What one Festool Would You recommend?

[peter halle]

If a family member or friend (woodworkers) came up to you and said "I have seen your tools and want to buy one.  I want to know which ONE tool really stands out to you and I want to buy that.  I know that I might not use it immediately but I want to see what they are all about"

Would would your response be in regards to a specific tool suggestion?

Peter

 

[Birdhunter]

I'd ask them what type of woodworking they do. If advanced, Domino. If novice, CSX and a set of drill bits.

 

[gsdvorak]

Wow Peter- that's a tough question- almost like asking what your favorite song is (or favorite beer).  The old salesman in me would answer a question with a question:  what work do they plan on doing? 

I cannot narrow down to one, but my top three would be:

Domino DF500
CT Vac
ETS150/3 Sander

Hope to talk to you this weekend,
Gerald

 

[ChuckS]

#1 choice:

DF500 (unless he or she has explicitly indicated certain type of woodworking that a joinery tool is of no use to).

#2 choice:  Ditto

#3 choice: Ditto

 

[rst]

The route to my Festaddiction was through the sanders...bought a recon ETS 125.  As someone that had to buy a fan powered full face filtered mask to indulge in my wood passion and as someone who has been sanding wood since 1971 I was amazed at the efficiency of  the dust collection.  The new ETS ECs are the bomb.

 

[Tinker]

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member], that is a very good question.

As others have noted, I would ask about their experience, what is their main objective, what tools they already own and use.  Whatever they might answer, and whatever tool I would recommend, all Festoys eventually hook up to one of the CT vacs. I would probably recommend one of the sanders or the TS 55 with guide rail.  Maybe becoming familiar with the FOG might be the first tool for someone who has no experience with Festoys.

There are so many ways to answer that question; tomorrow, I might answer differently.
Tinker

 

[smirak]

My two favorite beers are (in no order)

Free
Cold

I don't have many festools...domino 500, ts55, csx and ct midi. If I had to choose one, I'd say domino,  it I wouldn't buy it without a dust extractor, so I'd have to say 2. My next festool will be an MFT or a sander.

 

[sancho57]

all of them

 

[DB10]

Another thumbs up for the Domino and I would also add the TSC 55.

 

[Jozsef Kozma]

1) TSC
2) HKC
3) Sanders
4)MIDI
5)Domino
6)1400 with holly rail and

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Tough question and it depends on what they need it for. But, I would say the TSC55 would be the first option is only one, since it has a dust bag and comes with a rail so you can get started using it and saw horses or a piece of foam. So useful for so many projects. After that I think a sander and vac and then a router and MFT. I love the Domino, but I consider this more of a luxury since you can make most joinery with a router. If this person already has a router, then the Domino would my 5th purchase.

 

[waho6o9]

Domino

 

[flair woodworks]

Conturo

Probably the least useful, not terribly exciting in what it does, but I think that it really represents the Festool brand like nothing else.

 

[ben_r_]

Really depends on what they see themselves doing in the world of woodworking. But for pretty much any Festool lover its bound to be one of the four:

Track Saw
Domino
CT Vac
Sander

 

[McNally Family]

Since I feel the Festool system is built around superior dust extraction, and because I needed to clean my basement workspace even before I could start using tools, my advice would be one of the Festool dust extractors.  From there, the money quickly spends itself.

 

[Master Carpenter]

If they work with sheet goods, the tracksaw, specifically the ts55. It was a game changer as to workflow.
Second woild be a sander, only one I'd go with ro150. The dust collection was another game changer.

I have a domino, but really don't get everyone's love of it. I use it but it's not the holy grail of woodworking machines that everyone thinks.

 

[#Tee]

ya all depends on their level or what type of work. you shouldnt recommend a cxs when they drill cement all day or a ts55 when they just chop 2x4's for a living.

 

[Bob D.]

all of them

Right.

It's a system, so you're buying it piece by piece until you have the whole thing.

 

[Cheese]

TSC 55 with a track because its use is universal. From sheet goods to drywall to aluminum.

Domino because its use is a game changer.

 

[Kev]

TSC55 ... with a rail it's the one Festool that does an exceptional job without needing another tool from the range.

If the question was "which two" it's an entirely different story .. as has been said "It's a system" !