Help: Pristine Festool ATF 55E or new TS 55REQ

[Tom Davis]

I have the opportunity to pick up a ATF 55E in excellent condition for about $200 less than a new TS 55REQ. Are the differences in the saws significant?

Thanks

Tom

[Greg R Bradley]

My analysis is that a brand new ATF55E with a full warranty is worth about $200 less than the new TS55REQ assuming they both have the 55" rail included.

Old style systainer, no detachable cord, sheet metal base instead of cast base, no right side anti-splinter, less power, harder to change blade, and a couple other differences I forgot. Probably has older style blade instead of the new versions that all have the same offset and kerf width, which means the inside anti splinter doesn't work properly.

HOWEVER, somebody will buy it for that because they don't know all this.

Used Festool stuff generally sells for too much and if you need to save $200 over the new TS55REQ, buy a Makita SP6000, which is 95% as good for 75% the price.

[johnny means]

Not to hijack, but is the old style systainer a drawback. I think the new ones suck. Does the detachable chord add value, especially since they don't fit a lot of other Festool stuff?

Anyway, I would buy the new one. $200 isn't really enough to pass up on the improvements in the new saw.

[Matt Meiser]

I wouldn't buy any Festool old enough to not have the detachable cord. That's actually why I upgrade my jig saw. I have the boom arm and its a joy to be able to just grab a tool , plug in, and go. Having the cord and hose on the boom arm is the next best thing to a cordless tool. The lack of right-side anti-chip is even bigger.

Cords--the 16ga cord will fit any tool with the removable cord. The 18ga cord will only fit smaller tools. There's a small keyway to enforce this, similar in concept to how Milwaukee allows compact batteries on some M18 tools but not others but the full size batteries fit all. If buying an extra/new cord I'd always buy the 16ga.

Systainers--I think the T-Loc are better but not enough that I haven't bought several of the old style ones off people who are upgrading so I can put accessories and non-Festool tools in them. I think its a great storage system since is creates neat, uniform storage in the shop that I can grab and go "on-site" in the house or over at my parents house. Wife even thinks its neat enough that SHE saw the new cart and decided to buy me one for Christmas.

[Greg R Bradley]

Johnny,
I have some old ones and new ones along with 2 different versions of Sortimo Systainers and each has advantages and disadvantages. There are certainly some people that prefer the old Tanos Systainers over the T-locs because the old ones are stronger. The T-locs are lots more convenient. They almost don't stack together in that you can only use a T-loc on top of the traditional one and even that is a pain. Any new tools will be in T-locs so the dollar value of the old ones is very low. The Makita SP6000 comes in a traditional Systainer.

I totally agree with Matt about the huge value of detachable cords but that mainly applies if you are using vacuums and will use other tools. Again, the dollar value of a tool with detachable cord is much higher.

If you don't care about the systainer, you can always buy a new tools and instantly sell the new T-loc systainer for $50-60 depending on size so you should always deduct that from the price when comparing tool prices.

The offside anti-splinter and detachable cord are the main reasons that my Makita is being used on a production cutting table for sheet break down and I have the TS55 at home.

I think a used Festool item will always find a buyer that will overpay due to brand snobbery or because he is a Festool collector or other such nonsense. I buy Bosch like new refurbs for 30% off and Festool sells theirs for 10% off with a waiting line for them. How silly is that?

[Biff Phillips]

I have the opportunity to pick up a ATF 55E in excellent condition for about $200 less than a new TS 55REQ. Are the differences in the saws significant?

Thanks

Tom

If you are a hobbyist, you probably aren't going to use it that many hours per year. I'm a hobbyist, I would buy the used saw if it was in excellent condition.
To me, Detachable cords and systrainers aren't an issue. My systrainers are tossed in a pile under the basement stairs (with all the other plastic tool cases) because they take up too much space.

If you are a professional, using the tool every day, maybe it's worthwhile to have the latest and greatest.