What do I do?

[Bill Wyko]

I have a cord for my TS-75 (I think) That has a bad end on it. I have to bend it to make contact. I bought my tools at Woodworkers Source and they no longer sell Festool. I've been using it on my boom for about a year now. Is there a way to take the tool end apart? What should I do?

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Bill, I would recommend you contact the service department.  They would be able to give you the best advice on how to handle that.  I have a feeling that they will advise against any user modification or attempts to repair.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Bill, I would recommend you contact the service department.  They would be able to give you the best advice on how to handle that.  I have a feeling that they will advise against any user modification or attempts to repair.

By all means call thye service department.  But Shane might be wrong about the user repairs; the one time that I have had to call Festool service in the more than 5 years that I have used Festool tools, Dave actually talked me through the steps necessary to make a repair (to my circular saw). 

 

[jonny round boy]

I have a cord for my TS-75 (I think) That has a bad end on it. I have to bend it to make contact. I bought my tools at Woodworkers Source and they no longer sell Festool. I've been using it on my boom for about a year now. Is there a way to take the tool end apart? What should I do?

Bill,

Do you not have a few spare plug-it cords lying around? I know I do! Could you not just swap it out?

Alternatively, in the UK they sell replacement plug-it plugs, so it should be fairly straightforward to dismantle the plug & check the connections inside.

 

[Frank-Jan]

There was a forum thread on the Australian festool forums some time ago about a guy that did deck renovations and used his rotex for the parts he couldn't reach with his bigger sander. Because he used his rotex on his knees, he regularly snagged the cord and it (the plugit cord at the connection) broke often.  Conclusion was he got the accessory Johny round boy linked to. The plugit end of a regular plugit cord is molded on and can't be taken apart, but with the special part you can shorten the cable a bit and re-attach it. The part number for the 110v version is 493995 (and is different from the 220v version).  (I don't know if it's available in the US though, and the alternative is just replacing the cord with a new one)

 

[AlexThePalex]

Just get a new cord. Sure beats messing around with a cord that is not designed to be taken apart.

 

[Frank-Jan]

I'd agree, but the guy with the rotex already had bought quite a few replacement cords, and he was a bit frustrated he had to exchange the entire cord each time.

 

[Brice Burrell]

There was a forum thread on the Australian festool forums some time ago about a guy that did deck renovations and used his rotex for the parts he couldn't reach with his bigger sander. Because he used his rotex on his knees, he regularly snagged the cord and it (the plugit cord at the connection) broke often.  Conclusion was he got the accessory Johny round boy linked to. The plugit end of a regular plugit cord is molded on and can't be taken apart, but with the special part you can shorten the cable a bit and re-attach it. The part number for the 110v version is 493995 (and is different from the 220v version).  (I don't know if it's available in the US though, and the alternative is just replacing the cord with a new one)

I remember that thread. The item you are referring to isn't sold in the US.

Just get a new cord. Sure beats messing around with a cord that is not designed to be taken apart.

Alex and Bill, the concern I'd have is the potential that the the plug-it end on Bill's saw is damaged. Check out this thread (link to reply #71), the post's of interest start with Summerwind's post, reply #71 through the end of the thread. Pay particular attention to Rick Christopherson's post, reply #89 (linked here).

 

[justinmcf]

hi bill, i usually throw the cord in the bin. if i have a spare in the workshop i use that, if not, i buy a new cord.

btw, heres a radical concept for festool.
if they can design the cord so it cant be taken apart, why dont they design the cord so it can be taken apart.

regards, justin.

 

[AlexThePalex]

if they can design the cord so it cant be taken apart, why dont they design the cord so it can be taken apart.

Only common sense, I think. We're talking about deadly currents here and it's normal for quite a couple of years now to cast electric cables in one piece. Electric cables on consumer products are not meant to be consumer serviced.

Of course most people here on this board won't blink one eye when fiddling around with electric cords, but in general, some people can and will do very stupid things if you allow them.

 

[justinmcf]

hi alex, i dont know what laws you have in holland with regards to power tools on construction sites.
but here in australia, every 3 months, i have to have all my power corded tools including battery chargers tested and tagged by a licensed electrician.

its a simple test, they check the cord for possible breaks, if there is a break, they can cut the cord and rewire a new plug on the end.
with the festool cords, i cannot have these tested. my local festool service centre told me i have to throw them away and buy new.

if they could be taken apart, the electrician who checks and tags my tools every 3 months could cut the cord and rewire. happy days.
i am not an electrician myself, so i tend to let the professionals do this task.

regards, justin.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Justin, to be honest, I have no clue about the regulations on construction sites here. But I have never heard of anything resembling that 3 monthly inspection you mention. I can fully understand why replaceable plugs interest you. This is the first time though I hear about a measure like this. I don't think this practice is very common in Europe. Only thing a lot of companies have over here is annual service contracts with the manufacturer of the tools, where they send in the machine for an annual inspection. But I don't know if it's mandatory or not.     

 

[Frank-Jan]

Justin, in Holland there's a similar system. If you buy a corded powertool (including chargers for cordless tools) the dealer puts a sticker on it with the year and month of purchase perforated. But I don't think they have to be inspected as often. (Most small contractors I know, that only do residential work don't bother, but you can have a licensed guy come over and check and tag every tool at once)

But if I understood your post correctly you throw away every plugit cord you have every three months. in that case I would definately get the part that makes the plugit end detachable. (It is available in Australia, because it was Anthony from Idealtools that came up with that solution.)

edit/ I reread your post, they can probably measure the entire cord from the internal connection in the machine, so the throwing away the cords part is probably only in case of an actual break in the plugit-cable.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Justin, in Holland there's a similar system. If you buy a corded powertool (including chargers for cordless tools) the dealer puts a sticker on it with the year and month of purchase perforated.

Not necessarily. I thought this only happened when one of those service contracts I was talking about was taken. None of the tools I bought in the store have such a sticker.

 

[jvsteenb]

But if you'd bought them in a professional capacity, at an industrial supllier, they most probably would.
The rules are a bit blurry over here (Our regulatory system is notoriously blurry throughout, I'm afraid) but a lot depends on the capacity in which a tool is used.

As a private person, few rules apply. If I want to die from falling of a crooked ladder, that's my responsibility.
In a professional capacity, more rules apply. I'm supposedly more responsible to the damage I might afflict onto others, falling of said ladder, and must use a certified safe one.
When I'm supplying employees with tools, even more rules peek around the corner. They must be supplied with safe ladders, tested for safety regularly, and aren't allowed to work of them for more then very short spells - otherwise I have to supply a scaffold and above a certain height fall protection devices as well ( safe, tested, etc. etc. )
When I'm servicing or granting acces to the public, the whole arsenal of rules gets uncovered - and that's quite an impressive arsenal, I can assure you.

Even if the government doesn't really put much weight in "governing" these rules, the insurance companies make sure they're maintained - you can't afford to loose insurance coverage, so you're more or less forced to abide by the rules. In a way, the government neatly "outsourced" their enforcement task...

Although I may sound a bit sarcastic, I'm actually glad the rules are there. It kinda helps to have a framework to check your responsibilities, some are easily overlooked.

But as much as I can relate to the goals, I'm not very charmed by the means.....

Sorry, end of rant here  [unsure]

Regards,

Job

 

[Rick Christopherson]

For the cost of the repair kit plus the shipping to get it into the US, you are better off replacing the cord. I think the replacement part number is 490656, and several dealer website listed the part for about $35.

As I said in the other thread, you also want to make sure it is the cord that is failing and not the inlet on the tool. If, when you said you had to bend the cord to make it work, you meant the cord itself and not the connection into the tool, then it is likely that the wire in the cord is broken, so you would be OK replacing the cord.

If you have to bend the connector, then it could be either the plug or the inlet. Before chasing a replacement cord, you might want to consider sending the saw into Festool, unless you are positive that it is the cord, not the inlet.

Oh, even though the plug-it cord is easier to grasp on the TS75 than it is on the TS55, Make sure that the problem is not something simple, like not fully engaging the twist lock of the cord. It is a full 90 degree turn, and this would give you similar symptoms to what you are describing.

After re-reading your post, it sounds like you already have several cords, but this one is on your boom arm and gets connected to many different tools. If that is the case, then you can disregard the second half of my posting.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I have a cord for my TS-75 (I think) That has a bad end on it. I have to bend it to make contact. I bought my tools at Woodworkers Source and they no longer sell Festool. I've been using it on my boom for about a year now. Is there a way to take the tool end apart? What should I do?

I guess you think the Plug It end is bad?

If the cord was originally for the TS 75 it will be a 16 gauge cord
as indicated on the sheath. Cords for less energy hungry tools are 18 gauge.
If it was for the TS 75 it's probably still under warranty?

It's a good idea to use the higher capacity cord on the boom arm since it fits all tools.

If anyone can get into the Plug It head and fix it you can Bill.
Let us know how it goes if you try.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

If anyone can get into the Plug It head and fix it you can Bill.

Hey Michael, what am I, chopped liver?  [big grin]

Seriously, I did try to open one up and it is not safely feasible to do and put it back together. The Plug-it cord that came with my NAINA boomarm hose could be disassembled, and that is why I was examining the other plug-it cords, because the Boomarm cord had a European end on it (back at the Vac). I wanted to swap out a normal U.S. cord through the hose, but I knew I could not reassemble the tool-end of the cord if I removed the plug-it connector.

Granted, if Bill's cord is shot, then he really doesn't have anything to lose in trying. In my case, the NAINA hose cord was intact, and if I screwed up, would lose the whole hose. I quickly decided that it was best to simply grab a European plug adapter I had sitting in my suitcase.

The bottom line is that taking this apart to try to fix it is not going to be very fruitful...unless you have nothing to lose in the process.

 

[Michael Kellough]

If anyone can get into the Plug It head and fix it you can Bill.

Hey Michael, what am I, chopped liver?  [big grin]

Seriously, I did try to open one up and it is not safely feasible to do and put it back together. The Plug-it cord that came with my NAINA boomarm hose could be disassembled, and that is why I was examining the other plug-it cords, because the Boomarm cord had a European end on it (back at the Vac). I wanted to swap out a normal U.S. cord through the hose, but I knew I could not reassemble the tool-end of the cord if I removed the plug-it connector.

Granted, if Bill's cord is shot, then he really doesn't have anything to lose in trying. In my case, the NAINA hose cord was intact, and if I screwed up, would lose the whole hose. I quickly decided that it was best to simply grab a European plug adapter I had sitting in my suitcase.

The bottom line is that taking this apart to try to fix it is not going to be very fruitful...unless you have nothing to lose in the process.

If anyone can get into the Plug It head and fix it Festool to immediately send a replacement cord you can Bill Rick. So, I wouldn't expect you to cut into one just for fun, even if you do have the expertise. On the other hand, I doubt that Bill will have any trouble getting someone to send him a cord.