What don't you like about Festool...

[Lou Miller]

Like most of you, I really like all of the Festool stuff I have. Like anything else, nothing is 100% perfect though. So it thought it might be kind of cool to hear some things you guys don't like about the tools you have.

Mine is a very simple thing. I don't like the clamps for the rails. With the way things are, it can sometimes be a real pain to get things clamped correctly when dealing with small pieces. One of my ideas, and I'll get arouind to doing it someday, is to take the existing clamps, cut them, and add a piece to them that will allow them to swivel. My thinking is that if the clamps swiveled, you'd have a whole lot more flexibility in how you clamps things to the rails. You'd be able to get the clamp much closer to the edge of the rail this way. I know how to get around the limitations with the clamps the way they are, its just a little thing that has always bugged me though.

Who knos, maybe somebody will post something in this thread that will get noticed by Festool too. I'm curious to see what anyone has to add...

 

[greg mann]

Lou,

I don't believe you will like the result of swiveling the clamps. It the anvil portion of the clamp is not aligned with the screw the clamp will twist to the side. I think we have all seen C clamps that have been overtightened to the point that the screw twists to the side and renders the clamp useless. I believe, if I understand you correctly, this will be similar to your swiveled clamp. OTOH, a clamp that could swing would be nice.

Greg

 

[mysterium]

Hi Lou,

To better fit the US market.....  (and my "way" of thinking... stuck in 1/32nds )

For the Centrotex chuck, I'd like to see SAE drill bits & sq. drive bits for fasteners. 

For the plunge saws, I'd like to have SAE scales available.

jim

 

[M and M Guy]

I only know of one thing that I don't like about Festool so far.........

The price.  ;D ;D ;D

 

[mstens]

I agree, the clamps could be better.  I'm fine with the metric.

 

[Bob]

I am adjusting to moving from Canada to the states.  Hence/ grew up with sae changed to metric back again to sae  I like the old inches and feet.

I am also trying to unlearn the old (40 yrs) ways and learn to use the festool way....fun!

 

[Frank Pellow]

I don't like their Canadian distributor, that is Hafele Canada.  :'(

Festool is very much a sideline with Hafele Canada and a sideline that few people there know anything about.  Also, Hafele is not used to selling the home hobbiests, just to industry.  For example, recently I asked for a price list and was told that they could not provide me with one.

 

[T. Michael]

I'll second the motion for SAE drills and especially the Robert's square drives # 1, 2 and 3 that fit the Centrotech system.

I just bought the whole drill accessory set in a systainer (the 'Assembly package SYS CENTROTEC/207X' not offered in the US) which has metric twist drills from 3 to 6.5mm in half mm increments with 2 spare drills per size; a wonderful counter sink,extra centro tech  a zillion 1/4" bits, phillips, torx, pozidrive, straight; some brad point drills. 
Very pricy, nicely packaged with rigid interior compartments.  I particularly liked the twist drills, which fit the Centro Tech bit holder.  These have the Festool hex shank affixed to a machined drill holder drilled out to the exact size of each replacable twist drill.  The twist drills bits have flats on them to receive the anchoring set screw in the drill holder.  A bit long, but very fast to use, and of course, very concentric (low TIR).  No reason this same technique couldn't be done with SAE drills.

But, for the US market, this large pile of drills and drive accessories might meet some resistance at the $350/220 euro. mark.  Perhaps they would  reduce some of the quantites includeda \nd reprice it .
It is very good for a small production shop, a bit large for the individual hobbiest (I don't expect to go through 5-10 each torx bits in my lifetime -- perhaps they make good Christmas presents)

I thought there was a rumor long ago that McFeely was going to create some Festool square drives.  Anyone know if this is still a possibility?

Mike Ward

 

[Dan Clermont]

I to don't like the Canadian Distributor HAFELE  :-[ :'( :-\ They have no interest, knowledge or desire to promote the Festool line. Their prices suck as well.

Other things I would like to see changed would be imperial measurements on the tools.  I can live with the metric and it doesn't give me any issues but it would be nice.

Also would be nice to see "variable depth adjustment" depth markings on the saws. One reading would be the depth of cut when the saw is on the rails and the other would be when the saw is off the rails. THis would help when trying to scare dado's and rebates which is something I have done with my TS-55 before I pull out the router to clean out the waste.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

 

[mysterium]

Thanks Mike for posting a picture of the Euro Centrotec drill kit. 

I have a smaller version of this Euro kit that I picked up on eBay.  When I add up the price of the smaller kit, the set of Centrotec wood drill bits & other Festool Centrotec trinket$... my piece mealed together Festool Centrotec kit of bits & accessories to function in our SAE USA world would approach the price you projected.

It would seem to me that since the USA is a major part in Festool's sales... that the production of Centrotec trinkets to better meet our SAE needs would not only help the current users but bring along more users who are resistant to make a change to Festool because of lack of SAE attachments.  And I can see how they could be held up by UL approval ;D

jim

 

[Frank Pellow]

I'll second the motion for SAE drills and especially the Robert's square drives # 1, 2 and 3 that fit the Centrotech system.

...

Mike Ward

That's Robertson's, not Robert's.  And they have been promising these to us forever it seems. 

 

[T. Michael]

Thanks Dave, Robertsons it is.

And the price I projected, Jim, is the actual price I paid in California. 

I was thinking that one could take a phillips screw driver tip that fits in the Centrotec; untemper it, regrind to a Robertson; retemper.... But not economically.  We need someone to do a big run of them.

Mike

 

[Roger]

Combination Angle Unit - can we have one that can be locked at 90 degrees please.

 

[richard.selwyn]

I am a big Festool fan (although they are expensive here in France).  Not what I don't like but what I would like:
1.Better resellers here in France (most don't seem to have any stock and have to order direct Festool France who in turn order from Germany)
2.Lithium Ion Batteries
3.A while ago I bought a bunch of Festool branded jigsaw blades which included a selection of reciprocating (sawzall?) saw blades.  Great - but why do they sell these if they don't make a saw to use them in?

 

[JimRay]

Regarding the desire for CentroTec style Robertson driver bits, McFeely's has been working on it for a couple years now (since the introduction of the CentroTec system). There is absolutely no logical reason that it has taken this long, but it has. We had lined up a manufacturer that could make our bits to the Festool CentroTec drawings (getting those was "easy"), but I don't expect that anyone would want to pay $10.00 apiece for a #2 Square Drive bit. Anyway, we are back in discussions with another manufacturer, and have our fingers crossed.

Jim Ray, President
McFeely's Square Drive Screws

 

[greg mann]

Thanks Dave, Robertsons it is.

And the price I projected, Jim, is the actual price I paid in California. 

I was thinking that one could take a phillips screw driver tip that fits in the Centrotec; untemper it, regrind to a Robertson; retemper.... But not economically.  We need someone to do a big run of them.

Mike

If you are going to grind don't temper at all. A grinding wheel doesn't care. Good idea though, I might just try it, but, with the adapters available, it isn't a big deal for me. Unless I an doing pocket holes where the extra girth of the adapter gets in the way.

Greg

Greg

 

[Chuck Gifford]

Another comment on the Quick clamp, for use with MFT and quide rails. I would like to see this clamp modified or a new type clamp, so it could be used with one hand verses having to use both hands. It's not so bad when you are clamping things down on the MFT, but it's a challenge when you want to clamp something to the guide rails and you need three hands.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Will this do?

Quick clamp, for use with MFT and quide rails, Qty. 1, FS-HZ 160 
Item # 491594 
Price $32.50

 

[Michael Kellough]

Hi Greg,

Greg said;  "Unless I am doing pocket holes where the extra girth of the adapter gets in the way."

I've found the spring collared Centrotec bit holder;

Bit holder BHS 65 
Item # 492648 
Price $23.00

holds a 2" ball detent bit securely and straight enough to drive pocket screws. Nominal 1/4" hex drive bits are not all the same so some might be loose. Don't know the brand of the one currently in rotation.

 

[Dan Lyke]

When you fold up the table legs, one set of legs is longer than the other. The longer legs fold first, closer to the table surface, and the shorter legs fold second and hold the longer legs there.

Our table came with the longer legs on the end that the angle guide protrudes from, away from the guide rail clamp mechanism, but if you're folding the table to put away, this means that you have to undo the other legs first, lower that side to the ground, go to the end with the protruding bits, put those legs away, then fold them up, and fold the other ones over them.

Further, when you then stand the table up to go on a dolly, the shorter legs are now lower, and set up such that they'll flop out.

I haven't reversed the position of the two leg sets yet, but it'd be cool if they came already attached in the logical positions, rather than reversed from them.