ETS 150/3 or ETS150/5?

rmc

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Aug 12, 2015
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I'm looking to replace my 5" bosch RO sander, its just the basic HD model with 2.5" sanding stroke and makes my hand feel like its holding a live wire when I'm done with it.  Anyways for someone who is a non-professional (IE make stuff for myself and family/friends) and doesn't typically make massive pieces of furniture would the /3 or /5 make more sense?  I don't have the budget for more than one festool sander so I need this to handle everything, I work mostly with hardwood.  thanks!
 
One Festool sander? I'd opt for the 150/5. Faster with the lower grits and I think you'd be hard pressed to discern any difference in finish with the 150/3. Some may disagree but I'm betting you won't regret either choice.

B
 
Well yes Bob I disagree.

There is a difference between the 5 and the 3 and on certain woods is fairly huge.

I use the RO 150 which is a 5mm stoke and  I initially used an ETS 150/5 for the finish sanding. But many woods still displayed easily discernible scratches. Once I returned the 150/5 and went to  the 150/3 I never looked back.

The RO 150/5 and ETS 150/3 is my favorite combination of all sanders and what I use everyday.

And yeah they are both great sanders. But the slight scratching of a 5mm stroke just aggravates me at times.
 
I went for the ets 150/5 because I already had the ets 125 which handles all my between the coats work  and grits finer than 220.
 
My first sander was the RTS400.  Although there are others I use more at times, it's still the one I use most.  Sander choice depends on what you are doing, but I've found that using a coarser than normal paper on a fine sander works, but that my Rotex 150 doesn't always deliver the same level of finish.  I like all my Festool sanders, but if the point is to get a good finish, I'd go with a smaller stroke if you only want one.  The RTS gets into corners that my ETS 150/3 doesn't so it gets the nod more often for my work.
 
bdiemer said:
I went for the ets 150/5 because I already had the ets 125 which handles all my between the coats work  and grits finer than 220.

Well that ETS 125 has a little 2mm stroke and that works.  That particular sander is just too small and slow for my work though.
 
Well, I have them both but I purchased the 150/5 first.  If I had to do it over, I would make the same decision.  Dovetail is correct that in certain hardwoods, it will leave some scratches, even if you sand to Rubin 180; however, assuming I would limit to one sander, I would still opt for it because it is a good compromise between the coarser grits for quick removal and the finer grits for finish;then I would clean up with a sanding block if necessary.  BTW- a syslite does a great job in finding any remaining scratches prior to applying the finish.

Personally, I wouldn't limit myself to one sander.  Sanding is my least favorite part of woodworking (I almost view it as a necessary evil) so I look for the most efficient removal and prep of the material.  As others on the FOG do, I start with the rotex, then go to one of my other sanders (I have most models that Festool offers) for final cleanup.  I understand being on a budget though.

Regards,
Gerald
 
Between the two ETS 150 sanders, the version of with a 5mm stroke would definitely be my first choice.  Looking outside those two, I would consider the Mirka CEROS or DEROS.
 
Hi rmc
Let me throw my 2 cents in. I initially had the same question, and ended up with the 150/3 my rashonal was, if I want to take of more material fast then I  step up the paper grit to a 80 or even 60 grit. Ultimately I want the smoothest finish possible which is what the 150/3 excels in, which is them only advantage over the 150/5, yes you can use higher grits on the 150/5 and get great results but the 2mm advantage of the 150/3 can't be beat. Think about what you build most so the tool you get gives you the most bang for your buck. Good luck.
W H
 
If you can only afford one and a quality fine finish is critical, the ETS150/3 would be the choice. It may take you considerably longer to work through the coarse grits with the /3 compared to the /5, but the fine finish you'll ultimately get with the /3 will exceed the /5.

Use the ETS150 for a while and you'll be back for another Festool sander ... they always come back [wink] [big grin]

 
Depends on what you are using it for. If you don't have any need for a sander that gets into corners, something like the ETS 150/3 or ETS125 may be good for you; the 150/3 better for larger flat surfaces. If you need to get into corners you may want to consider the DTS or RTS400; one is square, the other triangular. I have found that each Festool sander tends to have its strengths that make it more useful for some tasks than others. Therefore, it is difficult to find one sander that servers all of your needs. It is likely that 2 sanders together would serve your overall needs best; for example the RTS 400 (DTS) and ETS 125. They would tend to be better overall for finish sanding and could also be used with coarser grits for the first sanding steps. However, I understand completely that the purchase of 2 sanders is a big investment; in this case about a total of $450.
 
I bought a 150/3 as my first (only so far) Festool sander.  I figure I had a 5" Ridgid RO so a 6" made more sense.  I love it so much I sold my old 5" last weekend.  I prefer the smaller stroke as it will give you a finer finish in Ye end.  I am a hobbyist so a few extra minutes with the coarser grits wasn't an issue, that and I haven't used anything coarser than 100 with a power sander in a long time.  I prefer a hand plane for the rapid removal.
 
I have the 150/3 and an RO 90. That is a killer combo!

I know it isn't cheap, but it tackles everything I need it for. I also have used my LS130 lately and it will tear down some paint and poly super fast.

Enjoy what get!!

Cheers. Bryan.
 
So to follow up, I ended up with the ETS 150/3, used it for about 2 hours so far to sand down some maple and was very impressed with the results so far, I have only used the 80 grit Granat sheet it came with as I wanted to see how the sander worked before I get some more sheets.  I have certainly considered bringing it back for the 150/5 so I can maybe sand faster, but ultimately I think once I use the rubin sheets and move down the grits I'll be sticking with this one...since I can only have one sander for the time being I can deal with taking a bit more time and end up with a finer finish at the end!  What goes without saying that it is a night and day difference from my $70 home depot ROS that I upgraded from! 

One last question, I've read about a "break in" period for the Rotex sanders, does that apply to the ETS line also? 
 
rmc said:
One last question, I've read about a "break in" period for the Rotex sanders, does that apply to the ETS line also?
No. Also, try Granat paper - I've found it to be very long lasting.
 
Obviously I'm late to the party but I'd break it down to paint grade or stain grade. Paint grade gets the 150/5 and stain gets the 150/3. I have a boat load of festool sanders including the 150/3 and I really want a 150/5 as my always in the truck tool.

The price point of the DEROS line vs the ETS line is such that the ETS offers a lot more value. I'll have to get behind a DEROS sometime but if it doesn't remove material as fast as a ROTEX it would be hard to justify, for me.
 
rmc said:
So to follow up, I ended up with the ETS 150/3, used it for about 2 hours so far to sand down some maple and was very impressed with the results so far, I have only used the 80 grit Granat sheet it came with as I wanted to see how the sander worked before I get some more sheets.  I have certainly considered bringing it back for the 150/5 so I can maybe sand faster, but ultimately I think once I use the rubin sheets and move down the grits I'll be sticking with this one...since I can only have one sander for the time being I can deal with taking a bit more time and end up with a finer finish at the end!  What goes without saying that it is a night and day difference from my $70 home depot ROS that I upgraded from! 

One last question, I've read about a "break in" period for the Rotex sanders, does that apply to the ETS line also?

Personally. I would not take it back for the 150/5. I would keep the 150/3 and I would save your pennies and eventually buy the Rotex 150. That gets you your 5mm stroke and your faster removal machine.
 
icecactus said:
rmc said:
So to follow up, I ended up with the ETS 150/3, used it for about 2 hours so far to sand down some maple and was very impressed with the results so far, I have only used the 80 grit Granat sheet it came with as I wanted to see how the sander worked before I get some more sheets.  I have certainly considered bringing it back for the 150/5 so I can maybe sand faster, but ultimately I think once I use the rubin sheets and move down the grits I'll be sticking with this one...since I can only have one sander for the time being I can deal with taking a bit more time and end up with a finer finish at the end!  What goes without saying that it is a night and day difference from my $70 home depot ROS that I upgraded from! 

One last question, I've read about a "break in" period for the Rotex sanders, does that apply to the ETS line also?

Personally. I would not take it back for the 150/5. I would keep the 150/3 and I would save your pennies and eventually buy the Rotex 150. That gets you your 5mm stroke and your faster removal machine.

yup! good advice. as a "pro" id rather have the 150/5 as a lighter tool for overhead and on ladders etc…
 
icecactus said:
Personally. I would not take it back for the 150/5. I would keep the 150/3 and I would save your pennies and eventually buy the Rotex 150. That gets you your 5mm stroke and your faster removal machine.

Yep I think that is the go forward plan!  I swore I'd never spend $400 on a sander (let alone buy two of them)...but after seeing the quality difference I can see myself looking into a Rotex in the next 6-12 months. 
 
rmc said:
icecactus said:
Personally. I would not take it back for the 150/5. I would keep the 150/3 and I would save your pennies and eventually buy the Rotex 150. That gets you your 5mm stroke and your faster removal machine.

Yep I think that is the go forward plan!  I swore I'd never spend $400 on a sander (let alone buy two of them)...but after seeing the quality difference I can see myself looking into a Rotex in the next 6-12 months.

Since Festool sanders seem to me not to be meant to be overall general use sanders, you should think about what it is you want to do with them before buying even one, much less another. I personally have several, but the 2 I use most are the ETS150/5 for coarser finish sanding (like 80 - 120 grit) and the ETS 125 for the last couple of grits (like 150 - 220). That works really well for me and I usually use for projects like cabinets, drawers, and furniture. I also have the DTS400, but mainly bought this to more easily get into corners on drawers, etc. and don't have a lot of experience with it (although others have very positive experience with it). I find that the ETS150/5 is great for getting the surface quickly to the point that I can use my ETS125 to finish the job. The ETS125 does a great job for me on the final product with really a much shorter investment of time than any other brand sander I've ever used. I'm not in woodworking as a profession or job so others may feel that other sanders do the job quicker. I'm looking for results and a little bit more time sanding isn't a huge deal as I still spend less time sanding with the Festool sanders than with other previously owned sanders.
 
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