talk me out of going with the T18?

[K119Phil]

Milwaukee Tools actually came by the shop earlier this week and we had a drill shoot-out to see what's what.  

Granted the T18 is in a completely different league, we still threw it in there just for fun against Makita LXT and Dewalt 20V-MAX.  To their credit, the new Milwaukee FUEL M18 drills are pretty darn good... but, and with no surprise, the T18 blew everybody out the water, and a bit further through the atmosphere, and a bit into outer space.  

As noted above, the CXS is a crazy awesome little drill too.  Our two top sellers in fact, which goes with the saying - "Go big (or small), or go home."

And absolutely - if you're not getting the set with the right-angle and eccentric chuck, you're really missing a significant portion of getting a Festool drill.

I'd be curious to know what made the T18 excel over the M18 Fuel.... other than the added chucks. More power and torque? Better battery life? Inquiring minds want to know. [drooling] [popcorn]

There are a few items in the Festool arsenal that I regard as "black magic" - items that at first glance are just seemingly expensive for no good reason.  The MFT Table.  The Systainer MAXI.  The Festool Drills.  Three of my favorite, most undersold items.

The short answer for what makes the Festool drills so amazing (and priced as they are), are the bearings.  It's a simple test really - just place a long auger in any competitor drill and let the drill creep (don't do this with a non-brushless drill... lol).  You'll start to see the auger take a cone-shaped swirl at the tip.  Festool drills?  Straight as an arrow.  And this applies to all the Centrotec Chucks.  Multiple bearings in each one to ensure trueness. 

What this translates to is an inexplicable sensation of smooth directness in the drive.  I could get more poetic about the sensation, but I would probably get flagged for explicit language  :

I'd suggest stopping by your local Festool Dealer and ask to try out the drills for yourself.  Tools are like cars, an experience product, that without a test drive, is really hard to quantify/qualify it's value. 

 

[Paul G]

I'd be curious to know what made the T18 excel over the M18 Fuel.... other than the added chucks. More power and torque? Better battery life? Inquiring minds want to know. [drooling] [popcorn]

There are a few items in the Festool arsenal that I regard as "black magic" - items that at first glance are just seemingly expensive for no good reason.  The MFT Table.  The Systainer MAXI.  The Festool Drills.  Three of my favorite, most undersold items.

The short answer for what makes the Festool drills so amazing (and priced as they are), are the bearings.  It's a simple test really - just place a long auger in any competitor drill and let the drill creep (don't do this with a non-brushless drill... lol).  You'll start to see the auger take a cone-shaped swirl at the tip.  Festool drills?  Straight as an arrow.  And this applies to all the Centrotec Chucks.  Multiple bearings in each one to ensure trueness. 

What this translates to is an inexplicable sensation of smooth directness in the drive.  I could get more poetic about the sensation, but I would probably get flagged for explicit language  :

I'd suggest stopping by your local Festool Dealer and ask to try out the drills for yourself.  Tools are like cars, an experience product, that without a test drive, is really hard to quantify/qualify it's value. 

Thanks for the info. If you keep demo units on the ready I may stop in next time I visit family in Burlingame.

 

[K119Phil]

Heya Paul, you replied to me while I was writing up my list on the dealer section  [laughing]

We do have a good bit of demo tools for you to check out!  Still expanding too, next would probably be a Duplex LS 130 Linear Sander... very cool little guy

MFT/3 Multifunction Table
TS 55 EQ
TS 75 EQ
KS 120 Kapex
TI 15 Impact
RTS 400
DTS 400
RO 90
RO 125
RO 150
ETS 125
ETS 150/3
OF 1010
OF 1400
OF 2200
MFK 700
CMS-GE Router Table
DF 500 Domino
DF 700 Domino XL
HL 850
EHL 65
CT Mini
CT Midi
CT 22
CT 26

Just shoot me a message here or give us a call at 650.588.0160 so we're ready for you!

K-119 of California Inc.
925 San Mateo Ave.
San Bruno, CA 94066

Thanks!

 

[nanook]

whats the 'black magic' on the syns-maxi?  I've been eyeing one for larger tools...

 

[duburban]

Milwaukee Tools actually came by the shop earlier this week and we had a drill shoot-out to see what's what.  

Granted the T18 is in a completely different league, we still threw it in there just for fun against Makita LXT and Dewalt 20V-MAX.  To their credit, the new Milwaukee FUEL M18 drills are pretty darn good... but, and with no surprise, the T18 blew everybody out the water, and a bit further through the atmosphere, and a bit into outer space.  

As noted above, the CXS is a crazy awesome little drill too.  Our two top sellers in fact, which goes with the saying - "Go big (or small), or go home."

And absolutely - if you're not getting the set with the right-angle and eccentric chuck, you're really missing a significant portion of getting a Festool drill.

how is that new makita drill? i have the bhp454 and love it.

 

[K119Phil]

whats the 'black magic' on the syns-maxi?   I've been eyeing one for larger tools...

Devil's in the details my friend  

The construction and reinforcement weavings are awesome.  In the US we can only get the universal sponge insert, thus I'm eagerly pushing Festool USA for the tool specific foam inserts which ARE the business.  

The 4th photo is a Shinex Polishing System Insert for Sys-Maxi, holding the Shinex, MPA Polishing Compounds and more which is only available in Europe and China.  Festool EU and CN also have other foam inserts for various tool combinations, such as for the LEX 3 Air Sander Set.  *fingers-crossed

Many of my clients get the SYS-MAXI to hold large items such as the parallel guides and various table accessories and clamps.  One tough cookie to crack  8)

 

[K119Phil]

Milwaukee Tools actually came by the shop earlier this week and we had a drill shoot-out to see what's what.  

Granted the T18 is in a completely different league, we still threw it in there just for fun against Makita LXT and Dewalt 20V-MAX.  To their credit, the new Milwaukee FUEL M18 drills are pretty darn good... but, and with no surprise, the T18 blew everybody out the water, and a bit further through the atmosphere, and a bit into outer space.  

As noted above, the CXS is a crazy awesome little drill too.  Our two top sellers in fact, which goes with the saying - "Go big (or small), or go home."

And absolutely - if you're not getting the set with the right-angle and eccentric chuck, you're really missing a significant portion of getting a Festool drill.

how is that new makita drill? i have the bhp454 and love it.

BHP454 is one our mainstays at the shop - tried and true.  The new Makita BL lineup is improved upon that.  Truthfully though, as a store, it's kind of like Mercedes and BMW duking it out.  Whoever releases a newer model, that model will rein king until whichever competitor launches their counter attack.  Makita's BL was late last year, was awesome, Milwaukee FUEL's are a couple months ago, so they're now packing more heat. 

But all in all, in that battle, Festool Drills, undoubtedly better. 

Usually my joke (in all seriousness) at the shop is asking the customer, "well, is the drill for you, or for your guys?" 

 

[Runhard]

I have the T18 set and CXS set at home and I just bought 4 Milwaukee M18 Fuel drills (2 drill/drivers, 1 hammer drill/driver, and 1 impact) for my mantainance staff at work.  They will be arriving today, so next week I will play around with them and compare them. I would have done it today, but I took a 4 day weekend and went camping up on the lake in Michigan   [cool]
I couldn't justify the expense to buy T18's for my guys at work, so if they like the M18 Fuel's I will get them a few more. I will probably buy them a CXS also (but keep it in my office).  [big grin]

Daniel