Not very impressed with Festool.

He probably meant Lester, but we can call him Fester... [tongue]

Ken Nagrod said:
DavidNH said:
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?
 
Taos said:
He probably meant Lester, but we can call him Fester... [tongue]

Not me!  I don't want to send any tools into him for service and have them come back in a hundred pieces in a shoe box.  [big grin]
 
Ken Nagrod said:
David, did you mean Lester from Festool service department?
Taos said:
He probably meant Lester, but we can call him Fester... [tongue]

Glad that you guys could shed some light on this.

Uncle-Fester-Icon-addams-family-5311128-200-200.jpg
 
Oh.. the RANT is sooo on!!
The Ct outlets are the most irresponsible pieces of crap I have ever seen on any tool!! I have 5 CT's and I stopped counting how many times I changed the plug, now I keep spares with me... after my second jobsite let down I learned my lesson. I'm dying here! [sad]
COme on Festool.... cheap cheap cheap junk! lets go! fix this problem!! [mad]
Is there a way to put a better plug on there?? A single gang wall outlet?? Someone can make some money making retrofit plugs, I need a twist lock, or something? any ideas??
This crap is killing me!!!! Can I order a case of plugs??? [huh] I'm serious! [scared]

Love Mirko

 
Mirko said:
Oh.. the RANT is sooo on!!
The Ct outlets are the most irresponsible pieces of crap I have ever seen on any tool!! I have 5 CT's and I stopped counting how many times I changed the plug, now I keep spares with me... after my second jobsite let down I learned my lesson. I'm dying here! [sad]
COme on Festool.... cheap cheap cheap junk! lets go! fix this problem!! [mad]
Is there a way to put a better plug on there?? A single gang wall outlet?? Someone can make some money making retrofit plugs, I need a twist lock, or something? any ideas??
This crap is killing me!!!! Can I order a case of plugs??? [huh] I'm serious! [scared]

Rather than ordering a bunch of replacement outlets for your CT, why not just leave something similar to one of these plugged into the CT's outlet?

31bbSLdVXvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


I haven't had an issue with my CT, but then I have the Boom Arm and am able to leave a single Plugit cord plugged in without the need to remove it from the CT's outlet.  I'm sure most of you don't have that option, and hope that Festool will address this issue.  Until then, try getting something like what I am suggesting so that you can leave it in place and not wear out the CT's outlet.
 
I leave a single plug-it cord in the unit, and have it strapped, with velcro cable ties, to the hose. Haven't had a problem yet with the outlet.

Charles
 
Rather than ordering a bunch of replacement outlets for your CT, why not just leave something similar to one of these plugged into the CT's outlet?

31bbSLdVXvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


I haven't had an issue with my CT, but then I have the Boom Arm and am able to leave a single Plugit cord plugged in without the need to remove it from the CT's outlet.  I'm sure most of you don't have that option, and hope that Festool will address this issue.  Until then, try getting something like what I am suggesting so that you can leave it in place and not wear out the CT's outlet.
[/quote]

Your option has worked for me with or without the boom arm for at least a couple of years without any problems.
 
The problem is the outlet.. if it gets bumped around, it progressively gets looser until the bake-light cracks on the inside, The contacts get very loose and eventually break contact, so then you have to jiggle the plug around to make power, its very frustrating!!
Its not that we are rough with them... its very hard to not bump the plug/socket around. I have the hose hook attached to each CT then I tie the cord to it, preventing as much pulling and jarring, Its just poorly thought out thats all. again cheap cheap, not heavy duty at all.
Another precaution we take is to unplug the cord from the socket, and let it dangle on the hose hook when we transport them, BTW it also helps to remove the socket cover, when it gets really loose, the weight of the cover will cause the plug to loose contact.

Believe me, you can look pretty foolish when your on a job site giving interested on-lookers a demo, (everyone asks about the tools, your stupid not to) and they see you struggling to make the dang thing work... you get the comment: "Oh.. what, your German tools, causing you problems?" what a way to stick your foot in your mouth!
I really enjoy showing people the tools, I am let down by these stupid little problems.

Mirko

 
Corwin said:
Mirko said:
Oh.. the RANT is sooo on!!
The Ct outlets are the most irresponsible pieces of crap I have ever seen on any tool!! I have 5 CT's and I stopped counting how many times I changed the plug, now I keep spares with me... after my second jobsite let down I learned my lesson. I'm dying here! [sad]
COme on Festool.... cheap cheap cheap junk! lets go! fix this problem!! [mad]
Is there a way to put a better plug on there?? A single gang wall outlet?? Someone can make some money making retrofit plugs, I need a twist lock, or something? any ideas??
This crap is killing me!!!! Can I order a case of plugs??? [huh] I'm serious! [scared]

31bbSLdVXvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


I haven't had an issue with my CT, but then I have the Boom Arm and am able to leave a single Plugit cord plugged in without the need to remove it from the CT's outlet.  I'm sure most of you don't have that option, and hope that Festool will address this issue.  Until then, try getting something like what I am suggesting so that you can leave it in place and not wear out the CT's outlet.

This would work, but I would have to strap it to the vac... its not the plugging and unplugging thats the problem for me, it the delicateness of the socket, it will not withstand the slightest bump.

 
Mirko said:
This would work, but I would have to trap it to the vac... its not the plugging and unplugging thats the problem for me, it the delicateness of the socket, it will not withstand the slightest bump.

Just to be clear, I suggest that you first replace your socket with a new one, and then use something like what I had posted above.  I would not expect this solution to work with the worn outlet that you currently have.  I may be wrong, but I do believe that it is the plugging and unplugging that has caused the problem and once worn, any bumping may then be a problem.  But, this is only what makes sense to me, and again, I may be wrong and your issue may be somewhat different.  In any event, it certainly sounds as though Festool needs to provide a better replacement part rather than simply offering yet another identical part.  Good luck.
 
Also the adapter pictured will likely be grounded so it will fit tighter in the vac's outlet. 
 
I have used one of those exact 3 way adapter on my ct22 for about 4 years( actually went through 3 of them because they eventually wear and will not grip the tool plug anymore).  I usually have 3 tool plugged in when I'm working so it eliminates a lot of plugging and unplugging.  I do have to bend the prongs a little to make for a tighter fit in the ct socket and it works trouble free until the adapter wears out and gets replaced with a new one.
 
This seems to be a US problem.  Perhaps if you had propper plugs then it would be ok  [tongue]  ;D
 
woodguy7 said:
This seems to be a US problem.  Perhaps if you had propper plugs then it would be ok  [tongue]  ;D

ROFL, I agree.  [big grin]

Festool probably does it on purpose, in order to persuade America to get a proper electricity net. Just like they refuse to go imperial.

PS, actually, those British plugs aren't really the bees knees either. You can land a friggin' plane on those. [wink]
 
I like the 3 plug adapter idea, but I was thinking it would be cool to have a clip on the cover that hooked onto the plug, to keep it in the socket and immobile...
 
mastercabman said:
Do you mean metric?

With the word 'they' I meant Festool. In the sentence "Festool probably does it on purpose, in order to persuade America to get a proper electricity net. Just like they refuse to go imperial.", Festool is the subject and America the object. It is natural for 'they' in the next sentence to refer to the subject of the previous sentence.

But I could have said it with less ambiguity, so my bad. I was pointing to the fact that Festool only puts metric markings on their tools, and no imperial markings to suit American customers. 
 
leakyroof said:
Alex said:
mastercabman said:
Do you mean metric?

With the word 'they' I meant Festool. In the sentence "Festool probably does it on purpose, in order to persuade America to get a proper electricity net. Just like they refuse to go imperial.", Festool is the subject and America the object. It is natural for 'they' in the next sentence to refer to the subject of the previous sentence.

But I could have said it with less ambiguity, so my bad. I was pointing to the fact that Festool only puts metric markings on their tools, and no imperial markings to suit American customers. 
Sorry Alex, you missed his point...  We[USA] are using the Imperial measurement system, and won't go Metric, like the rest of the world.  That's what the poster was asking you.

No, I don't think I missed any point. He missed mine, and I explained because he asked. Please note mastercabman's questionmark.

On another note, I know America's position on metric. Obviously my first remark in that direction was in jest. But don't think America doesn't go metric, because you already do. The entire scientific world already uses metric, America included. And now all you Festoolians use metric too. One by one some special interest group in the States is taken over. Give or take a couple of centuries and our European conspiracy will reach it's sinister goal, and your descendants won't even know what imperial was anymore. [wink] 

 
Alex got it right, Festool refuses to engage in the Imperial silliness for one hold-out country.
 
Imperial is of the Empire. It wasn't referring to ours.

Metric is of measurement.

Maybe that's why it's so much easier to use, we aren't trying to please the King or Queen, just measure in a base-ten system.

Please don't get me wrong, I still think in Imperial measurements. I'm trying to enhance the thoughts and make the calculations easier with the metric system though.

Tom
 
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