Brand-new RO 90 Problems,

[Manuel_A]

Brand-new RO 90 Problems,

Hello everyone, I have an out of control RO 90. It runs for a couple a seconds and then it gets hot, and then the sander is all over the place. Meaning it goes side to side, it’s all over the place it will not sand in a straight line. I am working on a 1910 home cabinets, windows etc…   

So fare I have just used the RO 90 DX FEQ on a spare cabinet door, which has a natural finch on alder. I will not use the sander on are 1910 cabinets…

I think I need to exchange this RO 90 for a new one. What do you think???

Thank You in advance…   

 

[peter halle]

Welcome to the FOG!.  Sorry to hear about you issues.

When you say brand new problems are you saying that you had an RO 90 before and now you have additional problems, or are you saying you just got an RO-90 (new) and you are having problems?

My guess is that it is the second.  The RO-90 will get warm.  The motor is at the cord end of the tool and there is a belt that goes forward to the head.  I would suspect that the heat and the wandering is not related but rather just part of the sanding process.

What speed is your RO set to?  are you using dust extraction?  If so, is the dust extraction turned down to about one third? Two hand grip or one?  Aggressive mode or not?

Just asking questions so that others can offer input.

Just in case you haven't had a chance to check out the RO-90 videos on Festool USA's youtube channel, here is a link:  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL035497B26B9620E9

Peter

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Manuel,

Sorry that you're having issues.

In addition to Peter's comments...

Can you describe what speed the sander is set to, what grit you are using, and which mode you're sanding in (Rotex, random orbital, or delta)?

Shane

 

[Manuel_A]

Yes peter brand new as in I just perched the Ro 90 on 4/21/14. I understand the heat is most likely the brushes getting broken in. I am waiting for my new CT 26 to come in; in the mean time I pledge it into my shop vac. With it attached to the shop vac, It has the same problem and with the shop vac disconnected the RO 90 has the same problem. I have tried coarse mode with speed 5 – 6 hard pad and soft pad Granat paper 80 – 120 grit, and the random orbit mode speed 3 – 6 with the same paper.

And yes I have seen the videos that’s why I went with Festool, I have ben a builder all my life, I thought it was about time to go with the best tools, but this does not make me happy. The RO 90 is my first festool…         

 

[peter halle]

HEY,

Thank you for the answers and I think recognizing that I am not trying to bust yours balls here.  The RO-90 - in my observations - offers a lot of performance but with that performance spread over a relatively small sanding area can cause a learning curve.  I am one of those guys who spends money, gets a tool in the mail and wants to use it the next day on a paying customer's project.  That is what I bought it for?

I suspect that the heating issue is normal at this point.  The going wanky in direction in my mind might be caused by a couple of situations:  first, when using the shopvac - too much suction, and second, needing to play with it and learn what it likes when it hits a high spot or a low spot.

Neither are these are meant against you - I have read gobs of stuff here from others.

If you can work outside and wear a dust mask, ditch the shop vac.  That is sucking it down into every imperfection and just asking for the disk to get traction and send it sideways.  Then (assuming you are right handed) use your left hand to hold the sanding head down to touch the surface (gently, not push it thru the board holding) and use your right hand at the very butt end by the cord to lift like a teeter toter the tool so that the pad ends up being flat on your work.  Once you get that, then your right hand becomes the pivot point and the directional movement point.  Your left hand only deals with making sure the pad touches the surface and slides it side to side, the rear hand makes sure that the pad sits flat and moves it fore and aft.

Hope this helps.

Peter

 

[Paul G]

Manuel, a lot of people here will give me a lot of crap about mentioning this, but my RO 90 was hard to control until I heard of this and tried it



Now my RO90 is easy to control. Most folks will say you're doing something wrong, and maybe you are, and yea any new tool needs getting used to. I've foung the RO90 is much more sensative to suction level as compared to my RIGID sanders. But maybe your sander will benefit from the highly controversial break in like mine did and others here have attested. I was a skeptic until I tried it. Sucks it came to trying that but the RO90 was worth the effort, it's an extremely versatile tool especially combined with a CT vac.

Let the parade of naysayers begin their berating once again... I know, it's all in my head, I should see a shrink, it's bogus advice, Festools are all perfect, the only thing possibly wrong is the user, etc...heard it all before.

 

[peter halle]

Paul,  you and I are in a group that believes that sometimes a sander needs to be broken in  [big grin]. Part of that process and reasoning is that the brushes need to be shaped, and until then you will not experience full power.

Peter

 

[bkharman]

No naysaying here. I didn't do the break in but I did spend a lot of time playing with sander speed and vac speed.

I think peter hit it on the head that your problem might be connected to the shop vac. Too much suction will make it a two headed hydra.

Try it without suction and see if it behaves differently.

 

[peter halle]

I just reread his post, he did try it both with and without the shopvac.

Peter

 

[bkharman]

Thanks Peter, I didn't see that the first time I read the thread.

Miguel, let us know how you fare with this situation.

 

[Scott B.]

Manuel

I am a big fan of the RO90. I cannot live without it.

That said, it is about my 5th choice for cabinet grade sanding out of all the Festool sanders. That is not one of the disciplines in which it excels. It kicks  in many areas, cabinet grade is not one. (More of my opinions on it here: http://topcoatreview.com/2013/01/festool-ro90/).

However, you should still be able to at least get a reasonable experience with such a good tool, even performing outside of its wheelhouse.

One thing that is really important to understand is that Festool tools are designed to work optimally as part of a system, which for the sanders includes the extractor (without doubt, the heart and soul of the system, and MOST critical variable), and the abrasive that you choose is also a critical component.

From there, it is a combination of settings to fit the variables of the particular sanding task you engage in.

This is an older video I put together during the first year or two of testing these sanders, abrasives and extractors.

It is not specific to the RO90, but does have some helpful tips on understanding the system and how to get the best results with it.

The sander shown in the footage is one of my top two cabinet grade sanders. One thing I find is that the sound of the tool is one of the ways that I can tell how happy it is. The sound of it both on and off the surface.

One of these days I want to put together a video specific to the RO90 and how to work best with it. Because it has 3 modes, mixed with the other critical variables mentioned in the vid, it is truly a multiple personality tool, with so many strengths. But keep in mind that it is a generalist, and that Festool has other options that are specialists in fewer disciplines but at higher levels. (My opinion).

 

[Manuel_A]

Manuel, a lot of people here will give me a lot of crap about mentioning this, but my RO 90 was hard to control until I heard of this and tried it



Now my RO90 is easy to control. Most folks will say you're doing something wrong, and maybe you are, and yea any new tool needs getting used to. I've foung the RO90 is much more sensative to suction level as compared to my RIGID sanders. But maybe your sander will benefit from the highly controversial break in like mine did and others here have attested. I was a skeptic until I tried it. Sucks it came to trying that but the RO90 was worth the effort, it's an extremely versatile tool especially combined with a CT vac.

Let the parade of naysayers begin their berating once again... I know, it's all in my head, I should see a shrink, it's bogus advice, Festools are all perfect, the only thing possibly wrong is the user, etc...heard it all before.

Hi Paul and Peter,

I was thinking of doing this, I have read something about this but I could not remember what website I read this. Thank you Paul, I will do this tomorrow what about delta mode….

Thank You,   

 

[Manuel_A]

Manuel

I am a big fan of the RO90. I cannot live without it.

That said, it is about my 5th choice for cabinet grade sanding out of all the Festool sanders. That is not one of the disciplines in which it excels. It kicks  in many areas, cabinet grade is not one. (More of my opinions on it here: http://topcoatreview.com/2013/01/festool-ro90/).

However, you should still be able to at least get a reasonable experience with such a good tool, even performing outside of its wheelhouse.

One thing that is really important to understand is that Festool tools are designed to work optimally as part of a system, which for the sanders includes the extractor (without doubt, the heart and soul of the system, and MOST critical variable), and the abrasive that you choose is also a critical component.

From there, it is a combination of settings to fit the variables of the particular sanding task you engage in.

This is an older video I put together during the first year or two of testing these sanders, abrasives and extractors.

It is not specific to the RO90, but does have some helpful tips on understanding the system and how to get the best results with it.

The sander shown in the footage is one of my top two cabinet grade sanders. One thing I find is that the sound of the tool is one of the ways that I can tell how happy it is. The sound of it both on and off the surface.

One of these days I want to put together a video specific to the RO90 and how to work best with it. Because it has 3 modes, mixed with the other critical variables mentioned in the vid, it is truly a multiple personality tool, with so many strengths. But keep in mind that it is a generalist, and that Festool has other options that are specialists in fewer disciplines but at higher levels. (My opinion).

Thank You Scott,

I will be reading that tonight…

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Hi Paul and Peter,

I was thinking of doing this, I have read something about this but I could not remember what website I read this. Thank you Paul, I will do this tomorrow what about delta mode….

Thank You,   

Before you put needless wear on your brand new tool, please understand that this break-in period is a myth. There are no components on the sander that need break-in or would even be benefited by accelerated wear--which is all this is doing.

When challenged to come up with a component that this break-in period is supposed to impact, the only component the proponents could come up with it the motor brushes. However, this quickly fails the sniff-test when you realize this is a variable speed motor and they also suggest running below maximum speed.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I agree with Scott, the RO 90 is a very fine sander but for cabinet grade work I'd go for another sander like the DTS/RTS 400 or ETS 125.

The RO 90 is a beast, a lot of power in a small package. You need to tame it before is does exactly what you want.

 

[tiralie]

I agree with Scott, the RO 90 is a very fine sander but for cabinet grade work I'd go for another sander like the DTS/RTS 400 or ETS 125.

The RO 90 is a beast, a lot of power in a small package. You need to tame it before is does exactly what you want.

Also agreed.
Most folks don't need the power of an RO sander. Don't be fooled by the RO 90's "cute" form factor that machine can take off a lot of material fast.
The DTS/RTS 400 are great cabinet sanders, are much easier to handle in tight spaces and as Scott points out in his video can do a lot of work with the right grit-vacuum settings.
Tim