Woodcraft as a Festool dealer

[jacko9]

My local Woodcraft dealer is primarily interested in selling turning tools for pen making hobbiest so, their Festool inventory is limited and their staff is not particularly knowledgeable with the Festool products.  My previous local Festool dealer "Japan Woodworker" closed their retail shop and sold their business to Woodcraft for online business.

Jack 

 

[sancho57]

Theres always Bob or Tom, you wont be disappointed with either.

 

[jacko9]

Theres always Bob or Tom, you wont be disappointed with either.

I have been purchasing from Tom and the service is "excellent".

Jack

 

[redbirdone]

I'm so over the Woodcraft here.  Pathetic levels of inventory, poor condition of inventory and an assumption that if you are under 60 years of age you aren't "one of them."  The old men who work there must think I'm waiting on my gramps or something, or maybe I'm invisible.  The last few times I walked in there have pushed me over the edge.  Not a single piece of sandpaper for the RO 90 delta pad, and a handful of choices for my ETS 125.  Clueless looks when I ask about the parallel guides for the guide rails.  And don't even think about asking for bags for your CT26...one guy tried to tell me that the CT 22 bags should work. But unfortunately they are the only game in town when it comes to Festool.

So after dealing with BS like this for years I finally made the move to Bob.  The only downside is Bob's great service and inventory may lighten my wallet a little bit more than I would like...

 

[lino-man]

I don't have a local Woodcraft so I only can go there when visiting my folks in Oregon. They have always given me fairly ok service and were helpful in promoting festool when I showed an interest. But the lack of inventory is really a drag at this point. I'm like a lot of others on this forum who calls Bob or uses his website. I'm always impressed with the service (wow calls me on a Sunday!) and quick response.

 

[Paul G]

Seems like there is better corporate-wide training at McDonalds. It's so hit or miss store to store, and my local store that is just a few minutes away can vary widely depending on who is working. Granted the product lines are diverse and there is much to learn but it appears to me the training is slim. Only a few of the guys know the Festool line and I know when they are in so that's when I generally show up. So far only one I know has gone to Festool training, he knew what the Planex was but the others hadn't a clue. In general I rely heavily on the Festool USA website to get educated, along with this forum of course. As for inventory they've been pretty poor, i loaded up on granat rounds and deltas for the RO90 and it all had to be ordered as did the sander itself and the pads. Also nothing Planex, all had to be ordered.

 

[fdengel]

It doesn't surprise me that a store focused on woodworking would not stock a drywall sander; it is really more of a construction tool.

It's not really within the chain's primary scope.

Same for some of the more metal-focused abrasives and such, though lack of the RO90 and Granat is somewhat questionable.

 

[GregBradley]

Sancho said that his SoCal Woodcraft is excellent. There are two in SoCal. I can tell you that my SoCal Woodcraft is in Stanton, just inland from Huntington Beach, and I'm very happy with them as a Festool dealer. There are a couple more specialized dealers like Anderson Plywood and Eagle Tools that are better but the Woodcraft in Stanton is excellent as a woodworking hobby/professional store. Very helpful and knowledgeable, particularly after they realize they have a customer that is a genuine Festool customer.

I can also completely agree with his experience with a variety of SoCal Rockler stores as Festool dealers. They are barely acceptable.

When Ganahl Lumber opened their new store in Pasadena, the initial Festool area was incredible, indicating we might have a new excellent Festool center. A year later, they have 25% the inventory they had in the beginning. They are still a fabulous example of what a general lumber yard should be, just not much of a Festool dealer. They are still better than the Pasadena Rockler for Festool.

 

[TinyTiger]

I'm really sorry that others have had ugly experiences.  My local "Larry's Tools and Sam's Tools" Branch is in Woodridge, IL (southwestern Chicago), and they've been nothing but awesome.  Carl and Tom especially always take great care of me and know anything I've ever asked about their Festool line.  They are great to work with!

I have also been to the branches in Madison, WI; Dallas, Fort Worth, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Parkersburg, and Northern Virginia.  They have been great as well, but I didn't specifically ask about the Festool line during those visits so I can't speak to their expertise.

 

[sancho57]

Sancho said that his SoCal Woodcraft is excellent. There are two in SoCal. I can tell you that my SoCal Woodcraft is in Stanton, just inland from Huntington Beach, and I'm very happy with them as a Festool dealer. There are a couple more specialized dealers like Anderson Plywood and Eagle Tools that are better but the Woodcraft in Stanton is excellent as a woodworking hobby/professional store. Very helpful and knowledgeable, particularly after they realize they have a customer that is a genuine Festool customer.

I can also completely agree with his experience with a variety of SoCal Rockler stores as Festool dealers. They are barely acceptable.

When Ganahl Lumber opened their new store in Pasadena, the initial Festool area was incredible, indicating we might have a new excellent Festool center. A year later, they have 25% the inventory they had in the beginning. They are still a fabulous example of what a general lumber yard should be, just not much of a Festool dealer. They are still better than the Pasadena Rockler for Festool.

hats the Woodcraft i was talking about in Stanton. Never been to Anderson pr the Ganahl in Pasadena.

Have you checked out Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana? I went there today.  They have a lot of stuff festool and non festool. Drew is very knowledgeable about festool and uses them professionaly If they dont have it in stock they will order it.There festool orders come every Tuesday.

Between the 2 stores and Bob and Tom Im in festool utopia :>D

 

[skids]

If I owned a business and there was this much debate on the service my business provided I would be ashamed.

Woodcrafts business model is inconsistent at best.

 

[GregBradley]

If I owned a business and there was this much debate on the service my business provided I would be ashamed.

Woodcrafts business model is inconsistent at best.

Woodcraft stores are individually owned franchise stores. Rockler stores are all company stores although they do have some independent dealers. I think that is why you see so much variation in Woodcraft stores from the lousy ones complained about to the Woodcraft of Orange County that Sancho and I praised. It is a 45 mile trip from home to that store. There are 3 Rockler stores that are closer, one only a few miles away.

On office days, I frequently drive through a McDonalds for breakfast. I go a mile out of my way to go to one instead of another that I pass on my direct route. You pay your money and make your choices. I suppose we are fortunate to have this many choices so close. What do we have, 20 or so Festool dealers in a 50 mile radius?

 

[sancho57]

Greg,

Word

Example there i a sonic burger with in walking distance from my house. Id rather drive 15-20 mins to another one and buy their food. Same food right? Just one has better service and cook the food much better then the other.

 

[ScotF]

I love the Woodcraft in Stanton as well and have shopped Anderson.  Of course Bob and Tom are great online too.  Anderson Plywood is an other excellent dealer as is Eagle tools -- just a bit of a hike for me to get up that way that it often is not worth it.  I agree that Rockler is not so good...they have way cut back inventory and stock of even some common items.  I really do not bother going there much any more. 

Scot

 

[skids]

If I owned a business and there was this much debate on the service my business provided I would be ashamed.

Woodcrafts business model is inconsistent at best.

Woodcraft stores are individually owned franchise stores. Rockler stores are all company stores although they do have some independent dealers. I think that is why you see so much variation in Woodcraft stores from the lousy ones complained about to the Woodcraft of Orange County that Sancho and I praised. It is a 45 mile trip from home to that store. There are 3 Rockler stores that are closer, one only a few miles away.

On office days, I frequently drive through a McDonalds for breakfast. I go a mile out of my way to go to one instead of another that I pass on my direct route. You pay your money and make your choices. I suppose we are fortunate to have this many choices so close. What do we have, 20 or so Festool dealers in a 50 mile radius?

I hear ya..but they operate under a singular name and present themselves that way to their customers. Their standards as a franchise
Model overall aren't well managed. Not even close to McDonald's.

I have spoke with my feet many moons ago, and sent thousands, literally thousands of $$ to dealers other than woodcraft who deserve the business.

If I ever need a pen widdling kit, maybe...

 

[The Woodworkers Club]

As a managing partner of the Woodworkers Club (Woodcraft of Rockville, MD) for the last three years I agree with both sides of the debate.  Before joining the team here in MD, I was on the other side of the fence as an undergrad/grad student in a Furniture Design program in PA. I was a customer before a partner and greatly appreciate and fully understand what everyone is looking for in a woodworking retail store, franchise or not. Any independently owned franchise will have drastic differences from owner to owner and state to state.  We welcome everyone on the FOG to stop in and see what we have to offer as a proud Woodcraft Franchise. 

www.woodworkersclub.com

 

[Paul G]

I bought a TS55REQ from my local Woodcraft and I got a call from them today about the recall which started today. I've got to give them credit for being on top of this ASAP.