Please recommend an online Independent Festool Dealer
- Thread starter BarBuilder
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I can...
Tom
ccarrolladams
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I consider myself blessed to have a local brick and mortar Festool dealer who does such a brisk business with my fellow professionals and the movie studios that he can maintain a far larger than average inventory. When I see a new Festool in Europe, I place a pre-order with my local dealer. Later, by the time those tools are being sold in the USA, if I need a second one, I have time to wait.
Still, sometimes obscure accessories are not in local stock. My primary local dealer is not set up for on-line business. So, I also have relationships with Tom Bellemare at Tool Home of Austin, TX. I have spoken to Bob Marino, but so far I have not placed an order with him. A good friend who does not participate on FOG buys quite a lot of things from Bob.
During the 2011 AWFS in Las Vegas, I had a nice lunch with Dan Clermont of Ultimate Tool Supply of Burnaby, BC. I have visited his physical store, but because I am in business in California I cannot buy from Dan on-line.
About 2 hours east of me in Palm Desert, California Jay Andrews and his fabulous Festool-trained staff run "The Festool Store" and In Touch International. Besides their physical store, they encourage on-line orders.
Still, sometimes obscure accessories are not in local stock. My primary local dealer is not set up for on-line business. So, I also have relationships with Tom Bellemare at Tool Home of Austin, TX. I have spoken to Bob Marino, but so far I have not placed an order with him. A good friend who does not participate on FOG buys quite a lot of things from Bob.
During the 2011 AWFS in Las Vegas, I had a nice lunch with Dan Clermont of Ultimate Tool Supply of Burnaby, BC. I have visited his physical store, but because I am in business in California I cannot buy from Dan on-line.
About 2 hours east of me in Palm Desert, California Jay Andrews and his fabulous Festool-trained staff run "The Festool Store" and In Touch International. Besides their physical store, they encourage on-line orders.
I have been blessed with being only an hour away from Tom Bellemare who runs Toolhome. He is extremely knowledgeable in many things including of course FESTOOL. He provides excellent service. He has a generous inventory and is very interesting to converse with. I can only give highest recommendations regarding TOOLHOME.
Wood_Junkie
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I have purchased a number of tools and accessories from Bob Marino, from Toolnut (Sean Ackerman) and from Tool Home (Tom Bellemare) over the past two+ years.
All three provide excellent customer service, follow-up and are very knowledgeable. And they participate and contribue here on FOG. You can't go wrong with any of them.
I have talked to Bob and to Sean by phone and both were immediately available and able to answer some specific technical questions. On a specific occasion Sean went truly above and way beyond for something special for my daughter, which was a colored Tanos mini-Systainer (shout out to Sean, she still LOVES her toolbox). Bob is incredibly patient and has helped me track down some particular parts and pieces, when I was working on my MFT setups and homemade sysports, and to his credit even directed me to a best-of-breed tool (non-Festool) when I inquired about stripping siding (RAS vs. Rotex).
I have also purchased Festool stuff through Acetool, Amazon, and Rockler before I became more enlightened. While those transactions were fine, since discovering the above dealers I don't use "commercial" retailers... unless some weird deal comes up (like Rockler's gift card special sale through WWGOA induced me to get a CXS, netting about 40% savings). I hate to take any business away based on price, but it's a reality with a green & blue hoard as big as mine has become. [embarassed]
All three provide excellent customer service, follow-up and are very knowledgeable. And they participate and contribue here on FOG. You can't go wrong with any of them.
I have talked to Bob and to Sean by phone and both were immediately available and able to answer some specific technical questions. On a specific occasion Sean went truly above and way beyond for something special for my daughter, which was a colored Tanos mini-Systainer (shout out to Sean, she still LOVES her toolbox). Bob is incredibly patient and has helped me track down some particular parts and pieces, when I was working on my MFT setups and homemade sysports, and to his credit even directed me to a best-of-breed tool (non-Festool) when I inquired about stripping siding (RAS vs. Rotex).
I have also purchased Festool stuff through Acetool, Amazon, and Rockler before I became more enlightened. While those transactions were fine, since discovering the above dealers I don't use "commercial" retailers... unless some weird deal comes up (like Rockler's gift card special sale through WWGOA induced me to get a CXS, netting about 40% savings). I hate to take any business away based on price, but it's a reality with a green & blue hoard as big as mine has become. [embarassed]
BarBuilder
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Thanks again for everyone's input on this subject. To be fair I think I am going to follow Michael Kellough's suggestion and try to split my order up between the "Big 3", Tom, Sean and Bob. This way I will have customer service experiences with each of them. Tom & Sean will be seeing orders for the larger items I want and Bob will get orders for the smaller items and consumables. Bob's warehouse in Ohio is a big +. Many thanks to each of these Festool salesmen for their communications as well.
I sent Tom Bellamare an a while back email because I had a question about and order...He emailed me back while he was on his honeymoon... [eek]
Great service.
Bob's pretty damn good to, as is Sean.
These guys are knowledgeable and helpful to the point if absurdity.
Jon
Great service.
Bob's pretty damn good to, as is Sean.
These guys are knowledgeable and helpful to the point if absurdity.
Jon
Kodi Crescent
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Tom at Tool Home.
BarBuilder
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I thought I would follow up on this thread. I wound up placing my initial Festool order with Tom Bellemare @ Tool Home. I cannot sing his praises enough. He did a wonderful job of keeping me well informed throughout the ordering & delivery process. He was also able to make a lightning fast remedy to a shipping issue we encountered with the 3000mm guide rail which was sent via a freight carrier who shall remain nameless. Unfortunately, It was mishandled by the freight carrier (clearly not Tom's fault) and when it arrived, it was bent in half like a banana?!?! [crying]. When I notified Tom of this situation later that afternoon, he immediately made arrangements to have a new one shipped out to me first thing that next morning! Now that is service. Thank you Tom! ;D ;D ;D
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