Thread: For me ... customer service counts

got sucked into a high end German router from the local toolshop rep, and i wont be making that mistake again. should have bought the japanese version with all the bells and whistles and saved myself $400.00

i was told that the german one will outlast the japanese one, He best be prepared to duck quickly if anything happens to the bearings in the german router i have, for it will be sailing thru his front window at a rapid rate.

at least the systainer will protect it

John


That perverse joy, could you have it in my direction. I may be able to use it for spares on mine. Thinking it is black with green writing.

I got one of those routers too.

Chances are that the motors and bearings will last forever. But when I must wait for over a month for a part (this happened with my thicknesser/jointer - during which time I couldn't use the machine), and the gloss of "superior technology" soon wears off.

I waited nearly three months for a plastic part for the dust collection on my jointer ... for two months for another plastic part for the router. Having great bearings and motors counts for nil when the machine is parked up ... unusable ... because a cheap plastic part or a rubber drive belt or nylon gear is not available.

Good technology is desirable, and I am willing to pay for it ... provide I get good customer service ... and I do not. It is woeful. I can buy sanding pads from almost any hardware store for nearly every machine on the market ... except the brand I have. These pads are available only from "authorised" distributors, which are very thin on the ground.

I'm cured.

I don't worry about their pads, I just get regular 150mm Velcro. There is another paper on the market, think it may have been FenceFurniture who showed me. It has multiple small holes and works with any hole pattern.

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

I don't worry about their pads, I just get regular 150mm Velcro. There is another paper on the market, think it may have been FenceFurniture who showed me. It has multiple small holes and works with any hole pattern.

Thanks ... that's good to know. I'll look for it.

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

John


That perverse joy, could you have it in my direction. I may be able to use it for spares on mine. Thinking it is black with green writing.

Still using the black and green beast (150mm sanding disc) ... until the speed control gives up the ghost altogether.

Then its yours. I'll give you a yell when the time comes.

Originally Posted by John Samuel

Still using the black and green beast (150mm sanding disc) ... until the speed control gives up the ghost altogether.

Then its yours. I'll give you a yell when the time comes.

Sounds good, thanks.

Hi John
I read your post with interest.
I be interested to know the brand of thicknesser/jointer you have.

Most German companies are pretty good to deal with.

With regards to your Festool sander, it should be pretty easy to scource sanding pads from one of the larger Festool dealers interstate via the internet and have them posted to you the next day.
OK it's not as convenient as being able to walk into a shop to buy them and there is the added postage cost but it's still not that inconvenient and you get them posted to your door.

With regards to getting plastic parts I'm surprised to hear it can take up to 2 months.
If the parts are small and fairly light weight most reputable wholesalers would have these airfreighted out and bear the cost of the freight themselves or if it is a current model and the have it in stock they would barstadize the parts you need from their own stock and then replace those parts when they receive them at a later date.

90% of my tools are Festool and I have found them to be excellent and have had no problems with after sales service.

When I was working (kitchen manufacturing, looking after up to 12 employees), and we needed repairs done our local power supplier was the place to go. They had 2 blokes in that section and both were really good tradesman who could do a good job and have the tool back ASAP if parts were forth coming. In the main we had a good run. I remember we had a problem with a Makita trimmer. When I asked when I should drop back to pick it up the answer was "Depends on Makita". When I asked what he meant, his answer was....Makita will fill a container with orders from Australia. If your order arrived,at Makita, just as the previous container was sealed it could be weeks before your order of parts arrived because they would only ship full containers.

I think with a lot of tools we use its a lottery to see how they perform. Some swear by a brand while the next bloke only swears at it