Not your everyday review — Festool TS 55

[Warren Wilson]

It is not everyone who tears a brand new TS 55 apart just to examine the innards. And few youtubers use language in such a creative way, but I recently discovered this irreverent fellow (who also has some pretty deep knowledge of engineering and design), and you might enjoy his close examination of the TS 55.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oezp-_DcUgg&t=951s

[Van Huskey]

Ah the AvE BOLTR. It has been discussed ad nauseum across the internet for the past 3 years and pops back up on every woodworking forum about every 2-3 months.

Frankly, people tend to see what they want to see in this video. My only quibble with the "review" is the lack of context. The teardown would be of far more benefit if he also tore down the "better" more expensive Mafell as well as the cheaper Makita and Dewalt as well as one of two of the budget saws.

[Greg R Bradley]

Better get out a microscope to measure his "deep knowledge". I watched a chunk of it at one point but his ignorance is just too much to take. More sad than entertaining. My recollection is that he acknowledged he didn't know much about tools.

Starts off with a legitimate concern about the light gauge plastic in the T-Lock cases. They aren't as robust as the originals but the way they work is really excellent. Tells the listener that the inserts won't hold up when we know they do. I even had one hold up in a production shop for 10+ years.

Then he complains about the plug-it cords, which are such an amazing improvement over everything else when you are using dust collection. You want to be able to interchange tools by plugging in the same cord to the tool just as you don't want a vacuum hose connected to every tool. Vastly superior to Milwaukee interchangeable cords that don't hold up. What an idiot!

[Jim Dwight]

Lots of opinion and attempts at humor in Boltr reviews but he does seem to understand the different types of plastics and something about chips, maybe also bearings. He definite seems to think Festools are overpriced but many of us think that, even if we buy them and like them.

I agree some context of whether cheaper brands are worse and/or more expensive brands are better would make it much more useful.

[Robert Pugmire]

I disagree with the guy above challenging his intelligence.. After watching a few of his videos over the years, he is obviously a very knowledgeable individual with some kind of background in the field.

As far as the festool teardown video, i found it entertaining... didn't really get anything else from it TBH

[Van Huskey]

I disagree with the guy above challenging his intelligence.. After watching a few of his videos over the years, he is obviously a very knowledgeable individual with some kind of background in the field.

As far as the festool teardown video, i found it entertaining... didn't really get anything else from it TBH

Questioning knowledge is a long way from questioning intelligence. Chris' (which IIRC is AvE's real name) experience comes from the mining industry and he worked in a lot of remote places around the world and seems adept at bush fixes. He is pretty open about not having any formal training in the engineering or design of tools and openly makes mistakes (does not edit them out) and often calls on his commentors to help him out. I am FAR from saying his opinions are useless but like a big chunk of youtube creators he is not a "classically" trained nor degreed "expert" in their choice of content creation.

The most interesting part of the TS55 breakdown IMO was in the second part that focused electrical side (which most people don't watch) concerning how clipped waveform AC is sent to the field winding to control speed via a closed loop system. He suggests it does it via hall sensor but I am pretty sure it is using BEMF. IN any case, the clipping of the waveform shows the Festool "growl" is electrical not mechanical.

[Warren Wilson]

As much as I enjoy his insights into tool design, die making, materials and electronics, it is his creative and earthy use of language and his humour that attract me to his videos. Some are old saws like "Chinesium" or "Fukit Bucket," but his fluid stream of idiosyncratic slang is just plain fun to listen to.

[brent stanley]

As much as I enjoy his insights into tool design, die making, materials and electronics, it is his creative and earthy use of language and his humour that attract me to his videos. Some are old saws like "Chinesium" or "Fukit Bucket," but his fluid stream of idiosyncratic slang is just plain fun to listen to.

Some love it and some hate it.

Regardless, it's funny to watch the festool users crap on him, and the non-festool users go either way. The truth of the matter is when you watch it objectively, he has a LOT of good things to say about it. For some reasons the Festool lovers/AvE haters never acknowledge that.

[Ben Rivel]

Aw man, this again? I love AvE, but the inevitable debate threads on this video always end up bringing is suuuuuuper annoying!