Difference between RAS 115 and 115.04

[Pola0502ds]

My dealer is having a sale for the RAS for $150 so i picked it up.  With all the excitement of being around a ton of different festools i didn’t realize its the old version, the 115.  I assumed it was the 115.04.  Whats the difference.  The only thing i can see is that the 115.04 has less accessories.  I was hoping to use this RAS with fiber discs, metal brushes, etc, but i don’t see any of the attachment accessories in the catalog anymore.  Just a hard and soft pad. 

 

[Cheese]

Here's a screen shot of the RAS accessories starting with item #8. Some are pretty difficult to find as no one stocks all of them. I've had to order from Amazon, ACME, Tool Nut and Tools for Working Wood just to get the accessories I need.

[attachimg=1]

 

[AlexThePalex]

Ekat tells me there has been sold only one RAS in the USA, the 115.04, so I shouldn't worry about accessories fitting or not, they all fit.

In Europe there have been a RAS 115.04 and a RAS 115.08. I have never seen a 115.08, only the 115.04. Years ago I have tried to find out the difference between them, but to no avail. Probably only a minute difference inside, on the outside they're probably the same.

 

[Pola0502ds]

Thanks guys

 

[Alanbach]

Mine does not show the .04 suffix. It was manufactured in 2016 although I just bought it a few months ago. All of the accessories in the list Cheese posted should fit. You should be able to find the soft and hard sanding pads as well as the fiber fix pad for fiber discs. You can even find the metal bristles as well as the plastic ones for the dust control. What you do not appear to be able to buy here are the circular brush or the cup brushes as well as the spark trap as Festool apparently made this NAINA a few years back. Do you have a trip to Europe in your future.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - I am curious, what accessories did you buy for yours? So far, I have received the soft and hard pad and I’m probably about to order a fiber fix pad. I also have four different grits. I also ordered the insert for a Sys I for this sandpaper because the Systainer with insert is apparently no longer made. Festool USA will sell the insert as a part. If you need the correct part number let me know.

 

[Pola0502ds]

So are you saying i can’t use off the shelf wire brushes and such? I would have to find a festool wire brush?

 

[Cheese]

Mine does not show the .04 suffix. It was manufactured in 2016 although I just bought it a few months ago.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - I am curious, what accessories did you buy for yours? So far, I have received the soft and hard pad and I’m probably about to order a fiber fix pad. I also have four different grits. I also ordered the insert for a Sys I for this sandpaper because the Systainer with insert is apparently no longer made. Festool USA will sell the insert as a part. If you need the correct part number let me know.

Ya [member=66185]Alanbach[/member] my RAS was also purchased new from Woodcraft in August. It was also manufactured in December 2016.

Unfortunately, the local Woodcraft store doesn't stock most of the options available for the RAS.

However, I'm fortunate to have ACME as another local supplier so I took a quick trip over and discussed the RAS situation with them in person. They stated that obtaining RAS accessories from Festool was a hit or miss situation. Some items had been backordered for months and while some arrived, others did not. Because ACME is as large as they are...I took this as a note of warning that I should "make hay while the sun shines."

Thus, i decided to expand my search for various items before all of them became unobtainable. 

So to your question  [smile]  I've purchased hard & soft pads, the fibre fix pad & nut, extra plastic bristles and metal bristles.

Saphir discs in 24, 36 and 50 grits.

Vlies in 100 and 180 grits.

Rubin 2 in 80, 120 and 180 grits.

I work a lot with both metal and wood so I wanted an inclusive array of options for the RAS.

The Saphir for finish removal on both metal & wood.

The Vlies for surface conditioning on metal.

The Rubin 2 for surfacing on both metal and wood.

I'm not that concerned about the wire wheel brushes as both Pferd and Weiler offer them in various configurations.

I forgot to add that I also purchased the Systainer abrasive insert for the RAS, 700831. I like it a lot but I am surprised at its price...$27.36.  It's tough to get young Festool afficiandos to sign up for a ride on the Festool bus when they charge that kind of money for a $2 Systainer insert.

I've been involved in injection molded components for years and this is truly an item that costs less than $2. Throw in QA, packaging and a reasonable profit margin and you're still at the sub $12 level. I was quite shocked at the cost but (shrug) it is what it is...Festool has you by the gonads and we all like that feeling... [big grin]

 

[Pola0502ds]

Thats been my grip with festool from day one.  You wanna charge an arm and a leg for a tool,
Fine.  It lasts for ever, works every time i need it, has so many functions.  But the price of the accessories, why man? Why?  Its almost a insult.  “But festool uses better materials”.  Comes on man, your example above, $26 for a systainer insert? Come on.  You know the higher ups at festool are rich as hell.

$270 for the vac sys ad mft3, its sheet metal with a tad of complexity to it.  $65 for a spray gun hook for you workcenter wrc 1000, $90 for a hold down clamp on the kapex.  Lighten up on us would ya.  I honestly think the accessories are priced that way just so they can keep the image they have. 

 

[Alanbach]

[member=71646]Pola0502ds[/member] - I did not mean to imply that you cannot use wire cup brushes made by other companies. I actually don’t know but judging from something that [member=44099]Cheese[/member] said in his response leads me to believe that you can. I just meant that my research led me to some information that said the wire cup brushes, the circular brush and the spark trap were now NAINA. If you are not familiar, that stands for Not Available In North America. It is something that Festool does do with some of their products, accessories and parts from time to time. I was looking at the chart of part numbers that Cheese had posted and was not talking about anything beyond that list. I hope that clarifies.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - Thank you for the detailed feedback! I have purchased a hard and soft pad and I have Saphir in 24 and 50 and Rubin 2 in 80 and 120. I will pick up the Fiber fix pad and nut and wrench. Additionally you know that one open slot in the abrasives Systainer will make me crazy until I fill it. As I look at your choices, I think that I am comfortable with skipping the 36 grit. I am a little intrigued by why you went up to 180. Clearly you want to go to paint ready with the RAS without having to switch to one of your other sanders for finish??? Help me fill that last slot with a good decision. You know I have to!

 

[Cheese]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - Thank you for the detailed feedback! I have purchased a hard and soft pad and I have Saphir in 24 and 50 and Rubin 2 in 80 and 120. I will pick up the Fiber fix pad and nut and wrench. Additionally you know that one open slot in the abrasives Systainer will make me crazy until I fill it. As I look at your choices, I think that I am comfortable with skipping the 36 grit. I am a little intrigued by why you went up to 180. Clearly you want to go to paint ready with the RAS without having to switch to one of your other sanders for finish??? Help me fill that last slot with a good decision. You know I have to!

You bring up a good point Alan...because I need to work with both wood and metal, I thought the 180 grit may work well in producing a nice smooth surface with metal. Obviously for wood I could just change sanders and grits. However I’m thinking about smoothing/blending areas with the 180 grit on metals. If I can basically lay down the surface finish I need, then I can also massage that surface into the texture I want. Just a thought.

The metal working aspect was the driver for purchasing Vlies.

 

[Alanbach]

Fair enough but now I have to figure it out on my own.