Mark:

Thanks for the post.
It happens that I am a CPA, and hold a Masters in Finance – your post is spot-on: all other brands, save Mafell, and perhaps Fein and Hitli are farmed-out where least-cost is king, corners are cut, engineering and parts (motors, bearings, stamped metal or moulded plastic) are consumer-grade. I was a Porter-Cable guy, then a Bosch guy, and have given-up on both of them.

Progressively, I’ve demanded higher tolerances, cleaner cut (and more non-traditional cuts), and more hours from my tools – the old adage “Quality is Expensive Once”.

As you do, I own the Track Saw and the small Domino, and these are two go-to tools for me (my Table Saw sits idle, mostly). I’m not bashing the other brands, and I’m not here to sell, justify, or argue for Festool. Individually, we choose where and how to invest our hobby dollars. For me, I’d rather invest once in a well-engineered, precision friend.