Steve Jones TSK1 Feedback

[ForumMFG]

I don't own one, I would like to buy it but no one will give feedback.  Everytime you ask Tom and Steve to provide customer feedback, they never give an answer.  I now feedback was not listed on this forum but from only one person but maybe feedback was given over the phone to steve or tom.  Everytime someone asked them if this had even happened, we get no response.  I won't buy one until I hear and see some feedback. 

 

[Holzhacker]

I'm in the same boat. I would love to buy Steve's saw adapter. I hate to rain on the parade but I have gotten a little suspicious about this. It's a great looking product and supposedly a lot of orders have been placed, yet no one seems to be sharing their experience with the product. When he comes out with a TS75 and others give feedback I'd love to buy one. At the price point it is too much money to buy as a 'maybe' good tool.

 

[ForumMFG]

I'm in the same boat. I would love to buy Steve's saw adapter. I hate to rain on the parade but I have gotten a little suspicious about this. It's a great looking product and supposedly a lot of orders have been placed, yet no one seems to be sharing their experience with the product. When he comes out with a TS75 and others give feedback I'd love to buy one. At the price point it is too much money to buy as a 'maybe' good tool.

I agree.  I wouldn't buy a new car without a test drive or when we were looking for someone to watch my daughter while we are at work, I wouldn't let someone watch my daughter without interviewing them and doing a background check (Okay that example was kinda steep).

It's also werid that we keep requesting them and we don't even get any responses.  We get a response when we ask is there is feedback posted on the internet but no response when we ask if feedback was given over the phone or ask what have your customers been saying.  Really werid.  If I was the one selling them, I would request feedback from the people who bought it and post it just for this reason so that others can read about it and feel more comfortable.

BUT, I guess no news is good news right?!

-Dave

 

[joraft]

... It's also weird that we keep requesting them and we don't even get any responses.  We get a response when we ask is there is feedback posted on the internet but no response when we ask if feedback was given over the phone or ask what have your customers been saying... 

Does anyone know how many of these are actually in use? A very small user base could make feedback hard to come by.

 

[ForumMFG]

I have no idea but I know a read a post that stated they need 12 orders to proceed with fabrication at one point.  I think thats what I read before so don't quote me on it.  I also heard they were selling like hot cakes though.

update: You can quote me on that.

To the Forum, sorry for going off topic.  I guess it's pretty easy to do!

 

[joraft]

I also heard they were selling like hot cakes though.

I wonder if any of the regulars here has one. It would be good to hear about their experiences.

Anyone?

 

[ForumMFG]

Here is some quotes from steve under the "My new festool tablesaw"

"If I can get 12 firm orders for the units at $375.00 I will build them. (I already have  8 orders) we need 4 more."

"We are receiving orders and shipping all over the world"

-Dave

 

[AlexThePalex]

Does anyone know how many of these are actually in use? A very small user base could make feedback hard to come by.

All the initial orders were placed as a direct result of a post on this forum. By some of the most notable users of this forum who have a big anticipation in this forum. Considering how huge the enthousiasm was about Steve's contraption, it IS kind of odd nobody is willing to talk about it and give it a review.

 

[ForumMFG]

That is a very good point and I totally agree with you.

 

[mwhafner]

I have one, and have posted comments previously -

I was among the original purchasers of the TSCK1, and am very pleased with the product.

I did have to "shim and trim" a little to get the insert and saw flat to the table.  I would say that the tolerances are a little on the conservative side.  I don't consider it a big deal.

The mechanical components are as ingenious as they look in the video.  The lift mechanism operates smoothly and is easy to adjust.  Once you do the initial setup, it only takes a couple of minutes to install or remove the system.

The dust collection is amazing.  This TSCK1 takes maximum advantage of the collection capabilities of the TS55.  I would estimate that collection is 95 to 97%, when using the blade guard for through cuts.

It appears that there may have been a couple of other users that have experienced similar issues with the fit of the insert, as I was informed yesterday that a new one was on its way.  Once I got mine setup, I don't have any complaints.

 

[Neill]

Dave & Other FOG Members,

No disrespect intended.  Tom and Steve have been avid contributors and advisers to all of us at the FOG.  My question may be a bit off topic and maybe this is not the right place even for this post.

The issue I would like to address is why is this Forum the place to so vigorously market a product for an individual's personal financial gain?  Informing us of the product's availability and maybe a link.  Shouldn't that be sufficient?

Maybe I am somewhat biased because I have no interest in the product.  I am a hobbyist who works at home.  I already have a table saw.  I already have a router table.  Why would I want to cut a hole in my MFT/3?  If I was working on the road or did not already have the TS or RT, I might feel differently.

Believe me when I say that I have no axe to grind.  Assuming the products are as good as they seem to be on YouTube, I hope Steve and Tom do very well.

Neill

 

[ForumMFG]

Neill,

Thanks for your post and opinion.  I happen to disagree with you.  Idea's like Steve's and Tom's are what make this Forum such an awesome place (and besides all the other reasons).  To be able to see inventions like that and others.  His invention is a great alternative for people who cannot afford a expensive table saw.  I really don't care who markets a product for an individual's personal financial gain because isn't that one of the goals in life to make money?  Again, inventions like this one are what make this forum a exciting place to visit because not only can you find the best answers but you can see some pretty cool stuff which makes me wanting to come back for more to see whats next.  Thats my opinion.  Back to the financial gain, as long as it's Festool related, no one should have a problem with it.  This is a Festool Forum.  Unless there are rules against it, it should be okay.

-Dave

 

[Rob Z]

Guys, I haven't talked to Steve before, but I have shared a lot of phone time with Tom and by now I have bought quite a few tools from his company.  I suggest calling Tom directly and talk to him about your questions.  If I were in the market for the kit for the 75 (I know, it's not available yet), I would call Tom and talk to him about it.

Full disclosure:  I have no stake in any of this other than Tom has been very helpful as I have been buying and using new Festools.  This was after I got blown off by two Festool dealers, so my loyalty naturally goes with Tom because he has helped me every time I needed advice.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The issue I would like to address is why is this Forum the place to so vigorously market a product for an individual's personal financial gain?  Informing us of the product's availability and maybe a link.  Shouldn't that be sufficient?

Neill, it just grew that way. Steve never intended this. He just made a jig for his own personal use, and like many people here do, he showed it on the forum here to other fellow Festoolians. The forum got its own section for such things.

What was completely unintended and I bet amazed Steve himself is that he got a HUGE response from the users here who loved his idea and requested him to make one for them. So you see Neill, Steve's jig became a product only because of this forum and his main group of buyers are people from this forum.

 

[Brice Burrell]

The issue I would like to address is why is this Forum the place to so vigorously market a product for an individual's personal financial gain?  Informing us of the product's availability and maybe a link.  Shouldn't that be sufficient?

Neill, it just grew that way. Steve never intended this. He just made a jig for his own personal use, and like many people here do, he showed it on the forum here to other fellow Festoolians. The forum got its own section for such things.

What was completely unintended and I bet amazed Steve himself is that he got a HUGE response from the users here who loved his idea and requested him to make one for them. So you see Neill, Steve's jig became a product only because of this forum and his main group of buyers are people from this forum.

Alex, you're right, the members of this forum were the driving force behind this product getting off the ground. If I understand Neill's post I agree with him, this forum isn't his own personal marketing platform for his products. The members invention section was at one point completely filled with his threads for his products and feedback. At a certain point this kind on vigorously marketing becomes inappropriate for this forum. At minimum these threads should be in the sales section.

I don't believe the intention of the members inventions section was to be a marketing platform. It has evolved it that and I'm not completely comfortable with the idea. While Steve and Tom have done a good job my concerns are for the next guy that comes along, then next and so on. Then was have the added complexity of Festool now owning the forum and with the CMS coming to N. America (at least it looks like the router option) Steve's router lift kits are a competing product. It's certainly not appropriate for a competitor to have free reign on a tool's manufacturers forum.

With all the above said I'm glad this kinds of things can happen, a guy comes up with a good idea and the demand turns it into a business and people get a good tool. I guess I'm saying the idea is great but maybe it needs some restructuring to better fit the forum. 

 

[mwhafner]

I want to be clear that I am in no way, other than being a customer, involved in Tom and Steve's venture. 

I think it is important to keep in mind that the membership of the FOG actually encouraged Steve to develop and market the product, as has been pointed out.  His original post and video was more of a "look what I did" as opposed to a marketing effort.  I sent Steve a PM asking that he offer his product commercially, and I don't think I was alone.

While I find no fault with Steve or Tom, I do agree that this crosses into dangerous territory.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I want to be clear that I am in no way, other than being a customer, involved in Tom and Steve's venture. 

I think it is important to keep in mind that the membership of the FOG actually encouraged Steve to develop and market the product, as has been pointed out.  His original post and video was more of a "look what I did" as opposed to a marketing effort.  I sent Steve a PM asking that he offer his product commercially, and I don't think I was alone.

While I find no fault with Steve or Tom, I do agree that this crosses into dangerous territory.

I think you made a good point and I find no fault with these guys either.

 

[ForumMFG]

Maybe I just don't understand what kind of forum or message board this is?  I don't see any problem with someone marketing a Festool accessory that they invented.  This is a Festool Forum!  I can see a little bit of a problem now that Festool themselves now own this board but when Steve came out with it, Festool was not in ownership.  In a previous thread someone talked about how different this Forum is from TalkFestool, I'm really starting to see it.  So tell me, why is it "this kind on vigorously marketing becomes inappropriate for this forum"?  How does it offend or effect anyone and how?  If you don't want to read someone trying to sell a Festool product then don't read the message or thread?  Why would a thread "need some restructuring to better fit the forum"?  How can any of that benefit the forum and how would you do it?   Just like the last reason, don't read it.  I'm sure it does a lot of good as well.  Is there a thread on what type of forum this is suppose to be or guidelines?

Don't take any of this the wrong way, I'm just trying to figure out this Forum and go with the flow.

-Dave

 

[Brice Burrell]

Dave, this is a member driven forum. I'd expect some small changes over the next few months now that Festool is running things but I believe the members will still shape this forum. No question the members asked Steve to bring his invention to the market and he responded, I have no problem with that. Where things get a little weird is when an entire section of the forum dominates and has become a marketing platform. This site not a marketing platform, not even for Festool or at least it hasn't been. Balancing marketing and member content is an important element to any forum. The membership asked that no ads be placed on this site and we were willing to make donations to the site in the past to keep it ad free. The members also asked that a sales/dealer section be added so it could be kept separate form member content. In the past this site has had problems with a Festool competitor making trouble here.

These issues of balancing marketing/member content and competing products must be handled with great care so things don't get out of hand. Boundaries need to be set, where, well that's not for me to say. I'd like to see the member inventions section be removed. Steve's posts should be moved to the sales section.

While I agree with the idea of not reading threads one is not interested in I feel this is a different issue. My concern is that situations that cross boundaries can get out of hand as we've already had things like that happen here.

 

[tbellemare]

It is true that this whole adventure resulted from FOG members' suppport and requests. We have used the FOG as our primary marketing venue at the request of the former owner. The intention was to support the FOG, not cause difficulties.

We are happy to do whatever the membership and administration think are appropriate. I would like to request that members voice their desires in this thread so we can compile your opinions and respond accordingly.

Tom