What Festool Did You buy Today?

[AlexThePalex]

Carpet in the house?
I recommend concrete. Concrete and sawdust. Works great on concrete. [emoji16]

To be honest, most of that carpet is 45 years old. It is more or less concrete by now.  [big grin]

 

[TwelvebyTwenty]

Grmbl..... the more I see the TiD18 the more I want it.  [mad] Stop exposing me to all this temptation!  [smile]

I've got the T15 and the Ti15 and they're both fine machines that work great for me, but all 4 of their 15v batteries are almost completely dead. So buying them new is costly, too costly actually to invest in such old machines. Really such a pity, having to ditch fine tools just for the sake of their batteries. So I can't get the thought of a new T18 and TiD18 out of my head.......  [crying]

I added this industrial beauty this week, for free. Bought an entire set, old but unused, and sold off the hose and the systainer and got more than my money back. Still contemplating whether I'll keep the floor nozzle, as it's a mighty expensive floor nozzle at €140, or sell it off also. All I wanted was the iron tubes for their rigidity.

[attachimg=1]

You seem to do a lot of buy this/keep those/sell that. How do you have the energy? I get the buying stuff element [tongue] but the selling second hand goods is so laborious just to recoup a few dollars/EUR - the thought just drains me even thinking about it.

 

[Cheese]

You seem to do a lot of buy this/keep those/sell that. How do you have the energy? I get the buying stuff element [tongue] but the selling second hand goods is so laborious just to recoup a few dollars/EUR - the thought just drains me even thinking about it.

I think it's the youth and enthusiasm thing. [smile] 

 

[AlexThePalex]

You seem to do a lot of buy this/keep those/sell that. How do you have the energy? I get the buying stuff element [tongue] but the selling second hand goods is so laborious to recoup a few dollars/EUR the thought just drains me even thinking about it.

I don't find it laborious at all. It keeps me busy and I enjoy it. I enjoy the hunt, and I also enjoy the process of dealing and negotiating with people. It also makes sure I get most of my Festool stuff for free, or almost. The Netherlands is a small country, so it is a lot easier to oversee than something like the USA. At the same time, we Dutch are traders by nature, that's how we have prospered since the 16th century. Just continuing the tradition. And there are so much Festool owners around here, the site I frequent www.marktplaats.nl has on average 1400 Festool offerings, with a good 100 added newly every day.

I think it's the youth and enthusiasm thing. [smile]

Yes, I am very youthful and enthousiastic.  [big grin]

 

[FestitaMakool]

I love the floor nozzle. Great for shop clean up and built like a tank! [emoji2956]

Very sturdy indeed, yes. My house has carpet everywhere, how does it work on carpet?

Should be quite ok on carpet, adjust so the wheels raises the nozzle high. A beauty of this nozzle, but watch your furniture - it’s a tank!  [big grin] I got the same nozzle and tubing as a part of my CT26 deal, I wanted to have this nozzle a while and got seriously lucky with the deal. It’s great. (Although the same simpler plastic one with wheels are also very good, but no height adjustment, which makes the “tank” very useful)

[member=19475]yetihunter[/member]  I have the same Makita (DTD171 here) and use it with the 2Ah battery you show here as well, it’s nifty, powerful and a bit delicate all in one worth the 2Ah. I did demo the TID18, but I would never replace the DTD171 for the TID18. But if one only have Festool battery tools then it’s make less sense to buy into something else. As you pointed out, impacts are for metal, concrete and rough framing - and they are right at home there.

 

[FestitaMakool]

You seem to do a lot of buy this/keep those/sell that. How do you have the energy? I get the buying stuff element [tongue] but the selling second hand goods is so laborious to recoup a few dollars/EUR the thought just drains me even thinking about it.

I don't find it laborous at all. It keeps me busy and I enjoy it. It also makes sure I get most of my Festool stuff for free, or almost. The Netherlands is a small country, so it is a lot easier to oversee than something like the USA. At the same time, we Dutch are traders by nature, that's how we have prospered since the 16th century. Just continuing the tradition. And there are so much Festool owners around here, the site I frequent www.marktplaats.nl has on average 1400 Festool offerings, with a good 100 added newly every day.

A 100 added a day! [eek] You’re not that much bigger than here.. You live in a country that everyone has Festool tools, for sure.. [blink] Lucky you [big grin]

EDIT: Had a quick look.. Yes, you are spoiled, not only by choice, but comparing pricing on used items as well [crying]

 

[AlexThePalex]

A 100 added a day! [eek] You’re not that much bigger than here.. You live in a country that everyone has Festool tools, for sure.. [blink] Lucky you [big grin]

EDIT: Had a quick look.. Yes, you are spoiled, not only by choice, but comparing pricing on used items as well [crying]

We have no oil, no white coal .... we actually have to work for a living .... spoiled, yes. [wink]

 

[FestitaMakool]

I know, and you’re thorough. In the last company I worked for we had a couple of Dutch customers (offshore yards) We visited one as a part of an order, to add technical support of our products being mounted. Tidy and well organised! Made even a couple of contacts I follow on LinkedIn.
And what cars and one off builds you do, it’s got to be an engineer and a designer occupying every house in the country. And they need tools! Yes, spoiled [big grin]

 

[pettyconstruction]

Got a Carvex circle cutting plate and the metal gauge,
Also got a 36mm hose for the Kapex , I just need to cut it down a bit.
What’s the thinking?
1.5m ?
Charlie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[AlexThePalex]

Also got a 36mm hose for the Kapex , I just need to cut it down a bit.
What’s the thinking?
1.5m ?

The shorter the better.

 

[pettyconstruction]

I cut it at 8 feet, I had one at about 5 feet but it was a bit restricted on movement.
I can always shorten it.
Thanks,Charlie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Gregor]

I've got the T15 and the Ti15 and they're both fine machines that work great for me, but all 4 of their 15v batteries are almost completely dead. So buying them new is costly, too costly actually to invest in such old machines. Really such a pity, having to ditch fine tools just for the sake of their batteries.

There are quite some that refurbish battery packs... wouldn't that work?

 

[AlexThePalex]

I've got the T15 and the Ti15 and they're both fine machines that work great for me, but all 4 of their 15v batteries are almost completely dead. So buying them new is costly, too costly actually to invest in such old machines. Really such a pity, having to ditch fine tools just for the sake of their batteries.

There are quite some that refurbish battery packs... wouldn't that work?

I have looked into that. Rebuilding battery packs it totally not done anymore here, but you can buy 3rd party replacement batteries. Not sure of the quality there and while not as expensive as original Festool batteries, they still are costly, and I want at least 3 of them.

 

[Alanbach]

Here in the states the rechargeable battery rebuilding business pretty much went away when the industry changed from NiCad to Lithium Ion. The Li-I batteries are much more complex and expensive to rebuild properly and is apparently just not cost effective. The bad news is that I miss that service. The good news is that Li-I batteries last so much longer and are so much better than their Ni-Cad predecessors that by the time they die, like the OP says, it’s just not worth pouring more money into older tools.

 

[yetihunter]

Quick assessment: Makita is objectively the best, the Bosch is better too.

Congrats for obtaining one, especially since you're in the States I believe?

I was at the store yesterday and played around with one again though they didn't let me try it for real. Talked a bit with the guy in the store and he said Festool was running far behind with their production. Over 20 people had ordered the impact already with him, but they could not deliver them yet. And it is only the basic version without systainer, a full set is totally impossible to get right now.

So, as you have a bit of first hand experience, what makes the Makita and Bosch Better than the Festool?

The Festool has way more runout (which blows my mind).  I had bought the slightly longer wera bit holder (75mm instead of 50mm version offered by Festool) and insert bits for it ahead of time and it looks like those will be going with the Makita.  Just too much runout with that kind of bit holder at that length (it’s more that it’s annoying when setting the bit to the screw than anything else). Festool is aligning it with the 50mm bit holder and I think that’s as far as you can go before you really notice it.  There’s also more pronounced back and forth play in the ball detent mechanism and I can pull the chuck section forward and back like you would experience with a combination drill.  Makita and Bosch are rock solid. I can slap the back of the Festool and have the chuck make a clack. How did Festool give Makita the 1up in this category?

I love the look of the simple and seamless overmolding on the Festool and Hilti offerings, but in this case, it just slips out of my hand.  I wish they would have used the same texture as the T18.  The handles on the Bosch and Makita stay put and they are much more comfortable.  The Festool is noticeably uncomfortable and that is amplified by the vise like grip required to keep it in my hand.

Makita is famously ridiculously lighter than everyone.  The Bosch is heaviest.  They are both balanced very well.  The Festool is poorly balanced.

The Makita is also famously ridiculously powerful.  I believe that they and Milwaukee are the two makes known to run laps around the rest when it comes to power on their flagship impact drivers.  Objectively, that’s more points for Makita.  Bosch is known for being on the other side of the scale with their impact drivers.  The Festool seems to be on par with the Bosch and Hilti impact drivers (really haven’t used it enough to gauge).  That said, I believe that means the Makita will wear it’s hammer/anvil mechanism much quicker than the aforementioned three. I dunno, I’m not an engineer. Generally, the Bosch is more than adequate and I suspect the same will be the case for the Festool.

Ever since Festool finally put a belt clip on the T18, it’s been taunting me and I almost bought the Eazy-E 18 kit so that I could swap housings and have my very own T18 with a belt clip.  But let’s get nitpicky here, because I no longer feel like I’m missing out with my belt clip deficient older T18.  The current Bosch belt clips are beefy (not as beefy as metabo).  The Makita belt clips are nothing to write home about, but definitely sufficient.  The TID18 belt clip is like a pen clip (exaggerating for dramatic effect).  I can destroy that thing with my fingers.  And it’s not wide enough for my liking.  90% of the time I’m not using belt clips to secure things to my belt.  I’m mostly securing them to buckets, toolboxes, benches, ladders and so forth.

The Festool is definitely the most controllable at the trigger level out of the bunch. Bosch is good, Festool is better.  Makita is far behind.  As a sidenote, this particular Makita impact controls infinitely better than the Makita drills I own.  Seriously.  If I’m running my Makita kit and have something delicate to deal with, my safest bet is the impact driver.  That said, avoiding delicate screwing with any of my Makitas is best to be avoided.  Another point for Festool in that their trigger feels the best, with Bosch close, and Makita’s being utterly garbage.

The LED situation.  Makita’s impact doubles as a torch.  Their led’s are b r i g h t and are in a perfect location (just like the Hilti and the older Bosch).  Bosch and Festool don’t come close.

All of that is initial impression stuff.  Get back to me after I’ve used it a thousand times.  It’s possible that I may change my tune.  Most of the stuff I just pointed out are things you stop paying attention to after some use.

 

[six-point socket II]

Curious to hear how that Bosch is going to hold up, by now I know of at least three, probably four units that had to go back because they wouldn't release a bit or bit-holder anymore. What happened is, that the upper and lower part of the (E6 type) bit/bit holder shaft basically above and beneath the ball race twisted against each other.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Cheese]

What happened is, that the upper and lower part of the (E6 type) bit/bit holder shaft basically above and beneath the ball race twisted against each other.

[jawdrop]  That could be a problem.  [big grin]

 

[yetihunter]

Curious to hear how that Bosch is going to hold up, by now I know of at least three, probably four units that had to go back because they wouldn't release a bit or bit-holder anymore. What happened is, that the upper and lower part of the (E6 type) bit/bit holder shaft basically above and beneath the ball race twisted against each other.

Kind regards,
Oliver

I can answer your question with ease: I’m on my second one.  [big grin]
It didn’t break itself, however.  I broke it.  It still ran, I just made it wobbly from doing a few bad things and made it worse trying to fix it.  No problem with the ball detent locking up.  I do get the impression that it is not built as tanky as the previous model. 

 

[six-point socket II]

What happened is, that the upper and lower part of the (E6 type) bit/bit holder shaft basically above and beneath the ball race twisted against each other.

[jawdrop]  That could be a problem.  [big grin]

Can't say that I'm surprised though. With these "compact" impact drivers/wrenches having more, and more torque ... We're simply closing in/going over the edge of what 1/4" (hex) can (should) take. I mean if one looks at DIN 3123 and compares it to where we're at torque wise.

Curious to hear how that Bosch is going to hold up, by now I know of at least three, probably four units that had to go back because they wouldn't release a bit or bit-holder anymore. What happened is, that the upper and lower part of the (E6 type) bit/bit holder shaft basically above and beneath the ball race twisted against each other.

Kind regards,
Oliver

I can answer your question with ease: I’m on my second one.  [big grin]
It didn’t break itself, however.  I broke it.  It still ran, I just made it wobbly from doing a few bad things and made it worse trying to fix it.  No problem with the ball detent locking up.  I do get the impression that it is not built as tanky as the previous model. 

Kinda sorry to hear that, but again, not surprised. But glad you got it sorted - and I hope you won't encounter the twisted-bit/bitholder issue!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[yetihunter]

To me, Impact drivers are a “wear item”.  I’m more concerned about why my cordless Metabo grinder died after very little use and with no signs of mechanical or fire damage (it’s either a switch or the epoxied board). At least Metabo USA services this unit out of a list of about only 20 products they will service, mostly limited to angle grinders.  Thankfully it’s only a six months old so it’s under warranty...let me check the warranty...ah, yes, I pay for the repairs up front and if they decide they want to refund me, they will do so.  It looks like they have a half off coupon in repairs so, should I take the gamble or should I just throw more Chinese Metabo junk into the garbage?  [big grin].  I’m going with the garbage.  Anybody want to guess how annoying it is to have a battery connector that swings around (ie, bouncing around)?

Question to Festool about the TID18 Systainer....why?[attachimg=1]

Remember when their drills came in a sysI with all of the chucks and etc?
What happened?  At least the laughably oversized compact sander systainers give you an excuse not to blow $100 on an extra systainer for the sandpaper.