I Test Cheap vs. Expensive Woodworking Tools
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- čas přidán 6. 04. 2024
- I Test Cheap vs Expensive woodworking tools
Get some Shop Shades - bit.ly/ShopShades_Unscrewed
Festool TS55 Track Saw - geni.us/ZIiq
Festool ETS150 - geni.us/JM_FestoolETS150
Festool Carvex Jigsaw - geni.us/JM_FestoolJigsaw
Festool OF 2200 - geni.us/JM_FestoolRF2200
Wen Tracksaw - geni.us/JM_WenTrackSaw
Wen Tracksaw Track - geni.us/JM_WenTrack
Wen Sander - geni.us/JM_WenSander
Wen Router - geni.us/JM_WenRouter
Wen Jigsaw - geni.us/JM_WenJigsaw
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#CheapvsExpensive #Cheaptools #expensivetools
Building some intricate piece of furniture with all WEN and TEMU tools!
This is what we need
I agree, because I've also said this on another video of John's before! 😆
Followed by doing the same with Harbor Freight tools
As a test, use only Wen equipment, none of your Festool equipment, for a month on everything you produce in your shop and then report your findings.
Why? That doesn't make any sense at all. I'd define the tools in different category. Other one is professional tool and other is hobbyist/starter tool. It's like riding some +5000 dollar electric bike and after month you'd ride cheap market bike and then asked to tell findings. Isn't too hard to figure out end result 🙂
I agree with you 100% regarding bang for the buck. I’ve used the big box wood working tools for years and finally over time became a Festool fan boy. Yup they’re $$ but I enjoy the step up in quality of results when using Festool. Just trying to be an azz and say not too many pros would replace their high dollar tools with budget priced ones. Really enjoy your show! Keep them coming.
@jothain your logic is wrong.
@@CidFFVII How come?
If the difference isn't going to be as obvious up front you need a long term test for durability
On the Wen tracksaw, try removing the anti reverse lock knob(it's useless), replace the factory blade with any decent brand, and give the track a good film of glide coat. These few things took my saw up several notches in cut quality.
Does it fit any brand? All the track saws I've seen use a 20mm arbor
My wen tracksaw came with a 48T blade. Its actually pretty decent. I had a hard time finding another high tooth count 6.5in blade that wasn't rediculously expensive like the makita 56t blade.
5oo
@@SpartanORGN Mine came with a 24 tooth, it's okay for plywood and softwood. I picked up a Oshlun 56t blade.
@@charlesw.3245 I also got the cordless Wen, not the corded.
Another thing with the sanders is going to be the long term effects of vibration to your hands/wrists. The higher-end sanders are much better at lessening fatigue over a longer usage time than the cheaper ones.
Concur. I will always pay more to get less vibration.
You find that out more as you get older and start getting arthritis in your hands. High vibration sanders can make your hands ache for days.
Yes! That Festool is the most relaxing sander I have ever used and I tried many, including the most expensive ones from Bosch, Makita, Dewalt and the other top dawg in the game, the Mirka Deros. The Festool wiped it's a... the floor with all of them when it came to long time fatigue. Especially if you have to sand vertical surfaces and narrow edges, the balance is just incomparable.
@@PikkaBird I just wish Festool wasn't so scummy on proprietary expensive replacement parts... $55 for a replacement sanding pad, $70 for a dust collection hose? I wouldn't mind paying more for the tool if they offered better DIY repair options.
So looks to me like if you're making your living using these tools full time, the festool is worthwhile. If you're a hobbyist or doing a lil side work, Wen is a pretty good deal.
However, making your living full time with Wen is not a bad proposition either. The only major downside you get is that they cannot compete in the cordless department, not even with Ryobi.
@@MrSoundChaos Honestly, just for ease of availability and product line, I'd go with DeWalt or Milwaukee for cordless. As nice as the festool? Probably not. Easier to find if you need a battery? Absolutely. Much cheaper too.
@@zamboughnutsthe argument for any particular company based on batteries anymore is a bunk argument as there are battery adapters to convert batteries to other tool platforms. You can have the best battery AND the best tool without compromise
I agree whole heartedly. I have never built a table that large and if I did, it would be a one-off. I do it for fun, not a business. So I can buy more of the Wen equipment.
@@liquidrockaquatics3900Battery adapters are wildly inefficient and can cause lots of issues with inconsistent voltages. Plenty of videos out there about this. You should avoid adapters whenever possible.
As an amateur woodworker with limited funds for expensive tools, I really appreciate that you make videos like this. I have always felt bad about not being able to buy the really high-end tools but hearing from a professional that the WEN is just as good is so awesome!
If you can get the same result with cheaper tools then there's no problem
Don’t ever feel bad about it at all. It’s great when you can afford the one you really want/ need like a m18 portable table saw for job sites or their 1/2 inch impact wrench. Ryobi, Bauer, wen, worx, skil, hart, even hyper tough make 8/10 quality tools. I’ve spent like $500-600 on Milwaukee shop vacs which bit the dust pretty quick for no idea at all. I really don’t abuse my tools cause they’re expensive . My $50 ryobi shop vac works every damn time like a champ and I used it a lot daily for 2 or 3 months after the Milwaukee vacs gave out. Customer service was garbage for Milwaukee and other people have mentioned the same thing for their shop vacs after I purchased them. Hurts your soul when you waste $500 on “top quality tools” only to Be bested by $50 diy tools.
I'm good friends with a bunch of TTI reps and they all say Ryobi is a wonderful brand and can handle a lot. Remember, they're all under the same umbrella(minus DeWalt and Kobalt). I love my Ryobi,but I'm not a full time GC. These vids just solidify my opinion on buying what works for you,not for everyone else.
Professional is a stretch for John in the woodworking world. 🙂
Features are the same festool just remove little annoyances and deepen build quality for something that stands up to professional use time after time. As a hobBies t you dont need that (you might like it but thats not the same thing )
One huge detail that you didn’t highlight enough with the Festool track saw is that you’ve likely had that tool for over a decade, and it is still performing at top quality levels. I think it is important even for people on a budget to consider tool-life/warranties
Too busy with random jump cuts.
I think the reason why he didn't highlight that part was that he was expressing a diffrent view point all together.. He was looking at it as someone new thats just starting out that dosent have much tools or money, that these would absolutely be a good tool to give you the ability to get your first few projects finished and make some money and upgrade to better tools instead of having to spend thousands before getting started and no way to make that kind of money to do so... I completely understand that thinking.. but i also agree with you that there is no way they will last for a long time and that you better do what you gotta do at 1st but dont rely on them and expect to upgrade asap...
@@anthonyevans1399 I mean, heck, even if you're not just starting out, if you need a track saw, unless you're a pro or planning on becoming a pro, I don't see why you wouldn't get the wen, unless you can afford the festool for a couple of projects a year.
The Festool also has a writhing knife.
First I would like to say I really enjoy your channel, & from what I've seen you are very gifted.
Now with that said when I was 17 years old I started working with an old man doing interior trim, I worked for him for about 4 or 5 years "learned a lot from him" & then changed job's "doing the same thing" worked for a little larger outfit, "money talk's".
I worked for them 7 or 8 years & then went to custom cabinet making, done that for about 18 years. So you can say I've got plenty of experience in woodworking, and I've gotta say Festool is absolutely stupidly way overpriced. I'll put my DeWalt, Milwaukee, & Makita beside it any day of the week.
The tool isn't what makes the carpenter, the carpenter is what makes the tool.
THANK YOU!!!!!!
I have commercial grade tools in my shop at about 80% and 20% (tools I only occasionally use) that are cheap or “throw away”. The commercial tools I own have anywhere from 40 years to 15 years of use with zero issues and still function like the day I purchased them. At the end of the day, most hobbyists and DIY’ers do not need commercial grade tools and, most pros I know use a small percentage of cheaper tools for the once in a while job like me. Great video and informative for those wanting to try their hand at woodworking. You can always upgrade once you figure out which tools you use the most. I have quite a few Harbor Freight items and for the money, they did the job just fine on occasional use.
I own many Wen tools and have no complaints with any of them, I like that they are local to me as well. Their customer service is great and very knowledgeable on their tools and the prices are nice for a beginner.
For me on the sanders, just going from DeWalt to Festool, was having feeling in my hand after sanding desktop. So, for me the extra money spent on the sander is well worth it
I got a WEN rotary tool with case & a bunch of tools for like $18.50 on Amazon. I've used it to modify many folding knives in price ranges up to $1,000+, & it's worked like a champ for a couple years now already. Love it, just used it today!
I regularly use a Wen track saw with Makita tracks. The tool has worked well for me for almost 3 years now and I have no complaints.
I wasn't really paying you much attention... till I saw the STEELERS sign hanging in the background. now you have my attention SIR
Yup!!
Only ever owned the Wen track saw so can’t compare it to anything else but I can say that my biggest gripes with it would be power in thicker material, dust collection, and lack of accuracy on the bevel cut. I mostly am using it to break down plywood and straightline rip and edge on S2S lumber and I work exclusively outside so these haven’t been an issue that I’ve needed to go out and fix and for $100 for the saw and roughly that for 110 inches of Powertech tracks, it’s been invaluable for the hobbyist in me. If you’re just looking to breakdown plywood and 4/4 materials making 90 degree cuts, it’s well worth the savings. Also noticed for plywood that it greatly benefits from an aftermarket thin kerf blade. I’ve noticed a significant boost in power with one installed vs the standard kerf blade.
This is a good comment. My Wen tracksaw is almost exclusively used for sheet goods and I never bevel cut those. I also have the Powertec tracks (which are excellent for the price). The dust collection absolutely is terrible but it is still better than using a circular saw, and since I always work alone the track saw is also better for my back than trying to wrangle full 4x8 sheets onto the table saw repeatedly. Even if my Wen burns out after a year I can still buy another several before I hit the cost of a saw with more longevity and better warranty. The only time I'd saw the Wen might be more trouble than the higher-cost options is if you take the saw to job sites (I don't work outside the shop) then a cordless option in the battery universe of your other tools is probably worth the extra expense.
@@BrentNeal1979 100% agree. I’m in a very similar situation and use my saw the same. Much better than a circular saw and I’ve had it for 3 years now and it still runs fine so we’ll worth the money.
Bought some shop shades, just waiting on them to ship. It’s been about 3 weeks, and until I get them, my eyes will remain unprotected!
Finishing up shipping the presale this week!
When i upgraded to a festool rotex 150, my workflow was so much more efficient that it was immediately noticeable. I can put all my weight over the rotex and take my feet off the floor and it'll just keep going. I'd bet a large sum of money that the Wen would stop dead or explode. And I do the same kind of builds that you do, but for real paying clients, not youtube. So time really does matter, as does the quality of the finished product. The finish is a billion times better than inferior sanders which is super important. Same is true for their big router being better than other equivalents on the market and the domino machine is obviously the gold standard, I thick we can all agree on that. From my 25+ years of experience in the game, cheap tools like the Wen are for hobbyists only, they don't have the build quality or longevity of the more expensive machines. If you're a serious woodworker and do this day in day out, quality pays for itself in days or months, not years.
By no means am I a professional woodworker. I've always just made do with whatever tools my dad has accumulated over the years, mostly big box store stuff. Just my opinion, but I think if you're a hobbyist just making stuff for yourself, and friends and family maybe, I don't really see the point in spending that much money on Festool. Unless of course you have a massive disposable income. I usually get pretty decent results with budget tools if I take my time and pay attention to detail. Plus there's plenty of upgrades you can make to budget tools, like higher quality blades, bits, etc. There is one exception however, and that's a SawStop table saw. We had one in my high school woodshop and I've seen it save peoples fingers on 2 different occasions. I do hope to own one of those some day.
Saw Stops are quality machines. Table saws are downright dangerous. There's no two ways around it. That said I've never had an accident using one ever. That's because when I use a table saw I'm careful. I like all my fingers. So I don't think being careful is unreasonable.
Yeah Festool are Pro Grade tools, not something to use if you're not making money with them. (You can if you want, Not gonna tell people how to live, just sayin.) 100% agree with the Saw Stop.
@@dragoonpreston3 Saw Stop is way too expensive for hobby use.
@@1pcfred Doesn't stop me from wanting one. If I'm looking for a new table saw and can get one for not much more than a normal type, Guess what one ima pick.
@@dragoonpreston3 if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas. The table saw I'm using I bought at a garage sale. Now maybe you can luck out and find a Saw Stop used for cheap. But I've never seen or even heard of one. So you're limiting yourself severely by hoping. I certainly got really lucky with the saw I have. It still actually happened though.
hey... I'm not even in a woodworking business but your delivery is so smooth n' interesting and the videos in themselves are so well done, I'm watching all of your stuff anyways, man! You're such a great presenter it's uncanny. Keep up your great work, man, absolutely loving it.
Me too! I am a tool idiot… just like to learn about stuff
I'm with you guys, tool nut and appliance technician by day, love wrenching on my hotrods and have been known to let the Wife talk me into an occasional woodworking project. Soon I'll be building a fairly complex desk.
Just finished the track saw battle. You said you've had the festool for years. You have probably maybe thousands of cuts with the Festool. The WEN will be replaced 10 times in the same time frame.
You're correct. haha but that isnt the point here.
I have the Wen track saw and for what I do for myself, I love it. I do have Festool 125 sander and ct15 extractor for health reasons
Great video.
For tools, as a VERY intermediate DIYer, home owner and 2 badly herniated vertebrates proprietor, I always look for 3 things in my tools:
1 - Ergonomics (weight, size, vibration, etc.)
2 - Power (speed, strength, batteries, etc)
3 - Time-saving ability. I can't work in awkward positions or bent for more then a few minutes, so I won't mind paying $200 CAD for a tool that'll be used for 5 minutes 4 times a year if ot saves me 1 week of painkillers, 4 weeks of phycical therapy and 7 weeks with no income.
Here's an example: I recently did my brother's pickup breaks and oil change. I could have used a simple set of ratchets and spend 20 to 30 minutes per wheels and an other 10 for the oil (remember: "broken back"), or I could buy an electric ratchet and an impact wrench amd spend 3 minutes per wheels and 2 for the oil.
Sometimes, it's not how much a tool will earn you, but how much it'll save you. Like John said in his video: At how much do you value your time?
I couldn’t justify the festool track saw, went with the Makita instead. Love it. And it’s systaner locks onto the festool one.
My first track was the WEN. It definitely got the job done but didn’t last. Now I am also a Festool fan boy and the main reason is the 3 year warranty. Just sent back my sander got it back in a week and it is the best service I have had from any tool company. Great content John.
Would you say the wen was good enough quality to last say hobbyist once in a while/light use?
For the money that Festool gets, it had better never break, but if it does they should personally bring you a new one & put it directly in your hand.
Very happy I chose teal as my main brand. They’re right where I want for quality/price value.
As starter tools WEN is awesome. I have used some of their stuff I knew was going to be “once in a blue moon” usage. Their bench top sanders are just as good as more pricey brands. Drill press is worth it for how often I honestly use it, straight with no wobble . I also have the air filter, it works great.
WEN as starter tools ... At my age (mid-70's) WEN & Harbor Freight tools are "lifetime" purchases!!
Great timing on the vid. Been debating buying a tracks and been looking around at what my options are.
That strobe on the Festool jigsaw would drive me crazy.
The epileptic model.
I doubt it, unless you've used one. I've never heard strobe causing issues, though I don't know anyone with epilepsy.
I've been using the Wen track saw for a couple of years. Works great. I've built two kitchens with it.
I have that Wen orbital sander, and I love it. Yes it has a lot of vibration that makes your hand tingle after, but that’s nothing you can’t almost eliminate with gel padded gloves to absorb the vibrations. I can also attest to how long it takes to sand, but so far I haven’t built anything large enough for that time to really matter.
I was surprised that he didn't mention anything about vibration. From my experience its specifically that which makes the biggest difference and it really affects in long used tool like orbital sander. Something that you'll feel after the work.
Micro adjust is great when you get a stack of plywood, and you can set the exact depth of the cut so you can cut on top of the other sheets without sliding bearers under the sheet before cutting.
Hey mate, great video! it just happend to stumble into a recommended list. Im not doing much wood work currently, but i do cut alot of firewood on the farm and was thinking of doing some projects on the side. Subbed. Appreciate the humour and frankness in the reviews too. Cheers, from down under. 👍
I have the wen track saw for breaking down sheet material and it’s been great, definitely like you said not as tight and smooth and needs more tweaking to get strait and the angle cuts take a lot more to set up strait but bang for buck it’s been great.
I have both of those track saws. I make a lot of 8/4 red oak table tops and the Wen has a lot of trouble cutting through without doing 3 or 4 passes, but the Festool can do it in one. The power difference is worth the money, IMO.
I would say the power difference is sometimes worth the price. Depends on how often the tool gets used, and if the time saved is worth the price to you.
Great video. With Festool you can order replacement parts easily. Had to do that once for my Kapex.
Just used my Wen to rip 8/4 rock maple with the stock blade. Used to make a reference cut before passing through the table saw and eventually the jointer. I've cut thousands of feet with this saw and no issues. Rounded the edges with the WEN router and a 1/4 roundover bit. These WEN tools are pretty decent for the money. I own much more expensive versions of the same, but love how good these are for the money. And more importantly love how none of these walk off the worksite because guys think these are just another cheap tool.
I make money with my WEN track saw all the time. Haven’t had a single issue with it, in the 3 years that I’ve owned it. Very good video John. Love your stuff.
I picked up the wen tracksaw when it went on sale. I went in knowing that I was probably only going to use it for breaking down plywood and wouldn't do any angle cuts. So far, I haven't even taken it out of the box, but this definitely makes me feel better about the purchase.
I already had a few wen tools that I was very happy with. bandsaw, drill press, oscillating sander, and now a dust collector. So far my only complaint about any is from the band saw. the t-track is very small and standard things wont fit it. like the bow featherboard.
That appeared to be a fair and honest review and comparison of two 'like for like' tools. I would agree that for someone on a limited budget, just starting out, spending mega bucks on top end tools may be out of reach. It's nice to see that there are perfectly acceptable tools on the market for a more affordable price.
One thing that you haven't been able to consider in this review is how well they stand up to extended use. WHat deterioration, if any, might there be in the cheaper tool after 6 months of use? Will it break? These would also be considerations that add to the affordability equation. You've had the Festool items for a long time, but they still work. Will the Wen tools still be working as well this time next year if used in the same way as the Festools?
Also sound and vibration. If you spend time on larger projects, comfort becomes worth a lot, and it's one of the reasons I absolutely adore my festool sanders.
Your are the king👑 of youtube and tools videos
Never in my life would i feel the need to buy a $1000 router, but that festool looks worth the money! 👍
Loving these tool videos
Love this video, keep the good work up.
I only have ryobi and wen in my home shop. I am no professional, but I did 3 complete home remodels with only those tools. I think calibrating your tools is more important than the company you go with.
One of the things to consider also is the ability of the smaller sander to get into more places. I also think that the location of the speed control slider on the Festool has less chance of being moved by accident.
Be great to see how different sanders compare, I was really surprised by that.. Makes we wonder if my Metabo need upgrading
That festool jigsaw looks awesome. I can see if your doing site work install cabinets or kitchens that must be a game changer for things like scribe cuts.
Dont most people use those festool jigsaw upside down with a down cutting blade?
Great video! Very informative. Really enjoy your straightforward, no-BS presentation style. Kind of surprised at the results - especially coming from someone who is admittedly a Festool fanboy. One thing I would have liked to see (where possible) is using the same blades/bits for both tools in each comparison. One last thing- for the price, that Festool router should do your laundry.
I've got a festool tracksaw that is almost 25 years old. What struck me about your video is that buildwise, it's basically the same(or worse) as the Wen (stamped aluminum baseplate, very similar depth and bevel adjustment). So yeah, I agree that the biggest difference is user-friendlyness / ergonomics (can't judge upon the power and durability).
As they say: "Having the right tools does not make a craftsman", but if you use tools on a daily basis and can afford it, these things make life a bit better and more enjoyable.
Finally a video about stuff i can afford, Well done and a great video
Both tools are good. One is great for professional use and position.The when is good for me. I don’t do professional woodworking projects every day. I do basic stuff professor was good as well. Have a great Sunday.
I have a few Festool tools, domino, track saw, and a rotex150, but most others are Makita and a few Australian budget brand tools , my oldest and once upon a time was the most used tool is a Ryobi tradeline 9 1/4" circular saw, purchased it back in 1986 , before Ryobi gave up on quality tools, back 25 years ago I worked in a family run small specialist tool shop , most of the local tradies shopped with us if we didn't have it in stock we could order it in and any repairs were done in the workshop out the back, as the cheaper imported tools started to appear in store for repairs (we didn't sell them) we would often find minor manufacturing errors had caused the tools failure, for example bad crimping and pinched wiring , one of the biggest noise issues was cheap bearings, I replaced the bearings in two budget Routers that sounded like they were on their last legs one trim router 23 years ago and a plunge router 15 years ago and they're still going strong. I've only recently purchased an Aliexpress trim router with the 3 extra bases, right out of the box it's quieter and better finished the original one purchased 24 years ago.
I think a Build Video using only Wen tools would be awesome and im sure others will agree! (Bonus if you can include a wen jointer and a planer as well!) Especially given the fact that for most people on a lower budget, Wen seems to be there go-to. Seen lots of people with Wen 8 inch spiral head jointer or the Wen planer
Will work for Festool 🖐️.
I own one Wen product (6” jointer) and have upgraded a few times since. That jointer has made a lot of money over the 3 years I’ve owned it. One day I’ll make the investment into a festool ROS. But seriously, I would love to come work with you for tools! PGH native and have been following since the beginning.
I picked up a Wen track saw, but got the PowerTek tracks with it instead. I figure when the Wen eventually does kick the bucket, I can look into a slightly nicer saw.
Great content thanks for sharing
Solid video yet again!
I've been a framing carpenter for 2 deacdes, still in property management but I've been slowly getting a shop together to do furniture and wood crafts. I'll agree with many of the posts in that what's the tool going to be down the road (I'm ingrained in the you get what you pay for mindset). BUT, I do appreciate cheap that works now that I'm buying shop tools over jobsite tools I already have. And these days, any break is a good break. I say buy cheap, take care of the equipment and make some money, then upgrade. Thanks for the info :-)
I'm still trying to figure out where your ap is for determining the amount of epoxy is needed for a project.
But keep up the great work on everything else!
I have several WEN power tools and am really happy with them.
But then, I have a ton of Harbor Freight tools too. They have lasted me for 20 years. I have the 20V drill and impact driver in Black and Decker. They are 9 years old.
My shop is 8x12 feet and have no room for the bigger stuff. I built a ramp on it and built carts for my bigger machines, the planer, jointer, table saw and band saw. I roll them outside to use them and have room in the shop.
@@cabman86 if I wheeled my tools outside here mosquitos would fly away with all of them.
ive been using Festool since mid 90s my 1st festool tracksaw I got in early 2000s is still around and works perfectly. buy once cry once
I've got Porter Cable, DeWalt, and Craftsman tools my dad bought in the 80s/90s that also still all work for 1/2 the price
Basically any ONE of the Festools cost more than my entire household (including car) of stuff. Granted the car was more expensive when I bought it, it ain't got a lot of value now. Living on SocSec is a limitation that many of us have.
You have to make a video building something using only vintage power tools and hand tools from like 1970s on down. I don't think I've seen any CZcamsr craftsman using only vintage tools. I'm sure it'll give you flashbacks of your childhood 👍🏻
I have the 7 1/4 inch version of the Wen track saw and I like it. I read reviews and got the Powertec tracks for it though. You should be able to disable the feature that stops it from going backwards if you want to. It's been a while since I've used it so I don't remember off the top of my head.
The biggest differences between festool and wen is that festool has consistent high quality and has been proven that it will last for years of consistent use. Wen is much more likely to have defects straight from the factory. Wen is generally slightly better than something you can get from harbor freight but slightly more expensive as well. I generally stick with dewalt for my handheld power tools.
That Wen track saw looks very similar to the Erbaur ones in the UK, except it's a cooler colour.
Would love to see you compare the 10-in-1 type tools with the single use type tools and see if they are really worth it.
For RO and DA palm sanders I'm exclusively in the pneumatic camp and a Dynabrade fanboi.
25 years in the shop informed this demented addiction.
-✌🏽
This is fairly interesting. I'm sure there are (as I'm looking at the comments and seeing) ways to narrow the gap in some of these. At the end of the day, unless you really use these for your professional work, I don't think the Wen is a bad choice in any of these. Yes the sander is going to be faster, but if you aren't sanding 20 things a day you are just building spare time projects then no reason to step up. Its nice that these are good products that can get the job done at starting prices to get people into the space.
I have no experience with the WEN, but one other reason for the Festool sanders is that you feel much less vibration in your hand. I (a weekend warrior) switched because it just hurt to use my affordably priced Makita.
The Wen router has a dust collection plate (clear panel that installs on those two bolt holes on the sled and attach to your vacuum line) but you left it in the box.
wen is that gonna happen
He was saying that on the Festool router, the dust collection is built in, not a separate attachment.
Only thing I don't like about the wen router is the square hole
This new channel is awesome!
Very interesting (and honest) comparisons. Next it would be interesting to see the same thing but with a mid range tool line, between WEN and Festooooool and see if the law of diminishing returns really applies
Festool makes a lot of great tools, but even they have a few gaps or stinkers in their line up. I have their ETS EC 150/5 sander, CT 36 dust extractor, DF-500 domino and Carvex PSB 420. Every other one of my tools is either made by Milwaukee, Bosch or Triton.
The problem with these types of comparisons is longevity. The Wen stuff is probably going to be Ok the first few times you use them. But plastic, and sometimes aluminum, parts are going to wear out and lose tolerance. You have to use these tools long-term to determine if they are actually worth it.
This point exactly!
My Festool TS55 EQ I got it in June of 2006, so it is coming up on 18 years old, it still runs like a champ. Yes it was expensive, I paid about $800 for it with two tracks shipped from Canada because here in Tokyo they wanted over $2000 for just the saw, no tracks 😵
I'm a General Contractor here in Tokyo and I've used that saw to cut miles and miles of stock, kitchen panel, etc and it never misses a beat.
Back in 2006 they really were the only game in town, now there are many options. If I was just starting out, I'd buy the WEN track saw but I'd also understand that I'm not going to get 18 years of use out of it, and that's fine.
Great video, keep them up!
As much as I hate to admit it, I have some Wen tools that I bought just to see how they were (and more than likely make fun of them, lol). They've honestly been holding up quite well, much to my surprise. That said, I still much prefer my other tools.
honestly that doesn’t sound like a big enough negative to me. if someone is using these cheap tools enough for durability to be a concern then by the time they break they’ll be looking for a nicer one anyways. i always live by the philosophy that i don’t buy the nice tool until i’ve used the cheap one enough to warrant it.
@@joncue0304 nothing wrong with buying some cheap tools, they can do the job. I too have some WEN tools, the ambient air cleaner that runs in my workshop to get small suspended particulates out of the air, and a small metal cutting band saw that I’ve modified and is actually not bad.
@@tri-tri-again Yep, I’m not going to disagree with you, but now I rely on my tools too much to not factor in the durability and reliability.
For a guy starting out, sure cheap tools can get you going, but they are not usually an option for a professional who is paying his mortgage and putting food on the table with them.
YMMV
I’d like to see comparison on vibration of sanders. I keep hearing the cheap sanders (DeWalt) vibrate a late more whereas the festool doesn’t so a person experiences less fatigue and can comfortable sand longer.
on the track saw, remove the kickback thing, replaced the strips on the bottom of the tracks with the Festool replacement strips, don't have to use the clamps every time. I also replaced the zero clearance strip with a powertec one and it works better. I also like my WEN router, I had to do some surgery on the springs, but I fixed that and it works well. plenty of power to do what I need it to do.
What did you do with the springs? I also have the router and enjoy it but I'm intrigued now haha
@@steveo107 They were bound up and super stiff, I just took it apart and made sure things were seated properly.
You should challenge everyone in the shop to build a piece of furniture that sells for more than the combined value of the tools used to make it
what about the trend top end plunge router against the festool? possibly only a UK option: T14EK - 2300W 1/2" Dual-Mode Plunge Router 240V
I bought a Wen 18 gauge nailer just to see its quality. It was $27 and works like a CHAMP! That was 6 months ago.
Could you consider making a video with a threeway of these tools? i.e. festool vs medium option (for orbital sanders dewalt is decent option, picked up the corded one for 70$ vat included) vs chinesium?
As for jigsaws I would put my Austrian made Bosch circa 1988 up against ANY other jigsaw.
FYI, a well lit shop requires no built-in light. However:
stroke speed, chip extraction and blade kick are paramount.
Hi John! Great reviews! Fair ..i would LOVE you review festool vs Mafell everything ;) i think you will fall in love even more with Mafell
Would love to see you compare the Maxxt sander to the festool - bit more comparable even if it is much closer in price. I've heard good things and been needing to upgrade for a while. They even have a rotex clone model.
I have that wen jigsaw and I think I got it for like $15. super solid hard to beat. I think the most important thing to remember for it is buy good blades, good blades is like 80 or 90% of the battle with jigsaws in my opinion. I also have an almost identical router to the wen but mines from hammerhead but I think they are the same factory (think skill cordless comes out there too possibly) and I like it. I am terrified of routers though lol I dont know why I decided to own 3 kinds
Great video thanks for sharing
I will say, I get the ETS EC 150/5 sander. I will NEVER use a cheap sander again. If you sand once a month or more. get the good sander. With the vacuum attached you can sand in the kitchen while cooking with no issues of dust in your food. Also, no sander fatigue at all anymore!! I have sanded for hours and have ZERO hand vibration when done.
Regarding the sanders, how does the vibration level compare between the two? That’s the biggest difference I’ve found between the Festool sanders and the consumer grade ones. I can sand comfortably for a long time with the Festool, whereas my hand and arm are tingling after much less time with the cheaper machines. That and the noise level - I’m very impressed with how quiet the Festool is. I agree with your conclusion that the Festool is worth the extra $$, but would almost consider it a squared function - less vibration for a lot less time far increases the value IMO.
The clips on this episode were outstanding. "what the hell was even that" and "necessary?" Had me laughing pretty hard.
1400 is my favorite router would love to try that beast though
Telling us to listen to the volume difference after the recording normalises audio (and while we’re listening to a phone in the bathroom or whatever) doesn’t really work. A decibel meter at the same distance and running through air / working comparison would help way more if the volume is noticeably different. Phone app decibel meters are probably more than accurate enough for purpose as long as you use the same one for both tests (at the same distance from the source of noise).
Heres a question for you (everyone, really). Im looking at starting to build stuff for my house (cabinets, shelves, tables, etc). Should i buy a small, cheap table saw, or a small cheap track saw, or is there something else entirely i should buy as my first workshed saw?
I've always bought and used Ryobi, my brother has always used DEwalt, my friend has always used Rigid. which in your opinion is better? I buy Ryobi because it is affordable but I'm thinking of changing. can you make a video comparing all 3?
The thing with orbital sanders is also the vibrations in you hand and arm. The cheaper have a lot of vibration and the festool waaay less.
Great video. Thanks!
can you check out the wen tabletop planer and the lathe... maybe a whole tabletop planer review for various brands?
Great video. Over the years I’ve purchased a lot of festool tools. And when I show up at a job site , I hide them bc I feel bad 😢. It’s a weird conundrum
I totally relate to your comment 🤣, infact I keep a couple of Makita tools in my arsenal just to prove that I'm not a total fanboy (I am though)...😜
@@miserablesod1 yeah All the drywall guys know festool. And they all know how much they all are. And sometimes I’m embarrassed but dang their tools are awesome. I probably have 15 boxes in my trailer. And the other side is all pack out
Based on experience….longevity. I can’t tell you how many sanders I’ve been thru because they burn out if you use them for extended periods.
With the sanding, even if you're not selling pieces, I'd also still get something faster than I can sand by hand.
What are the festool router baseplates made of? The orangish/brownish colored material ?
Who makes the light you used to analyze the sanding