Thread: Buying Festool Products

I am a hobby woodworker and have started down the Festool track, like you I appreciate quality tools. Festool tools are at a set price so you can’t shop around between retailers but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a bargain. Festool run specials from time to time, I got my TS55 and CT26 as a package deal at a significant discount to the normal price. Just recently at the Black Friday sales I picked up some more gear, whilst I paid full price for it, Total Tools were giving out gift cards based on how much you spent, which in my case worked out at nearly 20%, some of which I spent on a Festool quick clamp.

Also keep an eye out for second hand, they hold their value well but you can still get a deal. I see quite a few items for sale after being used for one job.

Cheers Andrew

A Festool KS120 mitre saw is advertised on Amazon USA for USD 1384. Converting at AUD 0.68 with no postage brings you to $2038. The same item is advertised by Sydney Tools for $1999.

Plenty of amateurs use Festool products and I imagine plenty of pros do not. As a young family man, I started woodworking with Triton gear and made some pretty good things with it. Go with what you can afford and take your time to get it right.

Good luck with your projects,

mick

Festool products are expensive for a reason- They are the best.
But, many time I get asked "Why do you buy that gear when my Ryobi/Makita/DeWalt etc does the same job?"
Yes, it may, but the Festool tools might do it better,or safer, or most generally, quicker.
As a professional user, I have noticed many unique differences and features that set Festool apart from the rest. These features are not apparent at first inspection, or use, but become noticeable as you use thegear more. And become VERY apparent when use a diferent brand of the same tool.
I have lost count of the times professional carpenters have used my Kapex mitre saw for aday and have remarked how good it is and how they wished they had bought one.
My philosophy is I'm giving the client the absolute best job they could hope to receive, and to do that, I need the best equipment that is available to meet that end.
Festool make that equipment.

I am just offering another point of view.
I'm a hobby woodworker, and I also appreciate quality tools. But I more interested in buying the right tools for the job. A while ago I considered buying the Festool compound mitre saw because of all the raving reviews about the quality of the saw. But when I looked deeper into my own needs, I decided I would be wasting money buying a Festool. I already have several compound mitre saws, one of which is a Bosch Glide which I used extensively during our home renovation. Still, when it comes to making furniture, I hardly ever needed or wanted to use a compound mitre saw. I figured I would be better off choosing a high-quality hand mitre saw and Nobex was my answer. I find it I go to the Nobex far more often than I turn on the Bosch. If I bought a Festool, it would have been sitting around gathering dust. Just my 2c

I am a professional user and I think is about having the right tool for the job. Some items it is a Festool others Makita or Bosch do the job just fine
The problem is without experience it is hard to make that judgement call

i suggest you do your research and ask advice on appropriate tools for a given task to help you spend your money wisely

There are heaps of hobby woodworkers that own Festool. From what I see, the main benefit is that festool do a lot of work making their products work well together/easy to use and things like making it easy to set up the tool accurately. That's the main benefit of festool.

Examples fine adjustment on the bevel on their kapex

Correct sized Vac ports for their hoses/tools

Stackable storage boxes

Microadjustable router fence (I know it's not unique to them but compared to the makita's there is a huge difference, the makita's fence is the same one now that my dad had on his makita router from 90s)

Festool also have some really innovative products - track saws (now other companies make it too), domino, mft table.

Their tools also have really good dust control

In isolation I don't think their individual products are the best all the time. Eg mirka sander vs festool, mafell track saw vs festool

Disclaimer: this is just what I've read or seen while browsing tool shop. I only own their 2 domino's. I considered their router but decided to get 2 makita's for the price of like half of theirs lol. I also considered their sander but will get the mirka instead from the advice of forum members here (when my current sander dies or run out of paper). I considered the kapex too but decided to get the Bosch glide due to larger blade.

Overall I think they make great products but I think other companies also make buy once products too.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

I'm a hobby woodworker, and have a growing collection of Festool.

Their products are price-fixed (although they call it something different!). Retailers face Trouble if they discount - 3 strikes and they loose their franchise.

But. As mentioned above, you can still get 'bargains'. Every 3 months they run a new promotion, with various bits discounted - you can download the brochure from the website, (Festool - Premium Power Tools Online | Festool Australia), or pick up a brochure in store. Current promo ends today (great deals on Domino consumables).

Prices will increase from 01 Jan (as they do every year)

If you have a local retailer, and you develop a good relationship with them, then there's every chance that you'll be able to pick up things like ex-display items for significant discounts. My local also slips the odd box of consumables, stray systainer or similar my way.

US is 110V, so don't try buying power festools from them. You can get from the UK, but have to be a little sneaky about how you go about it, because once again, Fe$tool try to prevent international shopping. Also remember you have a $1000 import limit (including post) or you get full import taxes added - this essentially eliminates any benefit of buying anything over $1000.

They're great tools. I love how things just work together. Eg a systainer 1 is exactly the same height as the Kapex table, so you've got an instant outfeed/support, whatever you're working on.

Originally Posted by Renato1

im a hobby weekend woodworker, with young kids, so I don't get much time in the shed.
Hopefully down the track leading into retirement, I can spend more time making furniture.

i like buying quality tools once and hopefully they last a very long time. So I was impressed when I came across videos on Festool range of products. But in Australia it seems Festool does not get discounted, but the price margin retailers add is huge!.

Questions:
Are there any hobby woodworkers buying Festool or is it only for commercial furniture businesses?
if there are hobby woodworkers buying Festool, do you purchase from local suppliers or online via USA stores?

Just remember if buying from the US you will need to convert the US 120 V, 60 Hz to Australia's 240 V, 50 Hz.
Any apparent savings will evaporate once you factor in the cost of the conversion


and as Mick says:

Originally Posted by Glider

A Festool KS120 mitre saw is advertised on Amazon USA for USD 1384. Converting at AUD 0.68 with no postage brings you to $2038. The same item is advertised by Sydney Tools for $1999.

It depends on what you make or plan/hope to make and how much money you're willing to spend on woodworking.

one could argue that as a hobbiest, you should buy Festool products because you have limited time in the shed. Eg mortise and tenon joinery takes much longer to do than simply using a Domino. However if you have the desire to use traditional joinery methods than Festool products are not for you.

Festool products like any other tool has their place, its up to you to decide whether they are worth it.

When I started cutting boards and panels at home with a circular saw, the first problem was accurately cutting a straight line. To cut straight I bought a guide, but then I had to accurately place it so as to cut in the right spot. Now is that distance + 33mm or distance - 31mm? Don't forget to check guide is square and clamped. Now cut. Good cut is in the right place but the workshop is now covered in dust and that is just one cut. Only a dozen more to go.

After I obtained my Festool dust extractor (clearance price), track saw, first track and track clamps, the time to put the saw on the marks, clamp and cut reduced dramatically. As for the clean up - just a token sweep at the end of the day. Now if you are cutting melamine board or ply the amount of chipping or tear out is very much reduced.

So summing up you save time on set up. Save time on clean up. And the cut can be cleaner.

As for the cost, all I can say is why didn't I do it sooner.

This is my experience.

I agree, having disposed of my panelsaw and now only having a 12” table saw and a Hammond Glider I use my Festo track set up to break down ply etc to manageable sizes.
The dust set up means I can do this in the main workshop where my cars and metal kit is.
I also have a Festo jigsaw and orb sander.
I bought the sander on this forum as new for a good price.
The sander is possibly now outclassed but I bought it to replace my Rupes after using a mates hooked up to the vac.
The rupes was ok on timber and great on car stuff but the Festo was in another league.
H.

If you are buying Festool new, the price is basically fixed. If you can get to a retail outlet you may be able to handle the tool before purchase. If they do not have it in stock, no doubt they will have it in a few days.
There are a number of on line shops and providing you know what you want (because sometimes the web site is not clear on everything in the item no) is to check delivery costs. Often delivery is free if you order above a set amount.

Sometimes you can buy Festool used through various stores (pawn brokers, Cashconverters) or web sites (eBay, Gumtree). The usual buyer beware applies but some bargains can be had but often items can be missing or damaged.
This year I bought a router and needed to scrap the systainer and replace multiple parts to bring it up to a standard I was happy with.
Later I inquired about this Festool Rts 400 Eq 200W 1/4 Sheet The store did not want to negotiate the price. Normal retail is about $615. I bought mine off Gumtree about a week later for under $300 and the seller came to me. All I needed to do was buy the paper.

Have fun shopping!

thanks everyone for your feedback and comments.

The reason why I keep looking at Festool, is I'm interested in being able to make cabinets (ie lowline TV unit, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes etc) and I like the idea of using the MFT3 (or two) with fence and drop rail to make square cuts. Hoping by having two MFT3, I might be able to buy sheets of MDF melamine (2.4 x 1.2) and cut down to size.

Only issue is justifying the $1399 for 1 MFT3 (USA site Woodcraft have them for $720 / 0.68 = $1059 + freight).
Also the ridiculous price for clamps (488030) are $190 a pair.

I will continue my research and save my pennies.

Can you make a parf table (I think thats what its called)? Ask someone with a CNC to even cut out the holes if you cant be bothered using their jig to cut it

I believe that MFT uses a HDF (as opposed to MDF) so if the holes are less likely to elongate and cause accuracy issues but a sheet of MDF is cheap