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I am not a fan of Festool but here is a sander deal


Cliff

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I got a Festool sander a few years ago on a similar deal for $59.  

 

It is a very nice sander.   Is it twice as nice as my Bosch to justify the price difference?   I'm not sure.  And yes, a new pad for it was $48, I think.  The Bosch's pads are a bit more than $20.

 

We had a vendor speak at a recent club meeting.   He talked about how wonderful Festool's cordless drill was.   With all the accessories, it was about $650, but it was the only drill you'd need so you would not need to buy multiples.  Hmm.   Half my drills I spent $5-10 each for at yard sales.  And I can put a bit in one, a driver in another, and a different size bit in a third.  I don't want to know how much a new battery costs.  In my Ridgid they are free for life.

 

And every once in a while I hear someone say you don't need a table saw if you have their track saw.   Baloney, I can think of 20 things I can do easily on my table saw that you can't do at all with a track saw.

 

Still waiting for a competitor to come up with a Domino-like tool.

Edited by kmealy
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20 hours ago, kmealy said:

 

Still waiting for a competitor to come up with a Domino-like tool.

 

I don't like the domino.  Somewhere on the internet I watched a video of a guy who was touting how wonderful it was.  He made some joints and they were SLOPPY. I mean the boards in the assembles with the little Domino biscuits inserted were flopping in the breeze.   Apparently the Domino is subject to an awful lot of wear.  Which sort of makes sense what with all that's going on in that little gear head on it.  I prefer a slot mortiser.  I can get accuracy all the way into the mere  Two and Three Thousandths of an inch with  my shop built  slot mortiser. And it REPEATS like nothing else can.  Plus I can do angles and general milling.

 

 

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20 minutes ago, DRAGON1 said:

My friends shop has a mirka vacuum

I forget about Mirka Mike, thanks for the reminder. A true steadfast machine in the world of tools with an excellent reputation especially in the pro industry. I was using Mirka air powered when I was a youngster working in an auto-body shop as an apprentice, it was all Mirka.

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It seems that most, if not all, Festool vendors have this offer going.   But "limited supplies" may mean you need to poke around until you find one that has not reached their limit yet.   I got an ad from Hartville Tool over the weekend.

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There was a note I read somewhere that said Festool has asked (ordered) their dealers to stop taking orders for this model since the response was (apparently) overwhelming to this special. My guess is the Hartville ad was printed before the Festool request (but I could be wrong). Have you ever been to Hartville, it's on my dream trip list for someday.

Edited by Fred W. Hargis, Jr
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I go to Hartville Hardware every couple or few months.  It is a sight to see.  I try to make a list of items I will use and buy them there.  I want them to have as much of my purchases as possible instead of the box stores.  They have inventory that cannot be purchased at any store in Youngstown.  It is 45 minutes to an hour drive for me.  Hartville Tool is a warehouse with no walk in sales.  Mail order only.

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Hartville Hardware is the most amazing hardware store I've ever seen.   Easily 2-3x the size of Home Depot or Lowe's (7 acres inside, plus more outside, two stories).   One of my daughters used to live between Cleveland and Akron and I would sometimes excuse myself for an afternoon while visiting.   In the summer, they have a flea market sort of place out back, there's a Amish-ish restaurant next door, and another store with lots of kitsch.

 

I went one year in the late fall when they had their expo with a lot vendors.   I liked it better than the traveling woodworking shows.

 

http://www.hartvillehardware.com/store_highlights

 

If you go, you should also checkout Keim Lumber in Charm, OH.   It may be one of the few times you'll see a bunch of Amish guys sitting at their computer workstation.  They have a big room of exotic lumber, among other things.

http://www.keimlumber.com/

Edited by kmealy
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2 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis, Jr said:

That's interesting about Hartville Tool, does the Hardware have the complete line of power tool stuff?

 

Hartville hardware has brand sections in the store.  If you are a Bosch fan all you need do is go to the Bosch section and view their tools.  They also stock the Bosch blades and accessories if available.  That is done for all the major brands Makita, Porter Cable, etc. all have their own section.  The stationary tools are grouped by tool rather than brand.  When you can walk into a store and see half a dozen different lathes on display for sale you know you are in heaven.  Their tool section of the store seems to be as big as one of the entire box store.  They have an entire single story house built inside the store and yes you can stand outside the house and see the shingles on the roof.  They could have built a basement for it because there is an entire floor below which houses their lumber department and warehouse space for stationary tools, windows, water heaters etc..

 

The best part of their business are the employees.  They have many of them and they are all quite knowledgeable and ready and willing to help.  When they first stocked ceramic grit sanding belts I asked if they would be good for metal.  They didn't know but promptly got on the phone and called the mfg. and got me an answer.  Yes they are good for metal and last much longer than standard grits.  I use them to exclusively now.

 

Their section for work clothes is bigger than the box stores tool sections.

 

I have no affiliation with the store.  It is just impressive as all get out and worth the stop if you get the chance.

 

   

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