ETC-EC 150/3 or ETS-EC-150/5

[Steven Owen]

Page 9, from the DEROS manual:

"The tool has two speed control modes. In the default mode the speed can be adjusted linearly by changing the
position of the lever. In the other mode the speed remains fixed at the set max RPM when the tool is running. When
the RPM+ and RPM– buttons are pressed simultaneously the tool toggles between the two controlling modes."

Do know if the North American models are finally set-up to accept both 125 mm and 150 mm like the 230 V European models?

That would be a huge plus over the ETC-EC if the Deros can switch between 5 and 6 inch pads.

 

[Holmz]

Page 9, from the DEROS manual:

"The tool has two speed control modes. In the default mode the speed can be adjusted linearly by changing the
position of the lever. In the other mode the speed remains fixed at the set max RPM when the tool is running. When
the RPM+ and RPM– buttons are pressed simultaneously the tool toggles between the two controlling modes."

Do know if the North American models are finally set-up to accept both 125 mm and 150 mm like the 230 V European models?

That would be a huge plus over the ETC-EC if the Deros can switch between 5 and 6 inch pads.

Maybe I should read the manual... Did it mention throttle  8)

---
I thought the same thing, and on Sunday I saw 50x 5" Festool paper-pads I got 2 years ago... and then I thought to myself, "If I run out of 6" Abradnet I will have a backup plan."

Otherwise I am not sure when I would actually need the 5" pads.

The other possible plus is if one actually needs a 5" pad, and also needs a 5-mm orbit. Then it is a 5x5.

---
The other options, if one really has a burning desire... are:
1) Run it off of a 115-230 transformer. (That may not make sense for a single tool, but does open up a lot of world tool options)
2) Run it off of North American 220v.

My used FT sander that arrived a month or 2 ago had a 220 US plug on the end of it, which obviously replaced an Eu one.
So someone in the US felt the need to use a 230v Festool in North America.
Now it has an Aussie male plug on it.

 

[Steven Owen]

Page 9, from the DEROS manual:

"The tool has two speed control modes. In the default mode the speed can be adjusted linearly by changing the
position of the lever. In the other mode the speed remains fixed at the set max RPM when the tool is running. When
the RPM+ and RPM– buttons are pressed simultaneously the tool toggles between the two controlling modes."

Do know if the North American models are finally set-up to accept both 125 mm and 150 mm like the 230 V European models?

That would be a huge plus over the ETC-EC if the Deros can switch between 5 and 6 inch pads.

Maybe I should read the manual... Did it mention throttle  8)

---
I thought the same thing, and on Sunday I saw 50x 5" Festool paper-pads I got 2 years ago... and then I thought to myself, "If I run out of 6" Abradnet I will have a backup plan."

Otherwise I am not sure when I would actually need the 5" pads.

The other possible plus is if one actually needs a 5" pad, and also needs a 5-mm orbit. Then it is a 5x5.

---
The other options, if one really has a burning desire... are:
1) Run it off of a 115-230 transformer. (That may not make sense for a single tool, but does open up a lot of world tool options)
2) Run it off of North American 220v.

My used FT sander that arrived a month or 2 ago had a 220 US plug on the end of it, which obviously replaced an Eu one.
So someone in the US felt the need to use a 230v Festool in North America.
Now it has an Aussie male plug on it.

I have buy a Deros or Festool EC 150 mm first to see how it handle 2 inch to 3.5 mm.  The cheaper orbitals I have from Bosch and Dewalt are heavy. 

The 6 inch pad on the Dewalt random orbital never balanced very well on smaller boards that were 1-1/2 to 3 1/2 inch in wide.  The 6 inch pad would create swirls on smaller width boards if you let the sander drift off center leaving a scuff mark.  My Bosch had the same issue.  On the Bosch you could fix it by switching the Bosch from 6 to 5 inch pad.  The Bosch performed much better with it’s 5 inch pad sannding boards less than 3-1/2 inches.

I also refinish outdoor furniture that’s already assembled.  The 5 inch fits better in tight spaces.

I love the idea of the plastic sanding guard on the Festool sanders.  The sanding gaurd is a great idea for refinishing projects.  It protects surfaces from contact with the edge of the sand paper.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve accidentally nipped the edge the other board making life more difficult when refinishing a table or chair.  It really sucks when that happens. 

 

[Holmz]

Page 9, from the DEROS manual:

"The tool has two speed control modes. In the default mode the speed can be adjusted linearly by changing the
position of the lever. In the other mode the speed remains fixed at the set max RPM when the tool is running. When
the RPM+ and RPM– buttons are pressed simultaneously the tool toggles between the two controlling modes."

Do know if the North American models are finally set-up to accept both 125 mm and 150 mm like the 230 V European models?

That would be a huge plus over the ETC-EC if the Deros can switch between 5 and 6 inch pads.

Maybe I should read the manual... Did it mention throttle  8)

---
I thought the same thing, and on Sunday I saw 50x 5" Festool paper-pads I got 2 years ago... and then I thought to myself, "If I run out of 6" Abradnet I will have a backup plan."

Otherwise I am not sure when I would actually need the 5" pads.

The other possible plus is if one actually needs a 5" pad, and also needs a 5-mm orbit. Then it is a 5x5.

---
The other options, if one really has a burning desire... are:
1) Run it off of a 115-230 transformer. (That may not make sense for a single tool, but does open up a lot of world tool options)
2) Run it off of North American 220v.

My used FT sander that arrived a month or 2 ago had a 220 US plug on the end of it, which obviously replaced an Eu one.
So someone in the US felt the need to use a 230v Festool in North America.
Now it has an Aussie male plug on it.

I have buy a Deros or Festool EC 150 mm first to see how it handle 2 inch to 3.5 mm.  The cheaper orbitals I have from Bosch and Dewalt are heavy. 

The 6 inch pad on the Dewalt random orbital never balanced very well on smaller boards that were 1-1/2 to 3 1/2 inch in wide.  The 6 inch pad would create swirls on smaller width boards if you let the sander drift off center leaving a scuff mark.  My Bosch had the same issue.  On the Bosch you could fix it by switching the Bosch from 6 to 5 inch pad.  The Bosch performed much better with it’s 5 inch pad sannding boards less than 3-1/2 inches.

I also refinish outdoor furniture that’s already assembled.  The 5 inch fits better in tight spaces.

I love the idea of the plastic sanding guard on the Festool sanders.  The sanding gaurd is a great idea for refinishing projects.  It protects surfaces from contact with the edge of the sand paper.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve accidentally nipped the edge the other board making life more difficult when refinishing a table or chair.  It really sucks when that happens.

I need some help with the first sentence... The "2-1/2" to 3.5-mm" part baffles me

Those two sanders are the two lightest in class, and the top two sanders in the random orbital style world wide.
One was the first brushless DC, and has a brake.
The other is almost the same.

There is no guard on either sander. They excel like Cowboys... "in the wide open spaces".

Maybe get an ETS/EC 150-5 and then get the Bosch with the guard for "toight" work where you can bump into it?

 

[Cheese]

Maybe get an ETS/EC 150-5 and then get the Bosch with the guard for "toight" work where you can bump into it?

Hey Holmz, he already owns the new 250 watt ETS 125 which comes with a pad guard.

 

[Steven Owen]

Maybe get an ETS/EC 150-5 and then get the Bosch with the guard for "toight" work where you can bump into it?

Hey Holmz, he already owns the new 250 watt ETS 125 which comes with a pad guard.

That was a typo I meant to say 1.5 - 2.5 inches.  I would usually use a Delta Orbital on boards this narrow.  So far the ETS-125 has been doing a decent job on narrow stock.  It’s competition is a Black & Decker mouse. That’s not exactly a fair fight.

I thought the ETS-EC models would have the new plastic sanding guards included but maybe not. It’s not listed on the product pages.

 

[Cheese]

I thought the ETS-EC models would have the new plastic sanding guards included but maybe not. It’s not listed on the product pages.

Nope...just the new ETS, DTS, RTS & the Pro 5.  The ETS EC series doesn't even offer the guards as an accessory.

 

[Steven Owen]

I thought the ETS-EC models would have the new plastic sanding guards included but maybe not. It’s not listed on the product pages.

Nope...just the new ETS, DTS, RTS & the Pro 5.  The ETS EC series doesn't even offer the guards as an accessory.

I always used painters tape to protect edges of an opposing board when refinishing assembled projects.  I’ll probably buy a Festool delta for work close to the edges of boards.  The deltas have the edge guards. 

There’s was a lot of chatter in 2015 about the North American Mirka’s eventually being able to switch between 125 mm and 150 mm pads. Aside from that, there’s little new info about the Deros pad switching online.  Since the specs are the same for the 125 mm and 150 mm, I’m assuming you should be able to use either size on the Deros.
 

 

[Steven Owen]

Using this weighted pad, the 150 mm Deros can be modified to use the 125 mm pad.  That’s a pretty big plus in favor of the Deros on difficult refinishing tasks.
http://www.atlas-machinery.com/Mirka/Pads/915GV28-130G/