Carvex Opinions Please

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DiscoStu

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Thinking of getting a carvex, anyone got any views?

I like a Festool but I'm not opposed with the brand so if it's not great and something else is miles better then I'd like to hear. That said I like that I can use my plugit cords, extractor, systainers and rails so if it's good then I'll probably stick with Festool.

I hope that makes sense?


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The only festool I've got that I don't like, there are much better jigsaws out there for less money.
 
I've got a Carvex and I feel a bit mixed about it. On the one hand the precision and visibility of the cut line is really excellent due to a combination of at least three factors factors, the dust extraction, the illumination, and the design of the perspex cover. The Carvex allows you to cut tight against pencil lines, but be confident you won't cross over, so full marks to Festool for getting this so right. It can also be useful to use the jigsaw with your Festool tracks, and with the right blade the quality of the cut you get is pretty impressive.

On the other hand some elements of the Carvex are starting to feel a bit gimmicky. For example there's an extending steel ruler that serves to make curved cuts. Nice idea, except it won't work if the blade is canted over at an angle, it won't work on boards over 50mm thick, and you have to approach the cut from one direction rather than the other which isn't always convenient.
 
Your Post subject might not get many responses!

I had a very close look at the Carvex as I was after a cordless jigsaw and must admit that after using it and a Metabo cordless at a dealers open day, I bought the Metabo. I have had a Trion for about 10 years have been reasonably pleased with it but the Carvex seemed a backwards step to me. The blade change system on the one I tried was appalling, the blade mechanism was very problematic even though the jigsaw was brand new out of the box and the blade could only be removed using pliers. Not a good start. Plus despite having brand new blades and a Festool rep to set it up it would not cut at 90 degrees.

The fixed (but removable) base was just that, fixed. An adjustable base is available as an extra at £75. In addition, the blade guide system is a carry over from the Trion and needs adjusting every time you change to a different blade thickness and in their wisdom, Festool have decided to not provide a Hex Key mount on the body, it is now loose in the box. The strobe lights are very effective in 'freezing' the movement of the blade but I found it very difficult to see the cut line when the dust cover is down. I know you are after a mains version but the design and features are exactly the same apart from the dust extraction which, as you would expect from Festool, was excellent. The cordless doesn't have dust extraction which is fair enough as you buy cordless to be remote from power.

The Metabo on the other hand has a universal guide system which doesn't need adjusting, the blade mounting is precise and easy and the base is adjustable. It comes with dust extraction should you wish to hook up to an extractor and a very effective built in air blower to keep the cut line visible. It doesn't have the strobe LED lights but its LED light is excellent in err lighting the cut line.

Both jigsaws are Made in Germany, both have a three year warranty but the Metabo case is vastly inferior to the Systainer. I have had the Metabo now for six months and it has been superb. ( Like all my jigsaws it is a barrel grip). The Metabo mains version is exactly the same as the cordless one.

I have bought Festool's for over 20 years now, love them but the jigsaws IMHO are the definite runt of the litter. I wanted the Carvex to be super, sadly it wasn't.

But you ask if there is something miles better and again IMHO there is. Not only miles better but a revelation in jigsaw cutting precision and, in a fit of self indulgent pique and a desire to spend my childrens inheritance, I bought a Mafell P1CC as my Xmas present to me. It is sublime, the dogs danglies, and one of the best engineered bits of kit I have ever used.
 
Can't seem to edit my post subject on tapatalk! That's predictive text for you! Thanks for the replies so far.


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I have tha Carvex corded barrel grip. Like others have said not the best tool Festool make, although compared to my two previous Bosch models it's brilliant.

I bought the accessory kit with it, and some of the bases are useful, but not essential. Not sure if I like the strobe or not, I sometimes feel it makes a line harder to see. I do however, like the automatic speed sensor, where the saw runs slowly until it begins to cut the material.

Dust extraction is very good for a jigsaw, blade change excellent in my opinion, but best of all for me is the squareness of cut, have had bang on 90 degree cuts in 40mm iroko and also MFC worktops (using Festool blades, which are awesome!). Also love the Plug-it cords, it sure why other manufacturers don't do this?

If money were no object, it would probably be the Mafel though!

Cheers
Simon
 
I'm very keen on the squareness of cut. My current Ryobi is very poor on that front. I don't use a Jigsaw that often but I've been working on some stage scenery recently and a jigsaw has been pretty useful. I'll probably take a look at one and see what I think. I know you can turn the strobe off or have the light just set to on.


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I have had a Trion for years and it does all I need. Never used Carvex so can't comment but seen mixed reviews and the extra cost for the tilting foot is a joke.
If I was buying a jigsaw now I would get the cordless bodygrip Makita, mainly because I have a lot of their batteries kicking around and I would use a jigsaw more if I had a cordless one.
Mafell if you want the best.
 
Tilting foot? is that something special, I have a very very old Borsch that has that facility.

Mike
 
It's very noticeable that the carvex gets universally naff reviews compared to everything else they make! I think mine is a bosch gst90 and I really rate it.
 
So they charge you an extortionate price for the Carvex and then want another £90.0 to do what a £30.0 Lidl tool will do, Hmmmm :roll:

Mike
 
In fairness the base is not quite the same as most in that it tilts both sides so your cut is perfectly centred. £90 for that feature though isn't cheap.


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The tilting base is not only expensive but badly designed, it is too short to provide much support as both halves of the base move in synch and you are left with a very narrow base plate. Plus for a firm which majors on dust extraction the £90 tilting base has no......wait for it....... dust extraction.

How they chuckled in Wendlingen.
 
It also means you can only cut a bevel near the edge of a board, which is useless really
 
Woodmonkey":2jy74zda said:
It also means you can only cut a bevel near the edge of a board, which is useless really

That's true and I'd never thought of that. So if I want to cut a circle in the middle of a board and have a 30 degree bevel on it, is there no way to do that with the carvex?


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It is typically Festool that you have to buy the expensive extra to do what it should do out of the box. So far, the Domino is the only one that has pushed me over the Festool edge - pretty much everything else I talked myself out of due to stuff like this.

Some of the Metabo stuff is great. I just bought their variable speed SXE400 80mm sander, and huge shock.. it is actually made in Germany.

What is pretty nice is the YouTube channel 'Mirock'. Guy from the Ukraine, he made an impressive adjustable base for the Carvex out of Aluminum. He also has a shed load of Festool stuff he's made himself such as sustainers etc. worth checking out.
 
I'll have to take a look. Just watched Peters video again (saw it ages ago) I don't think I've ever seen him so animated - he really didn't like the manual!

I'll take a look at the Mirock guy. Thanks


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