T18 Easy

[Jim Green]

Can anyone tell me if the T18 easy is a new drill with a fixed chuck or is it a T18 at a lower price? Thanks in advance.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yep, fixed chuck only. A step back in evolution.

 

[Christopher Fitch]

Yep, fixed chuck only. A step back in evolution.

Thanks for vocalizing my first thoughts when i saw it.

 

[Coen]

Who what where? When? What did I miss?

Fixed chuck? Jakob's chuck? Euh... then why would I buy a Festool  [unsure]
Especially if it comes in that new Sys3 which can't be stacked in equal stacks with different sizes as easily.

 

[elfick]

If you were already heavy into the Festool battery ecosystem and needed a dedicated drill for standard drill bits, it's not bad.

 

[Gregor]

If you were already heavy into the Festool battery ecosystem and needed a dedicated drill for standard drill bits, it's not bad.

Then I would get yet another C or T (depending on preference) 18 basic version to accompany the one(s) I already have. So in case one of them dies I would have (another) spare to switch to.

 

[Michael Kellough]

If you were already heavy into the Festool battery ecosystem and needed a dedicated drill for standard drill bits, it's not bad.

Then I would get yet another C or T (depending on preference) 18 basic version to accompany the one(s) I already have. So in case one of them dies I would have (another) spare to switch to.

[thumbs up]

 

[AlexThePalex]

If you were already heavy into the Festool battery ecosystem and needed a dedicated drill for standard drill bits, it's not bad.

Everyone of the Festool drills is already a dedicated drill for standard bits.

 

[slavi.yordanov]

I can confirm that the only difference between the T18E and regular T18 it this part.

I have just converted my T18E into a T18 and it works just like my C18. If somebody is handy and don't mind loosing their warranty, can do the swap in 30-40 minutes I would say. Just take pictures to put stuff back in the right order.

 

[Rick Herrick]

I can confirm that the only difference between the T18E and regular T18 it this part.

I have just converted my T18E into a T18 and it works just like my C18. If somebody is handy and don't mind loosing their warranty, can do the swap in 30-40 minutes I would say. Just take pictures to put stuff back in the right order.

[member=73112]slavi.yordanov[/member] Trying to understand this.  I just bought a T 18 E and so far I like it.  When you changed this part, what did it give you that turns it into a T18?  I am still trying to understand the differences in FT drills.

 

[slavi.yordanov]

It removes the chuck and replaces it with the proprietary adapter to which you can attach the different heads that Festool sells.

If you don’t already have the heads, it will be cheaper to get them in a kit with a T18.

 

[DynaGlide]

I think the T18 Easy's main goal is not to sell you a nice expensive drill. It's to get you into their 18V eco system so you'll go buy the other tools. Those batteries it comes with are $120/ea, the charger another $75. $315 to get two batteries and a charger or $299 to get two batteries, a charger, plus a drill. It's probably a really nice drill if you can justify the price by needing the batteries for other tools.

There's some tools in their lineup, like the OSC 18, that in order to get the kit with batteries, is $799. What if someone wanted the basic for $375 and needed batteries? They might opt to get the T18 Easy instead. Then once they have that, they decide they like the drill and look to what other offerings Festool has since hey, they already have the batteries.

 

[Rick Herrick]

My thoughts are exactly like what Matt said.  As I heard someone else say on another thread, the T18E is almost free if you want the batteries.  I also recently got the OSC 18 and am looking towards a Carvex.  I don't use jigsaws that much but now that the 4.0 batteries are becoming somewhat of a standard, this works for me.

I am coming from the Ryobi ecosystem. Its cheap and it does work fairly well and one battery foot print made a lot of sense.  The T18E is about the same weight as the Ryobi drills I have but the FT seems to be more compact and it really, really fits my hand perfectly.  I love it and I may get another.

 

[Rick Herrick]

It removes the chuck and replaces it with the proprietary adapter to which you can attach the different heads that Festool sells.

If you don’t already have the heads, it will be cheaper to get them in a kit with a T18.

Thanks for the info.

 

[slavi.yordanov]

I agree on everything you have said, but why not sell the regular T18 with a keyless chuck only at this price point? It’s the same drill, but they had to engineer a fixed chuck that can be used in their already existing T18.

They would still attract me to get into their system. One would probably buy the bit set that includes the Centrotec head later on. And people who have all the heads and possibly another T18, C18 would still buy one for less switching of bits and heads.

 

[Rick Herrick]

For me, it looked like another $200 to get centrotec capability.  I didn't necessarily need all the heads I just bought the 3 jaw adapter and a centrotec chuck for a total of $64.  So far, that works fine for me so far.

 

[slavi.yordanov]

For me, it looked like another $200 to get centrotec capability.  I didn't necessarily need all the heads I just bought the 3 jaw adapter and a centrotec chuck for a total of $64.  So far, that works fine for me so far.

What if they sold the T18 with a removable keyless chuck only at this price point? Wouldn’t you prefer that to have the option for expansion later on?

 

[Rick Herrick]

What if they sold the T18 with a removable keyless chuck only at this price point? Wouldn’t you prefer that to have the option for expansion later on?

Probably, yes.

 

[slavi.yordanov]

Here is a picture to illustrate my point.

 

[squall_line]

The T18 Easy - Bare Tool runs $199 USD.

The T18 Proper - Bare Tool runs $299 USD, and includes a keyless chuck as well as the Centrotec chuck and Centrotec Bit holder, which retail separately for $70 USD (plus a P2 bit for $1).

So, really, they DO sell the T18 Proper with a keyless chuck, for only $29 USD more than the T18 Easy, but you have to get the CT kit with it).

The T 18+3 also has the registration guide on the front to hold the other chucks in whatever position you want/need them.

As some have said on here and in various other threads, it's a gateway dru--, I mean, tool to get you into the Festool family/system.  It's made to somewhat compete with similar offerings from the megabrands.

Honestly, I think it's also similar to selling rails with the TS and HK saws; by offering/forcing CentroTec (itself a swappable system) and at least one more chuck in every variant of the T18+3, it reinforces the idea that the drill is made to swap chucks.  If it was sold in a variant with a single chuck, the swappable chucks (or "chuckability") wouldn't be as obvious of a value-add compared to the other offerings on the market.  And the T 18 Easy is there to whet your appetite, as Sedge seemed to indicate in his T18 Easy intro/demo Festool Live video.