Question about Festool drill bits and jigsaw blades.

[image132]

I was working on a cabinet for my sister yesterday and realising that the bit set that I did have was old and looking bent I thought 'Well since Festool make such high quality tools they must make high quality bits and accessories as well'. So I flipped through the catalogue, got some product number and went to my dealer.

After enquiring about a few drill bit items he told me "Look these prices are horrendous. I don't think Festool actually make these bits themselves they just buy them and splash their brand on it, that's what most big companies do. So there is no point really paying these prices because they will just be the same bits as just about any other bit set only more expensive."

This made me very disheartened (but then again so did the prices, ouch) and now I want to know from people who have bought these bits if they are worth the price?

The items I was looking at were:

Centre drill bit
http://www.festoolusa.com/products/cordless-drills/centrotec-drill-bits/pilot-bit-with-depth-stop/ce-selfcentering-bit-5mm-492525.html
For R570 (Ouch for one bit?!!)

Novadrive hss spiral drill bit
http://www.pickardhardware.com/images/492560.jpg
For R600 (A little pricey)

And the Centrotec spiral wood drill bit with centering point
I couldn't find a picture
For R517

I wanted some Jigsaw blades as well but after what he said I didn't even bother (I've got a bunch of Bosch ones...) again if anyone has these please tell me if it's worth the price:

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/jigsaws/jigsaw-blades/jigsaw-blade-s-7525-5x-486548.html

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/jigsaws/jigsaw-blades/jigsaw-blade-s-754-5x-486546.html

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/jigsaws/jigsaw-blades/jigsaw-blade-s-5014k-5x-486564.html

Thanks for all the help.

P.S navigating through the US Festool website is a pleasure. wow.

Chris

 

[Brice Burrell]

Chris, part of the price for Festool drill bits is the convenience of Festool's Centrotec quick bit changing system- the other part is the very high quality of the bits. So, yes you can get these types of bits from other manufactures but you won't but getting the Centrotec shaft.

I have a few Festool jigsaw blades- their pricing here in the US isn't too bad and the quality is good. Most of my jigsaw blades are Bosch, I found them to also be a good quality. I bought the Festool blades because I couldn't find a comparable Bosch (or any other brand) blade(s) at my local retailer. It's sort of hard to compare them since I don't use a jigsaw often enough to be able to easily tell the difference in quality of the two brands.

I'm not sure any of the is helpful or not.

 

[Mac]

I agree with Brice; the Centrotec system is very convenient and worth something in itself, and the Festool spiral wood drill bits I have are significantly sharper than any others I've used...so much so that I sliced my thumb badly on one the first time I went to get it from the packaging! They go through softwood and hardwood alike so easily it's like you're not drilling into anything.

I've only used Bosch jigsaw blades so can't comment on Festool's versions.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[image132]

So you both think that is of high quality? Thats what I wanted to know. Has anyone experieced skew bits from them? I know centrotec is convenient but besides just that I am wanting to know if they are of a higher quality than the normal so I can justify the price.

Whereas if what my dealer said is true then I might as well not bother with it at all because it is just another bit with the Festool logo on it. :/

Thanks for your help. Anyone else with any experience with these?

 

[tbellemare]

It's my understanding that Festool cutting products are (or at least were) made by Leitz.

They are not just like any other drill bit.

Also, any other drill bit includes a lot of variety of quality. I think you got some uninformed advice.

Tom

 

[jvsteenb]

I got a couple.

Festool jigsaw blades are great, very good quality. They complement Bosch they do very good blades as well.
For thick long blades that don't sway around on those thick cuts, nothing beats the long Festool blades IMHO.
For intricate cutting and finely defined kerfs without splintering, the Bosch "extra clean for wood" are without competition. Just remember to cut from below for they DO sway a bit now and again.

The Festool Centrotec bradpoint woodbits are very, very good. Expensive, but worth every penny.
Their Centrotec HSS metal drill bits are OK, but don't stand out. They're Centrotec - that's the advantage. They're readily exchangeable and there's plenty of high quality bits to use whenever that need arrives.
You'll want them - Centrotec is great and potentially saves you loads of time.

I have used a couple of Festool routerbits but I own only one of them - they're pricey!
But from my experience the Festool routerbits are up there with the rest of the highest  quality pack. Every other routerbit of comparable quality will be at least as expensive.

In fact, I don't even consider the Festool bits expensive - they're just pricey.  I own the HW S8 D34/NL32 edge jointing bit  - nr. 491034.
It's like a fingerjointing bit but with a little less depth and a trapezoidal profile. Perfect for joining boards up to 1".
Nice feature for the average OF1010 user is the 8mm shaft - it's pretty hard to find a decent fingerjointing bit in 8mm shaft.

The quality of the cut is great, and the durability is super.
I used to routinely send my metal mill bits out to a very good sharpener to be sharpened and (re)coated, and sent a decent amount of routerbits along with it.
I'm just saying: sending out a bit or blade to be sharpened comes rather natural for me.
I guess I've done about half a linear mile of wood, mainly oak, black locust and some red meranti on this bit, and I don't feel the need to get it sharpened - go figure.

From all the consumables Festool sells, I think perhaps the routerbits are the best. The centrotec brad point bits are great as well - a close second.

Regards,

Job

 

[jonny round boy]

Job,

Nice post! I can't comment much myself as I haven't used any Centrotec bits, but it's nice to hear positive thoughts from someone who has a lot of experience with them!

PS I have used a couple of Festool router bits, and they were (in my admittedly limited experience) better than anything else I've used.

 

[RONWEN]

I was (am) under the impression that the centrotec bit holding system is a European standard and not necessarily a Festool proprietary product?  Who can clear that up for me?  Thanks in advance.

 

[Neill]

Chris,

I will throw my hat into the ring here as well on the side of quality.  I had always purchased Bosch and I still use them.  But i look at my Festool blades vs. the Bosch and there is no comparison.  The Festool's have a look and feel of quality you will not find anywhere else.  In addition, inserted in a Festool jigsaw properly fitted with the splinter guard and they make cuts that are truly awesome.  In addition, the extra long blades are hard to match when it comes to cutting thick stock.

I bought the set of metric drill bits, I think there are 7 in the set.  I keep them in the original packaging case.  When I insert them into the sponge pad I have to be extra careful.  I have already taken a nip out of my finger.  They are that sharp.  In addition, they have a soft metallic patina that is cosmetic but also gives you a sense of quality.

Since I am a hobbyist I cannot really attest to their longevity but I am sure that with Festool you cannot go wrong.

Neill

 

[image132]

I got a couple.

Festool jigsaw blades are great, very good quality. They complement Bosch they do very good blades as well.
For thick long blades that don't sway around on those thick cuts, nothing beats the long Festool blades IMHO.
For intricate cutting and finely defined kerfs without splintering, the Bosch "extra clean for wood" are without competition. Just remember to cut from below for they DO sway a bit now and again.

The Festool Centrotec bradpoint woodbits are very, very good. Expensive, but worth every penny.
Their Centrotec HSS metal drill bits are OK, but don't stand out. They're Centrotec - that's the advantage. They're readily exchangeable and there's plenty of high quality bits to use whenever that need arrives.
You'll want them - Centrotec is great and potentially saves you loads of time.

I have used a couple of Festool routerbits but I own only one of them - they're pricey!
But from my experience the Festool routerbits are up there with the rest of the highest  quality pack. Every other routerbit of comparable quality will be at least as expensive.

In fact, I don't even consider the Festool bits expensive - they're just pricey.  I own the HW S8 D34/NL32 edge jointing bit  - nr. 491034.
It's like a fingerjointing bit but with a little less depth and a trapezoidal profile. Perfect for joining boards up to 1".
Nice feature for the average OF1010 user is the 8mm shaft - it's pretty hard to find a decent fingerjointing bit in 8mm shaft.

The quality of the cut is great, and the durability is super.
I used to routinely send my metal mill bits out to a very good sharpener to be sharpened and (re)coated, and sent a decent amount of routerbits along with it.
I'm just saying: sending out a bit or blade to be sharpened comes rather natural for me.
I guess I've done about half a linear mile of wood, mainly oak, black locust and some red meranti on this bit, and I don't feel the need to get it sharpened - go figure.

From all the consumables Festool sells, I think perhaps the routerbits are the best. The centrotec brad point bits are great as well - a close second.

Regards,

Job

Thanks a lot Job, this was very usefull. I always knew Festool made A grade router bits (having owned 1 myself ) and I had hoped this quality had spilled over into all their accessories bit it looks like they seem to prefer things that are dedicated to their tools, makes sense I guess.

It looks as though I might get the brad point bits since most members think they are good quality and worth the money. As for the jigsaw blades I might stick with the bosch blades for now since I hardly ever cut anything deeper than 20mm(the standard wood thinkness here.)

Thank you to everyone who posted. This was all very helpful.

Has anyone used the centering drill bit by Festool? I'm wondering how R600 or $78.101 (direct conversion, actual price in the us may differ) is justified.

Chris

 

[jvsteenb]

Ron,

The Centrotec system is a Festool standard, AFAIK.

About the Centrotec bradpoint bits: The only bits I used that I considered comparable quality were the FAMAG bradpoint bits - but their pricing is on par, and they don't do Centrotec.
Very good choice however, if you're looking for a bit that cleanly scores the precise circumference of the hole before cleaning it - like there's a little forstner bit on the tip of the drill.
Good quality HSS G stock, precisely ground. Again: they don't come cheap. Few years ago, I bought a couple of them for a close friend as a birthday present ( made a nice case to go with it ) - that kind of pricing.
And I still consider the Centrotec bradpoints comparable - it would be nice if there were more sizes.

Regards,

Job

 

[AlexThePalex]

I know centrotec is convenient but besides just that I am wanting to know if they are of a higher quality than the normal so I can justify the price.

Whereas if what my dealer said is true then I might as well not bother with it at all because it is just another bit with the Festool logo on it. :/

I think I have about 80% of all different available centrotec bits of both Festool and Protool by now, except for those that are more or less duplicates. And I can surely attest to their good quality. But the quality is not the biggest concern for me, there are lots of bits of other manufacturers that also have a very good quality for a great deal of money less.

What I'm totally thrilled about with the centrotec is the ease of use and the speed of changing out bits. I wouldn't simply call this convenience, I call it a revolutionary step. Everybody has has own way of doing things, and mine always includes changing a lot of drill bits. I got sick and tired of grinding away at the edge of a normal jacobs chuck 3 times per minute (drilling, countersinking, screwing). Now that I know centrotec I think it is well worth the extra money (of course a bit less pricey is always welcome, but right now it is as it is), and I never want to go back to the old system anymore. I can very well see this becoming a standard amongst more tool manufacturers in the future.

I was (am) under the impression that the centrotec bit holding system is a European standard and not necessarily a Festool proprietary product?  Who can clear that up for me?  Thanks in advance.

RonWen, no centrotec is Festool only, and certainly not a European standard, unfortunately.
   

 

[jvsteenb]

Chris,

I own one of the Centrotec centering drill bits. It's horrendously expensive, and you'll need a couple to cover your needs.  The encaptured drill bit is OK, but nothing special.
Then again: it WORKS. I like it, and I will sure buy the other size as well.
It could have fooled me - just seeing it certainly wasn't the eye-opener but I read a lot of positive comments so I thought: "What the ****"  and bought it.
I do have sort of a love-hate relationship with it, as the drill, the bevel cutting collar and the depth setting ring are all bound to get loose sooner or later, and fastening and/or adjusting them using an allen key is very standard, but annoying nonetheless... Hey come on it's Festool! This could have been designed better... I consider it to be one of my least sophisticated Festool items, but : anyone who wants to take it from me will have to pry it out of  my cold dead fingers...
Sorry for not making sense - Even from my twisted perspective this doesn't seem logical.... [huh]
Perhaps you have the opportunity to try it before you decide to buy it? That would be good. Bring your wallet though....

Regards,

Job

 

[image132]

I know centrotec is convenient but besides just that I am wanting to know if they are of a higher quality than the normal so I can justify the price.

Whereas if what my dealer said is true then I might as well not bother with it at all because it is just another bit with the Festool logo on it. :/

I think I have about 80% of all different available centrotec bits of both Festool and Protool by now, except for those that are more or less duplicates. And I can surely attest to their good quality. But the quality is not the biggest concern for me, there are lots of bits of other manufacturers that also have a very good quality for a great deal of money less.

What I'm totally thrilled about with the centrotec is the ease of use and the speed of changing out bits. I wouldn't simply call this convenience, I call it a revolutionary step. Everybody has has own way of doing things, and mine always includes changing a lot of drill bits. I got sick and tired of grinding away at the edge of a normal jacobs chuck 3 times per minute (drilling, countersinking, screwing). Now that I know centrotec I think it is well worth the extra money (of course a bit less pricey is always welcome, but right now it is as it is), and I never want to go back to the old system anymore. I can very well see this becoming a standard amongst more tool manufacturers in the future.

I was (am) under the impression that the centrotec bit holding system is a European standard and not necessarily a Festool proprietary product?  Who can clear that up for me?  Thanks in advance.

RonWen, no centrotec is Festool only, and certainly not a European standard, unfortunately.
   

I agree with Alex. I don't know which came first but I know SDS made a huge difference to my masonary needs. I've always wanted them to come out with a "SDS" type chuck for normal drilling and not very suprisingly Festool was the first.

Thanks a lot everyone.

 

[woodguy7]

Chris

I have the 09 centrotec set & without doubt the best bits are the brad point bits, although they are shorter than i expected.  I was about to order the centering bit & the countersink bit with depth collar until i seen the price  [crying].  Now i am well used to the high price of Festool accessories but these just seemed silly & i still don't have them.  I am sure it is just a matter of time though.  The good thing about the Festool jigsaw blades is they are slightly thicker which helps to keep the cut square.  I still use Bosch blades just as much but the best jigsaw blades i have used is Windser Wurth but i don't know if you get them in SA.

The best thing about the centrotec system is the fact the bit goes past the chuck & into the shaft of the drill.

Woodguy.

 

[J.C.]

I have a couple of the centrotec drills with the replaceable bits and they seem to be of decent quality.  I also have a centrotec pilotless countersink and centrotec countersink with pilot and depth stop that I really like and use all the time.  I was going to try the centrotec self-centering bit until I saw the price. 
With that being said, I really prefer quick change chucks from insty-bit.com, drill bits from snappytools.com, vix bits self centering bits (although, the snappy brand self centering bits are pretty good too),  and I also like W.L Fuller drill bits too.  I find the whole Centrotec chuck extremely over rated.  I'll take my Insty-bit Insty-Lok chuck over the centrotec chuck any day of the week. 
For jig saw blades I normally use the Bosch blades.  Nothing against the Festool blades but the Bosch blades are much easier to find. 

 

[Deansocial]

i agree that there is nothing special about centrtec, to me it like any other quick change only less obtainable

 

[jvsteenb]

I find the whole Centrotec chuck extremely over rated.  I'll take my Insty-bit Insty-Lok chuck over the centrotec chuck any day of the week.

Then by all means use Insty-bit ! There are numerous quick-change systems for  1/4"  bits out there. some are better than others.
From what I've seen, the Insty-Lok won't be of any use without a separate chuck to grab it tightly.
The Centrotec system  just locks the bit, that's seated in the driveshaft. No other chuck needed. This means a huge benefit re. compactness, totall driver length and rotary precision.
If these mere points are of less importance to you, then Centrotec is probably not for you  [blink].
Then again, the Insty-Lok will probably do great in the keyless chuck on any Festool cordless driver....

Regards,

Job

 

[Guy Ashley]

Like a lot of previous posters I have seen the Centrotec 09 system and there was a lot of stuff which would not have been of use.
However the Protool system looked more useful but did we ever discover any UK dealer who would/could get hold of them?

 

[Deansocial]

Like a lot of previous posters I have seen the Centrotec 09 system and there was a lot of stuff which would not have been of use.
However the Protool system looked more useful but did we ever discover any UK dealer who would/could get hold of them?

ask tool fest as they seem to be a protool dealer now as protool link to them diret as the uk site