Fein tools only for hobbyists?!

[Mark Levitski]

My wife and I share a woodworking shop. She builds free-form, tree branch furniture and accessories. I am a turner. We have purchased several Fein tools over the past years. The multi-master has gotten very little use, mostly as a detail sander. The 8 inch ROS gets used on our larger slab tables and such. They still are working fine. Then we got a Turbo III vac mostly for DC for the combo belt sander and our smaller ROS's. Granted, it has gotten more use than the other Fein tools. However, after only recently gotten it (a little over a year ago), it now will not turn on. After spending that much on a vac, I'm very disappointed and now cannot recommend buying anything from them anymore. Seems like if you use their tools a lot they fail? Grrrrr............

Mark

[J.R. Rutter]

My Fein vac has been used commercially (maybe an hour per day) for several years now with no issues. Sounds like you might have a dirty switch or loose wire somewhere?

[John Coloccia]

You can't have 100% reliability, Mark. Fein has a reputation for very high reliability and longevity pretty much universally. Have you even called them about it yet?

[Rod Sheridan]

Mark, I guess you've never had anything fail?

One failure isn't a reason to drop a company, otherwise there would be no companies we could buy from.

As others have suggested, give Fein a call and see how they suggest to proceed...............Regards, Rod.

[Mark Levitski]

Mark, I guess you've never had anything fail?

Actually, I've had a string of supposed high quality things fail lately, not just in the shop. Perhaps that's coloring my mood. Chief Rain in the Face, remember?

Sure, I'll try calling, but I'm not hopeful with a 1 year warranty and a policy of "no serviceable parts".

[robert raess]

I have owned 3 Fein tools.The original multi-tool which used to undercut casing and chase grout, the gear on that is out after many yrs. of good service.I had a Fein mini-turbo vac, that i loved and vacuumed up some concrete dust and it never behaved the same after that. the whole motor case is sealed and i couldn't get inside to exam..tho disappointed, i would get another.Now I have the new mutimaster and love it, i use it alot in hardwood floor install situations.It's very strong and i would definitely get another. Rob

[David Kumm]

Mark, you need to determine if you have a motor problem- bummer- or an electrical- switch problem. Euro switches are no better than Asian as many electrical parts from Europe have Asian components. They will be replaceable and no big deal. For most non commercial people the switches go before the motor. Dave

[joe milana]

Mark, I have two of the fein supercuts. I believe I paid over $800 a piece. Both have had switch problems, and one has developed an overheating problem. I send them in, and they return fixed. Frustrating? Yes. Would I work without them? No way. I have a Metabo angle grinder (also German) that developes switch problems as well. I get it fixed locally , so not as inconvenient, but frustrating as well. I'd still buy another if I had too because no other grinder compares.

[William Addison]

I had a Fein Turbo that died before it should have.

[Greg R Bradley]

I have 3 Fein Vacs including one that is near 20 years old. Also have one in a commercial shop that runs around an hour a day for several years. Also another that is used in a factory making abrasives. It is the only one that requires repairs but the expected life for a normal shop vac in the same business is 30-60 days.

[Mike Heidrick]

Can I have the vac?

[William Addison]

If you're asking me if you can have the one that died on me, you don't want it. Just before I unplugged it the plastic over the motor was melting and it was emitting serious smoke.

[Mark Levitski]

One failure isn't a reason to drop a company, otherwise there would be no companies we could buy from.

Wrong IMO. Companies that don't serve their customers die, and then there are none? No, others arise to replace them that are more fit to survive. That's the law of the jungle. Make enough tools that fail that soon and you are out of business. The consumer vote counts perhaps more than the votes coming up in November. Oops, shouldn't have mentioned politics .

Yes, I'll still call them as "others have suggested here", but in other places as many or more have suggested don't bother--there is no recourse but to buy expensive parts and service. Remember, no matter how many stories there are out there, I'm the one with the expensive and "reputable" vac that doesn't work. Those are the facts. I don't expect myself to be disappointed and refrain from anger about that. Do you? After all, this forum is one of the places that provided me with the encouragement to go Fein. Now you can dish it out, but not take it so to speak?

I'll file the usual report about their response.

[joe milana]

Wrong IMO. Companies that don't serve their customers die, and then there are none? No, others arise to replace them that are more fit to survive. That's the law of the jungle. Make enough tools that fail that soon and you are out of business. The consumer vote counts perhaps more than the votes coming up in November. Oops, shouldn't have mentioned politics .

Yes, I'll still call them as "others have suggested here", but in other places as many or more have suggested don't bother--there is no recourse but to buy expensive parts and service. Remember, no matter how many stories there are out there, I'm the one with the expensive and "reputable" vac that doesn't work. Those are the facts. I don't expect myself to be disappointed and refrain from anger about that. Do you? After all, this forum is one of the places that provided me with the encouragement to go Fein. Now you can dish it out, but not take it so to speak?

I'll file the usual report about their response.

Is this your way of trying to tell us you never registered your expensive German vacuum, because last I remember, Fein comes with a 3 year warranty, and you claim to have purchased the vacuum just over a year ago. Sure, as previously suggested, warranty work is convenient, but they should take care of your problem.

[Chris Parks]

Protool are the industrial side of Festool.