DX 93 E Detail Sander

The DTS400 is not aggressive enough for stripping paint, but great for general paint prep.

Jason

mastercabman said:
One reason why i mention the DTS 400 is because i think i would have more use with it later.
With the DX 93 E ,i may not use it for a while,after all i do have the Fein multimaster but the accessories are really expensive!!And the dust control is not all that.
The DTS is also cheaper than the Deltex.
 
That's for sure Jason.

I have one and to me the DTS 400 is a finish sander at best. I use it on cabinet ply,  which  is not too rough to start with.
 
The DTS 400 has a 2 mm stroke, where the Deltex has a 2.5 mm stroke. They both work well for finishing.

The BIG difference it that the Deltex is a gear-driven orbital and the DTS is a random orbital. You can apply some force to the Deltex and it'll keep chewing away. It also has a reduction in the gearing, making it quite agressive if you want, like Jason said.

That ability also makes it possible to really heat up the pad and abrasive, which might make it fail faster.

Tom
 
Also, regarding the DTS 400 vs the Deltex, reallly the thing they share in common is a pointed edge; great for getting into corners.
The DTS 400 is a way better sander if you need a sander that gets into the corners and also can be used to sand the rest of the  workpiece. With the Deltex's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller pad, besides the extra time you'd spend to sand a larger surface, there's just as good a chance that you'd "tip" the sander and have an uneven finished piece.
Having said that, IMHO, the Deltex is one of Festool's "hidden jewels" (along with the 850 planer) and if the application is right, is the best "detail" sander available.

Bob
 
Bob Marino said:
Also, regarding the DTS 400 vs the Deltex, reallly the thing they share in common is a pointed edge; great for getting into corners.
The DTS 400 is a way better sander if you need a sander that gets into the corners and also can be used to sand the rest of the  workpiece. With the Deltex's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller pad, besides the extra time you'd spend to sand a larger surface, there's just as good a chance that you'd "tip" the sander and have an uneven finished piece.
Having said that, IMHO, the Deltex is one of Festool's "hidden jewels" (along with the 850 planer) and if the application is right, is the best "detail" sander available.

Bob
So,would you suggest the DTS400 for my project?               
I think i would benefit from that sander later.I just don't know if i'm going to be doing this kind of work all the time.This is just a project at home.
You are right about more surface with the DTS 400.
I do have the Rotex 150 and the CT 22.
How 's the dust control on the Deltex?  Good?  Average?  Not so good?      I have to keep the dust way down!! 
 
The fine dust control is good but it will leave behind some debris of course --- just my experience.

Justin

 
mastercabman said:
Bob Marino said:
Also, regarding the DTS 400 vs the Deltex, reallly the thing they share in common is a pointed edge; great for getting into corners.
The DTS 400 is a way better sander if you need a sander that gets into the corners and also can be used to sand the rest of the  workpiece. With the Deltex's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller pad, besides the extra time you'd spend to sand a larger surface, there's just as good a chance that you'd "tip" the sander and have an uneven finished piece.
Having said that, IMHO, the Deltex is one of Festool's "hidden jewels" (along with the 850 planer) and if the application is right, is the best "detail" sander available.

Bob
So,would you suggest the DTS400 for my project?               
I think i would benefit from that sander later.I just don't know if i'm going to be doing this kind of work all the time.This is just a project at home.
You are right about more surface with the DTS 400.
I do have the Rotex 150 and the CT 22.
How 's the dust control on the Deltex?   Good?  Average?  Not so good?      I have to keep the dust way down!! 

  Good question! The Deltex is more aggresive, but can you use the Rotex on your project and the Deltex for areas too small for the Rotex?
DC is very good.

Bob
 
Bob Marino said:
mastercabman said:
Bob Marino said:
Also, regarding the DTS 400 vs the Deltex, reallly the thing they share in common is a pointed edge; great for getting into corners.
The DTS 400 is a way better sander if you need a sander that gets into the corners and also can be used to sand the rest of the  workpiece. With the Deltex's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller pad, besides the extra time you'd spend to sand a larger surface, there's just as good a chance that you'd "tip" the sander and have an uneven finished piece.
Having said that, IMHO, the Deltex is one of Festool's "hidden jewels" (along with the 850 planer) and if the application is right, is the best "detail" sander available.

Bob
So,would you suggest the DTS400 for my project?               
I think i would benefit from that sander later.I just don't know if i'm going to be doing this kind of work all the time.This is just a project at home.
You are right about more surface with the DTS 400.
I do have the Rotex 150 and the CT 22.
How 's the dust control on the Deltex?   Good?  Average?  Not so good?      I have to keep the dust way down!! 

  Good question! The Deltex is more aggresive, but can you use the Rotex on your project and the Deltex for areas too small for the Rotex?
DC is very good.

Bob
Yes i could do that.
But i'm just worried that if i get the Deltex,i may not use it a whole lot once my home project is done.As for the DTS400 ,i know i can use it for other projects that i have plan for in the future.
 
My experience with the Deltex is that it is a fairly versatile sander ---- aggressive work to more finesse type sanding.  I can't remember what the article was ("Getting the Most out of Festool Sanders" --maybe ?), but the author talks about how he likes the Deltex for restoring ornate antiques and the like,  because with the right paper and setting it is very delicate.  It's a great, versatile little sander.

Now if you need a not so versatile paint hog, get the RAS 115 and some 24 grit Saphir paper  ;)

Justin
 
Yes i could do that.
But i'm just worried that if i get the Deltex,i may not use it a whole lot once my home project is done.As for the DTS400 ,i know i can use it for other projects that i have plan for in the future.
[/quote]

See, that's why we can only offer suggestions  it's you who has to  make the decision, but you are correct, the 400 would be a bit more versatile.

Bob
 
What i might do is go to woodcraft and try both sander.
If i get the DTS400 and feel like it's not what i want,i can always take it back and get the Deltex.
 
I can't agree with Bob more... All we can do is offer information, and occasionally some personal preferences. The rest is up to you.

Most of what I do is with the Rotex 150 for big areas, whether it be material removal (including rocks) or fine sanding to polishing. It works GREAT!

For profiles of regular shapes, I prefer the LS 130. It has a linear motion (4 mm) and a bunch of pad shapes to "fit" most common applications. It takes a little technique but that is quickly learned as Frank's young grandson found out. You can also get a kit to make custom-shaped pads if that makes sense for a large job with custom molding.

To handle small stuff or hard-to-reach areas, I really like the Deltex. It is really comfortable to use (to me anyway), has the abiltiy to get into quite tight places, and because of those two traits, I find it easy to do pretty fine detail work accurately and safely (for me and the work piece).

I have used the Deltex exclusively to sand 5-piece cabinet doors and don't see anything lacking. The pad is big enough to span the rails and stiles. I can get to the details of the transitions from rails/stiles to panels. I can also use it quite handily on the panels, which typically don't need much sanding anyway.

I have all the Festool sanders and the three I talked about above are my go-to's. I admit that I don't use any sander everyday. Everybody has to adjust their tools and work practices to what they are doing at the time and do most often. That's why there are so many different sanders. I think most of the Festool dealers could help you decide how to determine which is best for your normal needs and also for specific needs.

Each of these sanders, if used with the properly controlled dust collection and proper abrasives, will knock your socks off compared to almost anything similarly classed on the market. I invite anyone to come over and try them out...

Tom
 
I just recieved my DX 93 E sander and I give it a full thumbs up to it. I use it to get in the nooks and crannies of my sailboat and after having the "mouse" by craftsman and being disapointed with detail sanders in general. The DX 93 E was a successful step in the right direction increasing my productivity but also decreasing my waste with sanding pads and time. And the ergonomics of the machine easily fit into tight areas where usually only my arm has enough room to go. I'll say it is a very worthwhile investment.
 
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