From scrap to stunning
Hi, my name is Sophie.
I'm a 3rd year carpentry apprentice and I'm passionate about having more female representation in an industry that has been traditionally, very male-dominated.
My aim is to inspire women to create, explore and get into the trade and one of the best ways to do this is to get quality tools that will empower them to do the best job in the best and safest way.
After being guided by my boss and team who are experts and are also big fans of Festool, I recently purchased myself a Kapex KS 60 and couldn't be happier with my decision.
I encounter mindsets from some of the more traditional members of my profession where female builders are still a long way from what would be considered the norm. I have found a really effective way to change this classic mindset is to put my head down, work hard, be strong and capable on-site and have a good tool set up.
No one is arguing I’m not suited for my job when I bring my KS 60 out and start cladding a house.
One of my other passions is recycling. I find creating beauty from what was once deemed rubbish only fit for the dumpster to be incredibly creative and adds a whole dimension to my job.
Usually when old houses are knocked over to make room for apartment developments, everything is seen as waste, crushed up and taken to landfill. Yet so much of this ‘waste’ is far from that, it’s a precious and very usable resource that can be part of a circular economy if we have the right tools, the right system, and the right mindset!
A barn door is a fairly straightforward project, but to be able to take ‘waste’ and transform it into something that is functional and beautiful required a range of my Festools.
The RO 150 Rotex is such a classic and is perfect for the project given it has 3 types of sanding in one. In combination with the CT Midi vacuum, the rotary eccentric sanding removed the old varnish in a clean and efficient way, followed by a finer sand to finish it off.
The KS 60 Kapex showcased its precision and ease to use. The shadow cut line is my favourite feature, it means you can be spot on with exact cuts every time.
The TS 55 plunge saw gave me the confidence that my cuts were clean and accurate. In combination with a Festool Guiderail, it made my work fast, precise, and very enjoyable.
The Festool CT Midi Dust Extractor is great; it’s compact and affordable. When used as dust extraction in combination with the R0 150, KS 60 and TS 55, it meant I could work in a much cleaner and healthier environment.
