$500 to spend - best choice?

[Pete Pedisich]

Hi, I have a couple of projects coming up and $500 to spend on productivity enhancers.
my thoughts are this:

1) TS55 to replace my ATF55. My ATF works fine, is the dust collection better on the TS? Is it worth it to upgrade?
2) Parallel guides to break down plywood. (projects involve cabinets)
3) T12 or T15 +3 to replace Panasonic 12v drill and pana 12v impact. This one is questionable.
4) CT Midi, as my CT22 is tied up with the boom arm.
5) ETS 150/3 to replace a Makita 5" ROS.
6) OF1010. Not needed, but looks awesome.
7) 118" guide rail. Have 2-55" already, bump issue not a big deal.
8) Earlex 5000 HVLP sprayer.

What do you think? Any better ideas?

 

[Joe Jensen]

IMHO the 150/3 is THE go-to sander.  I use my 90% of the time.  Dust collection is shockingly good.

I just bought the T15+3, super nice drill, but it's big bucks.

I personally spend more time sanding projects than with any other power tool. 

 

[mat]

Given your comments the standout buy would have to be the sander.

 

[fshanno]

The parallel guides are $325 and the 150/3 is $285.  Are you sure you can't add $110 to that $500?

 

[tbellemare]

The ETS 150/3 has about 50% more area than that Makita so you're saving a lot of time (time=money).

With the money you save, you could probably soon afford the parallel guides. They are a cabinet maker's best friend and especially if you ever make them on site.

Tom

 

[nickao]

500.00 gets you a Rotex, the 150/3 is great, but I find I can not use not unless the wood is fairly smooth to begin with. The Rotex you can take down the roughest woods down smooth. I use the 150/3 after the Rotex if I need a super, super fine surface, which is not needed for cabinets at all.

So for 500.00 I say get the Rotex sander. It is their best sander.

 

[wnagle]

I bought my earlex to see if I could do spraying in my shop...kinda testing the waters... Now I'm now going to upgrade to an appllo...  Can't do that with 500.00. 

I love my est 150... best sander I've ever used.  My go to sander.  My first festool  was the six inch rotex.  I use the ets 150 now 95% of the time. 

I'd get the ETS 50 and a supply of paper and the hard and soft pad with some felt and sheepskin pads.

My Festool rep told me to start with the Rotex as the sander to have if I only had one.  Then I got the ETS 150 and Only use the Rotex if something needs a lot of flattening.  Most of what I do goes through the drum sander first so my ETS 150 remains my go to sander.  Depends how you work.  If you do a lot of rough wood by hand, start with the Rotex.  If your working with sheet goods and most work is relatively resurfaced, I'd start with the ETS 150.  Eventually you'r have both.

 

[Joe Jensen]

I bought my earlex to see if I could do spraying in my shop...kinda testing the waters... Now I'm now going to upgrade to an appllo...  Can't do that with 500.00. 

I love my est 150... best sander I've ever used.  My go to sander.  My first festool  was the six inch rotex.  I use the ets 150 now 95% of the time. 

I'd get the ETS 50 and a supply of paper and the hard and soft pad with some felt and sheepskin pads.

My Festool rep told me to start with the Rotex as the sander to have if I only had one.  Then I got the ETS 150 and Only use the Rotex if something needs a lot of flattening.  Most of what I do goes through the drum sander first so my ETS 150 remains my go to sander.  Depends how you work.  If you do a lot of rough wood by hand, start with the Rotex.  If your working with sheet goods and most work is relatively resurfaced, I'd start with the ETS 150.  Eventually you'r have both.

I'm similar to you.  Based on recommendations I bought the RO150 first.  Great sander and it an remove tons of stock fast, but what a handful to use.  Definitely a 2 handed machine in random orbit mode, and a HOLD ON TIGHT sander in rotary mode.  I was so impresed with the RO150 and since I already had all the 6" discs, I bought the 150/3.  Now its' my primary sander and I only use the RO150 when I need to remove a lot of stock.

 

[tbellemare]

I found the Rotex 150 to be quite gentle in RO mode but not in gear-driven, stock removal mode. In RO mode, I hold it at the end by the hose connection with one hand to relieve the tipping tendency that the weight of the hose and cord cause. With it neutralized, the sander floats quite tamely. If it is allowed to tip because of the weight of the hose and cord, it will naturally want to grab and jump around.

There's a new handle for the front that is supposed to be useful while using it to polish. I haven't tried it yet but have some due to arrive on Monday. I think polishing works best in gear-driven mode with the speed turned way down.

Tom

 

[rwdawson]

From your web site, it's not clear if the Ausiliary Front Handle for the Festool Rotex 150 is available in the United States, or just in Australia ;D

 

[tbellemare]

Thanks for pointing that out...

Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

@Pete

I would follow nickao's line of thought and advice a Rotex. Seems you're well set for the most so when it comes to that little extra, the Rotex can provide it. A CT Midi could also come in very handy. It's maneuverability will come in handy a lot of times and safe you time over rolling out the CT 22. 

Spray painting can also be VERY handy for the woodworker. If you don't have a system yet I'd advice you that over any Festools. Being able to spray paint adds a lot of functionality to your shop. But, as a former professional car/industry/furniture spray painter I'd advice you not to go for a HVLP but get yourself a real air compressor and a Devilbiss spray gun. It costs a little more initially, but you'll earn it back over time and it will safe you A LOT of frustrations. The combination works MUCH better than HVLP units.

@Tom

. I think polishing works best in gear-driven mode with the speed turned way down.

You should always polish in pure rotary mode, NEVER in eccentric mode. Eccentric mode can build up too much heat and destroy the paint job by creating holograms and blisters. But you can leave the speed on full when polishing in rotary mode. It's only 660 rpm. Festool's 150 mm polisher has an rpm from 900-2500. At my fathers body shop we had a dedicated air pressure polisher of 220 mm with a fixed speed of 1200 rpm.

 

[Pete Pedisich]

Thanks for your input, guys.

My first choice was going to be an ETS 150/3, as I like my RS2e so much.
I'm now going to take a second look at the Rotex 150.

My second thought was to sell my ATF55 to get the spring loaded riving knife, tool free rail adj., and easier blade change.
I think I paid about $350 for my ATF55 about 3-4 years ago, is this possible?

Any idea what I may get for it now, if I sold it here?

-Pete

 

[justinmcf]

hi pete, in regards to selling your atf 55 saw....  i sold my 9 year old atf 55 with 2 rails and joiner bar for AU$810.  i originally paid AU$800. i dont think you will have any dramas selling your old kit for a good price mate!

btw, the ts 55 is a great saw, completely different from the atf 55. every problem i ever had with the atf 55 has been rectified with the new version. blade changing, spring loaded riving knife, depth adjustment, dust collection is the same, as i always use an extractor.
trust me, you wont regret the upgrade!

as far as your list goes, just do what i did, dont work to a budget, just buy what you need as you need it, then you can have everything on your list over a long period of time, rather than limiting yourself to $500. it has taken me 10 years to collect the festools i have now.

regards, justin.

 

[JayStPeter]

ETS and big rail.

 

[Pete Pedisich]

Hi, I decided to go for two things:
1) An upgrade to the TS55, since I use the saw the most. And then I'll put my ATF55 up for sale.
2) With the money I get from the ATF55, I'll purchase the ETS 150/3.

Thanks again for the input, It helped me realize that the ETS is better for me than the Rotex.

-Pete

 

[hs]

I would think that the ets has less vibration and is easier on the hands than  the rotex,
mainly due to the motor being placed more balanced diirectly above the and the "vibrastop" technology.

Personally I do alot of sanding between coats of lacquer, I use a sander similar to the ets, the metabo duo, I also use antivibration gloves with gel as a buffer against vibration.

edit...saw that you made your choice