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[Cochese]

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[nclemmons]

I have the 150/3 and use it the most of any of my sanders.  It's an excellent finish sander and so easy to control.  I do mostly furniture and some cabinet work, primarily with solid woods.

I also have an RO/90 and an RO/150.  I use both of them a fair amount and between the two, I prefer the RO/90 for the smaller size and options.  I also use the RO/90 on my cars for waxing and polishing with the various pads and it works great there as well.  The RO/150 is a beast of a sander.  It will remove a lot of material in rotary mode and I'll use it at times, though I go to my joiner / planer or thickness sander more for the heavier stock removal at a consistent level.

Have you considered the RTS/400?  After the 150/3, I use it the most for cabinet and furniture work.  I like the smaller size and the flexibility of getting into corners in drawers, rail/stile doors, etc.

So if I could only have two, it would be the 150/3 and the RTS/400.  Adding a 3rd would be the RO/90.

neil

 

[semenza]

The Rotex 150 has been a long standing companion to the ETS150/3.

Seth

 

[JimB1]

I generally use my 150/3 for 150 grit on up (occasionally 120 grit) Below that it's a RO150 world
My DTS-400 is great for about the same range as the 150/3. Good for corners and rail and stile too. So I'd say if you work with a lot of S3S or ply, go for the DTS-400, if you do a lot of rough cut wood, RO-150 may be a better choice.
JMHO
-Jim

 

[elfick]

I'm with neilc.
I currently have a DTS and RO150. My next sander will be the RO90. After that I'll be waiting for the ETS150 EC to hit the US market.
I haven't planned out further than that, but since I like to minimize my consumables storage, I'm going to skip the 125 line. I may eventually add the RS2, RTS, and/or LS130 if I ever hit a project that will benefit from them.

 

[semenza]

I do have a jointer and planer, I must add.

I'll also add this: I'm most likely going to add a RO90 at some point. Whether that is now or later, I see it being in my arsenal - it's just too versatile. I guess the question really is if there should be a third sander added, and what it should be. I have a PC 7424XP that I have for my car, that could conceivably be used for polishing/burnishing wood. I'll say I'm most likely not interested in the ETS125, but the RO125 is a possibility. Probably wouldn't do the DTS400, it seems like complete duplication with the RO90.

So, modified original question:

ETS 150/3, RO90, ???
or
ETS 150/3, ???, RO90
or
ETS 150/3, RO90.

  Not sure I get the "or"s  . Since you already have the ETS150/3 aren't those basically all the same?  The RO90 would add a lot of versatility so that would be a good way to go. And then later add the RO150. The RO150 is a better  companion to the RO90 and the ETS150 than the RO125 in my opinion.

      ETS150/3 + RO90 + RO150 is a great setup.  Obviously  additional sanders that are more specialized could always be added when needed.

Seth

 

[jbasen]

I do have a jointer and planer, I must add.

I'll also add this: I'm most likely going to add a RO90 at some point. Whether that is now or later, I see it being in my arsenal - it's just too versatile. I guess the question really is if there should be a third sander added, and what it should be. I have a PC 7424XP that I have for my car, that could conceivably be used for polishing/burnishing wood. I'll say I'm most likely not interested in the ETS125, but the RO125 is a possibility. Probably wouldn't do the DTS400, it seems like complete duplication with the RO90.

So, modified original question:

ETS 150/3, RO90, ???
or
ETS 150/3, ???, RO90
or
ETS 150/3, RO90.

  Not sure I get the "or"s  . Since you already have the ETS150/3 aren't those basically all the same?  The RO90 would add a lot of versatility so that would be a good way to go. And then later add the RO150. The RO150 is a better  companion to the RO90 and the ETS150 than the RO125 in my opinion.

      ETS150/3 + RO90 + RO150 is a great setup.  Obviously  additional sanders that are more specialized could always be added when needed.

Seth

I see the recommendation for RO150 + ETS150/3 all the time.  There is one thing the engineer in me is missing.  I understand that the 150/3 has the capability of finer finishing due to the 3mm stroke vs the 5mm stroke for the RO150 when in orbital mode.  However, can you eliminate this difference by just going one or two higher grits in your progression with the RO150?  For example instead of stopping at 220 grit with the RO150, just sand one or two more rounds with 280 and maybe 320 grits.  Would this give you the same quality finish as an ETS150/3 with 220?

I understand for the professional that time is money and if you can avoid some extra standing time that is worth the expense of purchasing the ETS150/3 in addition to an RO150.  For the hobbyist, I'm wondering if the the equation is a little different.

Thanks

 

[elfick]

I see the recommendation for RO150 + ETS150/3 all the time.  There is one thing the engineer in me is missing.  I understand that the 150/3 has the capability of finer finishing due to the 3mm stroke vs the 5mm stroke for the RO150 when in orbital mode.  However, can you eliminate this difference by just going one or two higher grits in your progression with the RO150?  For example instead of stopping at 220 grit with the RO150, just sand one or two more rounds with 280 and maybe 320 grits.  Would this give you the same quality finish as an ETS150/3 with 220?

I understand for the professional that time is money and if you can avoid some extra standing time that is worth the expense of purchasing the ETS150/3 in addition to an RO150.  For the hobbyist, I'm wondering if the the equation is a little different.

Thanks

From that perspective, yes, you could get away with just the RO150... There is a video on youtube of someone sanding from rough to gloss finish using only the RO150. The reason I think most people add the ETS150 is ergonomics. It is an easier sander to handle.

 

[jbasen]

I see the recommendation for RO150 + ETS150/3 all the time.  There is one thing the engineer in me is missing.  I understand that the 150/3 has the capability of finer finishing due to the 3mm stroke vs the 5mm stroke for the RO150 when in orbital mode.  However, can you eliminate this difference by just going one or two higher grits in your progression with the RO150?  For example instead of stopping at 220 grit with the RO150, just sand one or two more rounds with 280 and maybe 320 grits.  Would this give you the same quality finish as an ETS150/3 with 220?

I understand for the professional that time is money and if you can avoid some extra standing time that is worth the expense of purchasing the ETS150/3 in addition to an RO150.  For the hobbyist, I'm wondering if the the equation is a little different.

Thanks

From that perspective, yes, you could get away with just the RO150... There is a video on youtube of someone sanding from rough to gloss finish using only the RO150. The reason I think most people add the ETS150 is ergonomics. It is an easier sander to handle.

Thanks.  I completely understand the ergonomics between the 2 sanders and that makes sense.

I own the RO150, RO90 and RTS400.  I've considered adding the ETS150/3 but as a hobbyist I haven't been able to justify the expense.  Of course I have a birthday coming up so that may change  [wink]

 

[JimB1]

Does that work in reverse though, using the /3 for lower grits?

I haven't seen anyone mention the /5 to pair with the /3. I know the RO150 would cover that completely though. I guess I'm reluctant a bit to go with the RO150, as most big things I should be doing involve plywood, and I wouldn't want to be very aggressive with it. I would be more aggressive with smaller, shorter pieces like I mentioned, which is why I was thinking about getting the 90 next.

Well, like I said, if the majority of the things you are working on are ply or pretty clean S3S, S4S type stuff, I don't see a need for any Rotex. ETS150/3 works fine, even down in the lower grits occasionally (I've used it at 60 and 80 grit already when I was lazy and didn't want to deal with the Rotex beast). I still have a love/hate relationship with my RO150, a lot of the time it's just too loud and too much of a pain to bother with. On the up side you can polish your car with the Rotex if you don't find anything else to do with it

I'd probably put that money towards a DTS-400 or RTS-400 to help with corners and a hard pad for your 150 to make it easier to not round over narrow pieces.

That's just me though…
-Jim

 

[grbmds]

Unless you are trying to do a lot of intial flattening or possibly some carving with a sander, I'm not sure why you would need a Rotex sander. I think the ETS150/5 and ETS125 together work well for work where wood is flattened by a jointer and planer. Sometimes edge to edge glue joints don't come together exactly perfect and some sanding is needed (less since the Domino), but then I think other methods besides sanding will yield better results. If the board ends up wider than my planer, possible a smoothing plane or scraper would get ride of any unevenness at the glue joint. Sanding would not be my first choice.

 

[jbasen]

I specifically bought the Rotex sanders for their ability to sand and polish.  In addition to woodworking I also do some copper smithing and integrate copper elements into my A&C furniture.  I can use the Rotex mode for polishing copper and removing scratches. 

Of course I can also polish our Subaru's with it  [big grin]

Here is a small copper box I made with repousse'd gingko leaves.

 

[semenza]

I see the recommendation for RO150 + ETS150/3 all the time.  There is one thing the engineer in me is missing.  I understand that the 150/3 has the capability of finer finishing due to the 3mm stroke vs the 5mm stroke for the RO150 when in orbital mode.  However, can you eliminate this difference by just going one or two higher grits in your progression with the RO150?  For example instead of stopping at 220 grit with the RO150, just sand one or two more rounds with 280 and maybe 320 grits.  Would this give you the same quality finish as an ETS150/3 with 220?

I understand for the professional that time is money and if you can avoid some extra standing time that is worth the expense of purchasing the ETS150/3 in addition to an RO150.  For the hobbyist, I'm wondering if the the equation is a little different.

Thanks

From that perspective, yes, you could get away with just the RO150... There is a video on youtube of someone sanding from rough to gloss finish using only the RO150. The reason I think most people add the ETS150 is ergonomics. It is an easier sander to handle.

  Yup, that part in bold. It is a very well balanced and smooth running sander. I have done large areas such as table tops that are hard to reach across buy just letting the sander go on it's own and holding the vac hose to control it. I just find it much easier to work with for the final sanding passes than the Rotex style.

    The ETS150/5 is a very versatile sander. It was the first Festool sander that I bought and I still have it. For several years it was the only sander I had. But by using a good range of types and grits plus getting the hard and super soft pads it did all kinds of work.

Seth

 

[Red Devil]

Rotex 150 and ets 150 r the perfect pair.
I'm going to get the the dts 400 next to get in corners and such. Followd by an RO 90 for sculpting.

 

[AlexThePalex]

It really is surprising seeing people mention the 400 sanders. I wouldn't have thought that, especially from those who have the RO90 (I know, different stroke). I said before I didn't have much of a need to sand in corners or along different faces, but I did reconsider and I can see where I would. The RTS gets into corners pretty well? The DTS would be more if I needed to stick a nose in somewhere?

It is not just stroke size that sets the DTS apart from the 90, what matters a lot more are ergonomics and pad size. The bigger pad of the DTS compared to the RO90 makes it more suitable for larger surfaces.

The DTS is also a nicer sander than the RTS due to the size of the pad. You cover more area, and it is a lot more stable than the RTS which wants to tip to the side all time. The fact the nose has a pointy shape doesn't say anything about the area where you want to sand. The point means you can get ALSO into corners.

I don't think the RTS is that good in corners, by the way. If the corner is square you can get in there but you can't put a lot of force on it becasue there is very little wiggle room. Same story along edges. I only use the RTS when I have to sand in a recessed area where the DTS doesn't fit.

 

[reefwalker]

I'm considering the same thing. I have the ETS 105/3 and am leaning toward adding the RO 150 and the DTS 400. I figure I have all of the random orbital capabilities in the RO 150 that I'd get with the RO 90 and the DTS 400 has both a finer stroke and is less expensive than the RO 90. It also seems more ergonomic than the RO 90 and would be easier to use in tight spaces. With the ETS 150/3, RO 150, and DTS 400 trifecta am I missing anything by passing on the RO 90?

 

[sae]

I like Granat over Rubin because it seems to clog less. Caveat is, the backing paper is thinner, and you destroy the edges much faster if you're up against something hard.

 

[JimB1]

I use Rubin up to 180 and Brilliant2 or Granat above that. Just stocked up on some Rubin2 but haven't tried it yet.
-Jim

 

[Gjarman12]

I currently have the ETS 150/3 and RO 90. With prices going up in Canada (10%) and a friend just buying into festool (save another 10%), I feel like now is my best time to buy the RO150. Some future hobby jobs I have that I think the use of the RO150 are ideal for,

flattening a blowing alley floor for a bar top
flattening a kitchen table that has warped a little
maybe sanding some (4) small (10 x 10) bedroom floor to refinish
sanding finish off some door (I used my ETS for this and it was fine, so I'm not sure if the RO150 is justified for this task)

This thread had most people adding the ETS150 after the RO150, while I'm wondering if I could just use a a router sled for my first two task and finish with the ETS and eliminate the RO150 altogether.
I already found the ETS to be competent with the doors
The bedrooms can be slowly done (1 year at a time even) with my ETS (I THINK??).

Any thoughts?

 

[jbasen]

I currently have the ETS 150/3 and RO 90. With prices going up in Canada (10%) and a friend just buying into festool (save another 10%), I feel like now is my best time to buy the RO150. Some future hobby jobs I have that I think the use of the RO150 are ideal for,

flattening a blowing alley floor for a bar top
flattening a kitchen table that has warped a little
maybe sanding some (4) small (10 x 10) bedroom floor to refinish
sanding finish off some door (I used my ETS for this and it was fine, so I'm not sure if the RO150 is justified for this task)

This thread had most people adding the ETS150 after the RO150, while I'm wondering if I could just use a a router sled for my first two task and finish with the ETS and eliminate the RO150 altogether.
I already found the ETS to be competent with the doors
The bedrooms can be slowly done (1 year at a time even) with my ETS (I THINK??).

Any thoughts?

There is another thread going on right now on surfacing a slab with a router sled that may give you some good information. 

Check out:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/my-first-slab-surfacing-and-question-about-appropriate-router-bits/msg431952/#msg431952