Festool

[Ajcoholic]

I dont know if this is appropriate - as it is not cnc based. But, I feel I have to plug my newest acquisition.

I recently added a Festool Rotex RO 125 FEQ sander to my arsenal (which includes MANY various electric and pneumatic sanders from Makita, Porter Cable, DeWalt, Ingersoll-Rand, Etc). I cannot believe how awesome this thing is!

At the >$500 price tag, for a 5" orbital sander, I had to hem and haw for a few months before I took the plunge. But, wow! It really, really works.

The dual mode allows a setting for fast stock removal, and one for finer sanding. I made quick work of sanding the 6 carved saddle seats for the chairs I was working on last week. Probably saved 1/2 hour per seat at least.

The Festool stuff is (well, what I have bought so far, two sanders, a Domino joiner and a large vac) top notch. But I think this Rotex sander will be one of the best time savers yet, in my shop.

AJC

[michael_schwartz]

I have the RO 150 (6" Rotex) and I do not know what I would do without it.

I use it for initial sanding on larger surfaces before I switch to my ETS 150 for final finish sanding.

I think the Rotex sanders are capable of faster material removal than a smaller handheld belt sander. They also do not damage the surface as long as reasonable care is used. It is unbelievable how much material you can remove without making a mess.

When you run into extreme situations where you need to remove a ton of material, just throw on a 50-60 grit disk and they turn into a monster.

I had to plane 1/16" of an inch of particle board off a surface measuring about a square foot. There were also brad nails embedded. The Rotex made quick work of this with a 50 grit disk and there was almost no dust left over.

[Ajcoholic]

I have the ETS 125 as well, to do fine sanding.

They are fine tools indeed. Just the initial price is kind of intimidating. But well worth it!

AJC

[bob_reda]

I was purchasing a new sander every year until I got the festol 6" and the samller version (they are the older models) Those where the last sanders I bought, now going on 12 years. so intially the price seems steep, but buying a new sander every year is much more expensive.:D

[Bob Eustace]

The Rotex would have to be the best power tool we have ever purchased! On your comms problem using the shopvac Andrew are you aware that the Festool vac has an anti static hose? Use it all the time and never lost comms whilst using it.

Bob

[khaos]

This is a good thread. I have seen the Festool islands at woodcraft and at the shows. It always seemed that they were trying to be all things to all people, so I assumed they couldn't focus enough to make a good product. It also seemed they were way too proprietary. Then the prices cemented my opinion more as I felt that was the price of non-productiveness. To hear these comments makes me want to go back and look again perhaps with a less accusatory eye ...

-Joe

[jTr]

Hate to be contrary, but the ETS125 5" finisher is the biggest waste of $175 I've ever experienced. Super smooth running, a truely magnificent piece of engineering, but:

It is a horrid little swirl monster.

150Grit = Swirls 180Grit= swirls 220grit=swirls.
Yes, I was using the CT22 dust collector. Yes, I was going through appropriate grit progression, letting weight of tool be the only downward pressure, travelling 1ips. Tested against competitors on same piece of maple, stained with a medium brown pigmented stain.
Only clue I've recently discovered is a current endorser who advises that the festool swirl issue is caused by too much vac, resulting in tool pulling itself down too tightly to surface.:rolleyes:

Back to Bosch 5" finisher and Metabo 6" for me, which perform wonderfully with the festool vac, often acheiving fine results stopping at 120-150 grit. Half the price, major improvement on stained surfaces.

jeff

[michael_schwartz]

I use the ETS 150 with a 3mm stroke. The worst I have ever had to deal with are occasional swirls that are probably left over from a previous grit, or stray abrasive particle. I am working on a large dye project right now.

I have used the ETS 125 (5mm), but never in an application where I would have noticed, so I can't comment.

[Ajcoholic]

...advises that the festool swirl issue is caused by too much vac, resulting in tool pulling itself down too tightly to surface.

On my CT48 I can dial in the vac from full to about 1/2.

I know from using my ETS125, that on full vac you are literally fighting the suction trying to pull the sander down to the surface of what you are sanding, and also the dust gets trapped between the pad and wood surface.

Try dialing back the vac if you can, and I bet it will work much better.

That being said, I dont have the ETS150 so its just based on the info in the ETS125 book that came with my sander.

AJC

[Ajcoholic]

I use the ETS 150 with a 3mm stroke. The worst I have ever had to deal with are occasional swirls that are probably left over from a previous grit, or stray abrasive particle. I am working on a large dye project right now.

I have used the ETS 125 (5mm), but never in an application where I would have noticed, so I can't comment.

NOTE: the ETS 125 is not 5mm stroke, it is 2mm stroke. It is finer than the ETS 150 which comes in 3mm or 5mm only.

AJC

[michael_schwartz]

That is true with the ETS 150 as well. You do have to dial down the suction so that you are not fighting it.

[michael_schwartz]

I also have the Deltex, which is probably the only detail sander that actually works. This has saved the day numerous times now when I have run into very difficult situations.

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/specialty-sanders/dx-93-e-detail-sander-567856.html

I don't know if anybody has the. RS 2-E. I have been thinking about getting one.

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/random-orbital-sanders/rs-2-e-orbital-sander-567696.html

[jTr]

Tried reducing vac speed as well. Beginning to think I got a lemmon, as every other festool I own is well worth the investment. Seems my ETS125 runs fairly slow. Motor won't power up until VS is dialed up to 4 or 5 - wondering if it is not achieving full rpm's. Wish I could A/B with another identical model - maybe should just give in and send in for service.