Thread: Festool Belt Sander vs Makita

Chalk and cheese the Festool is a far better item, also be aware that Festool are way over priced

Bosch do a sanding frame similar to the Festool item. Just to throw that into the mix. Worth looking at I reckon.

if you're near Dandenong give The Toolhouse a call they have demo units to tryout and if they don't can have it the next day well worth doing I did with the ets/ec150 sander which I found was better than my rotex

I haven't used the Festool one, but I couldn't tell you how many dining tables were flattened with this Makita ( http://www.makita.com.au/products/po...mm-belt-sander ) before we got a massive wide-belt sander.
It's well balanced and light enough to do edges hanging over the edge of the bench comfortably and the dust extraction is quite passable even without a vac

Tradies prefer Makita. It's an old established brand in Australia with a good reputation, not just for the quality of their tools but also for their parts backup & repair network. Generally Makitas also have much more modern designs than does Festo, at least in belt sanders.

The Festo sanders are actually very old. We're talking 50 years old plus, in fact. Not that there's necessarily anything inherently wrong with this. In fact, like Elu's router and some Metabo drills, these extremely old design actually run rings around most of the modern trash available these days.

The Festo 21" x 3" design is a perennial favourite, much copied & imitated, but never bettered and with double advantages of excellent, well designed sanding frames, tilting fences and inversion brackets & universally available belt sizes. The same COULD be said to be true also of the larger 24" x 4" version too, but for the fact that there's been a couple of versions imported over the years, only one of which takes the standard, universally available belt sizes. The original in fact requires longer belts that aren't interchangeable between models. Be warned.

Additionally, whilst the ergonomics of the smaller Festo & its clones are a triumph, that of the larger version is compromised, especially in comparison to the superior versions from Bosch & Makita. The human body is designed in a certain way, to hold and steady weights close to the body and supported away with one's hands extended but close to each other. The large Festo requires one's hands to be spread uncomfortably wide for extended periods, which can be extremely difficult over time.

Also, be aware that Festo (at least in my personal circumstances in Tasmania anyway) have gone overnight from having one of the best parts and repair service backup networks to easily the worst for any professional tool retailer. If you require any type of part, consumable or repair to your tool, then you'll be literally waiting for months. I've had to wait about 3 months or so just for some sandpapers & a couple of pads for one of their more commonly available sanders. In fact parts availability is faster & more reliable directly imported from their German dealer network. Festool Australia seems interested only in sales, not service. Out of warranty you'll also be required to pay exorbitant freight charges & have ridiculous wait times as well: with their previous local repair network, just about any repair was swiftly & competently accomplished within a week or so. This abysmal situation holds true for parts & consumables ordering also. These days it's more a case of praying that your tool doesn't break down which could see it being out of action for so long that it may be more efficient to buy a replacement rather than run the risk of having it out of service for several months.

Then there's the issue of price. Value for money can be a difficult variable to qualify, however in general terms any Festo will be approximately 200-300% more expensive than just about any other quality alternative. Some may consider this "value" for their money. Personally I find the distinction rather dubious & extremely difficult to justify. Then there's the issue of retail networks, discounting and package bundling. Festo Oz have managed to convince the ACCC to have a "special case" dispensation from prosecution for resale price maintenance, a highly illegal practise in Australia for which they have previously been found guilty in court & fined. Essentially all retailers are prevented by the company from discounting in any way, shape or form. Makita retailers aren't.

In summary then, Makita have generally less expensive, more modern tools with easily found belts, parts, accessories and repairs for a fraction of the price, from just about any hardware store in the country. The bigger tools (with the exception of their ridiculous "dual width" one) are also more efficient and ergonomically sound. Festo tools are rare, expensive, not necessarily uniformly suited to commonly available belt sizes, and extremely difficult to access repairs and parts availability. Their smaller sized tools, however, hit the sweet spot of ergonomics & utility, but are probably better avoided anyway in terms of the relative benefits of the excellent alternatives that share the same silhouette, such as Bosch Blue or even some of the original Festo clones.

As the yanks would say, it's a bit of a brainless decision really, just like their presidency!

Can't add much to Ratbags post.

But you can go along to your nearest Festool agent and try out any of their products. Compared to Makita trade products (not their handiman crap) my view is that Festool tend to be smoother, quieter and with far better dust collection. After you have tried them, then you can access whether the price premuim is justified in your case.


Cheers

Graeme

Thanks all for the input. I'm leaning towards the Makita (obviously their higher quality version) simply due to it won't be a primary tool and only used once a week or so. And simply can't justify the extra expense.