Price notwithstanding, I’m consistently in wonder by the plethora of new Festools that roll out the door with features that we have been asking for or in corrections for accuracy/safety that need to be made on just about any tool the rest of the lot has put out since Porter-Cable made it’s first drill. After a new Festool comes out the rest of the lot jumps on the wagon with their version at a lower price. Anyone looked at the new slider?
It’s a wonderment
BB
Replies
I had a chance to "test drive" their Kapex saw which is already on the market here. You've got to hand it to Festool. Again. I'm not about to rush out and buy one, but the next time I need a SCMS you can bet I'll think hard about getting the Kapex.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
BB, while I have yet to become a groupie, I'm impressed with the stuff. I didn't see a price. Did you?
Denny
I think it's around $1300.00.
Like all their stuff, it's a little spendy.
When my current crop starts to go faster than I'm starting to go, I'll consider trying some of their toys.BBedit: MAY consider
Edited 5/2/2008 12:52 pm by boilerbay
WOW EEE
It is $1300. It will be available on July 1. Anyone who is a "stocking dealer" will probably get them in a few days prior, so you could go, look, paw, drool, whatever, just not take it out the door.
I'm also impressed with the thoughtfulness and features, but the pricetag even has me choking a little. And I've already got towers of systainers laying about.
The OF2200 nuclear powered assault router amazes me too. Never seen one so big, so heavy, or so smooth in running. We took a 1 1/2"r roundover and did a full depth cut in 8/4 oak in a single pass with the thing. It was a pristine cut. Crazy. As is the 8 bills, plus the accessories. But I can totally see if you made your living doing solid surface, it'd pay for itself in short order.Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
I never really thought about it doing solid surface (the router). Is is really that strong---for the long run?Is this a version of "give me men to match my mountains"...Give me bits to match my router :-)ThanksBB
Well its not like I engineered the thing. But its huge. I guess it has gyroscopes in it that help make it dead steady, and theres definately more attention paid on this one in particular to the ability to suck a lot of dust.
The "seat of the pants" assessment was it started without a lot of wrenching out of ones hands and cut way too smooth to get compared to anything else I tried. But my trial run was awful brief, so dont read too much into my experience base with it just yet. I came away having second thoughts about my initial idea that nobody would want an 800 dollar router. I bet it sells pretty steadily now, once people who are thinking about it actually test drive it.
My game plan is to get to know some of those guys and just live vicariously. I've got a lot of other things that I'd rather spend on at the moment.Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Good PlanRegards
John
I checked out the new Festool slider today at the woodworking show. It's amazing. It's quiet, its smooth, it's dead on accurate and it's got amazing accessories. The new router is also great. When you turn it on there is no viberation. It's pretty heavy at 17 1/2 lbs, but the dust collection is better than my OF 1400. Festool makes tools that are worth the money over the long haul.
Jim
Yeah, at more than twice the price of other sliders, it's a big gulp. I wonder what the prices of these things are in Germany.
I seen the video, looks great, but the price wiil leave me in the dust I am afraid.
http://www.superwoodworks.com
Gary,Their stuff is expensive.
Now, I do more and more coarse and preliminary work with the big machines and most fine and finish work with hand tools so there is little room for their stuff between both roads taken. Unless my current stock of small power tools goes bonk, I'm not inclined to replace or duplicate thingies with more expensive green and black thingies. Being jealous of my time and my resources, I may not replace them with anythingies, as any time spent shopping and not woodworking or Steelhead fishing or improving a great Pesto sauce is spending life poorly :-)It is enough to observe them and I would prefer being in the dust(saw).BBBe the wood. na na na na....(Chevy Chase?)
I own several Festool products and I love them, especially the precision and the dust collection. There is a review of the Kapex in either The Woodworker's Journal or American Woodworker, I think the former. The Kapex is the top performer, however the Makita is not far behind and a lot less expensive so it might be worth a look. With the TS 55 and the Multi Function table I don't use my miter saw much anymore.
James R.
Edited 5/2/2008 3:42 pm ET by James R.
Hi James,
Dumb question about the TS 55 - does that require a Festool blade, or can I use any old blade with the correct arbor size and diameter?
Thanks.
-Mike
Well, you can certainly use "any old blade with the correct arbor size and diameter," but you'd be hard pressed to find such a blade. ;-)
The TS 55 requires a 160mm diameter blade with a 20mm arbor hole.
-Steve
Okee dokee. So you have to get the blades from them, I imagine. Are these blades re-sharpenable by mere morals, or do you need Festoolians to re-sharpen them?
Thanks
I suspect that any reasonably competent sharpener can sharpen the blades. The 20mm arbor is a standard size, just not one that we're used to seeing very much.
-Steve
Steve:
You're right. I forgot about the fact it's mm and not inches. I keep a crib sheet for converting inches to mm with my saw, so I should have thought about it. If the blade is interchangeable it would probably have to be with a European blade.
Jim
Hey Mike:
No way is that a dumb question. I never really thought about it and I definitely don't know the answer. I put in a call to Rockler and the guy I spoke with didn't know either, so he said he would call me back. I checked festoolusa.com and didn't find any info other than they have blades for sale. Festool sells several kinds of blades and it would seem they might be interchangeable with other blades, however I wouldn't try it without knowing for certain.
I'll get back to you as soon as I find out. Or if you find out let me know.
Jim
Hi John,
Now there's a Festool that just might make it into my shop at some point. Very slick. Too bad that they didn't design it to accommodate a dado head. That new router looks pretty cool too.
Paul
Paul,I thought that this one would tickle your fancy and maybe your wallet too! Yeah, it would be great to have a long arbor on that sucker. It would be nice to do xcut dados up to, say 8' wide without hauling out routers or setting the radial. That new router is cool also. You guys on the south coast are richer than usn up da here, so you should get one!JohnPS and on top of that, now no off-shore salmon fishing this year either...They say it was started up the Sacramento - I think we should blame the Arnold.
.............. no off- shore salmon fishing this year................
I wonder what will happen if the air gets to be in short supply?
Now. Let's see. How can I swing that Festool slider? Should I sell my left side or right side kidney? :(
Beautiful day on the southern end. Think I'll stay out of the shop.
Paul
Paul,Are you right or left handed? Sell opposite Kidney...or maybe that was R or L Brained...FogDrizzleTerrorists (day tripping tourists out of Portland)Think I'll stay in the shopJohn
A large part of my business is trimming new homes. I use a slider all day. I'm on my fifth one since Hitachi came out with the 8". My current Bosch has been rebuilt with new bearings. If the Festool Kapex is as good as it looks, it would be a bargain over the long run. Dust collection and noise are the two things that bother me the most. $1300 is a lot of money but I have a lot of 10" blades. The new sliders are much improved over models of a few years ago but they are still loud and dusty. I'm anxious to see and hear a Kapex in person. I'd like to see a Metabo, too.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Different hole size I think. Not positive though.
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
Edited 5/3/2008 12:26 pm by PeterDurand
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled