ras 115 life of a tool

[counterfix]

i recently sent one of my ras in for service now first i must say that the cost just to send it to Indiana
is around 35.00 us so this not recoverable money . so when i got a call from Lester saying that the
tool is junk [eek] and not worth repairing i was well disappointed to say the leased and then was informed that if i wanted it back i must pay the freight [mad]. now you should understand that i own
most of the us catalog at leased two each . now i still have my first ro 150 over ten years old in service
this is the same motor as the ras so that's were i don't get it when they say that this tool that's maybe
three or four years old is not worth repairing and if i do it will be billed to me including freight [dead horse]
OK so i should tell everyone that my company is a solidsurface fabricating and training business and when
you go through this certification training there is a required tool package you must purchase these are all
festools which consist of a 75,ro150,ras,1400,2200,ct22,5000 rail,for entrylevel fabricator's.
so now i must reconsider endorsing this ras 115 reason it cost three times as much as a peanut grinder by yellow tool we encourage the festool purchase because of the dust extraction when working in someones home. so its my belief that festool is the best in quality tools on the market but maybe the ras115 has fall-in short. tell what you think
Lance 
Counterfix Inc

 

[ccmviking]

What was the failure?

All your other stuff (including 115's) running good?

You sure you wanna characterize all these tools from this one experience?  Data? 

    I can see if it is something like the motor armature and associated accessories that it might cost more (maybe not more but a high percentage of replacement) to fix, than just getting a new tool with a whole new 3 year warranty.  I'm pretty sure they'll fix it if that's what you want, or did they say no (as in parts aren't available).  I haven't heard of the 115 having any service issues.  Is it possible this tool's failure is just caused by something abnormal (i.e. contamination, etc.?)   

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I had to have mine fixed twice after I got it.

It would get hella hot, so hot it hurt to hold.

After getting it fixed the first time, it didn't get hot when using it, didn't have the power it did before.
It would get blazing hot after you turned it off.
So I sent it back when I didn't need for a few days.
They sent me a brand new one and I have yet to have a problem with it.

It is fairly cheap to replace compared to a rotex but, not something you want to replace.

Solid surface is hard on tools (you know that) maybe because of how the tool was designed with its odd dust extraction, a lot of that dist was getting in the housing?   That is just my speculation.

If mine broke several years from now, I would buy a new one.

 

[counterfix]

What was the failure?

All your other stuff (including 115's) running good?

You sure you wanna characterize all these tools from this one experience?  Data? 

     I can see if it is something like the motor armature and associated accessories that it might cost more (maybe not more but a high percentage of replacement) to fix, than just getting a new tool with a whole new 3 year warranty.  I'm pretty sure they'll fix it if that's what you want, or did they say no (as in parts aren't available).  I haven't heard of the 115 having any service issues.  Is it possible this tool's failure is just caused by something abnormal (i.e. contamination, etc.?)   

i did not characterize all festools i spoke only on the ras and it vary short life the failure was the armiture.
i have used these tools since 1997  and i'm quite familary with all of there tool line i've been to the dealer only training at festool in vagas. i'm saying that festool service west coast has allways been exceptoinal
however i do expect that when my company endorses a tool to a new fabricater its life should be longer then its warrantie. as i stated i have multiple ras115 this one was still running but would stall when in use
my other one gets very warm.don't missunderstand me i love festools they are an exceptional tool company .as they say they don't copy tools they improve them and these grinders get a lot of use and
should be .so why do i have dewalt and b&d grinders over ten years old still going strong there is a clear problem with this tool that should be addressed. this tool is a must in my industry for its dust exstaction
but the life is to short.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'm not sure if this was Chris' point or not but why make the assumption that all RAS115s will have this problem. Did Festool tell you that? Have you proven to yourself that they will or is this based on this one bad experience with one of your RAS sanders? I'm just trying to figure out if you've based your opinion on facts or is this a case of sour grapes.

 

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

i did not characterize all festools i spoke only on the ras and it vary short life the failure was the armiture.
i have used these tools since 1997  and i'm quite familary with all of there tool line i've been to the dealer only training at festool in vagas. i'm saying that festool service west coast has allways been exceptoinal
however i do expect that when my company endorses a tool to a new fabricater its life should be longer then its warrantie. as i stated i have multiple ras115 this one was still running but would stall when in use
my other one gets very warm.don't missunderstand me i love festools they are an exceptional tool company .as they say they don't copy tools they improve them and these grinders get a lot of use and
should be .so why do i have dewalt and b&d grinders over ten years old still going strong there is a clear problem with this tool that should be addressed. this tool is a must in my industry for its dust exstaction
but the life is to short.

Huh?  If it is still under warranty what is the complaint?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Huh?  If it is still under warranty what is the complaint?

Well, his sander at 3-4 years old is out of warranty. I think that's just a bit of frustration coming out when he made that comment.

 

[justinmcf]

i have had armature failures on several tools.
every failure was my own fault as i was pushing the tool way too hard.
as i am sure you well know, solid surface work is always going to be more aggressive than working with timber.

i have a few questions.

have both your ras tools failed with the same problem?

is the tool which failed still under warranty?

do you clean your tools at the end of each working day?

did you really think festool would help pay the freight?

justin.

 

[mastercabman]

Did they tell you on how much it would cost to repair the tool?
Also,what shipping method did you use? I had to ship my jig saw for warranty. I had to pay one way shipping,and i think i only paid like $10-$15 including insurance.

 

[counterfix]

OK you guys are missing the point i have two ras 115 they both are under performers so you can
understand we used the basic peanut grinder for twenty plus years they cost about 100.00 or
less and yes they are very utilitarian however cost per unit there hard to beat.now as for shipping
was USPS plus ins 35.00 return to me from Indiana 25.oo now 60.00 for no work. the tool is used
in a industrial environment as it should these tools are designed for industrial use and should stand up
under these conditions like the 100.00 peanut grinder does don't missunderstand me I'm pro festool
i believe in them 100% however this falls short two out of two what can i say for me is a sad statistic

 

[Brice Burrell]

Okay, the tool might not be best suited for your application. Doesn't matter if a tool that cost less lasts longer. I'm pretty sure it doesn't collect dust like the RAS. The dust collection could make the RAS worthwhile someone else. 

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I think there was something wrong with it from the get go.

You said one got hot and the other slowed down, stopped or was underpowered?

I sent 2 back for that reason.

The second one (first one repaired) would stop when sanding.

The third was brand new.
Now the tool wears me out, I can't seem to make it bog down, stop. 

It is a beast.

 

[counterfix]

you are right and for that reason the ras was built to do the job of a grinder with dust extraction.as for application I've used the the old ro 150 which is the very same motor under the same conditions and all three are still in service

 

[peter halle]

I would like to thank all the posters in this thread for recognizing and respecting that everyone has an opinion or feeling that might be different, and not going the personal route.  Good job!

Peter

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Was that motor smuggled in from Cuba Chris? [scared]

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Was that motor smuggled in from Cuba Chris? [scared]

I never thought of that Darcy.
Maybe I should have had it tested. [eek]

That thing was packed full of dust huh?

 

[counterfix]

i find it funny that you guys don't think i know my own business that i have spent over twentyfive years doing in fact i have been the warranty agents for corian,staron,hi macs.avonite,meganite, for more then a decade. i know perfectly what solid surface can do to tools furthermore your telling me that the same dust causes damage to the ras 115 does not create the damage to a similar tool. i do this for a living and i don't think that tools at this level should be placed on a monument they have been designed to work smarter easier faster longer life then off the shelf junk that's available at the big box stores.i merely stated
that this tool is used for a specific duty and should perform to the level festool is known for.now understand this i use the ras 115 maybe a total of 30 minutes a day certainly not to long to over heat

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Don't remove them Chris, it shows what happens with that stuff.

I still think there was a problem from the get go that went unnoticed, or maybe ignored because the tools were needed.

I knew something was up with my ras, none of their other tools got so hot I couldn't hang on to them.

If you have a problem with the ras, you already answered your own question, buy the cheap grinder.

 

[counterfix]

the point of this thread was to compare the performance of the my two ras 115 against the archaic peanut grinder that's been around for decades and yes the dust collection is very important as should
the overall performance life.i can say this when there was a wast coast repair facility the service was
second to none thanks to David and his ability to please everyone under any circumstance. unlike Lebanon Indiana. i did not start this to pit anyone against me or festool as i stated i believe in festool
as much as everone here and probably have more festools then most of the people here only because its my business
to perform at the highest level.

Lance

Counterfix Inc

 

[wnagle]

the point of this thread was to compare the performance of the my two ras 115 against the archaic peanut grinder that's been around for decades and yes the dust collection is very important as should
the overall performance life.i can say this when there was a wast coast repair facility the service was
second to none thanks to David and his ability to please everyone under any circumstance. unlike Lebanon Indiana. i did not start this to pit anyone against me or festool as i stated i believe in festool
as much as everone here and probably have more festools then most of the people here only because its my business
to perform at the highest level.

Lance

Counterfix Inc

Lance,

What do you think the people at Lebanon should do to rectify your problem?  What would it take for them to please you?  Just curious.