new motors in the CT26/36 models not lasting as long compared to old CT 22/33

[chippy]

I'm noticing that the motors in the CT 26/36 are not as robust as the old CT 22/33 models. When used in commercial auto painting shops. The commutator bar is wearing out, sometimes before 3 year or just after. This compares differently to the  motors of the CT 22/33 some of which are still going strong after 10 years.

Another question with everyone now researching info on the net; what is the policy on Warranty is it the same world wide or different in each country. Especially the 'All inclusive videos"

 

[Klaudio]

Research product life-cycle or planned obsolescence.  There is no money to be made by over-engineering/designing consumer products to last 10 or 20+ yrs, like they did in the good old days...  Especially in today's market, where a competitor can make an inferior product at 1/3 of the price (thus increasing sales volume) by using foreign labor and cheap materials (hooray for globalism).  Who will buy all the new doodads if everyone already owns an old one that works perfectly well?

BTW, I own a Festo SR extractor and a CT33 (I replaced the brushes on it once so far) and both are still going strong -great machines really.  Can't say anything about the new extractors, haven't owned or used one.  Neither, am I in any way, implying that Festool adopts such practices.  Though I can say, that it is important for regular maintenance and proper operation (according to the manufacturer's specification) of any tool, to prolong its life. 

 

[RandyH2]

While I understand the financial advantage to planned obsolescence on some items, particularly those produced in huge quantities (cars, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, etc.) most of those items have not earned the brand loyalty of Festool. We buy Festool for many reasons, one of which is the history of rugged, dependable design. I will gladly pay a 30-150% premium for a premium brand I know will still function in years and won't leave me with a broken tool with a big project deadline looming or a very particular customer waiting. If Festool decides to decrease product longevity, I can buy Bosch, Rigid, etc. as "disposable" tools. If that time comes, those other manufacturers have a huge distribution network and guess which disposable brand I will buy? The easiest to get my hands on when I am in a hurry, and not made in China. 

 

[peter halle]

Everything in this thread except for the experience of the OP and his question is pure speculation based on nothing.  Sorry, it is.

Regarding the question about warranties, you should contact your local Festool office to determine the warranty coverage.  There may be differences.

Peter

 

[AlexThePalex]

I've noticed one thing with Festool advertising: when I got into Festool in 2008 researching my first sander purchase, Festool constantly hammered on the fact their tools were built to last you 20 to 25 years. They put it on their website and in every brochure you could get your hands on. Now, 7 years later, that claim is not used at all anymore. 

 

[Locks14]

I've been reading this forum with much interest recently, as I have some new tool purchases planned. There have been a few threads recently that have caused me to think long and hard about whether Festool is still the "obvious"/safe/go-to choice.

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

2) This thread.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

It does make you wonder that now Festool are going through a bit of a transformation from niche products to more mainstream and popular (as evidence by the increased number of trades I see using the brand) if a drop in quality and a shift in business plan favouring more "planned obsolescence" in inevitable?

As Peter says, all speculation, but not unreasonable speculation.

 

[AlexThePalex]

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

That's for real, loads of confirmation. A point Festool needs to work on and thanks to this forum they know about it.

2) This thread.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

Moral of the story: don't jump to conclusions.

 

[Locks14]

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

That's for real, loads of confirmation. A point Festool needs to work on and thanks to this forum they know about it.

2) This thread.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

One person's unconfirmed claim.

Moral of the story: don't jump to conclusions.

Not jumping to conclusions. I like Festool and my personal experience so far is positive, just saying it has caused me to pause for thought.

 

[sae]

The motors are all made by Domel, so unless Festool speced a cheaper motor in the newer vacs, I'm not sure the blame would lie entirely in their realm.

Unless you can find the part numbers and corresponding spec sheets listing MTBF hours being lower (if even tested for it), then everything else is indeed anecdotal and speculation.

So, who wants to do some digging?

 

[Phil Beckley]

I've been reading this forum with much interest recently, as I have some new tool purchases planned. There have been a few threads recently that have caused me to think long and hard about whether Festool is still the "obvious"/safe/go-to choice.

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

2) This thread.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

It does make you wonder that now Festool are going through a bit of a transformation from niche products to more mainstream and popular (as evidence by the increased number of trades I see using the brand) if a drop in quality and a shift in business plan favouring more "planned obsolescence" in inevitable?

As Peter says, all speculation, but not unreasonable speculation.

Speculation is never based on working with the machines - try them and then decide. We can arrange for one of our End User Team to visit so you put them through their paces. Or as we are attending many events around the U.K make a visit and agin try them out - believe me the Carvex is great, check out the extractors, check the guide rods on the 1010 and then make a decision.
RG
Phil

 

[Locks14]

I've been reading this forum with much interest recently, as I have some new tool purchases planned. There have been a few threads recently that have caused me to think long and hard about whether Festool is still the "obvious"/safe/go-to choice.

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

2) This thread.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

It does make you wonder that now Festool are going through a bit of a transformation from niche products to more mainstream and popular (as evidence by the increased number of trades I see using the brand) if a drop in quality and a shift in business plan favouring more "planned obsolescence" in inevitable?

As Peter says, all speculation, but not unreasonable speculation.

Speculation is never based on working with the machines - try them and then decide. We can arrange for one of our End User Team to visit so you put them through there paces. Or as we are attending many events around the U.K make a visit and agin try them out - believe me the Carvex is great, check out the extractors, check the guide rods on the 1010 and then make a decision.
RG
Phil

I appreciate your input Phil, though I would respectfully suggest that tools brought to shows are unlikely to exhibit problems as they are checked for defects prior to being handled by the public, so I do think feedback from existing users is worth more than me handling them for a short space of time.

However, with that said, are you attending a tool show in the South West area any time soon?

 

[Phil Beckley]

I've been reading this forum with much interest recently, as I have some new tool purchases planned. There have been a few threads recently that have caused me to think long and hard about whether Festool is still the "obvious"/safe/go-to choice.

1) The plastic on the CTL's hose garage breaking.

2) This thread.

3) The Carvex gearbox breaking from apparently hitting a screw.

4) Play in the OF1010 guide rods.

It does make you wonder that now Festool are going through a bit of a transformation from niche products to more mainstream and popular (as evidence by the increased number of trades I see using the brand) if a drop in quality and a shift in business plan favouring more "planned obsolescence" in inevitable?

As Peter says, all speculation, but not unreasonable speculation.

Speculation is never based on working with the machines - try them and then decide. We can arrange for one of our End User Team to visit so you put them through there paces. Or as we are attending many events around the U.K make a visit and agin try them out - believe me the Carvex is great, check out the extractors, check the guide rods on the 1010 and then make a decision.
RG
Phil

I appreciate your input Phil, though I would respectfully suggest that tools brought to shows are unlikely to exhibit problems as they are checked for defects prior to being handled by the public, so I do think feedback from existing users is worth more than me handling them for a short space of time.

However, with that said, are you attending a tool show in the South West area any time soon?

We are at the TOOL FAIR in Exeter this week http://www.toolfair.info/westpoint-arena-exeter/
Using them will also answer some questions as well.
rg
Phil

 

[Ed Bray]

I'm off on Friday but I have been banned from going to the Exeter Tool Fair  :'(

 

[Stone Message]

Everything should be based on people's own confirmed experiences so...

I often set things up with a radio remote control to start my CT26 - normally when doing a workshop clean-up or when using battery powered tools. My 4" extractor is also started that way and that is for the planer. At the start of the day when power goes on all the radio receivers revert to Channel 1 which is what I leave set for the 4" extractor.

Two days ago I put the workshop power on, got the planer set up, hit Channel 1 and did about an hour surfacing. I stopped to empty my drop box and did about 30 minutes thicknessing. Just at the end after turning the planer off I removed my ear defenders and realised that Channel 1 had also started my CT26 which was connected to the Dust Hub with all blast gates shut.

So for 1 hour and then closely followed by 30 minutes my CT had its back against the wall - no problems resulted at all. It is 4 years old, has been dropped from the top of the MFT3 onto concrete and has never complained - I leave a writing pad next to it every evening and I have never found a note waiting for me in the morning complaining of ill treatment, stress or injury.

Peter

 

[Locks14]

Everything should be based on people's own confirmed experiences so...

I often set things up with a radio remote control to start my CT26 - normally when doing a workshop clean-up or when using battery powered tools. My 4" extractor is also started that way and that is for the planer. At the start of the day when power goes on all the radio receivers revert to Channel 1 which is what I leave set for the 4" extractor.

Two days ago I put the workshop power on, got the planer set up, hit Channel 1 and did about an hour surfacing. I stopped to empty my drop box and did about 30 minutes thicknessing. Just at the end after turning the planer off I removed my ear defenders and realised that Channel 1 had also started my CT26 which was connected to the Dust Hub with all blast gates shut.

So for 1 hour and then closely followed by 30 minutes my CT had its back against the wall - no problems resulted at all. It is 4 years old, has been dropped from the top of the MFT3 onto concrete and has never complained - I leave a writing pad next to it every evening and I have never found a note waiting for me in the morning complaining of ill treatment, stress or injury.

Peter

Peter, completely off-topic. But after watching your Youtube videos I find it impossible to not read your posts in my head with your voice and inflections.

Regards
Lock

 

[Stone Message]

Peter, completely off-topic. But after watching your Youtube videos I find it impossible to not read your posts in my head with your voice and inflections.

Regards
Lock

You think its bad - I have to live with myself day in and day out - I go to bed saying "Hello, my name is Peter Parfitt - welcome to the New Brit Workshop" and my wife says "I can hear that - go to sleep".

Cheers.

Peter

 

[chippy]

Everything in this thread except for the experience of the OP and his question is pure speculation based on nothing.  Sorry, it is.

Regarding the question about warranties, you should contact your local Festool office to determine the warranty coverage.  There may be differences.

Peter

Spoken like a lawyer / scientist.

I have no documented evidence nor have I bothered to break down the specs of the different motors.( they will differ country to country, batch to batch)  It was an observation.  I made the post after repairing 4 different CT26/36's that had died with in a week of the expiry of their warranty dates. And were used in different situations by different people.  They required new motors. ( they may travel at a higher RPM, there for done more work in 3 years)  At the time, I was also repairing a SR151 that is used daily in a paint shop, I replaced the brushes. 8)
It is a speculation and I was posing the question to see if anyone else had noticed motor expiry times.
 
I recommended and sold these customers the vacs based on the reputation and my experience of previous models.  I also have to face the customers and tell them that they, require a brand new motor.  My reputation as well as Festool's is on the line every time I sell a Festool tool. I don't sell other brands, though I could. ( Selling and repairing Festool since 1987.) [smile]

 

[peter halle]

I am neither a lawyer nor a scientist.  I excluded your post from my comment in my comment.  The other posts were pure speculation.  You had a valid observation and were asking a question.

Hope you get some real answers from others versus speculations.

Peter

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Peter, completely off-topic. But after watching your Youtube videos I find it impossible to not read your posts in my head with your voice and inflections.

Regards
Lock

You think its bad - I have to live with myself day in and day out - I go to bed saying "Hello, my name is Peter Parfitt - welcome to the New Brit Workshop" and my wife says "I can hear that - go to sleep".

Cheers.

Peter

Thank you. I enjoy your videos, but the "Hello, my name is Peter Parfitt" does sort of play over again and again in my head like some nursery rhymes. I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it. I was afraid at some point I would say something about it and offend you.  [smile]

 

[Stephen B]

[size=14pt]
If Chippy is a Festool dealer, salesperson or repairer, as he now appears to be after reading this thread, shouldn't his Avatar say so? See Reply #17.

This thread may have had very different responses, if the posters had known.
[size=10pt]
[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member] [member=1619]SRSemenza[/member]
[member=5742]chippy[/member]