What's with Festool?

[Mike Cutler]

I recently picked up a Festool OF-2000E/1 router at an auction and can't figure out what the fuss is all about with the Festool brand, at least with respect to this tool. The other routers I have from Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee and Porter Cable are just as capable at a fraction of the cost. What am I missing? However, the box is pretty cool and easy to store.

Steve

I've never used a 2000, but I do have a 2200OE, and it is a very nice tool.It doesn't show it's "true colors", until you throw some big work at it.
Mine was purchased to route out holes,and template work, in 1-1/2" thick Padauk panels. My Porter Cables were tearing the heck out of my hands, but that Festool did the work very smoothly, with the same bit that was installed in the PC's.
In 4/4 softwoods, domestic hardwoods, and cab ply, you won't see much difference other than you can literally use it one handed in those materials. Get it into some dense thick tropicals and it's a different game. I still have my PC's, and they're very capable tools, but the big Festool is much, much smoother ,and vibration free.
It's a lot of $$$$ and you have to know you want it, or have a need for it.

I do have a few Festool tools, but I don't consider myself a Festool aficionado of any sort.

[Warren Lake]

any new router is a smooth machine compared to ones that have worked hard. My Makita plunge 3Hp started out tight and became a rattle trap. Not the routers fault just the operator. I wont put the time into it to change bearings. I abused three porter cables and they still work great original bearings in them. Sure they could be replaced and be tight like new but its not needed. Those large routers did tons of work and never had issues.

[Ron Selzer]

Personally I prefer horsepower. I use a higher horsepower router than others I know for the same job. I firmly believe that a higher horsepower router is easier to use as far as not bogging down , cutting cleanly and going where I want it to go. I don't use 1/2" bits in small routers nor do I use 1/4" in larger routers. The PC690 can go both ways, I typically use 1/2" bits however do have 8mm and 1/4" collets for them. Trim routers and PC 100's are 1/4" machines. Larger routers are 1/2" only and have plunge bases.
I have over a dozen routers of various sizes and prefer to keep some dedicated to one purpose and others get used for whatever.
As far as sanders go once I got my 15" wide belt sander there is very little need for a ROS. Once I get back in the shop and try the new to me stroke sander the ROS may not get used or used very little.
I don't have any Festools strictly due to price. Would like to have a Domino, maybe someday that project will come along that really needs one or the budget is high enough to just buy one.
Ron

[Dave Sabo]

Well, it’s tough to say.

As previously mentioned , that router is 10years old minimum and the design/tech closer to 20 (or more).

It was a 300-$400 router when brand new and could be had for less than $200 from a ReCon sale. They were $325new when the discontinued notice came down. For those prices you got the the most powerful 110v router available on the market, a speed control that didn’t crap out like porter cables , a really good fine adjustment knob, easy table mounting, and a spiffy carry case. It was also one of the (if not only) large router that offered dust collection.

My guess is you overpaid for yours and that’s part of the perception.

It also highlights another benefit of the brand : long term value. Few if any of your other tools are worth close to -or- more than you paid for them 10 years on.