible  with festool  rails.
And metabo metaloc  fits directly with  festool  systainers. I'm lucky  as I live close  to one of the UK's  biggest metabo  importers.

 

[RussellS]

In Norway we don't consider either Makita, Metabo or Milwaukee  as a high-end brands.. Festool, Hilti, Mafell are the brands of choice.

In the USA I don't think people consider Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt to be high end brands.  They are considered quality tools used by people who use tools every day.  Construction crews, repair men, etc.  Quality tools that get the job done.  Nothing fancy or high faluting about them.  Festool, Hilti, etc. are definitely high end tools.  Not sure high quality is the right word.  High end meaning they are good quality, just like Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, but they are also high priced.  Higher priced by a lot than Makita, DeWalt, Milwaukee.  They may offer that little bit extra in precision or finesse over the other common brands.  But for a plumber drilling holes for pipes in joists, or a carpenter cutting studs for a wall, none of that matters jack squat.

 

[fshanno]

Despite my original response declaring Makita to be a strong choice....  I wanted to come back and throw some balance into this thread full of people saying the festool drills/cordless aren't worth it....

I had makita drills for 10 years - since i bought my first festool drill i loath using any dewalt, makita or bosch etc drill....

Other people might prefer to have a heaving makita with enough power to turn the world... But as a professional woodworker i can not really express how much i prefer my festool drills over anything else I've ever used. And I've tried a lot of cordless drills.

So while i understand the advice and opinions against the festools, hold your horses with the sweeping finality in such statments. Cos some people disagree with you emphatically!

I get you.  Festool is kind of the Lie-Nielsen of drills.  For a certain part of the market a belt hook is just something that gets in the way. 

I can feel it even in the CXS.  It does have a certain feel, a difference.

And the Centrotec stuff fits in with that.  It's too expensive and to exclusive for the market at large and I'm talking the professional market.  But it's better.

 

[fshanno]

Interesting though, In Norway we don't consider either Makita, Metabo or Milwaukee  as a high-end brands.. Festool, Hilti, Mafell are  the brands of choice.

How about Fein?  Do they belong on your short list?

 

[blaszcsj]

[member=25351]rst[/member] [member=37411]ear3[/member]  can you use a standard ts55 kerf blade on the tsc? i have 4 blades for the corded and Im thinking about making the switch.

 

[rst]

The Festool 55 series saws all use the same blades...personally, I use AGE blades that I buy from ToolsToday.

 

[kevinculle]

Once you decide to pony up for an overpriced luxury good whether a tool, bottle of wine or piece of audio equipment, you can count on confirmation bias to convince you that your money was well spent!

 

[ear3]

[member=45856]blaszcsj[/member] Yup!

[member=25351]rst[/member] [member=37411]ear3[/member]  can you use a standard ts55 kerf blade on the tsc? i have 4 blades for the corded and Im thinking about making the switch.

 

[ScotF]

[member=45856]blaszcsj[/member] Yup!

[member=25351]rst[/member] [member=37411]ear3[/member]  can you use a standard ts55 kerf blade on the tsc? i have 4 blades for the corded and Im thinking about making the switch.

The TSC55 is just awesome. I have the 75 and rarely use it since the TSC55 is so darn good. Great power, ergonomics and not being tethered is great.

 

[ProCarpenterRVA]

I've been using makita stuff since the 70s when I had a PanAm pilot bring me back a sander and a drill from Tokyo. I was so excited to get a cordless drill!!! Pretty amazing stuff back then.

I have a few Makita 18 volt impact drivers and drills in use now which have been used heavily over the years. They have driven tens of thousands of screws in all sorts of applications. They look like hell and the batteries are tired now, not holding a good charge for long, but that's to be expected. I'm sure tempted to grab the new cordless miter saw this month just to get the two free batteries they're offering on top of the two which come with the saw!

I've had their belt sanders, miter saws, nail guns, compressor, all good tools that we abused and wore out.

So to answer your question, the Makita stuff is well made for the money. Tons of pros buy them.

Then there's Festool [emoji41]

Festool has a lot of niche products like the sanders, dust extractors, planer with variable contour heads, Conturo, Domino joiner, even Kapex miter saw, all of which have unique features that put them ahead of the competition. If you use them enough like I do, paying the "premium" isn't as much a problem as it would be if you were a hobbyist. I look at the "premium" partly as a function of their being German, and partly because they offer generally superior support and warranty. As a professional user, after you've spent hours and hours using less refined tools, the Festool choices become easier to make.

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[pettyconstruction]

[member=45856]blaszcsj[/member] Yup!

[member=25351]rst[/member] [member=37411]ear3[/member]  can you use a standard ts55 kerf blade on the tsc? i have 4 blades for the corded and Im thinking about making the switch.

The TSC55 is just awesome. I have the 75 and rarely use it since the TSC55 is so darn good. Great power, ergonomics and not being tethered is great.

I have a TS-75 also ,and have not picked it up since I got the TSC-55.
Charlie

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[JFelchlin]

I love my Festool tools - But would think long and hard - About buying them today.
Notwithstanding the Festool issue - Regarding the hassle and considerable cost -
Of having to have sets of different proprietary batteries for each different tool -
There was a time - Back when I bought most of my Festool tools -
When Festool was noted for high priced - But high QA, premium quality tools.
But, the last few years Festool’s QA seems to have diminished -
As evidenced by an ever increasing number of posts - Across a wide variety of tools -
In the FOG’s Festool Tool Problems section.

Continueing to tell customers to return Festool tools within 30 days of purchase -
Or to send them in to be repaired to Festool Service -
Just isn’t good enough anymore.

Hence, the increasing comparisons to Makita and other brands -
“Good enough to do the job” - At 1/2 to 2/3 the cost.

 

[semenza]

I love my Festool tools - But would think long and hard - About buying them today.
Notwithstanding the Festool issue - Regarding the hassle and considerable cost -
Of having to have sets of different proprietary batteries for each different tool -
There was a time - Back when I bought most of my Festool tools -
When Festool was noted for high priced - But high QA, premium quality tools.
But, the last few years Festool’s QA seems to have diminished -
As evidenced by an ever increasing number of posts - Across a wide variety of tools -
In the FOG’s Festool Tool Problems section.

Continueing to tell customers to return Festool tools within 30 days of purchase -
Or to send them in to be repaired to Festool Service -
Just isn’t good enough anymore.

Hence, the increasing comparisons to Makita and other brands -
“Good enough to do the job” - At 1/2 to 2/3 the cost.

    That portion about the battery platforms is only partially accurate.  You do not need a different battery for each different tool.  CXS/TXS and the new cordless sanders each have their own battery type. But everything else uses the same battery .......  TSC55 saw, HKC55 saw, Carvex, T and C series drills, PDC drill, BHC Hammer drill, DWC Drywall driver, Syslite, Radio ..... all the same battery platform.

Seth

 

[demographic]

Festools circular saws and for me especually the HKC 55 are brilliant.
Their drills? Lot of money for something that makes a chuck spin.

Am interested in the Drywall cordless though.

 

[leakyroof]

Festools circular saws and for me especually the HKC 55 are brilliant.
Their drills? Lot of money for something that makes a chuck spin.

Am interested in the Drywall cordless though.

  I have the Cordless Drywall Gun along with several of their 'chuck spinning' drills    [poke].  Very sweet, very quick, and quiet... [thumbs up]  My first Collated Screw Gun.... [not worthy]

 

[JFelchlin]

Thank You Seth - Respectfully - For your reply.
I may have overstated the variety/number of batteries and chargers -
One needs to operate in the Festool environment.
But... Your detailed tool by tool information -
More than served to make my (and others) point.
We’re now waiting for the $$$$ Festool brand POWER STRIP -
To plug ‘em all into.  [wink]