Anyone with a RS2E, I need HELP, or it's going back!

[mitch dugo]

Hey underused, I think that the 150/3 is the best ROS out there! I also have the 150/5 and the DTS400 and like them both.  The 150/5 was bought for the more aggressive stroke when I mess up on a finish or want to have faster stock removal. The RS2E might be one that you will just love, don't give up yet.

 

[Jack Young]

All -

This is my first post on this FOG forum, and I have found this thread very interesting. Let me add a couple of things.

As to the length of time one spends sanding with any one grit, Teri Masachi, the finishing guru, says to make a light, wavy pencil line on the board and sand with each grit until the line disappears. I have tried it and find it improved my sanding immediately.

Second, I worked for a while as a part-timer at a nearby Woodcraft during the last couple of years, and encountered many repeat customers who were main-line cabinet makers in the D.C. Beltway and who had their businesses transformed by moving to Festool equipment. I asked five of them, at least, what was their favorite power tool of any brand and of any type they have ever owned, and three of them said it was the 150/3, and said it quickly, no hesitation. That's come to be true for me, also. Given that press, and from what has been said by many on this thread, if one had to pick a single finish sander, the 150/3 might just be the one.

Haven't felt a need for the RS2E, but do have the 400 and a Duplex, and find both very effective and without problems. I agree that the Duplex oughtn't be advertised as a finish sander, though I think it works, even for that, as well as most 6" RO sanders I've ever used, if not better. It's a demon with Cristal paper on old finishes, though.

Jack

 

[Forrest Anderson]

For those with problems with swirl marks, Festool have a two-page article entitled "Swirl Marks on Sanded Work ? Why are they there?" athttp://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/swirl_marks_tips.pdf which might be of interest.

There's also a detailed brochure about Festool abrasives athttp://www.festoolusa.com/supplyimages/Abrasives_brochure.pdf which shows which abrasive (Rubin, Saphir, Brilliant etc) is recommended for each type of application, and technical details about each abrasive. For example, Saphir is described as:

Grit: aluminum oxide
Bonding: synthetic resin
Backing: Fabric reinforced
Grit range: P24 - P120
Grit coating: semi-closed coated
Bonding level: closed leveled

Thirdly, don't forget to read Jerry Work's excellent supplementary manual "Getting the Most from Festool Sanders" athttp://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/Getting_the_most_from_Festool_sanders.pdf

Forrest

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Underused I don't think you can go that far. These Festools have a learning curve. I do think Festool makes a mistake telling people the RO can be used as a finish sander. I think the learning curve is more difficult with the RS2. You may be better off with an ETS 150/5 or 150/3.

I really sand a lot and since using the Festool sanders my speed has increased significantly. I don't get all the excessive swirls.

Could a batch of these sanders be lemons? Several people say the RS2 glides smooth as can be, others can't stand it and get excessive swirls. I hear the same about the RO. How can some people get super finish and others take it back because of swirling. It can only be technique or the sander.

Any thoughts?

OR VARIATIONS IN THE GRIT SIZE AND GRIT SIZE (PARTICLE SIZE) DISTRIBUTION in the abrasive sheets being tried on the RS2 and the other sanders used in any comparison.

I don't own an RS2 since I already have two half-sheet pad sanders and one of them is convertible between orbital and in-line motion simply by flipping a lever.  But I recently compared Festool's RTS 400 (rectangular pad orbital action)and ETS 125 (disk with RO action) on the same piece of poplar at a Festool dealer, with assistance by a Festool-trained factory rep.  We intentionally marked the wood with graphite pencil and with permanent marker, and then sanded away the marks using 10- through 150 grit abrasives.  I came to the dealer predisposed to buy the RTS 400, but ended up taking the ETS 125 home.  It was noticeably smoother, faster, and quieter in operation for me.  You might also consider final finish sanding with an LS 130 which has only a back-and-forth lineal sanding action, essentially enabling duplicating careful hand sanding with the grain.

Dave R.

 

[Steveo48]

Any of you RS2E owners:

In your experience, does the break-in period apply to the RS2E as it does to some of the smaller sanders?  That is, "give it 10 hours run-in, and it'll smooth out"?

Ned

Wow, I never experienced that with my ets 125.  I ran great right out of the box.

Steve

 

[Steveo48]

Thanks everyone for your take on the RS2E. I've decided that it was just not the tool for me. As far as using it for flattening wide glue ups, I just completed a cherry counter top (102"X28") with the ETS150/5 and it is as flat as can be. I've been using ROS's for the last 16 years and have become too familiar with them to change now. The prior 10 years, the only sanding I did was by hand, other than a belt sander for glue ups.

Oh, dude, with out a doubt thats the sander to use.  I've done endgrain cutting boards, cutting tops and countertops (want to do my bar that way someday, maple, cherry, walnut  and purpleheart) and those 150mm  ROS's are the way to go it you don't have a planner or drum sander.

Mitch, thanks for starting this thread too.  I've learned A LOT about festool sanders in the last 10 minutes.  I was considering getting a 1/2 sheet sander.  now I'm thinking otherwise.

 

[nickao]

I use the 1/2 sheet everyday, its smooth and it rocks. So try it for 29 days then return it. I bet there are a bunch of guys on this forum that love it. I do!

Nickao

 

[Joe Jensen]

Just to be clear.  I too love the RS2E.  I have zero issues with it.  Festool has the one month risk free trial, take advantage of it.  IMHO if you want a glass flat table top, you have to use a 1/2 sheet sander or something larger like a stroke sander.  And, mine is super smooth...joe

 

[polarsea1]

I have an RS2E also and think it does have a learning curve. My technique is, with each grit, to start at the highest speed and ramp down until it begins to grab, then I raise the speed until it smooths out again. That seems to be the 'sweet spot'.

 

[John Stevens]

So try it for 29 days then return it.

Sounds good, except I did that with the VS600:  fiddled with it for nearly a month, then returned it...for problems that could have been solved, it turned out.  It was a losing transaction for both sides, and I don't want to repeat that.

Apparently, there's a learning curve with the RS2E, in the sense that it's not used like a random orbital sander.  Many thanks to those who have shared their techniques.  It would still be nice for Festool's USA web site to post a short article on how to use the RS2E and their other orbital sanders, similar to Niall Barrett's article on how to use the ETS sanders.

Regards,

John

 

[nickao]

So try it for 29 days then return it.

Sounds good, except I did that with the VS600:  fiddled with it for nearly a month, then returned it...for problems that could have been solved, it turned out.  It was a losing transaction for both sides, and I don't want to repeat that.

Apparently, there's a learning curve with the RS2E, in the sense that it's not used like a random orbital sander.  Many thanks to those who have shared their techniques.  It would still be nice for Festool's USA web site to post a short article on how to use the RS2E and their other orbital sanders, similar to Niall Barrett's article on how to use the ETS sanders.

Regards,

John

I did read a nice tutorial for the RS2 somewhere on the net. If I find it i will post it.

I don't see how it was a losing proposition on both sides. Festool loses nothing at all, they bury this 30 day Guarantee into the cost of doing business. I guess you may have lost your time and possibly return shipping. To me playing with a tool for 30 days, finding out you don't like it and getting your money back is not a losing proposition. I still think your RS2 was defective in some way. Mine runs so smooth, I just don't get it.

But good luck with what ever works for you. Festool does have a nice selection of sanders so everyone should be able to find something that is right for them and take advantage of their excellent dust collection.

As long as you are making sawdust it doesn't matter what sander you use,  having fun and enjoying the process is the most important thing!

Nickao