MFS

I'm sure someone from Festool or a dealer will reply with the corporate line about product life cycles, range refresh, etc.

But in short I'd propose it's grossly over priced for what it is and didn't sell in enough quantity for them to maintain it in their product line. As with any big business they will have to maximise profitability and don't have an unlimited cash flow, therefore they will drop products that have a slow rate of sale and divert budget to importing/stocking more popular lines from Germany.

The problem is these, driven by accountants, product range decisions are shrewd financially on paper, but do erode customer advocacy because customers feel that the business is putting too much emphasis on the greed of profit than offering customers the broadest product range possible.
 
The main reasons why the MFS was discontinued was that didn't sell well. While some people liked it, there was very little interest in it overall.

In response to [member=60286]bobfog[/member]: Sometimes (and I honestly don't know if this applies to the MFS) it's not about "greed of profit" as much as it's about minimizing losses. Yes, we'd love to sell "the broadest product range possible", but we aren't going to keep manufacturing something if we're losing money on it.
 
TylerC said:
There were two main reasons why the MFS was discontinued:

1. It didn't sell well. While some people liked it, there was very little interest in it overall.
2.  The MFK Trim Router is really a better solution for similar work. Therefore, we'd rather push people in that direction.

In response to [member=60286]bobfog[/member]: Sometimes (and I honestly don't know if this applies to the MFS) it's not about "greed of profit" as much as it's about minimizing losses. Yes, we'd love to sell "the broadest product range possible", but we aren't going to keep manufacturing something if we're losing money on it.
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Yeah I appreciate that. That's why I mentioned/prefaced that comment by saying even big businesses or even the manufacturers themselves don't have unlimited budgets to keep minimum stock quantities to supply potential demand of an entire region, if a particular line is a slow seller. I wasn't saying it was a bad decision just playing devil's advocate about the repercussions of the decision from the consumers perspective.
 
I think it's a huge shame they're dropping the MFS in the USA.  I guess they might then drop it in Europe too, because the total sales will be even smaller.

Of all the Festool products I've bought it's the one that has surprised me the most.  I find I end up using it on just about every project I do.

It's the completeness of Festool's range that makes it attractive.

Andrew
 
Roseland said:
I think it's a huge shame they're dropping the MFS in the USA.  I guess they might then drop it in Europe too, because the total sales will be even smaller.

Of all the Festool products I've bought it's the one that has surprised me the most.  I find I end up using it on just about every project I do.

It's the completeness of Festool's range that makes it attractive.

Andrew
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I could not agree more. I get why they are doing it, but it is a shame. I now, luckily, have a pretty complete set-up and keep finding more uses for it.
 
Roseland said:
I think it's a huge shame they're dropping the MFS in the USA.  I guess they might then drop it in Europe too, because the total sales will be even smaller.

Of all the Festool products I've bought it's the one that has surprised me the most.  I find I end up using it on just about every project I do.

It's the completeness of Festool's range that makes it attractive.

Andrew
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Completeness?
It may seem complete, but when they drop the items, then it is less complete.
So it seems like it is less attractive?
 
For those of you who have been using the MFS for a while, what are some examples of how you have used the MFS system?  I had purchased the MFS 700 set last week for cutting circular table tops, and I realize it will work for hinge mortises- just wondering what else.  Main reason I ask is to see if I should be purchasing extensions before they are no longer available.

I believe Jerry Work had a paper he created so I'm going to look for that as well.

Regards,
Gerald
 
Jerry's and Brice's guides are very helpful. I use the profiles as straight edges, an accurate square and I use them all the time for guiding my jigsaw. Of course the normal routing operations. While I have not done this technique yet, I want to use it to guide a router for surfacing wider boards than my jointer. I think erock  did this and there is another thread of someone else who did it. Very accurate and easy set-up. The smaller size is perfect for mortises. I think the stops are handy with four if you need to reference off two sides of a work piece. Oh, and don't forget inlay applications (covered in the user guides).
 
It would be quicker to list the things I don't use it for!  But typical examples are cutting pockets for the treads of stairs, cutouts for power sockets, cutouts for french cleats and sometimes circles; the list goes on.

I had made (by Shapeways) some corner fillets that enable me, using an 8mm cutter and 24mm and 40mm guide bushes, rout out an aperture and an exactly matching insert.  I used that, for example, to repair a door that had to be repaired after the lock jammed and had to be cut out.

Andrew
 
Crap
Now I think I NEED one of those.

It's like how a girlfriend gets real attractive when you realize she is leaving you.
Lol.
Charlie
 
pettyconstruction said:
Crap
Now I think I NEED one of those.

It's like how a girlfriend gets real attractive when you realize she is leaving you.
Lol.
Charlie
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Hmmm, can't relate. I never had one leave me. [poke]
 
greg mann said:
pettyconstruction said:
Crap
Now I think I NEED one of those.

It's like how a girlfriend gets real attractive when you realize she is leaving you.
Lol.
Charlie
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Hmmm, can't relate. I never had one leave me. [poke]
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ROFL!!!!!
 
I just used my MFS 700 to makes this ring lastnight. I have to see if I can find the 200 & 2000 extensions...anybody know who has stock?

62ee93230afc13d4ad3ed2a15df08804.jpg


d56406faa9f8bbd18a2bfb916cea2b05.jpg
 
You are too late Bob, that was invented in 1958!  [wink]

OK, but whatcha building?

Seth
 
SRSemenza said:
You are too late Bob, that was invented in 1958!  [wink]

OK, but whatcha building?

Seth
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It's an outer ring for a ceiling medallion. The parts that came with the "kit" we're in 4 pieces and the joining of the crap seams we're going to spell disaster down the road so I made a one piece ring.
 
I don't think Bob has any stock so to speak. Everything is shipped directly from Festool USA.
 
JimH2 said:
I don't think Bob has any stock so to speak. Everything is shipped directly from Festool USA.
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Well that sucks. Is there a way to find out if Festool has any stock of these things Tyler?
 
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