A piece of Clear White Pine is kicking my butt

[1951CorrectCraft]

Greetings,
I was hoping my first significant post would be the home improvement project I am ever closer to completing, but alas no.
I have been using my RO 150 for about a year now, I had really thought I picked up the skills to use it. I sanded to finish about 1200 board feet of 4/4 African Mahogany with nary an issue.

I need to match some pine window trim with a new apron. Picked up a piece of 1X6X8' CWP at my longtime lumber yard. Pretty flat no appreciable cupping. Started sanding in Rotex mode with 120 grit Rubin2.  I was getting sweep marks. Switched to Random Orbit, getting pigtails. Surface jointed the face and started over with 180 Rubin2 same result. CT is set at about a third. I have refaced and sanded this piece of wood so much over the last three days  that is now approaching a 1/2" and I will need to pick up another piece. I even did 220 Brilliant in Rotex with smaller sweep marks. I  am real close to driving the 45 minutes to pick up an ETS150/3.
I really can't go much finer than 180 otherwise I am burnishing too much and the stain match is terrible.

So what do you think? I have completely lost the knack? There is something mechanically amiss  with the RO? CWP is the only species of wood that Festool cannot be use on? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Marvin

 

[semenza]

Have you checked the abrasive for residue build up from the pine? 

Seth

 

[truck90278]

I did not notice any reference to the use of dust extraction.  Assuming you are using dust extraction, I would recommend turning down the vacuum to about 1/3rd - assuming you are running it at full power.

 

[carlb40]

I did not notice any reference to the use of dust extraction.  Assuming you are using dust extraction, I would recommend turning down the vacuum to about 1/3rd - assuming you are running it at full power.

2nd paragraph 3rd line.  [wink]

 

[1951CorrectCraft]

Have you checked the abrasive for residue build up from the pine? 

Seth

That was one of my first thoughts, I was switching paper. Just for jollies, I grab a piece of the African Mahagony and took to a swirl free a swirl free finish. So I grabbed a long board and "faired" the pine out and stained it. I did drive in an picked up an ETS 150/3, just because.  So it appears the correct answer is that Festool equipment shouldn't be used on CWP.  ;D thanks for the responses.

 

[JCLP]

Have you checked the abrasive for residue build up from the pine? 

Seth

That was one of my first thoughts, I was switching paper. Just for jollies, I grab a piece of the African Mahagony and took to a swirl free a swirl free finish. So I grabbed a long board and "faired" the pine out and stained it. I did drive in an picked up an ETS 150/3, just because.  So it appears the correct answer is that Festool equipment shouldn't be used on CWP.  ;D thanks for the responses.

I have use the ets125 and the dts400 for a few years now on may types of wood including CWP and have had excellent results. I have stopped using rubin paper and gone exclusively with granat paper. Will never go to anything else. Paper is second to none. I have contemplated buying the rotex but have not purchased one yet due to many comments on how aggressive the sander is, even in random orbit mode. I think I will invest in t he ets150/3 so I can do large surfaces quicker.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I have the Festool RS 300 EQ,NAINA  it is an orbital sander with 93x178mm pad, it is built like a tank, and not being RO won't be leaving me swirls or pigtails on any surface, I think if I still find it lacking I'll go with the new lowprofile ETS EC 150/3 fiinish sander.

 

[Worm Drive]

It seems that the softer the wood, the harder it is to get a good finsh sanding with a r.o. sander. Try these things. Clamp the wood down, when possible. Start sanding with the finest grit possible. Wipe or vacuum off the work piece between grits. Whatever grit you finish power sanding with, do a final hand sanding with the same grit.

 

[roblg3]

How I choose my "aggression" setting.
1 Am I leveling? yes Rotex.
2 is this surface prep? yes Random orbit
There's really no reason to go rotex if you are doing surface prep only.  It's just making swirl marks for no reason.  "We" sand wood to flatten and smooth it.  Flattening is the first step.  That is rotex.  the rest is just sanding out the swirl marks from the previous grit.