Why not sell combo grit packs for your sanders?

[matt.mackinnon]

I don't understand your business model.  I get that you charge a premium on your tools to keep them made in Germany to a high quality standard.  I am fine with that and am willing to pay to get quality.

But then there is your sandpaper fr the sanders.  You sell different grades of sandpaper.  Great!  I also get that buying in bulk should cost less than buying small quantities.  But here is where it breaks down for me.

I just bought an ETS150, and need paper for it.  I want a grit progression from 100 - 120 - 150 - 180 - 220 - 240 - 280 - 320 - 360 - 400.    I'd like to have 10 sheets of each.  In total that is 100 sheets, but there is no way for me to get bulk prices for the set.  I can buy 100 sheets of a single grit  for 61% less than a pack of 10.    But to get this progression I'd need to buy 1000 sheets to get that price/sheet.

Come on Festool.  Give us a break and sell bulk multi grit packs.

 

[builderbob]

I know that Tom @ tool-home.com sells combo packs of various grits!  Hope that helps!

Bob

 

[zapdafish]

http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=60&sort=3d&filter_id=1669

I think you can talk to them to modify these as well, for example if you want all course grits

 

[lambeater]

Matt I feel your pain. While there are some packs of 10 off the shelf it seems few and far between. Hate having to buy 50 and 100 packs.
thx
Lambeater

 

[matt.mackinnon]

I hate paying $17.50 for a 10 pack.  It just doesn't make any sense to me.  But as I am in Canada, the cost of shipping up from the US where there are some dealers who will put together a multi pack for a tidy profit above the 100 pack discount, makes it non-viable.

The kicker to me is that I now have to spend almost double the cost of the sander to get my sand paper for it.  But who said that woodworking as a hobby was going to be cheep.

 

[whitesys]

I know that Tom @ tool-home.com sells combo packs of various grits!  Hope that helps!

Bob

I can vouch for Tom @ tool-home.com
He has put together several assortments for me.

Here is one from his web site that sound very close to what you are looking for (in Granat)
http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/24627

Dave

 

[lambeater]

I know that Tom @ tool-home.com sells combo packs of various grits!  Hope that helps!

Bob

I can vouch for Tom @ tool-home.com
He has put together several assortments for me.

Here is one from his web site that sound very close to what you are looking for (in Granat)
http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/24627

Dave

Thats all great for you Americans but we can't buy across the border! Maybe time to harrass our local dealers.
lambeater

 

[matt.mackinnon]

Not to give a shot at Tom, but I did take a look and they are hardly passing on any of the savings from splitting up a 100pack.  I don't pretend to know what the markup/profit margin is on sand paper disks, but I imagine there is some there.  The cost on that mixed set is around the 72% upcharge over a regular 100 pack price.  I guess you take what you can get.

I guess I will go with Mirka Abranet as I can get those far cheaper up here in Canada in the lower quantities allowing me to get a full spectrum of grit sizes from 80~1000.

Sorry Festool, there is only so much money we are willing to spend. It's about getting value for the dollar.

 

[Alan m]

maybe you should do a group buy with a few fellow foggers etc local to you. buty the whole lot and split it up

 

[andvari]

Not to give a shot at Tom, but I did take a look and they are hardly passing on any of the savings from splitting up a 100pack.   I don't pretend to know what the markup/profit margin is on sand paper disks, but I imagine there is some there.  The cost on that mixed set is around the 72% upcharge over a regular 100 pack price. 

Take a look at what Festool's upcharge is for their 10 packs and you'll realize that Tom's offer is better.

 

[zapdafish]

Tom sells packages with and without a systainer, maybe you compared prices with one that included the systainer?

 

[whitesys]

Not to give a shot at Tom, but I did take a look and they are hardly passing on any of the savings from splitting up a 100pack.   I don't pretend to know what the markup/profit margin is on sand paper disks, but I imagine there is some there.  The cost on that mixed set is around the 72% upcharge over a regular 100 pack price. 

Take a look at what Festool's upcharge is for their 10 packs and you'll realize that Tom's offer is better.

Some of the grits are not available in 10 packs.

If that had been the case, I would have just purchased the individual package retail.
So the assortment was the only way to get the selection without purchasing 50 or 100 sheets of some of the grits.

 

[matt.mackinnon]

Not to give a shot at Tom, but I did take a look and they are hardly passing on any of the savings from splitting up a 100pack.   I don't pretend to know what the markup/profit margin is on sand paper disks, but I imagine there is some there.  The cost on that mixed set is around the 72% upcharge over a regular 100 pack price. 

Take a look at what Festool's upcharge is for their 10 packs and you'll realize that Tom's offer is better.

Some of the grits are not available in 10 packs.

If that had been the case, I would have just purchased the individual package retail.
So the assortment was the only way to get the selection without purchasing 50 or 100 sheets of some of the grits.

I fully agree that what Tom is offering is better that the Festool alternative.  But my complaint is not with Tom ... it's with Festool for not giving me a viable option that would let me buy a selection of grit sizes at a reasonable price.  For a professional shop, getting a 100 pack of sandpaper is not a big deal.  But I would bet that there is a large percentage of users here in the FOG that do not use these tools for a living, but more a hobby.  We are a viable market that is getting under-served.

The options are: to try and find a group near me, suck it up and buy big, or buy the competition.  For me Abernet can be gotten for $65 for 55 disks in 12 different grit levels.  There is no option like that offered by Festool, nor any dealer in my area.  I just want to use my new tool when it comes.  I know it comes with a sample pack that is the "big mystery" as Festool will not officially say what that is.  It's not a fixed item, so you get what you get.  You are left with having to pre-order what you know you will need, as there is no guarantee that it will be there with the package delivered.

 

[EWTHeckman]

But I would bet that there is a large percentage of users here in the FOG that do not use these tools for a living, but more a hobby.  We are a viable market that is getting under-served.

This describes me to a T. I just ordered a bunch of round pads for the RO 90. The smallest package I could get was 50 discs. The rest were all 100 discs. That's practically a lifetime supply for me.  [scared]  [crying]

 

[matt.mackinnon]

This describes me to a T. I just ordered a bunch of round pads for the RO 90. The smallest package I could get was 50 discs. The rest were all 100 discs. That's practically a lifetime supply for me.  [scared]  [crying]

I have been told that the glue on the disks can dry out over time and not be as flexible, as well the bond to the abrasive medium weakens and they don't last as long.  I was told the shelf life is between 2-5 years.  I don't know if that is true as I don't see a best before date on many of the sanding pads that I have bought.

 

[AlexThePalex]

But my complaint is not with Tom ... it's with Festool for not giving me a viable option that would let me buy a selection of grit sizes at a reasonable price.  For a professional shop, getting a 100 pack of sandpaper is not a big deal.  But I would bet that there is a large percentage of users here in the FOG that do not use these tools for a living, but more a hobby.  We are a viable market that is getting under-served.

We all know Festool stuff is expensive. I would like it to be cheaper too, but that's not gonna happen, so quit complaining. Buy some other brand if you don't like it. When I buy a 10 pack of Festool paper here, it's cheaper then the rotten chinese stuff at the so called "cheap" super store.

Btw, for the Ro 150, for a 100 pack of Brilliant 2 P120 Americans pay $41, I pay €73 for that here, while the Euro currently is worth 1,34 dollar.  

This describes me to a T. I just ordered a bunch of round pads for the RO 90. The smallest package I could get was 50 discs. The rest were all 100 discs. That's practically a lifetime supply for me.  [scared]  [crying]

I have been told that the glue on the disks can dry out over time and not be as flexible, as well the bond to the abrasive medium weakens and they don't last as long.  I was told the shelf life is between 2-5 years.   I don't know if that is true as I don't see a best before date on many of the sanding pads that I have bought.

Well, you've been informed incorrectly. I have some Festo paper that's over 10 years old. I have 3M sandpaper my father bought over 20 years ago when his body shop was still in business. It's all still in perfect order, I see no sign of deterioration. Sandpaper lasts a very long time.

 

[lambeater]

Not to give a shot at Tom, but I did take a look and they are hardly passing on any of the savings from splitting up a 100pack.   I don't pretend to know what the markup/profit margin is on sand paper disks, but I imagine there is some there.  The cost on that mixed set is around the 72% upcharge over a regular 100 pack price.  I guess you take what you can get.

I guess I will go with Mirka Abranet as I can get those far cheaper up here in Canada in the lower quantities allowing me to get a full spectrum of grit sizes from 80~1000.

Sorry Festool, there is only so much money we are willing to spend. It's about getting value for the dollar.

Matt totally agree but I do love my festool sanders, ETS 125, RO90 and RO150. Would be happy to share if you were near Kamloops.
thx
Lambeater

 

[lambeater]

I know that Tom @ tool-home.com sells combo packs of various grits!  Hope that helps!

Bob

Toms packs are a good assortment but the kicker is can they come to Canada?
thx
Lambeater

 

[lambeater]

http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=60&sort=3d&filter_id=1669

I think you can talk to them to modify these as well, for example if you want all course grits

Maybe after reading this the BIG Local BOYS might come up with a plan, Ultimate, KMS, LEE VALLEY!!! [smile] [smile]

Lambeater

 

[harry_]

Maybe this is an area where Festool provides dealers a 'service avenue' to help combat the fixed pricing on the tools?

Bob has some 'adapter hoses', Tom has some sandpaper assortments. All things being equal this would tend to make me favor Tom on 'sander buying day'. Doesn't really help the OP whereas he is in Canada. I would think that dealers could also do a similar thing with dominos  [poke].