TCL3 made in china

[Shane Holland]

It's a charger. It's not a tool.  [blink]

Most of the electronics in everything we buy as consumers, including Festool power tools, are made in Asia. Does that compromise the quality? I think not.

The reason we buy Festool power tools is not because of their superior battery chargers or electronic control modules. It's the innovation, tolerances, materials, and the premise of being built in Germany meaning a good that's made to a better standard. I doubt Festool would ever consider moving production outside of Europe.

And, I'm almost positive this topic has already appeared here on the FOG at least once before.

 

[anthonyz]

I'm the first to criticise Festool if I feel it's warranted. However, made in China isn't necessarily a bad thing, so long as Festool still specify the same tollorances and production standard as they would demand from their German factory.

The notion that China can only produce cheap, inferior products is outdated. 

The above notwithstanding, I do think if Festool are producing more items through China, the prices should begin to stabilise and come inline with other manufacturers (Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee, etc.) to offer a better value proposition and stop "dining out" on the Festool name being a supposed byword for superiority when they're often only an equal proposition against their competitors.

Are you suggesting Festool's prices will stabilize by somehow decreasing, or perhaps by creating more value in including accessories with purchases?  [blink]

China most definitely produces cheap (inexpensive); inferior, I would agree, may be subjective.

China produces inferior products because US companies demand cheap for their products. They can also produce high quality, but that's not what the American market demands as a whole especially when corporate profits are held above all else in a capitalist society. American products are meant to be disposable, so you have to keep buying them, that's American capitalism at it's core. That's why I but Festool which holds higher standards, so I don't have to by another cheap drill from an American company made in china with mediocre specs for the profit of a CEO who is unwilling to pay US workers a decent wage.

 

[#Tee]

wait so what happens IF festool moved to china and brought along all their workers. its techinical made in china now, would you still buy from germans living in china? lol

 

[bkharman]

wait so what happens IF festool moved to china and brought along all their workers. its techinical made in china now, would you still buy from germans living in china? lol

Or what if Chinese people moved to Germany to completely man the assembly of the tools??

If I questioned every political aspect and the completely unethical way that manufacturing and assembly countries handled their business, I would be naked, alone and without a car, phone or tools. This is post 2000 people, not everything is as it was 50 + years ago. Sometimes I wish it was, but that era is gone...

... Except some of the machines in Darcy's shop!  Even older than 50+ years. Good on ya Darcy.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[DB10]

It's a charger. It's not a tool.  [blink]

Most of the electronics in everything we buy as consumers, including Festool power tools, are made in Asia. Does that compromise the quality? I think not.

The reason we buy Festool power tools is not because of their superior battery chargers or electronic control modules. It's the innovation, tolerances, materials, and the premise of being built in Germany meaning a good that's made to a better standard. I doubt Festool would ever consider moving production outside of Europe.

And, I'm almost positive this topic has already appeared here on the FOG at least once before.

  I also think that it has  been noted on here before, that Festool has produced or at least re branded accessories that have been made in China for some time.

 

[#Tee]

wait so what happens IF festool moved to china and brought along all their workers. its techinical made in china now, would you still buy from germans living in china? lol

Or what if Chinese people moved to Germany to completely man the assembly of the tools??

If I questioned every political aspect and the completely unethical way that manufacturing and assembly countries handled their business, I would be naked, alone and without a car, phone or tools. This is post 2000 people, not everything is as it was 50 + years ago. Sometimes I wish it was, but that era is gone...

... Except some of the machines in Darcy's shop!  Even older than 50+ years. Good on ya Darcy.

Cheers. Bryan.

nicely put...that said i just checked my tcl3 and its made in germany...now i can sleep better lol. i just bought a graco true shot pro , the label said made in USA and other global areas hahah...gezz the china name has it bad.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Does Festool even make and design the chargers, or are they made and designed by another company that specializes in batteries or battery charging systems?

I have a European made AEG rapid battery charger, and a Metabo rapid battery charger that were both manufactured in the Slovak or Slovakian Republic. I sort of figured that a third party was designing and manufacturing the chargers,and possibly the batteries, for a number of different brands and just changing the outside shell for the individual manufacturers. If whoever was manufacturing switched the manufacturing to China then the companies that used those chargers would have to follow suit.

Another possibility is that the circuitry was made in china all along, but the chargers were assembled in Germany but allowed to say "Made in Germany" based on the cost of assembly being higher than the cost of the circuitry. With the lowering of the Euro value there could have been a legal requirement to change COO even if the current chargers are being made and assembled exactly the same as the older ones.

Lastly it's possible someone came up with a vastly better, patented, charging system, and the person insists on making the circuitry system in China, which forces anyone who makes cordless tools to either use a now second rate charging system, or supply chargers made in China.

At least Festool is still making their drills in Germany. Fein, Metabo, and Hilti all have some cordless tools that are being made in China now.

 

[Iceclimber]

I also hope Festool is listening.

No way i will pay the price Festool commands if the tools start being made in China. No way not a chance.

You can say this is not the 50's, things have changed so forth and so on. You can also suggest we buy Festool for the innovation blah blah. 

Sorry but other than the Domino Festool is not all that much more innovative than any other tool manufacture. Well ok they innovate but if you are patient other manufactures quickly follow suite and for half if not more than half of Festools price.

Festools products are not perfect either. My Jigsaw sparks when scribing hard maple face frames. My RO90 gets clogged with dust to the point i have to pull it fully apart and scrape and blow the caked on crap out or its suction is zero. And my Kapex is not close to as accurate as i would hope. Would i give them back, no not a chance as they are still better than others tools. By twice the cost worth it, not really unless you are a toll addict and i am!

I spent about $20K on Felder machines and Nordab duct work this past year. Another few grand on a ICS Sawstop a grand or so on a Laguna bandsaw and im in the middle of bidding on a Felder slot mortiser as i type. 

I love Festools, i really do but made in china and i just purchase Bosch Delwalt or Metabo.

Lets pretend for a minute Martin starts outsourcing their top of the line machines. Yeah i know their lesser machines are made by another manufacturer and rebranded. No way i am paying $50K for a Martin slider when i can get a Altendorf made in Germany or a Felder made in Austria and for less..

 

[Stephen B]

[size=13pt]
Not all apparently, although the build year was 2013, I purchased this TCL3 with a C15 Basic earlier this year.

So is the Made in China only related to 110V specs?
Or has there been a recent change in manufacturing base for TCL3?

[attachimg=1]

I often have to give the battery a slight wiggle to ensure terminal contact.

 

[Cheese]

Just checked all my Festool gear...it is all manufactured in Germany or Poland. Phew...all is once again well in the world.

 

[bertv]

Well, the last plant in Germany that produces batteries (the rechargeable kind) just closed its doors, so anything with batteries in it, branded Made in Germany, has ‘nicht Volkseigen’ materials in it… Let’s just face up to reality: the economy is global. Production will always move to where costs are lower.

 

[peter halle]

While I understand and respect other's feelings on this, I personally don't care where battery chargers are made as long as they charge and continue to charge my batteries until the batteries die of old age.

Peter

 

[jacko9]

Well, the last plant in Germany that produces batteries (the rechargeable kind) just closed its doors, so anything with batteries in it, branded Made in Germany, has ‘nicht Volkseigen’ materials in it… Let’s just face up to reality: the economy is global. Production will always move to where costs are lower.

Yes that is true with the current global market where the worlds global shift of wealth to the top 10% is the greatest shift since the 1890's and it's only getting worst with the current world trade deals and currency management.

Costs are only related to currency values and wage rules which under communist countries is not negotiable like it is in "free economies" so I'll continue to trade only with free labor countries or I won't buy at all - just my humble opinion [wink]

Jack

 

[abcd123]

I just noticed my tcl3 charger is made in China. If this is the start of the outsoucing for more profits, I will stop buying festool products.

Do you have any Apple products?  They are pretty high end things and they are made in (gasp!)

China.

There is one major difference between Festool products and Apple products. When you buy an iPhone, you paid $50 for the hardware and rest goes for design and services like iCloud, iOS, software delivered by Apple "for free". How much do you think Festool invested in a charger design and services related to it? In case of Festool charger produced in China it is pure cost decrease for Festool. There is nothing more delivered to the customer as in case of Apple.

 

[abcd123]

Festool "Made in China" will not find it's way into my shop, I buy Festool to avoid the other manufactures that have gone to the cheapest labor possible produced in a country that controls their currency and their people to their own advantage.

Jack

Jack, I fully agree with you. When I live in Germany, I try to buy German products and support the local economy. When I live in the U.S. I try to buy U.S. products and support the local economy. Why should I support Chinese economy? Because then I can buy something cheaper while my neighbour will get fired from the job as the company will move production to China? I think supporting local economy makes sense.

 

[abcd123]

Does anyone remember similar conversations ( in the 1960s ) similar to this regarding products made in Japan?
How we derided Japanese motor bikes and then their cars.

i.e. Toyota recall history?  [big grin]

 

[Big G]

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ENGLISH

You eat your Swiss muesli for breakfast.
You go to work in your German car.
You work for an International Asian Company.
You sit at your Swedish made desk.
You use an computer from America.
You take lunch at an Italian restaurant.
You drink a Belgian beer.
You collect your Chinese take away on your way home.
You Drink an Irish Coffee
You Watch your Japanese TV.
You go to your Spanish style bathroom.
You put on your Egyptian cotton pyjamas.
You sleep in your French bed.
You dream of your next holiday in Thailand.

AND

You spend all day complaining about foreigners and foreign goods.

 

[waho6o9]

Costs are only related to currency values and wage rules which under communist countries is not negotiable like it is in "free economies" so I'll continue to trade only with free labor countries or I won't buy at all - just my humble opinion [wink]

Agreed. 

 

[CumminsDiesel]

I would promptly return any Festool that said "made in China" and buy the less expensive Makita / Bosch equivalent.
 

Equivalent?

Not even close Bosch/Makita/Dewalt make equivalent to PDC 18/4 !

 

[jools]

Big G. Whilst I don't mind your humour ( most of your list is true apart from porridge for breakfast and I drive a Citroen van [big grin]) in this thread no ENGLISH voice has complained about Chinese manufacture. Where too busy with the rest of life moaning about weather, traffic, parking, taxes, weather, lead times, delivery times, fuel prices, brick shortages, poor quality timber, other trades especially sparkies, EU rules and regulation etc,etc that makes us the Mr Angry of Europe.