New Festool owner dilemma: Return CXS for C12 or C15?

[hockey_magnet]

Just picked up the CXS a couple of days ago - my first Festool. My dilemma is that I can really only justify one new drill purchase. I have a Milwaukee 18V Nicad set that has served me pretty well but the Festool has so much superior control there is really no comparison for driving screws. I'm seriously considering returning the CXS to get the C12 or C15 for more versatility.  3/8 chucks, drilling larger holes and driving larger screws, so I won't have to take 2 drills on a job. I'll still keep the Milwaukee for a backup. Any thoughts from the Festool experts?

Thanks in advance

Chris

 

[semenza]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the FOG !  [smile]

The C12 is almost as compact as the CXS, and as you have noted has more features. The eccentric  chuck , depth stop chuck.  I think the Jacobs chucks on the new ones are 1/2" ?  ..... anyone?

Seth

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Yes, Seth.  Same chucks as the old except for the improved ratchet locking.

 

[Vindingo]

Hobby or pro?

The CXS seemed like a toy to me... albeit a nice one.  Go with the C15 

 

[NoBreyner]

The jacobs chuck that comes with the CXS maxes out at 3/8".  The separate 1/2" Jacobs chuck will work as they are both fast fix chucks. 

 

[PeterK]

The new C12 is the same voltage as the CXS at 10.8 but has a slightly larger amphr battery. Go for the C15 if you change.

 

[Dan Clark]

I have the CXS and an old C12.  I was going to get the new C15, but the CXS plus my old C12 still work well together.  IMO, a great combo is a CXS + new C15.  Plus a nice impact driver, of course.  I have a Makita impact driver for driving big lag screws.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[mouppe]

I'd make the switch if I were you.

I have the C12, it is a joy to use.

 

[woodwreck]

I have had the C12 for several years and the CXS for several mos and use the latter most of the time. Don't exchange the CXS for a C12 as they are too similar broadly speaking, but I have no knowledge of the C15.

 

[NoBreyner]

The CXS can do 95% of what the C-12+3 can do and what's more is you already have the CXS.  The C-12 is $420 and the CXS Set is $275.  Buy the 1/2" fast fix chuck for $55 and you'll save $90 and still do the majority of work most people will do anyway.  Paul Marcel did a demo of the CXS and it DID have difficulty driving a lag screw, but I will point out that he only had one undersized drill bit for the pilot hole.  I'd bet that with the right pilot hole the lag screw would have been driven with little difficulty.

Festool 1/2" Fast Fix Chuck

 

[hockey_magnet]

Thanks for all the suggestions - As I mentioned, I really can't justify purchasing 2 (CSX + C12 or C15) so I'm pretty sure I will return the CSX for the C15. Keeping in mind the C15 set is less than $60 more than the C12 so I've pretty much ruled the C12 out. The CXS is a great tool but I think I can live with the extra weight rather than using 2 drills when I need the extra power. Very tough decision.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[hockey_magnet]

Picked up the C15 this morning. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision. It's still so much lighter than my Milwaukee 18v! Would have loved to have the CXS as well but the cost would be hard to justify.

Chris

 

[builderbob]

You definitely made the right decision!  I love my C drills...I think I'm going to sell my T-15 Li and get the C-15...I prefer the C style!

Happy drilling!

Bob

 

[mouppe]

Picked up the C15 this morning. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision. It's still so much lighter than my Milwaukee 18v! Would have loved to have the CXS as well but the cost would be hard to justify.

Chris

As Delboy would say, "You know it makes sense Rodney."

 

[extiger]

Maybe it would help if you understood the power (torque) of the C-12. Then you could evaluate your needs. Buried in a back page in the C-12 brochure is the metric number for the power: 18 Newton Meters.

If you are like me, Metric specs are a mystery. A Rabbit Hole I have avoided since science classes in the 1950s. So I pulled out some books on machining and engineering and made some conversions of numbers. The C-12 has about 2/3 the torque of my Milwaukee 1/2" drill. The Milwaukee has side grip thingy so the machine won't jump out of your grasp when boring through a 4/4 with a 3/4" auger.

The C-12 feels almost that powerful. There are a lot of times that I can't hold on to it when driving screws into hard woods. Do you want that much power? For my furniture making, I honestly think I could get by with the CXS. And, on the rare occasion when I need a Mongo Monster, the red Milwaukee 1/2" is always nearby. Newton Meter alert!!!!!

 

[AlexThePalex]

If you are like me, Metric specs are a mystery. A Rabbit Hole I have avoided since science classes in the 1950s. So I pulled out some books on machining and engineering and made some conversions of numbers.

Google is your friend. Just type in the word "conversion" plus the units you want to convert and you'll find a page with your answer.

 

[hockey_magnet]

Maybe it would help if you understood the power (torque) of the C-12. Then you could evaluate your needs. Buried in a back page in the C-12 brochure is the metric number for the power: 18 Newton Meters.

If you are like me, Metric specs are a mystery. A Rabbit Hole I have avoided since science classes in the 1950s. So I pulled out some books on machining and engineering and made some conversions of numbers. The C-12 has about 2/3 the torque of my Milwaukee 1/2" drill. The Milwaukee has side grip thingy so the machine won't jump out of your grasp when boring through a 4/4 with a 3/4" auger.

The C-12 feels almost that powerful. There are a lot of times that I can't hold on to it when driving screws into hard woods. Do you want that much power? For my furniture making, I honestly think I could get by with the CXS. And, on the rare occasion when I need a Mongo Monster, the red Milwaukee 1/2" is always nearby. Newton Meter alert!!!!!

I do think the CXS would have been fine for MOST jobs but for building a fence or deck, I think I'll appreciate the extra torque when driving hundreds of 2" screws. But maybe I'm wrong. I also didn't want to have to spend another $70 on the 1/2 inch chuck for the CXS which I really need and would therefore bring the CXS set + 1/2" chuck up to nearly $400 Canadian.  As I said, I'd love to have both but...

 

[GhostFist]

I guess if you could only have one you made the right choice with the c 15. personally I would have upped it for the t. 18 as it's probably the most versitile drill festool offers

 

[AlexThePalex]

I guess if you could only have one you made the right choice with the c 15. personally I would have upped it for the t. 18 as it's probably the most versitile drill festool offers

Bigger is better in America, so even though there's hardly any difference in performance between the C/T15 and T18, everybody is talking about the T18, well, I get that. But why would you call the T18 more versatile? It has the exact same functionality as any other C or T drill.

 

[Timtool]

14.4 volts are for me the intermediary drills, i have one and use it for drilling holes only. For most of my uses they are overpowered and too heavy to be handy, and for some other uses like lag screws, large spade bits or drilling the euro hinge cups they are underpowered. I feel it when i take it to a jobsite, it just doesn't have enough guts to be there.

A C15 is probably the better choice if you have no other drill, but if i had an 18v i would have kept the CXS.
Now you have a heavy 18V and an intermediary 14V, you can do anything with those but at some point i think you will want something lighter for comfort.