Porter Cable made a lot of quality tools back in the day... like the day before B&D bought 'em up and turned them into another throw away line like their DeWalt crap. Sorry but I have very strong opinions on this. For the last few years I've been replacing all of my more recent vintage DeWalt, P.C. and yes, even some of my Bosch with nothing but Festool. It started with their cordless driver/drills (easily outlasted the cordless DeWalt's by three to one in our cabinet shop), and now I rarely grab anything else. I still have my old "locomotive" worm drive P.C. belt sander in service (one of the "back in the day" P.C. tools - like their old industrial laminate trimmers - that are still worth a look when they can be found), but Festool has one in the U.K. that they haven't released here yet, so it may also be staying on the shelf soon.
I have built several DIY CNC machines for milling wood that were set up to use router motors instead of the more typical high frequency spindles, and the Festool 3+ h.p. plunge router motor has been a champ. The lateral and thrust bearing support compared to the P.C., DeWalt, Hitatchi, et al is head and shoulders above. I judge based on this non-traditional application because the loading and use that the motor receives in a CNC installation is significantly greater than that encountered by most any hand held application. Some projects may see the motor run near continuously for hours at a time. This of course voids all warranties, and because it was never intended ti be utilized in this fashion they all do wear out eventually, but the reality is that before switching to the Festool, we were getting less than half the life, AND the run out on the lateral support bearing is significantly less. Using the Festool free hand is a chore due to its sheer weight and mass, but the ergonomics are superb. The added mass also provides a better platform for chatter free feeds in even the toughest grain and species. They are simply the best hand held power tools I have ever sampled, and I've been a cabinet maker and carpenter for almost 40 years.
Check one out, most of the dealers have displays where you can test run anything that you want. They aren't cheap, but the quality is where the real value proves itself. Just their little laminate trimmer is a great example. Our shop used to do a lot of laminate work, and the DeWalt and P.C. trimmers from Home Cepot were easy and cheap - usually around $100. The Festool 700 was something like near $400, but we saw a savings in the first quarter of use. After a year of use the Festool was still running with no troubles or noticeable run-out. Normally the alternatives were toast in a few months, and if someone let one fall off of a bench - it was over even faster. The P.C. and DeWalt units are no longer built to be seriously used, serviced or repaired, they are all basically throw away home owner/DIY junk. That's not to say that they aren't fine for that intended audience, but the difference in using a quality tool vs. one that will merely get the job done is night and day... and some times more nightmare than anything.
Another interesting thing about the Festool philosophy is that they have integrated all of their tools into a system of storage cases and transport devices that allow you to literally pack up a whole cabinet shop and hit the road in a matter of minutes. They have also integrated some of the best dust extraction equipment in the industry. I have serious respiratory issues and was getting to a point where any kind of wood working was becoming almost impossible, even with the normal dust collectors and an electrostatic air filter in use. With Festool system I can literally work with any kind of wood that I like nearly dust free, and most importantly, the shop stays amazingly clean without spending a half hour every day sweeping and vacuuming. They obviously aren't for everyone, but if you can adapt to the idea of spending for quality, I guarantee you'll be pleased. Every one of their tools makes me smile when I use it.
and no, I don't work for them or own any part of them... but I wish the heck I did! They make great tools and live good beer... sign me up!
Routers - Festool
Festool Power Tools
Festool International - Tools for the toughest demands
