I'll cover just a few things about Festool from my perspective. First I'm sure it is the festool green that is the reason people by these tools.
OK kidding aside, I have grown my festool collection each year since I got the bug. This year I've gotten a Kapex and will add at least one more of their sanders. I'm also looking at the MFT extension:
https://www.festoolproducts.com/power-t ... -1000.html
It is pretty likely just about all the major festools for this year but hey there is always next year.
I started out not being a fan of tools mostly due to the cost. Some people buy a Chevy, or a Buick and still others a Cadillac. I've never been a Cadillac kind of guy. Like wise I like nice tools but I've mostly gotten more modestly priced ones. So why in the world would I buy in to to Festool?
I was curious and Woodcraft has them on display and you can get your hands on them for touch and feel. I liked what I saw but, well there is always the cost. I watched more youtube videos and the looked at the catalog I picked up at the store. I went back a couple of times checking out various features that I either read about or saw videos on.
I found that one of the guys at the Woodcraft was into festool stuff and he was kind enough to spend a good deal of time with me. The more I saw, the more I read, the more we talked the more I like what they had.
For me I always try to make up a tool budget for the year (Nov thru Nov) so I added the guide saw system and the MFT to my list. Since I had taken up so much time with the sales guy I decided to pickup the stuff at their store. Having an actual user helped with the "details".
Once I got to using the tools I simple wanted more and more.
So what makes it so nice? A lot of things. For one I have several brands of sanders, as well as type of sanders, and almost as many vacuum hose sizes needed. So I put out the PC and its hose, the Bosch and its hose, the Hitachi and its hose....... Now I want to use a circular saw and its hose.... Festool, one hose that fits all.
Now some people question the plug-it cord. I have Milwaukee and guess what, they have the same thing. Never hear anyone question that? So why is that so cool? Well lets say your cord has a fault, or the cord cracks near the strain relieve, how long does it take you to fix it? You get out the book, find the cord to order, wait for it to arrive, take the tool apart to get at the wiring, put the new cord on, put the tool back together..... or simply unplug the cord and put the new one on. And you can keep a spare on hand since they are only two version and the heavy duty one works for any of the tools so just one spare is needed.
The other thing is that the cord can be unplugged at the tool, so you don't take a chance you got the right cord back at the outlet box and you don't have to go to the outlet box to do anything, you can do it at the tool. Routers and saws and just about anything else really should be unplugged when you are working on it, bit or blade changes etc.
So now lets take the fact that we have both a cord and a vacuum hose that is universal, mmmm does that mean that you can pull them off the saw and put them on the router and get back to work, it sure does, and right at the tool.
As for that video about plastic in the saw, well I'd be shocked if you took apart any saw in the last some year that wasn't a large part made of plastic. The question is does it have a proven record of holding up? Sensationalism more then fact, I saw it and was deeply sadden that that might turn a few away from a very good tool. Rest assured he knows a whole lot less then he wants to think he does.
OK getting long but just one more topic, Systainer, the often misunderstood tool case. I have a whole shelf of mix size tool containers. I can't stack them, I can't make a pile of them, I can't put them together to carry without have 4 arms and 8 hands. But if you have systainers you have uniformity and yes they stack, they connect and yes you can move them about like that. Most tools come with one and it's designed to fit the tool, to protect it and not have it ratting around. They have labels which are all located in uniform locations so finding what you want is pretty easy, I must have at least 10 black containers of similar size and shape none of which came with a label, how handy is that?
Ed