Would you return this TS 55 FEQ due to poor casting?

[Packard]

My feeling is that it is strictly cosmetic and does no affect performance, I would ignore it.

On the other hand, I bought a new car once (1986 Camaro Z28) and it arrived with obvious body work.  It probably got damaged off-loading from the delivery truck.  I refused the car until it was properly repaired. 

This was strictly cosmetic also, so perhaps I'm a hypocrite. [big grin]

 

[NiteWalkerGR]

My FEQ has this as well; no big deal. I imagine they all do.

 

[Cheese]

So for the sake of piling-on...here's a TSC KEB series:

[attachimg=1]

A TSC REB series:

[attachimg=2]

And a TS EQ series:

[attachimg=3]

And finally, this is how Mafell abrogates the issue...they simply use a heavily textured paint to hide the casting flash. They also add a simple upcharge of $120 and everyone is now kumbaya.

[attachimg=4]

 

[ChuckS]

snip.

And finally, this is how Mafell abrogates the issue...they simply use a heavily textured paint to hide the casting flash. They also add a simple upcharge of $120 and everyone is now kumbaya.

[attachimg=4]

Beauty is paint-deep! [tongue]

 

[mino]

In other words, ther are good technical reasons why the casting is done this way on the best tools on the market.

While on my crappy LIDL/PARKSIDE this is all nicely finished ... and all the crap is inside the saw which messes up the dust collection.

The Parksides we have in our community shop - outa factory - sure have nicer finish when displayed on a fireplace on their backs.

But I am very confident which approach I would prefer in a tool I expected to use ...
[cool]

 

[krudawg]

I'm on the fence.  It doesn't look like it will hurt the function but dang; they charge and arm and a leg for their engineering so I might call them and let them know you object to their sloppiness and they should spend a little more time cleaning up the edges.

Please use the correct wording.

Sloppiness => someone ignored something/did not do his job. That is not the case here as evidenced.

Festool chose to not provide a silky smooth finish on a side of the product where it does not provide any benefit. That is no sloppiness. That is a conscious design choice.

Wanted to initially argue, but then realized your post is very much self-contradictory.

On one hand you are unhappy Festool did not increase the cost by adding a cosmetic/non-functional finishing step on a tool. And by the second hand you complain the tool is expensive.

But these aspects are mutually exclusive to each other.

You can either have perfect finish, so you tools are nice when displayed on your fireplace. Or you can have more affordable tools. One does not go with the other.

I stand corrected;  Poor choice of words.  Perhaps I should have used "oversight". Either way, If I was charging an arm and a leg for power tools, I'd make darn sure that the finished product looked perfect especially with all the competition in power tools.  Anyone with a Makita or Triton who can speak about how well they were finished.

 

[Cheese]

I really fail to see why this subject is such a hot button...does the saw function properly...are there any areas where the saw doesn't function properly, and if so, can they be attributed to the cosmetic paint issues?

That is the bottom line guys, it's a flipping saw, it is not meant to be elevated and placed on the mantle of your fire place with LED down-lights projected upon its painted surfaces so that everyone who doesn't know a saw from a scissors can ooh & awe before the presentation of the turkey on Thanksgiving. This is goofy...the included photos have captured over 18 years of Festool manufacturing, it's kind of worked well over all of those years...yes?

 

[usernumber1]

i think this is simple buyers remorse

 

[woodferret]

I'd return it because Festool does not match your expectations.  As an owner of aforementioned Makitas and Tritons, the 'green premium' definately doesn't go into materials and finish.  The premium goes into the supply chain, support, and interop.  If those rank low as priorities, do a hard pass regardless of what others are buying.

 

[mino]

I stand corrected;  Poor choice of words.  Perhaps I should have used "oversight". Either way, If I was charging an arm and a leg for power tools, I'd make darn sure that the finished product looked perfect especially with all the competition in power tools.  Anyone with a Makita or Triton who can speak about how well they were finished.

TLDR:
See my post above - there is no sloppiness, no overshight. That is intentional as it is the only cost-effective way to make the part. Or would you rather the rough finish be inside, where it affects the functionality of the tool - like the other (cheaper) makers do so it looks better, works worse, and is actually cheaper to make?

There are hard choices in engineering. And there are no "oversights" like this. Not with any of the pro tool companies. Every single rough side is a CHOICE between cost/value/functionality. This is what engineering is about. Most customers will simply not pay for an overengineered tool like a Mercedes W124.

Seriously. This discussion is as if some folks used their tools to catch chicks! Or do they?

===================================
I did my calculus after talking to a friend. Having that single surface machine-finished, the only way to not affect function, would cost about $10/$20 depending if made in CZ or DE (about 2x the wage diff).

This with a saw whose total cost to make is in the $200 range (sans accessories or R&D, just the pure manuf cost). So one adds up to 10% to the cost only to have a nicer finish which will not benefit 99.9% of your customers in any way whatsoever. Nice.

That value may sound high, but it is not. Once you move into machining a piece you have to completely change the manuf. worflow. You can no longer break-off the item. You have to cut it off. Then you have some % of fails which will have bubble in the cut, then you have to move it and precisely place it on a CNC, CNC time, only then continue with the original sanding step. So you made a $5 piece into an $15-$25 piece .. there is a reason Maffel basically does the same.