Not very impressed with Festool.

[DavidNH]

Sorry, about the rant here!
I have nothing to say or gain by calling Festool, except wasting more time, incase anyone here thinks I should do so.
I own many different Festool's and will say that the 5-6" Rotex sander with Ct22E vac collect is the only one I will brag about.
However, the CT22E's automatic plug receptacle has always been as loose as a goose, any slight movement of the tool's cord attached to the vac, pulls the plug out.
I own the track saw and it 110" track, plus three Festool tables.
Two other sanders and every grit sand paper for all
My KS120EB is OK, but can not easily do any complicated compound miters with it's fences attached. It's a PIA to even consider using this saw in this manner. I find myself reaching for my 14 year old dust generating Makita for when I really want to get some complex work done.

Now, here is why I even registered today!
I purchased the MKF700EQ set. I hate it already!!!!
I have never dealt with a more time consuming setup like this tool in my life! It's a pure PIA just to find out how it belongs in it's poorly planned box!
I brought this tool out twice in the past three weeks, hoping to give it a whirl with the task at hand. Both times I put it away and reached for my old laminate trimmer.
I haven't even powered this tool up yet and already know I just want to get ride of it.
I'll see what the return policy is for Festool, at WoodCraft.
I have my own company, I've been woodworking and remodeling homes for 28 years, I have seen and used every one of the best tools out there. The only reason I went with Festool is for it's dust collection and all the hype about high quality and time saving, dependable tools. I'm just not seeing it that way.
Thank you for reading this. I just wanted my Festool comments to be posted somewhere.
Other companies are jumping on board with dust collection. Soon Makita will offer some dust collecting contractor tools of better quality and lower costs.
After all, Festool is simply a contractor tool trying to charge woodworker tool prices. IMO.
Sorry again guys. I feel better now!
David
 

 

[Chris Hughes]

That is a weird rant.

I can't tell by your post how long you have owned Festool products.  I sounds to me from your first paragraph that you have owned a couple of sanders and a vac for little while, so if you were unhappy with their performance why would you buy more tools within the same platform? 

If your vac is broken, why not fix it or get it fixed?  I own a PC trigger actuated vac and a ct22, IMO the ct is much easier to work on.  I had the same problem as you so I took the plug out and repaired it after several more months I replaced the part completely.  I know because of how I use the tool that I will in a couple of years have to replace the same part.  Compare that to the similar problem I have with the PC vac.  I have to send that toll out because it is not serviceable for me.

I too had trouble setting up a tool I bought from Festool and felt like I wasted a whole day trying to dial in.  It sucked big time.  But then it occurred to me that with Festool we have resources most tool companies don't, we have the FOG, at least two trainers in the US and many people at Festool USA waiting for you to call toll free to support you and your tools.

You have been in our industry for almost 30 years, you know better that most, I would wager, that bringing new concepts on line to the point that we feel comfortable with them takes time and practice.

 

[Joe Smith]

So, you have an issue and you can post about it here, but not call Festool about it?

I suggest you call them first about your loose plug in your CT22.  I had the same issue and they sent me a new receptacle for free and fixed the issue.  Took me about 2 minutes to change it out.

 

[Brice Burrell]

David, welcome to the FOG.  Sorry you're not happy with your MFK.  Since you already own several you probably know about the 30 day no questions asked return policy.

I'm not sure what the problem is you're having but I find the MFK 700 a pleasure to use and straight forward to setup (for how I use it).  If you want to give this tools another shot there is a wealth of information available on this site and best of all members that will go out of their way to help each other out.  Furthermore, there is simply no one that wants you to be satisfied with your Festool purchase than Festool themselves.  They have people that can offer assistance if needed.  

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

They are a little different then the run of the mill mass marketed tools you have used for 28 years.

When I get into a different vehicle it takes me a little while to get used to how it works and where everything is.

About the way stuff goes back into the systainer, just toss it in there and quit trying to worry about where everything goes.

I do the chuck and dump method.

 

[Holzhacker]

Well David, I can't entirely disagree with you. I wouldn't buy the MFK700 if it was 75% off. Way too complicated and expensive of a tool. I tend to think it is one of the big dumb jokes of Festools. They made it super duper because they could, not because it needed to be.
Don't even get me started on that stupid overpriced Kapex.
All the other tools you mentioned, kick the living crap out of everything else on the market.
Hope you end up feeling better about your tools. Good luck

 

[mouppe]

I sympathize with your frustrations, but I think you could solve them quite easily.

- By your own admission you have only tried to use the tool twice and never even switched it on. Respectfully, I think you should either make a bit more of a concerted effort to get to know the tool or take it back under the no questions asked 30 day return policy. Both ways will leave you more satisfied than you are at present.

- The vac issue is easily corrected with a 30 second phone call to Festool.

- Sell the Kapex. Used festools command very high prices, you may get 80-90% if it's in good nick.

- You have three MFTs and a bunch of sanders. presumably you are happy with those or would have stopped buying them after the first purchase. So perhaps the thread should be "Not very impressed with SOME of my Festools."

I hope you are able to spend some time on the FOG, getting to read some of the posts on the forum. Maybe some of your questions have already been answered? Even though most people here are obviously fans of Festool, not all the tools are equally well-regarded and there are some well-known and frequently discussed problems.

All the best
Richard.

 

[Laminator]

David,  I have kept an eye on the 700 since it first appeared and though I have never touched one, I have been wary of it just from looking at the pictures.  I would really appreciate your hands on input as to exactly what problems the 700 presented because I have almost ordered one several times and really don't care to do the "Try it and send it back" plan.  Just from the pictures, I concluded that it might be overly complicated but...      Thanks!

 

[Tezzer]

I haven't even powered this tool up yet and already know I just want to get ride of it.

???  You must be psychic then.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

It’s not that hard to use the MFK, you just have to put a few minutes into adjusting and setting it.  You need to always have a piece of scrap available to test-route the setup a few times to get it set right.  Just keep a few 12” pieces of 1x4’s on hand.  And then trust it (since you can’t see the bit).  This is the biggest adjustment I've had with Festool routers.  All my previous routers I've watched the bit while cutting...

I never, ever envisioned the MFK in my (hobbyist) arsenal, but then attended the cabinet making class.  Using a laminate-sized router to cut dados, do edge treatments, etc, and NOT getting a big mess and dust cloud was an immediate seller.  Having a hands-on explanation of how to set and dial-in the thing was critical.

I used this in January to route some hinge mortises for a replacement closet door for my entryway.  I laid the door over my dining room table and routed it right there, in the dining room.  The “mess” it made comprised about a tablespoon of dust on the floor.  It took about 1 full minute to dial-in the bit depth, but then just go at it.  As an aside, I use a Hinge Mate jig.

I wish I’d had the MFK when I did the other 11 doors in my house!

This, compared to using my other lam trimmer (with which I did do the other doors), which created an explosion of dust and chips everywhere.  I spent much more time cleaning up the chips and dust than actual routing.

At the worst, return the MFK under the 30 day guarantee.  If it isn’t the right tool for you, that’s cool.

 

[Timtool]

funny this comes up now,
just today i returned my recently purchased RO 125 within the 30 day money back, and took an ETS 150/5 instead.
hoping that one will suit me better.

i bought into the Festool myth and thought the RO was an excellent sander for me, but it's plain awfull!
believe me, i tried to like it. made several pieces of furniture using the RO exclusively. but my conclusion is that compared to my Bosch, it is somehow slower, leaves more dust, vibrates alot more, unstable and wears out the abrasives or clogs them up in a matter of seconds.
i also have the hose fitting problem with it, my ct22 hose fits perfectly on the ETS 125 and 150, but is quite loose on the RO 125.

i think that, well there are people who are unconditional fans of festool and will overlook any negative points about their tools.
i have a couple of festools, i don't think their perfect or actually worth the prices they charge, but somehow i like them.

 

[waynelang2001]

funny this comes up now,
just today i returned my recently purchased RO 125 within the 30 day money back, and took an ETS 150/5 instead.
hoping that one will suit me better.

i bought into the Festool myth and thought the RO was an excellent sander for me, but it's plain awfull!
believe me, i tried to like it. made several pieces of furniture using the RO exclusively. but my conclusion is that compared to my Bosch, it is somehow slower, leaves more dust, vibrates alot more, unstable and wears out the abrasives or clogs them up in a matter of seconds.
i also have the hose fitting problem with it, my ct22 hose fits perfectly on the ETS 125 and 150, but is quite loose on the RO 125.

i think that, well there are people who are unconditional fans of festool and will overlook any negative points about their tools.
i have a couple of festools, i don't think their perfect or actually worth the prices they charge, but somehow i like them.

Somehow I find that very hard to believe unless you used the sander without extraction.............

 

[woodguy7]

I agree with Wayne.  I have had many other sanders but i find the discs last much longer on the Festool sanders because of the extraction.  I don't think you are being un fair, there are lots of things abouts various Festools i would change, they are not perfect but they are very good.  In a whole, better than any other make out there.

I have major problems with my Carvex jigsaw (still need to send it back) like most people that bought the first batch but i believe they have resolved this now.

Your gripe is with the 700, reading the responses it actually makes me want to get one now  [eek]  Ill buy yours off you 

Woodguy.

 

[Steve R]

Wow,

Sorry to hear your frustration. I have nothing but good experiences with my Festools. I did buy the current 300 jig and returned it in 36 hours. It was the best Jig saw I ever used...but the very few issues I found were going to be taken care of in the new 400 that is coming out in 85 days....NOT LIKE I'M Counting.... [drooling].

The sanders clogging up... never had that happen... and the pads last longer than any other sander I have owned.

Your dealer or Festool will help you if you just ask.

Cheers,
Steve 

 

[Timtool]

Somehow I find that very hard to believe unless you used the sander without extraction.............

well given their reputation and abrasive price that was also the last thing i was expecting.
if i sanded too long in rotex mode then the pad would clogg up rapidly, alternating with finish mode would get some clogs away. this was sort of ok on pinewood, it happened with my Bosch aswell, but not as fast.
but to my surprise it even happened on beechwood, i gave it a chance on flattening a glued up beech tabletop.
the P80 clogged up within a minute, i finished the job as usual with my belt sander and P80. did the job 4 times faster and didn't clogg up at all.

in general i have the impression that the festool sandpaper i have wears out incredibly fast, after 1 minute of sanding a P120 feels like a P180 and then it sort of stays that way. maybe it will be different on the 150, haven't got the chance to use it yet, but i'm looking forward to it.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey David,
Sorry to hear you are having a lot of frustration with Festools.
I'm not a big fan of the MFK700 myself.  Bought one, learned how to use it, thought it was clever, but somehow it just didn't fit my style.  So I sold it for about what I paid for it.
Otherwise, I have found Festools work better for me than other brands.  Once I bought the OF1400, the DeWalt and Bosch routers just grew dustier until I sold them.  I will admit that I have changed the way I work a lot to take advantage of the Festool system.
I wonder if some of your troubles could be coming from Woodcraft and not Festool.  The quality of Woodcraft stores varies enormously and if you are relying on them for product knowledge and support, you may be getting shortchanged.
Anyhow, don't let this stuff rent space in your head.  Either fix the Festool issues, or move on.  As noted above, there are lots of folks out there who would love to have your Festools and will pay a good price for them...

 

[jmbfestool]

funny this comes up now,
just today i returned my recently purchased RO 125 within the 30 day money back, and took an ETS 150/5 instead.
hoping that one will suit me better.

i bought into the Festool myth and thought the RO was an excellent sander for me, but it's plain awfull!
believe me, i tried to like it. made several pieces of furniture using the RO exclusively. but my conclusion is that compared to my Bosch, it is somehow slower, leaves more dust, vibrates alot more, unstable and wears out the abrasives or clogs them up in a matter of seconds.
i also have the hose fitting problem with it, my ct22 hose fits perfectly on the ETS 125 and 150, but is quite loose on the RO 125.

i think that, well there are people who are unconditional fans of festool and will overlook any negative points about their tools.
i have a couple of festools, i don't think their perfect or actually worth the prices they charge, but somehow i like them.

Somehow I find that very hard to believe unless you used the sander without extraction.............

I also find it hard to believe! BUT with out extraction the sander is rubbish!  I love my Rotex 90 and 150  but you can not use them without extraction I have used them both without extraction couple times cus I was lazy didnt want to get my CT and few times cus I forgot to switch the CT to AUTO lol I yes they are BOTH rubbish with out extraction other sander work far far better without extraction.  Soon as you turn on your CT thats when the Rotex 90 and 150 shine! I love them!

JMB

 

[DavidNH]

Hi Shane and Fester.
I must mention to all here, the service i received today via e-mail and phone call was totally unexpected.
The 8 week old, new tool in question, is going back for a Festool store credit and a new receptacle for the ct22 is in the mail.
Festools are not perfect, I can live with that, and have, but not tools that take more time to setup than Im going to use. This is what brought me here!
Why did I purchase so many Festools if I didn't like them, someone asked, they do collect dust very well when working within occupied dwellings.
Thank you guys for the help.
David

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Hi Shane and Fester.
I must mention to all here, the service i received today via e-mail and phone call was totally unexpected.
The 8 week old, new tool in question, is going back for a Festool store credit and a new receptacle for the ct22 is in the mail.
Festools are not perfect, I can live with that, and have, but not tools that take more time to setup than Im going to use. This is what brought me here!
Why did I purchase so many Festools if I didn't like them, someone asked, they do collect dust very well when working within occupied dwellings.
Thank you guys for the help.
David

David, did you mean Lester from Festool service department?

 

[Timtool]

I also find it hard to believe! BUT with out extraction the sander is rubbish!  I love my Rotex 90 and 150  but you can not use them without extraction I have used them both without extraction couple times cus I was lazy didnt want to get my CT and few times cus I forgot to switch the CT to AUTO lol I yes they are BOTH rubbish with out extraction other sander work far far better without extraction.  Soon as you turn on your CT thats when the Rotex 90 and 150 shine! I love them!

JMB

thats probably true, but to make it clear i always used my CT22 on the sanders, or any other tool. the CT is in fact my only festool tool about wich i have nothing bad to say!