Thread: Next best to Festool

Originally Posted by I_wanna_Shed

Attachment 265496

Love that picture!

If you make money out of it, she would and should be happy about it. If not making money and just for hobby, it's really hard to justify spending big money on tools. I have recently spent $15k on a mortiser, I wouldn't do this if it's for hobby, not even 1500.

Hi There,
I would recommend Hitachi tools, and then it is open slather after that. Most are made in China now and we all know how stringent the regulations are there. Top of the line Makita are good, but the cheaper ones are just that...cheap.

How available are Dewalt and Milwaukee in Oz?

Originally Posted by johnnyrsa

How available are Dewalt and Milwaukee in Oz?

They're pretty easy to find.

Me and UNK like Festo.

By the look of the handle, he perches there quite often Bill.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

By the look of the handle, he perches there quite often Bill.

Touche, he's a worry! (Biggrin)

The advent of China producing tools at a much cheaper rate than some years ago has allowed people to have many different types of tools at their fingertips and its all good news.
The downside is some of the really great quality power tools are no longer available in Aust. Brands such as Scheer and Mafelle to name a few.
These power tools are like comparing a Merc to a Hyundai and sure they will all do the same thing but which much less effort.
An example i will give you is when i was a boatbuilder disc sanders where widely used to get the paint off the bottom of hulls. I truly horrible job and if someone in those days said this machine is 3x the cost but will get the job done quicker you would buy it. Anyway i had a geared head RUPES disc sanders already 15 yrs old and only 750Watts. My mate had a new 1200watt Bosch electronic. His claim was it will be a quicker machine than mine at removing stock. We had them side by side sander a 12" wide plank of some hardwood. The RUPES was easily twice as quick despite its age.
Router of choice was easily a Scheer and still available today. My machine i still have, you can place the biggest blade you like in that machine and turn it on and it won't rattle all over the bench...there is no Japanese machine that can do that even today. Sure they cost a heap but mine must be at least 25 yrs old and its electronic. I own Festo,Scheer and Elu Routers...
I am a fan of Festo tools and own a few but be rest assure Aust does not get many of the high end high quality tools. And when you have them in your hands you know you have a properly engineered machine. Many brands of power tools do not import there high end range into Aust.\
Makita for one has a massive range of power tools we simply don't get and the big buyer such as Bunnings are not going to bring in some of the higher end tools..real shame but i guess that how it is.
As for tradies buying cheap crap wrecking it then throwing in the bin to my mind is usually indicative of the quality of work they are turning out.
That will raise a few eyes i know..but honestly many are shocking tradesmen.

the power tool market most certainly has changed.....for good or bad is another argument.

In this country one thing is certain FESTO or as they are now called FESTOOL are massivly over priced and subject to a pricing polocy that verges on price fixing.

While festo have some stand out products and they may be all fine and beaut.....the notion that they are top of the heap is false.....particularly right across the full range of power tools.

Likewise there are still people who consider the sun shines out of the exhaust pipe of anything with the MERC or BMW badge on it.........but the other manfacturers have caught up in many areas.

A high price tag is no longer a guarantee of highest quality or suitability for the purpose.

I own a festo router......yeh its all right, but I would not buy one agian certainly not for full price.......the only reason I got it, was because it sat on the shelf of a local power tool shop for over 2 years and the proprietor gave me a screaming deal.

I am not a brand loyal person...I buy whatever is the best buy and the best tool for the job regardless of the brand.

Another factor is lapsing pattents.

Of late there are a hell of a lot of power tool pattents lapsing...this has allowed a variety of tool manufacturers of all quality brackets to offer tools or features that where once identified with one manufacturer.

The fein multi tool is a good example...fein no longer having an exclusive on the reciprocating sander/saw have tried to capitolise on their brand reputation by offering other power tools.......seems to me they are only average quality.

When festo braught out the rotex..they virtually had random orbit on their own.....now there are some very good alternative brands of random orbit sanders.....they may not be the same as the rotex....but they are not trying to be.

There are some realy good and realy good value for money power tools out there now...and in general at muvh lower prices than in the past.

cheers

Originally Posted by handbrake

Hi - I am a beginner and have to date only bought a few tools for less than fine woodworking e.g Metabo cordless drill and techgun, makita router, hitachi planer but have been fortunate to get a Festool 150 sander and Fein Multi tool. I appreciate the difference in quality and performance of the latter two items and would appreciate broad brush suggestions on how to build up a reasonable tool collection without "upsetting she who must be obeyed"

Maybe you should mention your intended uses before meaningful suggestions can be made.

Hobby/DIY? Trade/Industry? Occasional or intensive use? Some projects you had in mind? Your budget? Your priorities: price, performance, utility, quality, longevity? Site, backyard or workshop use?

My next door neighbor is a journeyman builder/carpenter. I've watched him double the size of his house, totally renno the inside and build, from scratch, a 20' x 24' garage for his blown Shelby 500 Ford Mustang. Plus, totally equipped with DeWalt.

SWMBO can do simple maths. Buy the good tools, do the job and hand her a bill for your time at a mid-high but reasonable rate. Explain that there's a "courtesy discount" and, you still have the tools.

Fortunately, my GF and I never discuss money for such things. She accepts that I need another BBQ. I don't question her purchase of an octave mandolin or another violin.

"Wait a minute. You mean that you're talking about shotguns that I've never seen?"
"Yes. You wanna see?"

Take care.

Yes its a shame we don't get the rolls Royce of tools here but the way I see it is that "yes you can tell the quality of the work with the tradesmans tools but if he/she looks after them, keeps them in there case and does not throw them in the toolbox is a good tradesman to me.

I have a Makita electric planer they my father gave to me that he purchased in 81' which is still feels brand new and gets the job done.

If you have the money go get the rolls but if you don't stick with the Hyundai and look after it.

We are woorworkers at the end of the day and nobody dares to rush me if I get the job done right.

That's my two cents anyway