Why Festool Drills?

[dschmid4]

I have a bunch of Festool tools, so I appreciate the absolute joy in working with these products.

However, I scratch my head when I consider purchasing any of the drills.  I already have a number of Ryobi tools which use the interchangable batteries, and like Festool, the interchangability is nice.  And a drill is a drill, right?

I build cabinetry and other fine furniture.  How might I benefit from a Festool drill?

Dan

 

[semenza]

The right angle and eccentric chucks are awesome. Once you have them and use them you won't want to be without them.  I also really like the Centrotec quick change chuck. It works well and is so handy. The fact that it is an integrated part of the drill instead of a quick adapter to be used in a regular chuck is really nice. Keeps the unit compact.

Seth

 

[Davej]

It all depends on what your needs are  , I have only one festool drill , the cxs, and since I bought it my makita drills hardly get used . I was very sceptical about the cost of festool drills but the cxs is as good as it gets . For such a light drill it is very good and the batteries last a long time between charges.  But you have to get some centrotec bits to appreciate how much easier it is to swap out bits . Oh by the way the  Jacobs chuck is pants . Its centrotec or  don't bother .
Dave

 

[Deansocial]

What's up with the Jacobs chuck, is it the old none ratcheting type? Mines great on the t18 but the t15 chuck I dad was pants

 

[Nikko]

First festool purchase today I bought the cxs seem like a wicked bit of kit especially with the angle attachment b can't wait to use for a kitchen fit after using my bulky makita 18v li ion for six years  .....

 

[semenza]

First festool purchase today I bought the cxs seem like a wicked bit of kit especially with the angle attachment b can't wait to use for a kitchen fit after using my bulky makita 18v li ion for six years  .....

Welcome to the FOG!  [smile]

Oh yeah, that's going to be a major difference for a kitchen fit.

Seth

 

[festooltim]

I was finishing up a kitchen install today and I had to attach the top in a small cabinet with drawers in it, took the drawers out but the big full extension drawer slides where still in the way. Put the right angle on and boom put in four screws in the corners. If I didn't have that I would to take all the drawer slides out to get to it. When I was doing it I thought to my self this is sweet how do people without Festool drills get thru the day. Down side is my C12 gets so much use I am wearing it down.

 

[Qwas]

Welcome to the forum. I went through the same dilemma as you, but it was back in 2008. I had a Ryobi 18 Volt NiCd drill that was showing its age of 8 years. I could buy a Festool drill and hope for the best or the same money could buy 3 or 4 Ryobi's and have a replacement whenever one died. My only complaint with the Ryobi was I was getting tired of buying new batteries for my Ryobi every 6 months.

After months of debating, I went with the Festool C12. The Festool had about the same power as my worn Ryobi 18 volt. The chucks are great and will come in handy making cabinets. The small size of the C12 (compared to the Ryobi) is great for cabinet work also. But for me, it was all about the batteries. It was so nice to work all day and still be on the same battery pack. In fact, on a slow week I've had a battery pack last all week on a charge. It is so nice to pick up the drill in the morning and not worry if it sat in the charger this morning before use. Those original Festool batteries are now over 5 years old and still working. In the past year they don't hold a charge as well as in the past but still has plenty of charge to get me through the day. I'm thinking I have one more year of life out of the batteries before I need to buy replacements.

So yes, the Festool drill is more expensive until you start adding in all the batteries you buy for the Ryobi. And then there is the hassle of the Ryobi batteries dying during the day at the least opportune times. And don't forget the Festool drills have built-in safeties to keep you from burning up the drill or destroying a battery pack.

Within days of buying the C12 drill, my Ryobi sat on a shelf waiting for a job. It is still sitting there waiting. I find the Festool C12 more comfortable and it is always ready to work. I've never regretted buying the C12.

 

[fshanno]

I'm in the same boat.  I've got a bunch of One+ batteries and chargers.  It makes sense for the home owner DIY'er.  The same battery powers my drill that powers my hedge clippers and line trimmer.  As far as I can see nothing is quite as extensive as the One* line up.  Makita has more tool tools but they don't have hedge clippers and line trimmers.  There's even a One+ finish nailer now.

So I haven't been able to justify it either.  To span the gap I've even mod'ed my drill.

[attachthumb=1]

How's that!  Left and right dueling belt hooks.  Sort of.  

I've done three kitchens with that drill.  Not just installs.  Case construction.  Drilling and driving hundreds of pocket holes.  Who knows how many other screws.  Who cares if the battery isn't quite as good?  I've got 5 more sitting in chargers ready to go.  It's a consumer grade tool but if it was seriously deficient why have I never forked over the measly $70 bucks for the impact driver?

And on the job site, a whole kitchen full of cases, driving 3" cabinet screws with no pilot holes.  Two maybe three small batteries.  And so what, I've got six charged batteries with me.  

The right angle attachment is no big deal.  The One+ right angle drill is only $70.  Or you can get the JobPlus base and get a right angle jacobs chuck and a right angle ball detent impact attachment.  

But the eccentric attachment.   Now that is a big deal, a very big deal.  Outside of Festool that little guy is unavailable on planet Earth.  Black and Decker and I think Skil have little things but they are a joke.  So there's that.  

And the other thing for me, which is not to be discounted, is that it is nice to be seen using a drill which is better than the one the customer has in his garage.  The cool factor.  And nobody can deny that Festool drills are very cool indeed.  I pull out my Harbor Freight hammer drill and that's not a problem because homeowners rarely have large hammer drills of any kind.  And so what, it's a tool that is rarely used.  But your drill/driver?  That's fundamental.  

The CXS is a very cool little drill.  If the eccentric chuck was offered I would have bought one within 6 weeks of it's introduction.  But without the eccentric chuck?  I just don't know.  It's child's play for Festool to design an eccentric for the CXS so why not?  Fear that it might bite into T and C sales too heavily?  It would be hard to convince me that's not the case.

There is one thing to consider.  What will the mainline Bosch Core brushless drill driver look like?  I've keep an eye out for that.  So far, nothing.  Will it be designed to go head to head with the T18?  Feature laden with a changeable chuck?  (Metabo has that feature - it's not Fastfix though)  Or will it be something designed to look good on the shelf at a big box store?  The Core Brushless Impactor has an interesting chuck.  It will accept 1/2" sockets and 1/4" ball detent impact bits.  No adapter needed.  Very interesting.  Does this mean that the companion drill driver will have a wiz bang chuck?  A Bosch version of Fastfix?  Or am I the only one who cares?

But will anything be able to trump drilling pocket holes this morning and weed eating around the fence this afternoon with tools that use the same battery?   I just don't know.

 

[greg mann]

There is no single answer for everyone. With four acres of 'stuff' a battery operated hedge clipper or line trimmer doesn't work for me, and I kind of like my drill to be smart enough to protect itself and it's battery. I have a NiCad based C12 and was wondering about its longevity considering the new batteries would not work on my drill. I take the batteries to Batteries Plus and I have a good five years more on a seven year old system, at least, and who is to say I won't be able to rebuild again. Right now, my C12 is looking quite reasonably priced. FWIW, the BP tech told me he loved the Festool battery for rebuilding, hated the Panasonics.

 

[Sparktrician]

Since buying a C12 several years ago, my old Bosch has seen next to zero use, and the older DeWalt has seen NO use whatsoever.  The C12 has been through a number of cabinet installations where the eccentric head and right-angle head have been the right tool at the right time.  I'll have to admit, though that installing drawer glides in a face frame cabinet with the C12 got old after a few hours due to the need to use it horizontally.  Then along comes the CXS with the more compact size and much lighter weight.  What a delight to use!  The C12 is still my go-to for the heavier applications, but the CXS shines in cabinet work.  I recently bought a TI 15 during the reconditioned tool sale with no regrets, but it generally doesn't get the action the CXS gets, although for hanging cabinets using GRK RSS or cabinet screws, the TI 15 is really sweet.  I expect that it will earn its keep on an upcoming deck repair job. 

 

[skids]

I would say the chucks is the second biggest reason IMO, but a close second..Being able to pop off one chuck for another is fantastic. But for me it's the precision of the drill. At low speeds or a light touch of the trigger the Festool drills can be gentle as a set of hands. Centroctec is also great but if you decide to go that route you will spend alot on bits and inevitably have to use the jacobs from time to time for some tasks. Other than that they have some nice features that I am not sure are worth chasing, like electronics inside to prevent blowing the motor, brushless, lighted battery indicator.

They are built well, and perform nice. I have a c15, I like it alot. It's not anymore gutsy than some other drills I have owned or used. Overall though, most people will vote for the chucks. The right angle and ability to change quickly are nice.

 

[Kev]

There's a lot of decent drills out there. I have several Hitachi and Bosch drills, but they've sat mostly idle since I acquired several Festool and Protool drills.

Festool is a superior offering, but if you don't need it or want it ... choose something else.

 

[hockey_magnet]

I have a C15 and like others, I rarely use anything else. Since I got it, I've used the right angle chuck a LOT and the off set chuck a few times. Unlike other right angle attachments that I tried in the past, the Festool one give you complete control and is very smooth. For me, as Sparktrician says, the Festool drills give you incredible slow speed control with great torque which allows you to drive screws VERY slowly for precise installations. In the past, for some delicate situations, I used the drill to drive the screws in almost all the way and then switched to a manual screw driver to finish but with the Festool, it will drive the screws reliably at "manual' speed a Finally, I find the electronic clutch (on all but the CXS) far superior to the mechanical ones on most other drills, allows for much more precise and reliable settings.

 

[GhostFist]

IMO festool drills are top notch for woodworking and cabinet making. The cxs is ALWAYS at my side. Lots of power for its size, extremely comfortable ergonomics and an adaptable chuck system. The right angle chuck is a life saver and means you don't have to swap tools out right. As far as an eccentric chuck for the cxs, it's not really necessary as the drill is so slender you're not going to gain anything. My t15 is also fantastic, the electronic Chuck can't be beat and again you have a really adaptable chuck system not to mention unbeatable battery life. Still I'd like to see the protool drills brought over here just for the hammer function.

 

[Jalvis]

I'm also a big fan of the C series drills and own two C12s.  In the future I will be adding two CXS drills.  Having a set for pre-drilling and another for screws in a tool belt would be perfect.

Theres lots of great features but my favorites are the interchangeable chucks and how the C series allows your hand to be higher and centered over the chuck.  Its also nice that the system doesnt overload itself and the batteries don't get run too far down.

 

[jonny round boy]

I have a bunch of Festool tools, so I appreciate the absolute joy in working with these products.

However, I scratch my head when I consider purchasing any of the drills.  I already have a number of Ryobi tools which use the interchangable batteries, and like Festool, the interchangability is nice.  And a drill is a drill, right?

I build cabinetry and other fine furniture.  How might I benefit from a Festool drill?

Dan

Dan,

I was in exactly the same position a couple of years ago. I had quite a few Festools, and loved them, but I just couldn't see the added value in the Festool drills, given the price difference between them and other 'good' drills, such as the Makita set-up I had.

Then I stumbled across the opportunity to purchase a T12 set at a substantial discount (Festool had just given the drills a facelift & added the light - this was for the last 'old' style the dealer had in stock). It was WAY less than the full price of a newer style T12, let alone the T15 or T18, but still right at the maximum I was prepared to pay for 'just a drill'.

Since then, I've become totally sold on them, especially with the added bonus of the centrotec system. So much so that I'm even considering selling my T12 & putting the money towards a T18 - The increase in voltage will make it more feasible in future to add a cordless carvex, and more recently the pictures of the new cordless SDS drill have got me REALLY wanting one of those, too!!!

Yes, they cost a lot compared to other brands, but as you'll read many times on here you'll only worry about the cost once - then you'll wish you'd spent the money sooner!

 

[dschmid4]

Thanks all - I get it.  In summary:  precision @ low speed, battery life, special chucks/interchangeability, compact.
Compelling, but perhaps I'll wait till my Ryobi dies, and add a few other Festool machines to my mix before the drills.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks all - I get it.  In summary:  precision @ low speed, battery life, special chucks/interchangeability, compact.
Compelling, but perhaps I'll wait till my Ryobi dies, and add a few other Festool machines to my mix before the drills.

That's very reasonable logic, good luck holding out until then. [tongue]

 

[mlfaber]

The CXS is a very cool little drill.  If the eccentric chuck was offered I would have bought one within 6 weeks of it's introduction.  But without the eccentric chuck?  I just don't know.  It's child's play for Festool to design an eccentric for the CXS so why not?  Fear that it might bite into T and C sales too heavily?  It would be hard to convince me that's not the case.

Forgive me if this was already addressed or if I am incorrect, but, the CXS was designed to reach into corners without the use of an additional attachment.  You don't need the eccentric chuck with the CXS because it can already accomplish the same tight spaces as is.