By Mark Clement
Festool’s C12 12-volt cordless drill-driver is a league leader. The smallest and lightest drill-driver in the category, it has huge power, terrific comfort and is brimming with features.
Nice Body. The tool’s unique characteristics start with its uncommon body design, which provides phenomenal balance and feel in tasks from bulk screw driving to one-off duties. The tool was equally at home screwing off plywood underlayment and drywall as it was hanging cabinets, setting hinges or woodworking. I used it to mix grout and dry-mix joint compound, working comfortably in all applications.
I could place my hand in several locations on the tool handle and still get good contact with the fastener, which was great for repetitive tasks or in tight spaces. And the wide, flat battery enables me to put the tool down upright and not worry too much about tipping it over. However, in a finished space (like on a kitchen counter) I always lay tools down to prevent accidents.
Under the Hood. Comfort means nothing without power, though. Fortunately, that comes in spades from the C12’s two NiCad batteries and rippin’ brushless motor. The batteries slide easily onto the tool’s stem and even have an alarm that signals when you’ve drained them too far or are overloading them—what a great feature! The brushless motor is the only one in the industry and is the soul of the tool, delivering small size and great power.
I was able to drill 1-inch holes in double 2-by and sink every wood screw I could find in my fastener box. Driving 2-1/2 inch Tapcon screws in concrete proved a little too tough for the C12, but that’s neither a surprise nor a disappointment.
Chuck It. In case you’re not happy with the Festool’s motor and comfort, the chuck system is a triple jump advancement. The tool comes with two chucks: the standard 3-jawed keyless type and a hex drive system Festool calls Centro-Tec. They switch out with no tools and almost no effort.
The keyless chuck works great, holds bits tight and has a nice bearing collar that protects work and fingers.
The hex drive or Centro-tec chuck is awesome. It works just like a bit holder on an impact driver and makes switching out bits seamless. It’s only an inch long (about 1/3 the size of the chuck) and holds bits perfectly.
Accessories. The C12 ships with a nice tool box and a great 1/8 inch brad point bit that is amazingly sharp. You can also purchase right angle and eccentric chucks for driving screws in almost any oddball location you can think of.
Okay, so a tool this good has to have something wrong, right? Well, there’s one thing, but you have to search for it: The C12 bits have a longer shank than standard bits and to get the most out of the system, you have to use Centro-tec compatible bits. It’s a small price to pay for such an incredible performer.
Festool C12 cordless drill
MSRP $345
For more information, visit www.Festoolusa.com.
Tooltechnic Systems, LLC
140 Los Carneros Way
Goleta, CA 93117
Phone: (888) 337-8600
Fax: (805) 685-5927
E-mail: sales@festoolusa.com
Mark Clement is a remodeler and author of The Carpenter’s Notebook and The Kid’s Carpenter’s Workbook, Fun Family Projects! Find out more at
www.TheCarpentersNotebook.com.
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