ETS 150 backing pad worn out

rvieceli said:
Generally the thin interface pad is meant to be used with the net type abrasive disks like Abranet or Granat net. With those net types the hooks on the sander pad get too close to the suface and can really heat up drastically shortening their life.
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Makes sense and indeed it's Abranet I'm using almost all the time. So the heat is the enemy here. Interesting.

And just to ask your opinion .... what solid alternatives might you suggest as a same/better replacement to Abranet?

Have to say have gotten on extremely well with Abranet for wood finishes and flat wall plaster finishing but not wedded to it.
 
Alex said:
atacama40 said:
Have no idea if worthwhile or a duff idea. Is made by a German company which often spells promise if not results.
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Don't overestimate everything from Germany. The stuff they export is often really good, but some things that are meant for their domestic market are not so.

Germany has a huge domestic market for cheap DYI versions of professional tools. They all look very clever and are pretty cheap and they sort of work until suddenly very soon they don't anymore. The highest quality brand for this kind of stuff is Wolfcraft, but they have many cheaper brands that sell stuff you might as well throw directly in the bin.

This pad replacement doesn't look very sturdy to me. Seems like it's an adhesive disc, which you put directly on the old pad. I think it will come off very quickly.
Click to expand...

Agree that ...  there's top end without question and there is pretender stuff. And in fairness the pretender stuff (as you say for domestic market .... Aldi branded etc) is remarkably good on a value/effectiveness curve. For professional / productivity objectives I can certainly understand it not meeting expectations .... yes entirely different.

As for this product? I have no idea but will order one just for the hell of it. Interesting to find out.

I posted purely as needed to order a new Jetstream 2 in a sweat and it came up in conversation.

Whilst a recent years Festool fan, these things are expensive and have limited 'tech' in reality .... they strike me as very much as the cash cow of the sander world like ink cartridges are in the printer world. I can say that as I spent many years working for said manufacturer and spreading the good word as to why you would ONLY use manufacturer original cartridges. :-) Why? Because it paid my salary .... the cheap after market ones are often as good.....strikes me this could be a similar territory .... easier in fact.

That said I've not found one yet .... probably no economy of scale like cartridges maybe.
 
I'm confused. Like another poster, I thought the interface pads were only a benefit if you used the mesh sanding discs. What benefit would the interface pad be if you use regular sandpaper? The velcro nubs on the pad aren't exposed and, therefore, don't wear when paper is covering them.
 
Hook and loop degrades simply from use. See how fresh your pad looks after 100, 200 or 300 sheets of sanding paper. Cheaper to replace an interface pad than the whole backing pad.
 
The previous poster is correct...the interface pads are disposables with a life-span. What the life-span is varies for multiple reasons, but part of it is heat generated from pressure applied while sanding. Folks who press harder will get less life out of the interface pad than those who have a lighter touch and let the tool do the work. This isn't a Festool thing...it applies to all "hook and loop" sanders. I just replaced them on both my 150/3 and my Rotex 150, as a matter of fact. I've used three on the 150/3 since I bought it many years ago, but now that my shop is an actual business, I'll likely have to replace them more frequently since the work load is higher.
 
To the OP

How do you remove your sand paper from the sander?

Do you just rip it off, toss it and replace?

Reason Im asking is I found with my interface pad for my 150, that if I don't hold the velcro on the pad when removing the paper the velcro will separate from the interface pad. So after I replaced the pad on me ETS 150 (not because it was separating but because it was cut) I slowly remove the paper holding the velcro.
Not sure if this will solve your problem, your milage may vary
 
Again, I'm confused about which pads this post is talking about. Online I see that Protection Pads and Interface Pads are sold. Interface Pads appear to have some foam in the middle; therefore are, to some degree, soft. Mostly I use the hardest pads available on my sanders unless I want some give for a contour or curve. The hard pads work great for keeping a surface flat. An Interface Pad which is even a little softer than the hard pads would defeat the purpose of buying a hard pad to begin with.

So what is the right name for the pad which is used to prevent the sander's pad from wearing?
 
You're looking for a protection pad. It still adds a slight softness to the backing pad but it's a very thin thing.
 
I just can't stand those protection pads. You take the paper off and the pad comes along for the ride and you're doing double the work for each piece of sandpaper you put on.
 
Alex said:
I just can't stand those protection pads. You take the paper off and the pad comes along for the ride and you're doing double the work for each piece of sandpaper you put on.
Click to expand...
You mostly need them if you're using Abranet, in which case you're switching abrasives half as often anyway.
 
Sanderxpander said:
You mostly need them if you're using Abranet, in which case you're switching abrasives half as often anyway.
Click to expand...

For abranet they make sense, though I fail to see how that stuff last longer.

As for changing paper, I mostly change them because I need a different grit, not because the paper is worn.
 
It seems like, for a hobby woodworker like me, they don't make much sense since I have not ever worn out a sander pad in my entire life. Unless there is something that makes the Festool sander pads wear quicker, I doubt I would need these. Plus, it seems as if it may reduce the firmness of the sander pad. Even if the firmness reduction is only slight it would seem to at least partially defeat the purpose of having a firm pad.

I use mostly Granat and some Rubin regular discs; not the newer mesh discs anyway.

Thanks for the information though. It cleared up my confusion and convinced me that I really don't gain anything by using the Protection Pads given the work I do.
 
Apologies guys, getting a little confused (as a novice) ... the difference between an interface and a protect pad is???

I ordered an interface pad .... to see if it extends the life of the Jetsream 2 soft backing pad. Was thinking of ordering the replacement velcro unit I mentioned earlier in the thread from a third party (mainly for the test) but if either the interface or protection pad extend life significantly then one of these options probably better.

Being a slightly heavy handed amateur user (using mainly for getting flat wall French plaster finishes prior to painting & wood finishing prior to Osmo'ing) then I'm getting maybe 6 months usage from a backing pad. Not terrible but certainly not what some of you are getting.

Anything I can add to extend life span would be good .... think either the interface or protection is the way to go but not quite understanding the difference.
 
A protection pad is designed simply to reduce wear and tear on your normal backing pad. It is as thin as possible. An interface pad is about a centimeter of foam and its primary purpose is to make your sander follow the contours of your workpiece, effectively preventing you from sanding something flat.

An interface pad will still lengthen the lifespan of your backing pad, simply because it's in between the abrasive and the backing pad, but you won't be able to sand anything flat while using it.

Similarly, a protection pad will still soften your sanding very slightly, but not nearly enough to prevent flattening bumps or curves. I suppose it could still have an adverse effect in some specific cases but I have personally never noticed it.
 
Sanderxpander said:
A protection pad is designed simply to reduce wear and tear on your normal backing pad. It is as thin as possible. An interface pad is about a centimeter of foam and its primary purpose is to make your sander follow the contours of your workpiece, effectively preventing you from sanding something flat.

An interface pad will still lengthen the lifespan of your backing pad, simply because it's in between the abrasive and the backing pad, but you won't be able to sand anything flat while using it.

Similarly, a protection pad will still soften your sanding very slightly, but not nearly enough to prevent flattening bumps or curves. I suppose it could still have an adverse effect in some specific cases but I have personally never noticed it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation .... very clear and understandable. I ordered (and just fitted) an interface pad .... incorrectly as it goes but seems not to be negatively affecting the job .... cleaning up Oak kitchen cabinet frames prior to Osmo Raw coat. But will definitely be ordering a Protector Pad as a more correct fit.

Many thanks for clarifying and explaining that.
 
It'll work, it'll just relieve pressure so sanding will be a bit slower and you have to be careful that there are no actual bumps you want flattened.
 
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