John Argyle in his workshop

Festool with you everyday: John's Story

John Argyle is the owner of Enfield Refurbishments, trading since 2012. John currently has one apprentice called Lisa, and they mainly work in carpentry and joinery on older properties. John’s love for woodworking started when he was around 6 years old, when he used to go to his grandparents for Sunday lunch.

“My grandad was a chippy and used to tinker about in his workshop making hand tools in those days when you didn‘t buy them off the shelf, you used to make them, and I found it interesting that my grandad would be doing something.”

John’s father also played a huge part in influencing him to becoming a carpenter and joiner. His father used to do all the woodwork in their house, and he used to let him join in to help him out.

Johns grandfather and apprentice
When John was 16 years old, he found an advert in the newspaper and applied for a Young Apprentice Carpenter position. This was John’s first official entry into the woodworking industry. This job is what ignited an interest of where timber comes from and how it is prepared.
John Argyle in his woodworking workshop

Festool with you everyday: John's Story
“I got a phone call that day, I jumped on my BMX and rode up there for an interview and got the job. I was lucky that the guy who taught me said, there’s a greater respect for what you’re using and what you’re making, if you know where it comes from.”
John Argyle Signature
Since then, John has followed this advice knowing and working his timber from start to finish, “the passion for oak that I’ve never been able to lose.” Throughout John’s career one of his greatest achievements is having successfully trained 15 people over the last 30 years. Providing them with the knowledge and use of quality tools to become experts in the industry. Festool has helped John in this process making the training easier with the right tools and smart systems.
John Argyle working on a project
“Why would you want to cut something twice, when you can cut it right the first time? The easy way is the Festool way for us” says John. John found it difficult to narrow down his list to only 10 tools, because there are tools that are now discontinued, that he still uses and loves to this day.
John Argyle working with his apprentice

Here’s John’s favourite 10 Festool products:

  1. Multifunction table MFT/3 – “My very first Festool bench was the MFT 1080, bought in 2000. It changed the way I worked on site and gave me the facility to custom make joinery items accurately with ease and my introduction to the Festool system.”

  2. Cordless drill C 18-Basic – “C 18 my very first Festool cordless drill, my favourite all round drill coupled with the CENTROTEC system makes it invaluable.”

  3. Geared eccentric sander ROTEX RO 150 FEQ-Plus 230V – “I had never used a sander that could outperform a belt sander on wood, it has such a great extraction with aggression and finish like no other.”

  4. Cordless mobile dust extractor CLEANTEC CTMC MIDI I-Plus – “CLEANTEC dust extraction systems, extractors and hoovers that last all day without over heating or tripping out and now with battery packs, it’s a huge benefit. And then to give you full mobility when carrying your Systainers to and from the job site is another level of satisfaction.”

  5. Plunge-cut saw TS 55 FEQ-Plus 110V – “TS 55 was my first plunge saw in 1997 and I have never looked back, workshop accuracy on site is next level.”

John Argyle with his DF 700 EQ
John Argyle with his Systainer

  1. Plunge-cut saw TS 60 KEB-Plus 110V – “This plunge-cut saw is really flexible and safe to use, definitely one of my new favourites.”

  2. Cordless percussion drill QUADRIVE TPC 18/4 I-Basic – “the best drill for power and speed, with the right drill bit this machine outperforms all the others.”

  3. One handed planer EHL 65 EQ-Plus 110V – “My favourite one-handed planer for site use, the ability to plane hardwood doors in one pass like no other.”

  4. ;Routing template MFS 700 - “this jig has so many uses in and out of the workshop with mm accuracy from kitchens to letterplates.”

  5. Circular saw HK 85 EB-Plus 230V – “The power to rip 80mm of solid hardwood in one pass and the accuracy to cut mitres on the FSK guide rail make this an incredible machine on site.”

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Thanks to John your shopping list is ready! Discover John’s story on our Festool UK YouTube Channel

and look out for more of our customer stories coming soon.

John Argyle working on a project

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