BS75 & ETS150/3 or Rotex?

[Goerge]

G' Morning to all -

while getting ready to go down the slope picking up nice systainers, I still can't decide on two things regarding my shopping list:

Cutting cost (my wife ya know) I wondered If I could substitute a bs75 and an ETS150 with buying either rotex. Problem is, I am (was) used to a fully equipped carpentry sporting a cylinder sander. So, glueing for instance a table top meant either using the 610 mm wide thicknesser or the 950 mm wide sander....

Now I gotta downsize things - but still want to maintain the option to achieve a well sanded, even surface. My question shoul be, in short: Anyone using a Ro125 or a Ro150 to sand glued up boards? How's the result? Any chance to compare it to a belt sanded board?

*glued up boards: I don't know the correct term. You know waht I mean, using all-wood-strips to form a non warping board?

Thanks for the replys!

Goerge (sounds something like Gurga in German)

 

[Eli]

Hi Goerge
Welcome to the forum.
A lot of your questions (I posted on your other thread) have been discussed in detail in the tool reviews section. Look for the RO150 review by Matthew Schenker, and there are two or more threads about making the choice between TS55 and 75.

My opinion is for you to get a TS55 and RO150 to start with. It won't be as fast to get a flat finish as it would be with a belt sander (I'm guessing you can get one where you are), but the Rotex sanders have the broadest range of applications of all the sanders, allowing you to go from an extremely rough finish to a fine polish with one machine, very quickly.

 

[Goerge]

Hey Eli -
thanks for the reply. I'm sure there's a lot of threads on the choices, I might be a bit confused still.... (well, to be true that's my ususal state o mind...). Have you got any experience on how plane / flat / even you can get surfaces with a rotex? After all, the beltsander would come with a planing frame...

 

[Michael Kellough]

.... Have you got any experience on how plane / flat / even you can get surfaces with a rotex? After all, the beltsander would come with a planing frame...

I'd get the belt sander and frame for what you want to do, sanding flat glued up panels. A bonus is that we can't buy the Festool belt sander over here in NA.

Ideally, you'd also buy the RO 150, but with the BS you could certainly get by with the less costly less aggressive options.

Matthew, the spell checker thinks "Festool" is spelled wrong (using Safari).

 

[Eli]

Goerge-
The belt sander and frame is the best choice for flattening panels. But you want to save a bit of money, and the RO150 could be used for general finishing as well. The belt sander is a bit big for many applications, not as many uses as Rotex. Like comparing apples and pears. Oranges and Lemons?

 

[Goerge]

Thanks for the replys Guys - certainly the ro and the bs is comparing....er...festool and err..aehh?
But, don't forget: The Question is more or less, buy a cheaper orbital sander and the belt sander, adds up to like 900 Euros with all add-ons, or buy a rotex, about 600 ? all in. Is the 300 bucks worth it, or can I get flat and even sufaces from glued up panels with the rotex?
I do know from polishing cars with a borrowed ro150 (can't get it anymore, otherwise I'd simply try) that I don't trust the machine somehow.

 

[Eli]

Right sorry. Brain fart. I actually own a BS75 would you believe?!?. I'm American, but live in Australia. Sorry. Totally misread your question, because I was thinking of your other thread, a TS75. For flattening panels, the belt sander is best, no question.