Do I "need" 18 volts?

kendo1 said:
Festool do a drop test from 2m for all their tools. They must work perfectly afterwards.
But you're right, it's not worth it unless you are using them daily over several years.
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I didn't know about the drop test, you learn something new everyday.

Looking back at some of the tools I owned it seems as if I was a bit of GAS head. I always tried to buy the best to make my life easier. I had to give up work about 4 years ago and miss it a lot, especially when doing flooring when laminate was at it's peak, as I would sometimes be in 10 or so different houses a week depending on size of job and you would meet some characters. It helped to build up a good customer base and in general I was always busy, even when the site work dropped and the chippy's coming of site were fighting for the domestic market and with some stupid pricing at the time.

I done my trade with my Joiner father in the early / mid eighties but went into manufacturing for a number of years for the regular money at the time, also for looking at a mortgage with the steady income which was declared. I was made redundant twice in a short period of time, factory closures Anglian being one so went back on the tools.

In the years I was back on the tools, I only had to go on site once for shortish of my own work, it was on a Private Dental Hospital local to me. As it was on the SA1 (docks) area and winter months I was glad I wasn't on there long, about a month, the wind coming of the sea was bitter, so glad to go back onto the domestic side when things picked back up.

I enjoy threads like these as we all have opinions on the tools we own / used (just like cameras) and also helping people like Jonathan make a decision on purchasing tools.
 
kendo1 said:
On site?
:)
I can tweak 3m end panels to within 1/2mm.
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The saw and guide rail was something else, so versatile after lining up the 9" Makita circular, off setting from blade 38mm, then get a long level and then clamping to the piece to be cut. I remember my first Kitchen job and cutting a 900mm breakfast worktop, going in laminate side up, my buddy was a little worried when he seen me doing it, with the splinter guard there was no chipping at all.

Also for ripping down doors, theres some wonky houses in Swansea with us building into the hills. The saw and rail come into there own when cutting a door down.



Are we page 4 yet? :D
 
JonathanRyan said:
Yeah, I don't have a tape measure that accurate.....
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You don't?

I use a Schluter tape :)
As Simon said at the start of the fourth page! YEAH :) I'm a bit of a gear head when it comes to tools, buying the best as they make life easier when you are using them constantly.
Good tools feel comfortable, they last and they do the job they were designed to do, and they should do so without struggling. Most times they are no frills, but they are rugged.
Like Festool for joinery work, I use Bellota and Sigma tile cutters. You can buy tile cutters for £20, I bought mine for £350 so that I can cut the hardest porcelain up to a metre in length.
One cut and 1000 kg of pressure :) They are fun to use.
 
kendo1 said:
You don't?

I use a Schluter tape :)
As Simon said at the start of the fourth page! YEAH :) I'm a bit of a gear head when it comes to tools, buying the best as they make life easier when you are using them constantly.
Good tools feel comfortable, they last and they do the job they were designed to do, and they should do so without struggling. Most times they are no frills, but they are rugged.
Like Festool for joinery work, I use Bellota and Sigma tile cutters. You can buy tile cutters for £20, I bought mine for £350 so that I can cut the hardest porcelain up to a metre in length.
One cut and 1000 kg of pressure :) They are fun to use.
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Haven't heard of Bellota tile cutters, I suppose their Spanish or Italian like most??? I tried the Sigma but I went for the Rubi TR 60 and TS 30 for splashbacks. I had initially bought a Big Clinker and any decent Porcelain it wouldn't cut. The Rubi's had no problems. Also had a Norton Clipper electric and a Wickes cheapy which was excellent for splashbacks and the 4" grinder for curves. The Wickes was highly recomended on the Tileforum. Raimondi washboy and trowels along with Marshaltown.

Wouldn't have liked to fit metre long tiles, it was bad enough with 60cm on times.
 
stevewestern said:
A very good idea Jonathan - Thanks to this thread I am about to buy me a Festool TXS, which is the same thing as a CXS but with a different shape handle.
The CXS is such a powerful little tool, so well built and easy and comfortable to use.
It isn't a hammer drill, but you have your SDS for heavy work.
For £100 it is a bargain - does it come with any bits (spare battery, chuck, systainer etc ?)
Had I seen it on ebay I may have been bidding against you !
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Well, it wasn't that good an idea....

I was using it yesterday to assemble an Ikea kit and the battery ran out. Swapped to the spare and 5 mins later it stopped again with some magic smoke coming out of the back ;( So a second hand Festool only lasted a bit over 9 years :o

It has become my favourite tool and using a "proper" drill driver for Ikea now feels very clunky and very heavy. I'd buy another (second hand) in a heartbeat - but it looks like they have changed the batteries so I'd need a full kit which is pricey for what's basically a luxury DIY tool. Any suggestions what I should get instead?

I have DeWalt batteries, Worx batteries and old fashioned Festool batteries. I'd need persuading to buy new batteries.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Well, it wasn't that good an idea....

I was using it yesterday to assemble an Ikea kit and the battery ran out. Swapped to the spare and 5 mins later it stopped again with some magic smoke coming out of the back ;( So a second hand Festool only lasted a bit over 9 years :eek:

It has become my favourite tool and using a "proper" drill driver for Ikea now feels very clunky and very heavy. I'd buy another (second hand) in a heartbeat - but it looks like they have changed the batteries so I'd need a full kit which is pricey for what's basically a luxury DIY tool. Any suggestions what I should get instead?

I have DeWalt batteries, Worx batteries and old fashioned Festool batteries. I'd need persuading to buy new batteries.
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Is it worth getting repaired?
I'm no expert but it could just be the brushes.
I've only ever sent one tool back to festool for repair (it got dropped off a scaffold) and was impressed with the speed and cost, at least compared to replacement.
I'd say you were unlucky as my drill is still still going strong as are the batteries, and I'm a fairly heavy user being 'in the trade'.
 
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I used dewalt for many years, but moved over to Makita with the advent of LiOn batteries.
I went from charging my batteries during each job to what felt like topping them up once a week, they have continued to be consistent and powerful, some devices do drain battery power noticeably more than others like the angle grinder, but drills, torque driver, oscillating saw and SDS drill seem to be unstoppable.
Years ago I had my van broken into and all my power tools stolen, I had no hesitation in buying the latest version of each drill and driver I had lost.
My local electrical shop suffered a break in this week and all they took was Milwaukie gear so that would seem to be whats currently hot with the kids, and I have to admit I've sneaked a look it it just lately but Makita 18v LiOn will be hard to beat for my needs
 
billy nomates said:
I used dewalt for many years, but moved over to Makita with the advent of LiOn batteries.
I went from charging my batteries during each job to what felt like topping them up once a week, they have continued to be consistent and powerful, some devices do drain battery power noticeably more than others like the angle grinder, but drills, torque driver, oscillating saw and SDS drill seem to be unstoppable.
Years ago I had my van broken into and all my power tools stolen, I had no hesitation in buying the latest version of each drill and driver I had lost.
My local electrical shop suffered a break in this week and all they took was Milwaukie gear so that would seem to be whats currently hot with the kids, and I have to admit I've sneaked a look it it just lately but Makita 18v LiOn will be hard to beat for my needs
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I agree about Makita, most of my 'site' tools are theirs, but festool are just a pleasure to use, and my dust extractor has paid for itself so many times. I don't work on sites, just domestic jobs, and anything that saves me time and effort is worth every penny - anyone who can claim the cost against tax owes it to themselves to buy a couple of festoools just to try them.
Oh, and sorry to hear about your van and tools, not a good way to start a day...
 
This is an interesting thread, in a tool-geek sort of way. My tools (for diy) are a mixture, pretty much all the dis-level brands, but recently I bought a Milwaukee angle -grinder that I'm very pleased with. A trade that was doing some work for me recently swore by Milwaukee tools, and a place up the road from me is doing a promotion on their range of tools which is tempting me. In the workshop (garage) I have Sioux air tools mainly (riveting and drilling) and am contemplating Tig-welding kit, but now the pressing thing is garden kit, brush-cutter and chain saw first. Our gardener (formerly a forester) swears by Husqvarna rather than the more popular Stihl. So clearly you pays your money in all areas of tools. It's useful to hear real-world experience from trades though as above.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Well, it wasn't that good an idea....

I was using it yesterday to assemble an Ikea kit and the battery ran out. Swapped to the spare and 5 mins later it stopped again with some magic smoke coming out of the back ;( So a second hand Festool only lasted a bit over 9 years :eek:

It has become my favourite tool and using a "proper" drill driver for Ikea now feels very clunky and very heavy. I'd buy another (second hand) in a heartbeat - but it looks like they have changed the batteries so I'd need a full kit which is pricey for what's basically a luxury DIY tool. Any suggestions what I should get instead?

I have DeWalt batteries, Worx batteries and old fashioned Festool batteries. I'd need persuading to buy new batteries.
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If you still have batteries in decent condition it makes sense just to buy bare units, the batteries are a major part of the cost of cordless tools. I’ve been using DeWalt stuff for years without any problems, although I’m a diy’er not a tradesman. Have a look at power tools world.com, I’ve bought lots of stuff from them, they’re reliable, they deliver quickly and their prices are usually good.
 
lindsay said:
This is an interesting thread, in a tool-geek sort of way. My tools (for diy) are a mixture, pretty much all the dis-level brands, but recently I bought a Milwaukee angle -grinder that I'm very pleased with. A trade that was doing some work for me recently swore by Milwaukee tools, and a place up the road from me is doing a promotion on their range of tools which is tempting me. In the workshop (garage) I have Sioux air tools mainly (riveting and drilling) and am contemplating Tig-welding kit, but now the pressing thing is garden kit, brush-cutter and chain saw first. Our gardener (formerly a forester) swears by Husqvarna rather than the more popular Stihl. So clearly you pays your money in all areas of tools. It's useful to hear real-world experience from trades though as above.
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Trouble is, people will always recommend what they use themselves. For every person saying Milwaukee stuff is great, someone else will tell you a horror story and say you should buy DeWalt etc etc. I think if you stick to one of the major brands that the trades use, and avoid the cheap diy supermarket crap, you usually won’t go far wrong.
 
boogie man said:
If you still have batteries in decent condition it makes sense just to buy bare units, the batteries are a major part of the cost of cordless tools. I’ve been using DeWalt stuff for years without any problems, although I’m a diy’er not a tradesman. Have a look at power tools world.com, I’ve bought lots of stuff from them, they’re reliable, they deliver quickly and their prices are usually good.
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That was exactly my plan. One battery is slightly dodgy but the other is good and I got the right angle and drill accessories so buying another would be perfect. Unfortunately, Festool have changed the battery shape in the 12+ years since mine was made and the price of a new one with batteries is terrifying for DIY use.

I've had a fair bit of work done at the house recently - from a fairly biased survey, trades are currently using Makita. But the carpenter was openly envious of my Festool.
 
Not trying to sound clever here, but I remember reading that DIY tools were built to have a very short life in terms of hours of use, which is fine for diy'ers. Trade tools cost a lot more because they last and can be repaired.
Jonathan, I still think it's worth looking into a repair, even if it costs as much as a new cheaper drill.
 
stevewestern said:
Not trying to sound clever here, but I remember reading that DIY tools were built to have a very short life in terms of hours of use, which is fine for diy'ers. Trade tools cost a lot more because they last and can be repaired.
Jonathan, I still think it's worth looking into a repair, even if it costs as much as a new cheaper drill.
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Yes, my best guess is that the drill is 12 years old - 9 years with me being used maybe a couple of times a week on average and 3 with the original owner who probably used it 9-4, 5 days a week.

I honestly thought it would be too much hassle to look at a repair - but I just checked and Festool will pick it up from me, dismantle, diagnose etc and if it can be repaired for < £75 they will do so and send it straight back to me. Possibly within 7 days. (If it costs more they will quote). That's amazing.

Booked in. Because a I bet a refurbed 12 year old Festool is better than anything I can buy for £75.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Yes, my best guess is that the drill is 12 years old - 9 years with me being used maybe a couple of times a week on average and 3 with the original owner who probably used it 9-4, 5 days a week.

I honestly thought it would be too much hassle to look at a repair - but I just checked and Festool will pick it up from me, dismantle, diagnose etc and if it can be repaired for < £75 they will do so and send it straight back to me. Possibly within 7 days. (If it costs more they will quote). That's amazing.

Booked in. Because a I bet a refurbed 12 year old Festool is better than anything I can buy for £75.
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Yup, mine came back looking like a totally new drill, which it may have been. Their turnaround is fantastic (tradesmen need their tools back asap) as is the communication.
Good luck!
 
JonathanRyan said:
OK.....maybe this is back to being a good idea :)

Just had a report from Festool - looks like the motor on a 12ish year old drill had burned out. New motor, parts, labour, shipping and Vat and it's back on its way to me for £85.55
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Bargain, and with a years warranty I imagine too!
 
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