Festool CT Wings – Because It’s Hard To Get Help That Doesn’t Suck!

For one reason or another, I frequently end up working alone. Sometimes it’s by choice, when I give in to my antisocial tendencies. Sometimes I’m just too stubborn to ask for help, and sometimes, despite my sparkling personality, no one wants to work with me. There are definite upsides to working alone; it’s never happened, of course, but if I were to ever screw something up, I could fix it before anyone notices and tortures me about it forever after. I always get to pick the music, and I decide when it’s beer o’clock. There are times, though, when I grudgingly admit I could use a helping hand. But how can I get help, while maintaining my antisocial standing? A clever, somewhat recently released product, Festool CT Wings, might be just the ticket.

Utilizing suction from a CT Dust Extractor, CT Wings provide an additional support for mounting long items like molding to a wall, or holding a straight-edge or level in place for layout marks. With 16 adjustable “wings”, CT Wings can be adjusted for various thicknesses up to two inches. They conform to molding and other stock quickly, while providing a tacky grip surface to minimize movement. A bypass valve allows for quick and easy release and reset without going back to the extractor. Here’s a video showing a trim carpenter using his trusty CT Wings to help hang crown molding:

Along with crown molding, the Festool CT Wings would be very “handy” for holding up one end of a long piece of chair rail or picture molding, while you tack the other end. I wish I’d had it when I installed the wainscoting in our hallway. It would also be a handy way to get a plumb line, or to snap a chalk line, either horizontally or vertically, without having to drive a nail into the wall.

Festool normally releases their products to the European market before they’re available in the U.S. Makes sense, I guess, since they’re based in Germany. This New Brit Workshop video offers a detailed look at the Festool CT Wings, served up with a lovely cultured British accent:

Yes, The Festool CT Wings Suck – And Here’s How!

So what’s the kicker? To be able to use the Festool CT Wings, you need to have a CT Dust Extractor to make it adhere to the wall. I’m guessing you could use a decent shop vac, too, but you might have to do a little jury-rigging to make the hose connection. If you have a fair amount of work to do, and you’re doing it on your own, having the Festool CT Wings along to be your “third hand” would definitely be worth the aggravation of schlepping along a suction source. You’ll still get to pick the music, and decide when it’s beer o’clock!

CT Wings weigh only 0.8 pounds, and can support up to 6.6 pounds. The product is small, taking up very little valuable storage space, so you can always have it along for those occasions when you really need a helper – even one that sucks. Festool CT Wings comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and a three-year warranty. The product has straight 5-star ratings on Amazon, and best of all, THIS Festool product is only $47!

Buy Now - via Amazon

Photos courtesy of our friends at Festool.