Poll: Curious about Festool ownership

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

Wow--I am a hobbyist, but only 1 of 2 (at the time I am doing this post) that does not own, but plans to buy.

I have tested/tried them and have been impressed. A Domino is on the future acquisition list.

[peter Joseph]

Oops. I forgot that I have a dust extractor. Nothing else though and wont buy any more. The Festool table confuses the heck out of me. Anyone I know who has it says that its unstable without the 80$ cross braces and that chopping and planing on it are out of the question. I know those functions are not its intended purpose, but still.

[Neil Gaskin]

Domino. OF1400 router. TS 55 track saw. Baby rotex. 5" rotex. 5 or 6 various models 5" ROS.

[mike waters]

Ts75
55" track
betterclay track attachment
1400 router and router stop

I was going to purchase the dust extraction. But just got a rigid instead.. purchased a rubber plumber coupling with a clamp on the end so I can attach my vac to my festool's.. added friction tape to the inside as well. Goes to cyclone first, then the vac (I use bags)

used an auto cas file and got localCNC shop to make own custom mft (top) for $35.
i use it on saw horses and it is incredibly stable.

next purchase will probably be one of the sanders.

[Joshua Bass]

Here was my recent delivery from Festool:

• TS 55 REQ Imp Saw
• FS 2700/2, 106 inch Guide Rail
• CT 36 E Dust Extractor
• SELFCLEAN Filter Bags SC FIS-CT 36, 5 pcs
• Universal Cleaning Set (for CT 36)
• Quick clamps (x4)
• Parallel guide set
• Domino XL Joiner DF 700 Set
• Domino Systainer Assortment TL
• OF 1400 EQ Imp Plunge Router
• Guide stop, OF 1400
• Edge Guide, OF 1400
• 6" Random Orbit Sander ETS EC150/3
• LR32 Router Hole Drilling Set

I've used everything but the LR32, which I may sell.

[Shawn Pixley]

Domino, 1400 Router, Tracksaw, Midi Dust Extractor, and Cordless Drill (all but the Router were gifts)

[Martin Wasner]

Too much to count.

Really? I wouldn't have guessed that.

I've got the smaller domino. When my current install saw dies,, I'll likely get a Kapex, even though it's massively overpriced. Their vacuums are nice, I'll likely get one of those sometime soon. I like the brushless jigsaw too, but I've got enough jigsaws for a while.

[John K Jordan]

Too much to count.

An Italian friend of mine in Northern Italy had too many Festools for me to count when I visited. I took this picture of one of the Festool storage racks in his base of operations. (not really a shop, he just starts and ends his day there)

Attachment 368305

He showed me some specialty tools I had never imagined existing.

He said "Festool, only Festool." Mostly buys them when on sale.

JKJ

[Jim Finn]

I have the small Festool sander and I like it. It is slower running, even at high speed, than my other sanders. This makes is smoother running. A plus for me. I bought it because it is the lightest one I could find.

[Andrew J. Coholic]

-4 vacs, 26x2, 48 and the newer portable one
-one domino, standard size
-one router 1400
-older 55 track saw
-15 drill and driver
-90 and 125 rotex, two 125eq, one 125 ec

vacs are a staple in the shop. Have the 26's with extra long hoses set up stationary with Oneida cyclones. The other one we use with the other brands of sanders, Lamello machines etc.

I have bought and converted several other tools to use the festool pigtails so they are just as quick to attach and use with the vacs.

[Brian W Evans]

Domino XL, trim router (MFK-700). I own these because I don't think there are other tools that do the same thing (possibly excepting the trim router, although I think the alternatives are even more expensive). I might buy more in the future but I'm happy with cheaper substitutes for everything else so far.

These are exceptionally well-made tools and I have no regrets about buying them.

[Chris Parks]

Just to be different, two quad drive PROTOOL drills and a Festool 12V drill of some ancient vintage. I only bought the Protool drills because they were on run out sale from Festool in Oz and a quarter of the price of what they were at retail.

[Wayne Lomman]

Too specialised and gadgety. I have used their routers, trimmers, plasterboard sanders and random orbital sanders in workshops but I would not waste my own money on them. The fact that they are specialised means you have to buy more of them. Cheers

[Mike Cutler]

Too specialised and gadgety. I have used their routers, trimmers, plasterboard sanders and random orbital sanders in workshops but I would not waste my own money on them. The fact that they are specialised means you have to buy more of them. Cheers

Wayne

Curious as to what this actually means?
I know that they are designed to work inside a system concept, but within that system, they cross platforms.
Admittedly their "accessories" can be on the expensive side, but then, there are many third party manufacturers making Festool adaptable accessories now.( Blades, rails,MFT tables, router guides, etc.)
The "heart" of the system, so to speak, are their vacuums and rails, and those are no longer exclusive.
They are a bit "gadgety' though. I can agree with that.

In other countries it may be that there is a gradual progression of quality in terms of tools from inexpensive, to expensive. Here in the US, we have a choice of ever decreasing quality from Chinese manufactured products, or "high end" tools like Festool and others. Nothing is really filling that gap in between. Our third option is to find known, quality, tools second hand, but you need to have a very good idea of what you are actually looking for, and the years it was manufactured.

[Wayne Lomman]

Mike, I just hate tools that are hard to use with my jigs, patterns and tooling. I mostly use my tools as a motor driving a cutter in a certain configuration and I do the rest myself. For example, a router without a concentric circular base I find useless much of the time. A decent Makita will do much more that the Festool routers I have seen. The Festool trimmer routers do one or two things ok and are useless the rest of the time. The Festool plasterboard sanders are ok but if you are a good joint flusher you don't need one. I'm not an apologist for any brand by the way. I just like basic and accurate. I almost forgot, all the Festool I have used are catastrophically fragile for site use. Keep spare bearings in the box and for heavens sake don't ever drop one. Cheers