What Festool Did You buy Today?

[imdking]

I wish that set would come with the ratcheting quick clamps. Or at least if the dealers would allow us to switch them out for a few more bucks as an upgrade.

Please no, on the contrary, the ratcheting should only be an option. They are much heavier, demands much larger operating space, and are fiddly as a fishing reel backlash [scared] when operated one handed under the table, usually you have to use two hands..

Well, good news for those who love the ratchet, there’s a kit I’m hesitant to buy:
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That's the problem. No choice.
Some of us like the ratcheting clamps, but are forced to get the screw clamps if we get the kit. Then we buy the ratcheting clamps anyway, as an extra expense, then the screw clamps are just wasted, because I definitely don't use them.

They should let users have a choice to get either the screw clamps, or the ratchet clamps.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The problem with having the choice is the the retailers would have to deal with it. They would either have to stock 2 different kits (and hope they have the one you want in stock) or somehow juggle the swap and keep that straight.
Personally, I like them both, they have their place. I like the quick action of the lever, they even seem to have more pressure? But there are times/places when they just don't fit. The screw style fit in much tighter spaces.
I just wonder why the lever type don't come in the longer version?

 

[rst]

Crazyraceguy, I ground the retaining nub off one of my quick and screw clamps and switched the shafts when I decided I needed a higher capacity for a quick clamp.

 

[AlexThePalex]

RAS 115 and T15 added. RAS head is missing but for now it is for polishing glass. I will order the missing parts from Festool.

Wanted to buy a brand new basic T15 from a guy, he was ok with a 125 offer, but he didn't want to ship it, only local pick-up while he lives in the farthest-awayest corner of the country. 5 hour round trip. I don't get some people.  Now I had to pay more for a used one from 2009 and he has no buyer. [mad]

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[Coen]

RAS 115 and T15 added. RAS head is missing but for now it is for polishing glass. I will order the missing parts from Festool.

Wanted to buy a brand new basic T15 from a guy, he was ok with a 125 offer, but he didn't want to ship it, only local pick-up while he lives in the farthest-awayest corner of the country. 5 hour round trip. I don't get some people.  Now I had to pay more for a used one from 2009 and he has no buyer. [mad]

[attachimg=1]

Ship him a box with a prepaid label back to you. Then he can just drop it in, close it and hand it back to the post guy. I think they now have (had, muh colona?) a rule that the Post NL dude picks up packages to be send for free if you receive packages.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Ship him a box with a prepaid label back to you. Then he can just drop it in, close it and hand it back to the post guy. I think they now have (had, muh colona?) a rule that the Post NL dude picks up packages to be send for free if you receive packages.

No, he didn't want to send it. "I don't ship power tools" he said. Game over. Any chance you live close to Tynaarlo? [tongue]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Crazyraceguy, I ground the retaining nub off one of my quick and screw clamps and switched the shafts when I decided I needed a higher capacity for a quick clamp.

I'm the biggest walking contradiction in the world. I'm well known for using things in unintended ways, but some things I just can't bring myself to modify. I know that this would be easy to do, but I couldn't bring myself to grind that nub off to do it in this particular case.  [scared]

Yet, I'm the nutty guy who built a 84 ci stroker Knucklehead Harley with a right-foot clutch, left-hand rear brake (no front brake) jockey shift and a 15" car tire on the back. This was clear back in 1994, way before the huge rear tire thing hit with roadbikes.
I hand-made the rear hub, the off-set plate for the transmission, etc, yet won't grind the nub off of a $30some dollar clamp?.....lol, nope

 

[rst]

Crazy, I'm just the opposite, there are very few tools in my vast collection that I have not modified to suit my purposes.  All my old corded tools cords were removed and replaced with 20' cords that I cut the female end off and wired into the tool with soldered connections, some tools got modified before I even ran them.  Working off a ladder and having an extension and tool plug catch on the rungs only happened once or twice before I started converting.  Early B&D industrial drills had a wire bail belt clip that later models and other companies did not offer.  I bought a bunch and had them on all my tools used.  The originals attached to the drills with the housing screw, I cut off the holes and used hose clamps to attach.

 

[Cheese]

I know that this would be easy to do, but I couldn't bring myself to grind that nub off to do it in this particular case.  [scared]

Yet, I'm the nutty guy who built a 84 ci stroker Knucklehead Harley with a right-foot clutch, left-hand rear brake (no front brake) jockey shift and a 15" car tire on the back. This was clear back in 1994, way before the huge rear tire thing hit with roadbikes.
I hand-made the rear hub, the off-set plate for the transmission, etc, yet won't grind the nub off of a $30some dollar clamp?.....lol, nope

Well there's a lot of meat to chew on in this post...first off, who in their right mind would stroke a knucklehead to 84 CI?  That being said, I respectively bring up the thought of intervention...some serious intervention.

From one biker to another, the thought of willingly bastardizing  [smile] that knucklehead while not being willing to grind a small steel "pimple" from the clamp makes little sense. I say, instead of using a grinder on the clamp to remove the "pimple", use a file instead and that way you can justify that you are only profiling the surface rather than defacing it. That's the first step...towards help. [smile]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

In my defense, that bike was well modified before it got to me. It was originally an EL (61 ci) that had been modded to FL internals (74 ci). It was in a later model Panhead frame that had been cut and raked by some hack, back in the 70s. I changed nearly everything, going from a 12" over fork, tall and skinny chopper from the 70s, to a very low and wide 90s influenced bar hopper.

All of my Festool gear is in it's original Systainer and stored in a very orderly fashion right behind my assembly bench, exactly 36" back.

 

[Cheese]

I've always been a big fan of knuckle heads...the engine was the thing, as was the engine on Vincents.

Wow, that is a car tire on the rear, nice job, do you wish you still owned it?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I've always been a big fan of knuckle heads...the engine was the thing, as was the engine on Vincents.

Wow, that is a car tire on the rear, nice job, do you wish you still owned it?

I do wish I still had it. The guy I traded it to still has it. His intent was to restore it to original condition, but I imagine that it turned into much more than he thought. The only thing "original" parts left are the externals of the engine, the whole transmission, and the title.
The car tire part was strictly an experiment to see if it could be done, same as the clutch and brake parts, both of which are hydraulic. The lines meet underneath at a junction block. These could have been swapped, if it had been un-ridable. Fortunately it worked out very well, but I'm the only one to ever ride it that way. The next guy did swap the lines and put a foot shifter on it.
That's a 245/65/15 BFGoodrich radial T/A on a Weld Drag-Lite wheel. The wheel is unmodified, it would literally bolt directly onto a mid 70s Camaro.

Sorry, we derailed the thread a bit.

 

[JMDUK]

Please no, on the contrary, the ratcheting should only be an option. They are much heavier, demands much larger operating space, and are fiddly as a fishing reel backlash [scared] when operated one handed under the table, usually you have to use two hands..

Well, good news for those who love the ratchet, there’s a kit I’m hesitant to buy:
[attachimg=1]

[big grin]
SYS-MFT Fixing Set
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I love this set, have to admit I was mainly swayed by the navy SYS otherwise I probably would have just bought MFT-HZs and third-party dogs seperately. I wish I could buy all navy SYS for everything. The MFT-HZs are way better than the ratchet clamps for table use but I've enjoyed having the ratchets for vertical and rail clamping.

Past two months have been expensive to say the least... Doing a big house reno, building out a leaky sty into an office and workshop and a few other outdoor structure / decking projects. Worked in the powertool industry previously so familiar with Festool as a brand but never had the justification to splurge on much of their product - until now!

SYS-MFT
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Started out with a cheap and innocent SYS-MFT purchase for cutting flooring with and storing my Ryobi jigsaw. This quickly descended into madness as I saw the huge potential of the MFT system and immediately ordered the Fixing Set and started researching MFT tops.

HKC55 + FSK
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First big pricey Festool purchase. Replaced a corded Bosch circular. I first ordered the corded HK55 with the FSK420, but sumbled on a great deal for the HKC Basic + 1x 5.2Ah + Charger so returned the corded one for the cordless and picked up a FSK250 since the 420 was overkill for current needs. So glad I went cordless, it opens up my workflow so much. Haven't done any mitre or plunge cuts yet but so far I love the ergonomics, safety features (as a less experienced user) and ease of use/portability.

CTL MINI
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Just awesome. I have experience with the older, bigger brothers in the CTL range imo it's the reason you get into Festool in the first place. Weight and size is perfect for me. Allows me get it up and down the stairs easily, tuck it into tight corners and cramped spaces and drag it around when drilling and using an oscilating tool. Picked up the bluetooth remote and cleaning set as well. Bluetooth battery activation is glorious with a sander and saw when working on lots of individual pieces.

MFT
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If you have a Festool saw then why you need an MFT right? riiiight? I was dead set on finding a reasonably priced alternative but after much research, for my use where I need to temporarily set up shop in lots of different rooms and out-buildings around the property the portability of the MFT is unmatched. It allows me to use the Fixing Set and HKC to their full potential, and of course most importantly, it's actually nice to look if I have to have it set up in the middle of my house for months on end!

Drills - BHC, T18, CXS
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The CXS was my only non-SYS Festool tool I've had for ages, but I finally bought the right-angle adaptor for doing my kitchen. New pickups are the BHC and T18 and a couple new Centrotec bit sets for my CXS. Our house has stone external walls and outbuildings are a mixture of brick, concrete and breeze blocks. Lots of externally concreted areas and solid rock as well. BHC will be put to use putting in posts for gates, fencing, fixing to the main house stone walls and putting up a sheltered heated deck for use in winter on a pre-existing concrete platform. Noticeably less vibration than my corded Bosch, but I need to pick up the dust extractor attachment to really see the benefit of it I think. Got on promo body-only for £170 with a free 4Ah battery promo. T18 replaces a Ryobi drill-driver, had a few instances where my CXS didn't have the torque so just made sense to stay in the same battery family and get a Festool  [big grin].

OSC 18, DTCS 400
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These are actually my two favourite tool purchases ever. The OSC is a Festool re-package of the Fein which I'm familiar with, and at the same price point it just makes sense to stick with the same battery family. Never personally owned a multitool only used other peoples on occasion, but my god I forget how great oscillators are. It's my most-reached for tool and I treat it almost like a handtool now - if only it fit in my toolbox! The DTCS is the best sander I've ever used. Chose it over the ETS since it does, to my DIY eye, just as good a job at area sanding but has the added benefit of being able to detail, edge and corner sand thanks to the Delta shape. I've found the tips to be quite fragile but am learning to treat it a little more gently when doing corners. Cordless model was the same price as corded due to promo (Body only + free battery) and just like with the HKC so glad I chose cordless. Battery lasts all day sanding cabinet doors and sides, but charges over a lunch break if you need it. Adjusting the sanding pressure via the CTL is also super useful for me as an inexperienced sander - I just let the sander float over the workpiece and adjust grit/CTL suction to suit.

Organiser Boxes
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Had this SYS-SB for a while but found out you can get little organiser boxes that go inside. They're freaking awesome so I've dumped all my wood screws in there and am now planning on how I want to organise all my loose 'around the house' tools for measuring, marking and general utility. Sadly my hammer and some of my other proper handtools don't fit in the SYS-SB so if anyone has any recommendations for a Systainer that closes up that can fit a 15.55" hammer or if a 13.5" will fit the SYS-SB please let me know!

Pheww. Hopefully that's it for the forseeable future. Stayed within my budget (except for the unplanned MFT purchase...) thanks to lots of left over Black Friday and basic + battery promo deals. I've got a few accessories and some Systainers for my other loose tools and fixings on my Christmas list but right now I'm trying to avoid making eye contact with the sexy Kapex that keeps staring me from the other side of the bar...

 

[JMDUK]

Godspeed attachments, wherever you are.

e; fixed  [big grin] My LTE antenna came down in high winds so my up and down speeds are AWFUL. Need to get up on the roof ladder and put the BHC to work bolting into masonry instead of using the crappy pole it came with.

 

[Coen]

BHC will be put to use putting in posts for gates, fencing, fixing to the main house stone walls and putting up a sheltered heated deck for use in winter on a pre-existing concrete platform. Noticeably less vibration than my corded Bosch,

What Bosch are you comparing with?

 

[JMDUK]

GBH 2-20D. It’s crazy that I picked up the BHC for only £60 more than I paid for the Bosch several years ago.

 

[JINRO]

I started with MIDI a month ago. Then immediately ordered CT15 few days later after using MIDI. Such a great vacuum!
I figured I needed sander to go with it. Ordered RTS 400, few days later, ETS EC 125, few days later, RO 90
All bought within few weeks lol

I'm waiting for new TS 55 FEBQ to drop on US.  Also thinking about RO 150 since I love Festool sanders so much!

 

[JMDUK]

I started with MIDI a month ago. Then immediately ordered CT15 few days later after using MIDI. Such a great vacuum!
I figured I needed sander to go with it. Ordered RTS 400, few days later, ETS EC 125, few days later, RO 90
All bought within few weeks lol

I'm waiting for new TS 55 FEBQ to drop on US.  Also thinking about RO 150 since I love Festool sanders so much!

The CTLs and sanders really are the gateway drug... The CTL Mini was my first Festool purchase at the new house and then when shopping for a new sander you think "well it would make sense to get a Festool for perfect integration..." and before you know it you're 6 systainers high!

I'm lusting after an RO 90 as have a LOT of interior sanding to do but the budget has been spent for now, so the little DTCS is going to have pull some weight [big grin]

Also need to learn to use my HKC 55 to it's maximum utility to fend off the Kapex for as long as possible!

One thing in particular I really love are the 'new' 4Ah batteries (and the 3.1 that comes with the OSC). The ergonomics and tool weight is much improved over using the 5.2Ah especially on drills and the OSC. 5.2Ah stays stuck on the HKC since the weight of that is always downward, but I'll be sticking with 3.1Ah and 4Ah for everything else.

 

[Cheese]

Sadly my hammer and some of my other proper handtools don't fit in the SYS-SB so if anyone has any recommendations for a Systainer that closes up that can fit a 15.55" hammer or if a 13.5" will fit the SYS-SB please let me know!

The SYS³ L Series Systainers have the extra length that you need. They come in 3 depths, the 204846, 204847 & 204848 and attach to the regular sized Systainers. Here's a 204847 that gives you 19.5" of opening.

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[JMDUK]

Neat, can the L stack on top of the regular SYS 3 as well as underneath? The marketing images always only show it at the bottom of a stack obviously for aesthetic purposes.

I’m not short on space so organising hand tools with pick n pluck foam, if it means using two systainers instead of one, isn’t an issue if it saves me having a box of loose tools to rummage through. All my mtb tools are stored this way in a peli case and I find by having things fit a precise location I don’t lose as much or ‘explode’ tools all over the place.