Though not a tool in the strict sense, the Festool 2013 tool catalog has provided me with hours of interesting speculation and tool comparisons. I should state from the beginning that I do not own a Festool and will probably never be able to afford one. The power tools I have been able to afford are the reason I love looking at the Festools. Whilst my power tools do an adequate job, the lack of vision by their manufacturers provide a sad “what might have been” comparison with the Festools. Take my power tools – all from the same manufacturer – yet few of them have interchangeable vacuum hose connections. My router has none, my 3”x21” beltsander has a pitiful little zipper bag to collect the dust, my old circular saw had a small (1”?) tube I could never find a hose for and my new saw has no dust collection whatever. My 6” and 5” rotary sanders where a step in the right direction with an interchangeable hose available if you looked long enough. I keep thinking, what if the managers at Porter Cable, Delta or Dewalt had had the foresight 15 years ago to design a reasonably priced vacuum system that would fit every one of their tool’s dust ports? What if someone had had the vision to create a system of tools instead of standalone designs? What if one of them had offered a track guide that would work with their circular saw, router, and jig saw? Why wasn’t there an American Festool company? Companies chasing a dollar instead of a vision? Lack of thoughtful management? Contempt for the intelligence of their tool purchasers? What do you think?
22 comments so far
pintodeluxe
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5970 posts in 3263 days
#1 posted 10-25-2013 10:07 PM
let me guess, the print catalog costs $1400?
-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush
natenaaron
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442 posts in 2247 days
#2 posted 10-25-2013 10:25 PM
Nothing like high class tool porn to pass the time. Just don’t let the significant other catch you drooling.
JustJoe
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1554 posts in 2488 days
#3 posted 10-25-2013 10:28 PM
What do you think?
I think that about the only thing missing from the review section of LJ now is a few paragraphs about the weekly Harbor Freight ad from the Sunday newspaper. And I’m betting that whoever steps up to fill that void will never have stepped foot in a Harbor Freight, or read the Sunday newspaper.
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PittsburghTim
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232 posts in 2771 days
#4 posted 10-25-2013 11:26 PM
Not a tool in the strict sense
In what sense is it a tool? Maybe you can use the pages as shims or wipe your a$$ with it. The way some rave about their tools, maybe it replaces Playboy?
Why is this in the review section? Why not start a thread on the forum?
I have nothing against Festool. They may be fine tools and I may own one of their track saws some day.
-- She asked me, "Who are you going to please with that?" I said, "Me."
tefinn
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1222 posts in 2886 days
#5 posted 10-26-2013 01:42 AM
Not a tool and not a review.
-- Tom Finnigan - Measures? We don't need no stinking measures! - Hmm, maybe thats why my project pieces don't fit.
Moron
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5032 posts in 4343 days
#6 posted 10-26-2013 05:46 AM
nothing, not even festool, let alone a magazine deserves a 5
pretty soon everyone will be a valedictorian
-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso
Craftsman on the lake
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2993 posts in 3887 days
#7 posted 10-26-2013 12:37 PM
I’m not sure if this is a tool review but I’ve got one under the leg of my belt sander stand to make up for an uneven floor. As a tool it works like a charm. Then again the L.L. Bean catalog is just as good.
-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.
Mark Davisson
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597 posts in 3767 days
#8 posted 10-26-2013 01:16 PM
I don’t have a Festool catalog at the present time, but I have requested that one be sent to me.
I give 5 stars to the feeling that I now have knowing the catalog is on its way to me.
-- I'm selfless because it feels so good!
BinghamtonEd
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2298 posts in 2819 days
#9 posted 10-26-2013 01:24 PM
Discussions go in the forums. Reviews go under reviews. This is not complicated.
-- - The mightiest oak in the forest is just a little nut that held its ground.
lepelerin
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495 posts in 2774 days
#10 posted 10-26-2013 04:15 PM
How is this considered a tool review?
ChuckV
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3226 posts in 3977 days
#11 posted 10-26-2013 11:03 PM
When I was a child, there was nothing to match the excitement of the arrival of the Montgomery Ward Christmas catalog. I can still remember how it smelled.
-- “Big man, pig man, ha ha, charade you are.” ― R. Waters
jasonR
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19 posts in 3077 days
#12 posted 10-27-2013 02:13 AM
For all the ‘tool’ review purists out there, reviews need not be about tools. See for example all the reviews about dvds. Why not review catalogues? I often learn things from them; like the Lee-Valley catalogues.
-- Jason
JustJoe
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1554 posts in 2488 days
#13 posted 10-27-2013 02:28 AM
For all the ‘tool’ review purists out there, reviews need not be about tools.
True. According to the instructions on the review page they can be:
Review – post your personal review of a woodworking tool, course, book, magazine or DVD
See for example all the reviews about dvds.
Yep, see the instructions above.
Why not review catalogues?
Because they aren’t a tool, course, book, magazine or DVD – see the instructions above.
I often learn things from them; like the Lee-Valley catalogues.
And I can learn a lot about fruit of the loom underwear by reading the label. I’m pretty sure if I tried to do a review of my tighty-whities I’d catch a little flack.
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jasonR
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19 posts in 3077 days
#14 posted 10-27-2013 03:06 AM
I often learn things from them; like the Lee-Valley catalogues.
And I can learn a lot about fruit of the loom underwear by reading the label. I’m pretty sure if I tried to do a review of my tighty-whities I’d catch a little flack.
Weeeell it should be woodworking related. So if you do post a review on your tighty-whites make sure they are the ones you used butt burnish your newly finished table top. And for goodness sakes make sure they are clean.
-- Jason
JustJoe
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1554 posts in 2488 days
#15 posted 10-27-2013 03:32 AM
Weeeell it should be woodworking related.
Excellent point. Underwear is probably out, but there’s some fascinating information on the back of the trojan wrappers, and that’s tool related.
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