Interesting look into the insides of a Festool ts55
#11
Found this last night. Not recommended for the festool fans to watch. I'm not surprised with the internal construction but it isn't up to the price it sells for. Personally I'm not Impressed with the construction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oezp-_DcUgg festool review
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#12
That saw was actually better built than I expected.
You've got to hand it to Festool. They've successfully marketed a $150.00 saw to the public for $1000.00.
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#13
Not sure where he came up with the $1000 for the price. Maybe that's what they sell if for in Canada (his accent sounds Canadian). US price for the TS 55 is $640. He starts off by saying he hates cutting wood, so I gotta wonder what his woodworking expertise is. He mostly compares the saw to a "contractor's saw", which is really not a fair comparison. It's not like folks by Festool to trim 2x4's on the jobsite, then throw the saw into the back of a pickup truck. Nevertheless, a lot of what he complains about are not problems that are seen in the Festool world. Many of his observations relate to something like "if this thing is tossed around, it'll break". I checked his other YouTube videos out. He makes a habit of finding things wrong with any tool he takes apart.

Truth in Lending: I own a TS 75. It's by far the best circular saw I've ever touched, and I've owned a Milwaukee and a Dewalt prior to that. No other saw adjusts as easily and as accurately. Nothing has melted or come apart, even when the ambient temperature is 95+ deg F.

Oh, by the way, the Dewalt Plunge Cut circular saw is $625 ($495 discounted) and the warranty is not as good as Festool's.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#14
I loved his misuse of technical terms, not so much the intentional mispronunciation. I think I actually heard him use "Castellated" for an electronic component.
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#15
Isn't that kind of the point with all tools? Sell us cheap crap for more than it's worth?

If you can find me a $150 saw that does the same thing as my TS55 I'll buy five of 'em.

By the way, if you want an amusing and pretty educated engineering take, check out Rick Cristopherson's post about this video on the Festool Owner's Group. Not hard to find.
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#16
I have owned that saw for 6 or 7 years. Don't remember exactly what I paid for it but I have the systainer with the saw a second smaller systainer with the clamps, protractor, and other accessories plus two of the 55" tracks with the connector kit. Pretty sure I paid around a 1000 for all of it. Great saw that has held up well. I would buy it again.
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#17
Irregardless of what he says in the video and actually I turned the sound off early on... Its adequate build quality but it doesn't justify the price. Granted the saw isn't going to be used for cutting heavy stuff on a construction site and the build reflects that.

The oilite bushing doesn't see much loading because of the distance it is from the ball bearing that supports the shaft but I'd still rather see a roller bearing I there on a premium tool. And other little things like that. Again the saw is up to the task of what it does imo but not the construction I would expect from its price.
Knowing what's in it would I still own one? Yes I would.
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#18
Robert Adams said:


Irregardless of what he says in the video and actually I turned the sound off early on... Its adequate build quality but it doesn't justify the price. Granted the saw isn't going to be used for cutting heavy stuff on a construction site and the build reflects that.




The thing is, we don't have anything to compare it to. He hasn't taken apart the equivalent Dewalt or Makita track saws. I think the build quality is excellent. Most negative observations have to do with the design, not the build quality. The reviewer spends about 10 min just on one gear, going on and on about irrelevant minutia. He ignores that potting some components actually makes them more reliable (reliability engineering is my day job), protecting them from corrosion and isolating them from vibration.

It's misleading to say the saw is $1000. The saw is $640, including a 55" rail and a systainer. Add additional guide rails, guide rail connectors, and a dust collector and maybe you approach $1000. The Dewalt equivalent on Amazon with rails is $480, but we really don't know what's inside a Dewalt, do we? The Dewalt is made in the Czech Republic. It doesn't come with a carrying case. Both perform exceptionally well.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#19
AHill said:

He hasn't taken apart the equivalent Dewalt or Makita track saws. I think the build quality is excellent. Most negative observations have to do with the design, not the build quality. The reviewer spends about 10 min just on one gear, going on and on about irrelevant minutia.



I find whole thread funny, if you take the time to watch his other videos, he's mostly about entertaining people. All tools are made to a price point, including the Festool's products. With this said, I too own some of their tools. At the end of the day they offer a tool that hopefully does what we want or need it to and the Festool tools do just that. How it's made or what components used are irrelevant, they do the job we ask them to. Will they last forever, no, nothing does. Bottom line, his vids are for entertainment not a end all review of the tools. Personally, I enjoy his vids, he has a wonderful sense of humor and offers up some interesting perspectives to things most of us use.

Sorry Ahill, wasn't trying to single you out with my reply, just had to agree with your observations. He does a great job with irrelevant minutia.
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#20
AHill said:



He hasn't taken apart the equivalent Dewalt or Makita track saws.




If memory serves, Rick Christopherson actually cut the DeWalt track saw in half and showed us what the insides were all about. Unless somebody saved that thread it might be lost for those who didn't see it, or can't remember.
See ya later,
Bill
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