Crazy new festool offering

[jussi]

Frankly, I don't see how a festool cordless drill that's 2 or 3 times in price is much better than its counterparts. 

Today I would agree and recently when I was upgrading my drill I went with Red because they were giving out some amazing deals and the quality was as good if not better than green.  But when I bought my C15 and CXS drills several years back it was because Festool was the only brand, at least from I could tell, that were offering drills with different heads.  ie one for right angle, close quarter, jacobs, etc.  I tried different after market attachments but never really liked any of them.  In this case I also was a fan of the systainers because I could keep many of my bits in the same container as my drills.  In fact, the CXS, for a long time, was my favorite drill.  It felt the most comfortable and well balanced drill I had used and I really like the pistol grip design (don't remember if that was unique to them or not).  Was it worth paying much more than other brands, that's a matter or personal opinion I think. To me it was. Today many other companies have copied the design and I actually like the one Installation drill set from Milwaukee better.  Not in small part that it cost half as much.  Albeit with no systainer

[Cooler]

1) What is the last thing that Festool has innovated?  (Something like the Domino)  How long ago was that?

2) Do they have anything today that is so superior that it can't be had by a competitor at half the price?

Festool  came out with the track saw.  Everyone else copied.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_saw

History

The German power tool manufacturer Festool introduced the first guide rail in 1962,[2] and patented and released the first plunge-cut saw in 1980.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systainer

Systainers (from sys-tem con-tainers) are modular inter-stacking plastic containers used for transporting power tools. Boxes from different manufacturers are compatible and can be stacked and clipped together. A design using four joining clips was introduced by Festool Tooltechnic in 1993.[2] In 2010 the T-Loc variant was introduced using a rotating handle for connecting and locking of containers, in combination with redesigned feet.[2]

To reduce plastic pollution, Festo designed the Systainer to first allow distribution of products, then be reused in stacking form as reusable packaging for tool transportation and storage.[3]

I would mention that Milwaukee's Packout system seems superior to me, but since many people started in the Systainer system it may be hard to switch people.

I read that the Systainers are molded in an engineered plastic (probably a form of polycarbonate).  A very tough case, but Milwaukee's containers seem to be even tougher.  These are not to be confused with the blow molded cases that tools often come with.  Those are more like presentation cases.

[Admiral]

I love Festool threads. That being said, I don't own any, and am not likely to buy any. But to each his own.

[JohnnyEgo]

If Rick Christopherson were still on this board, he'd probably need new pants after seeing me advocating for Festool. But such is life; I have grown to like a lot of Festool stuff over the last five years. Particularly the Systainer system, which comes from Tanos. The boxes seem way expensive for what they are, and while they are reasonably well built, they are by no means indestructible. They also aren't very space efficient on the inside. But there is something to be said for system efficiency.

Anywhere I have a Systainer shaped hole, I can throw a bunch of stuff in a Systainer, and I will know where it is. I've got a bunch of loose sanding blocks on a shelf of a bunch of other 'stuff'. Every time I went to get one, I'd cause a small avalanche. So I threw them in a Systainer. Now they are all in one place, I can get to them easy, and I can throw them on the stack of other Systainers I am using near whatever I am working on. I could have built a simple shelf or box out of scrap that would have done the job for a lot less space and money. Instead, I shoved them in a $55 box that bolts into the rest of the system and requires little time or thought, so I could get back to procrastinating on the chisel work for my current project.

I like the system because I have more money than time, and it meets my needs. If I wasn't sharing a space that required me to put everything up away from my work area, then there are a lot of cheaper, more space efficient means of storing stuff. And if I needed something tougher, I'd go with the Milwaukee Pack Outs. But much to my own surprise, I really like the system, and will begrudgingly pay the premium for it.

[Handplanesandmore]

If any one of you is thinking of getting the installation set, check out the fog forum. Some people found that the set was coarse and of poor quality. Not sure if those sets were poor due to QC or they were poor across the board or due to unreasonable expectations to start with. One buyer returned the set, concluding that it wasn't worth the price.

Simon

[camp10]

If any one of you is thinking of getting the installation set, check out the fog forum. 

I thought this comment was noteworthy:

       I viewed this latest offering as $225 for about $60 worth of green Kool-aid

[Bill_de]

I do wonder if Lowes failure to carry Milwaukee Tools is because the Craftsman brand that they carry uses the same colors.  Their outer cartons are even more similar looking.

Lowes carried Milwaukee until Home Depot got them to sign an exclusive retailer agreement 4 or 5 years ago. If Home Depot is an exclusive retailer, they don't have to price match other stores. 

https://findanyanswer.com/does-lowes-car...e-products

[Cooler]

Lowes carried Milwaukee until Home Depot got them to sign an exclusive retailer agreement 4 or 5 years ago. If Home Depot is an exclusive retailer, they don't have to price match other stores. 

https://findanyanswer.com/does-lowes-car...e-products

Northern Tool carries Milwaukee online in in their stores.  The Tool Nut carries Milwaukee online in in their store.  Not a very exclusive agreement.  Perhaps it only excluded Lowes and Menards.

[JohnnyEgo]

My local Ace has Milwaukee and Craftsman side by side. I am locked in to the M18/M12 system, but the new Craftsman offerings look decent at a casual glance.

[Cabinet Monkey]

1) What is the last thing that Festool has innovated?  (Something like the Domino)  How long ago was that?

2) Do they have anything today that is so superior that it can't be had by a competitor at half the price?

1. Let's see.............
-Bluetooth vacuum triggering from battery powered tools.

-Storage for vac hoses integrated into the vacs.

-MFT cutting station

-the multitool plunge base - and- dust shroud.

- CT Wing to act as a third hand

-the modular vacuum clamping platform

-the handheld self-contained edgebander

- portable org. box with latching drawers (sortainer)

- mitersaw with dust collection that works

- jigsaw with a light

- portable planer with interchangeable heads -and- an accessory base to double as a jointer.

- MW1000 mobile workstation






2.  yes:
- bluetooth battery triggering.  Makita has it too, but it's not widely available (or at all) 
 
- CT Wing

- Edgebander

- Integrated hose storage in the vacs.

- vac clamp system

Now, is this stuff gotta have ?      nope  


Is this stuff worth the xtra money ?   not to most people.

But that doesn't make it any less innovative or more widely available from other sources.