Drywall Sanding

[mperata]

Happy Thanksgiving. [smile] My first post.

I am doing some minor remodeling this weekend and need to tape off new to old drywall. Has anyone used either a ETS 150/3 or RS 400 (I have both) on drywall? If so, what grit paper did you use or did you use drywall sanding sheets?

 

[Bob Marino]

Take a look at this thread as a start.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=7929.0

Bob

 

[Brice Burrell]

Happy Thanksgiving. [smile] My first post.

I am doing some minor remodeling this weekend and need to tape off new to old drywall. Has anyone used either a ETS 150/3 or RS 400 (I have both) on drywall? If so, what grit paper did you use or did you use drywall sanding sheets?

Welcome to the forum mperata. We've talked about this in the past, give me a few and I'll track down some links to past threads on this subject.

OK, Bob beat me to it.

 

[mperata]

Thanks for the quick reply and link. I apologize for not doing a site search first.

Anyone want to buy four Porter Cable sanders? [wink]

 

[Dan Clermont]

I could be wrong here but I believe sanding drywall mud with a Rotex may void the warranty.

I have personally sanded mud with a Rotex on a low speed ( I suck when it comes to mudding) and it did not cause any issues but if a contractor decided to purchase a Rotex for this purpose I do think the warranty would be voided.

Dan Clermont

 

[AlexThePalex]

Happy Thanksgiving. [smile] My first post.

I am doing some minor remodeling this weekend and need to tape off new to old drywall. Has anyone used either a ETS 150/3 or RS 400 (I have both) on drywall? If so, what grit paper did you use or did you use drywall sanding sheets?

Welcome to the forum mperata. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. The link provided above should give you enough information. Long story short, a RS400 with grit 120 will most certainly do fine, I know that from my own experience. The ETS will also probably be fine. 

I could be wrong here but I believe sanding drywall mud with a Rotex may void the warranty.

I have personally sanded mud with a Rotex on a low speed ( I suck when it comes to mudding) and it did not cause any issues but if a contractor decided to purchase a Rotex for this purpose I do think the warranty would be voided.

As much as I'd hate to go into a Festool dealer's idea about this, I seriously doubt it.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I could be wrong here but I believe sanding drywall mud with a Rotex may void the warranty.

If that's the case, Festool need to warn users that the "Intended Use" of the machine does not include "drywall mud". (In the UK we don't use either term - drywall seems to be usually called plasterboard or wallboard or Gyproc, and joint filler is used to fill gaps and holes.

At the moment, the USA instruction manual for the RO150 and the manual for the Rest of the World states:

Intended use:
The sanders are designed for sanding and
polishing wood, plastic, metal, composite
materials, paint/varnish, filler and similar
materials.
Do not use with materials containing asbestos.
The tools must not be used when wet or
damp, or operated in a damp environment,
for electrical safety reasons. Use this sander
only for dry sanding.
The user bears sole responsibility
for any damage or accidents resulting from
incorrect use.

A table is then shown, giving the recommended settings for various materials, including "filler":

[attachimg=1]

To my mind, drywall mud is classed as filler, as it is used to fill the cracks and screwholes in the drywall.

It therefore looks as though the Rotex can be safely used to sand drywall mud. Perhaps Shane would like to comment?

Forrest

 

[AlexThePalex]

A table is then shown, giving the recommended settings for various materials, including "filler":

......

To my mind, drywall mud is classed as filler, as it is used to fill the cracks and screwholes in the drywall.

Forrest, I don't think that they meant the filler in that table to be drywall mud. Maybe you do things differently in England, but I never heard of anybody putting drywall mud on their cars.  [laughing]

But if Festool would void the warranty when sanding drywall mud, I think they are required to state that expressively. The table you provided above Forrest, is merely a recommendation, and has no legal purposes.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

Forrest, I don't think that they meant the filler in that table to be drywall mud.

OK - I've just noticed the picture of the car!   [embarassed]

However, since the "Intended use" paragraph says "The sanders are designed for sanding and polishing wood, plastic, metal, composite materials, paint/varnish, filler and similar materials.", I don't see how Festool could exclude plasterboard joint filler...

[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2]

Hmm - let me try another angle that cuts out translation differences...

The German version of the manual says:

BestimmungsgemaBe Verwendung
Die Maschine ist bestimmungsgemaB vorgesehen
zum Schleifen und Polieren von Holz, Kunststoff,
Metall, Verbundwerkstoffen, Farbe/Lacke, Spachtelmasse
und ahnlichen Werkstoffen.

Here, Festool say that the machine can be used for "Spachtelmasse".

And here is a picture of Spachtelmasse (it's printed on the packet):

I don't think the manufacturers intended people to use that on a car!

Forrest

 

[AlexThePalex]

However, since the "Intended use" paragraph says "The sanders are designed for sanding and polishing wood, plastic, metal, composite materials, paint/varnish, filler and similar materials.", I don't see how Festool could exclude plasterboard joint filler...

I don't think they expressively exclude it.

Here, Festool say that the machine can be used for "Spachtelmasse".

And here is a picture of Spachtelmasse (it's printed on the packet):

I don't think the manufacturers intended people to use that on a car!

That doesn't say anything in particular Forrest. Spachtelmasse is just a general word. The same as filler in English. Just like in English, also in German it could mean filler for wood, metal or drywall.

From what I've read over time about Festool's sanders is that they tend to shy away from mentioning drywall, except when they talk about the Planex. But simply not mentioning it doesn't mean the warranty is all of a sudden void if you do use it for drywall.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Using our sanders for drywall sanding will not void the warranty.

 

[ericbuggeln]

I use a crummy Ridgid shop vac attached with an adapter and it works great.  Doesn't fill up bags or wear on your festool vac.

 

[Frank-Jan]

It's also specifically mentioned in the intended purposes for the rotex. For instance in the Interactive product tour: link (if you go to rotex 150 , mouse over "rotex details" >painter applications>sanding plaster)

 

[Brice Burrell]

Using our sanders for drywall sanding will not void the warranty.

Thanks Shane for chiming in here. What about the CT vac?

 

[richard.selwyn]

As I just mentioned elsewhere, here in Europe Festool say NOT to use their Planex for long periods with a regular vac.  But then the Planex will sand of a whole bucket load of mud, spackle, filler or W>H>Y> in very short order.  I have used the mini to collect sheetrock dust from touch ups with no problem.