ETS EC 125/150?

[Cheese]

So...the confusion continues. Where's [member=57769]TylerC[/member] ?

 

[TylerC]

So...the confusion continues. Where's [member=57769]TylerC[/member] ?

The ETS EC 150 will not accept the 125 mm pad. The sanders have different shafts.  The 150 sanders have a keyed shaft with wings, whereas the 125 has flats but not wings.  I can send pics if needed. The soft pad for the 150 sanders is thinner than the 125 mm pad and therefore does not engage the pad brake. Also, the balance between the 5 mm stroke 150 and the 3 mm stroke 150 are not the same.

 

[bobfog]

So...the confusion continues. Where's [member=57769]TylerC[/member] ?

The ETS EC 150 will not accept the 125 mm pad. The sanders have different shafts.  The 150 sanders have a keyed shaft with wings, whereas the 125 has flats but not wings.  I can send pics if needed. The soft pad for the 150 sanders is thinner than the 125 mm pad and therefore does not engage the pad brake. Also, the balance between the 5 mm stroke 150 and the 3 mm stroke 150 are not the same.

So is what you're effectively saying, that the 125mm pads absolutely won't fit the 150mm ETS EC? However, the 150mm pad will physically fit the 125mm machine and spin, but the pad brake won't engage and the performance will be sub-optimal due to balance issues?

 

[TylerC]

So is what you're effectively saying, that the 125mm pads absolutely won't fit the 150mm ETS EC? However, the 150mm pad will physically fit the 125mm machine and spin, but the pad brake won't engage and the performance will be sub-optimal due to balance issues?

Yes, that's the case. Obviously, we can't guarantee the performance if you do that.

 

[Holmz]

By the time you get the second pad, the cost may be the same as the Mirka which comes with 2 pads.

 

[bobfog]

Ok, so I went to my local Festool dealer today and looked at the situation for myself.

Observations:

1) The pad for the 150 does indeed fit the 125.

2) The pad brake works perfectly, whilst the pads are "keyed differently" (looks like a purposely engineered flaw/point of difference IMO to stop people putting the 125 pad on the 150) the 150 pad sits on the 125 just fine. Though as previously stated the addition keying prevents it working the other way (125>150)

3) The pad felt absolutely perfectly balanced both when spinning freely in the air and when on the work doing its thing.

 

[McNally Family]

Ok, so I went to my local Festool dealer today and looked at the situation for myself.

Observations:

1) The pad for the 150 does indeed fit the 125.

2) The pad brake works perfectly, whilst the pads are "keyed differently" (looks like a purposely engineered flaw/point of difference IMO to stop people putting the 125 pad on the 150) the 150 pad sits on the 125 just fine. Though as previously stated the addition keying prevents it working the other way (125>150)

3) The pad felt absolutely perfectly balanced both when spinning freely in the air and when on the work doing its thing.

When I was considering the ETS EC 150/3, this concept might have tempted me.  However I have since decided for my second Festool sander, I will go with the ETS EC 150/5, as a better compliment to my RS 2 E. 

Since it appears to work for you, you should pull the trigger, use it for a few months, and then post a review.  If, after a period of time I decide I don't like the 150/5, or want to expand to the 125/3, I might consider it myself, if for no other reason so I can use the same 150 consumables on both sanders.

 

[Cheese]

After reading all the reply's and conjecture, I just decided to purchase an ETS EC 150 pad and fit it to my ETS EC 125. Sure enough, as [member=60286]bobfog[/member] stated, the pad does fit and performs the very same as the stock 125 pad.

Balance with the 150 pad is not an issue and that makes sense because the pad is injection molded, which means it was designed for symmetry from the get go.

The pad brake works fine and has nothing to do with the pad itself. In the photo below, the brake assembly is behind the magnesium housing and does not interact with the pad at any time.

The pad brake stops both of the pads in the same amount of time, switching back & forth between pads, I was unable to tell any difference.

 

[bobfog]

After reading all the reply's and conjecture, I just decided to purchase an ETS EC 150 pad and fit it to my ETS EC 125. Sure enough, as [member=60286]bobfog[/member] stated, the pad does fit and performs the very same as the stock 125 pad.

Balance with the 150 pad is not an issue and that makes sense because the pad is injection molded, which means it was designed for symmetry from the get go.

The pad brake works fine and has nothing to do with the pad itself. In the photo below, the brake assembly is behind the magnesium housing and does not interact with the pad at any time.

The pad brake stops both of the pads in the same amount of time, switching back & forth between pads, I was unable to tell any difference.

Good to see we got to the bottom of this!

The project I was buying this for (lots of vertical sanding) has been put back a few months, so I'm yet to pull the trigger myself and put the money into a new router table for a more pressing project. I'll have to remember to PM you later in the summer to ask your long term opinion.

 

[bobfog]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member]

Looks like I might need the sander sooner than I expected, have you done much with the 150mm pad in the last week and if so any issues?

Cheers

Bob

 

[Cheese]

[member=60286]bobfog[/member]
Funny that you asked, I'm gutting this bathroom and today it was all about ripping out the old ply underlayment. I was going to sand down the subfloor with the Rotex 125 but then my eye caught the ES 125 with the 150 pad on it. So I slapped some 80 grit on it and I was amazed how fast the job went. That larger surface makes such a big difference as far as time spent. This sander is brilliant, it almost makes me want to try a ES 150/5. No problems...no issues, it works great.

I just wish this interchange thing would work on the 150 sanders, instead of just the 125. It'd be so slick to purchase a 150/3 & a 150/5 and then a couple of 125 pads.

 

[bobfog]

[member=60286]bobfog[/member]
Funny that you asked, I'm gutting this bathroom and today it was all about ripping out the old ply underlayment. I was going to sand down the subfloor with the Rotex 125 but then my eye caught the ES 125 with the 150 pad on it. So I slapped some 80 grit on it and I was amazed how fast the job went. That larger surface makes such a big difference as far as time spent. This sander is brilliant, it almost makes me want to try a ES 150/5. No problems...no issues, it works great.

I just wish this interchange thing would work on the 150 sanders, instead of just the 125. It'd be so slick to purchase a 150/3 & a 150/5 and then a couple of 125 pads.

Great stuff!

When I was in my local Axminster I was looking at the Ekat with the knowledgable on Festool staff member, and came to the conclusion that technically it should be possible to change the part that has the spindle from the 125 on to the 150's to achieve what you want, but will obviously void the warranty.

 

[Cheese]

You're right, there are only 2 sub-assemblies that are different between the two. The "3" button is a different color  [eek] and the bearing assembly which uses a different shaft. That's it, I'm just really impressed with how well that mod works.  [cool]

 

[plgard]

After reading all the reply's and conjecture, I just decided to purchase an ETS EC 150 pad and fit it to my ETS EC 125…

Sorry if this has been asked and answered,

Can anyone tell me why the sander in Cheese's third image has a metal plate stamped "150/3" and a product sticker under the handle assembly that says "125/3"?

 

[peter halle]

After reading all the reply's and conjecture, I just decided to purchase an ETS EC 150 pad and fit it to my ETS EC 125…

Sorry if this has been asked and answered,

Can anyone tell me why the sander in Cheese's third image has a metal plate stamped "150/3" and a product sticker under the handle assembly that says "125/3"?

In case some are scrolling back to those images here are the areas mentioned:

[attachimg=1]

My guess is that many manufacturers Festool is designing around already produced parts where applicable?

Peter

 

[Cheese]

[member=13828]plgard[/member] ,
I just thought it was interesting that when I pulled the pad off of my ETS EC 125, that some parts on the inside were stamped 150/3.

So, the ETS EC 125 is really an ETS EC 150/3 with a different style pad mount and a different color on/off button...those are the only differences.

There had been some discussion on differences in the pad brakes, but that is not the case.

 

[plgard]

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member],

Yeah, one part, many applications -I get it! ; )

[member=44099]Cheese[/member],

One assembly, more than one application!

I'm just echoing what's already been said here…

SEEMS like Festool could have offered a line of sanders with some inherent interchangeability- you know, like a "SYSTEM"

 

[plgard]

anyone have any hands-on experience changing between the 125 & 150 pad on the North American version of the Deros?

Like others here, I'm on the fence between the ETS EC and the Deros.  I didn't even realize the Ceros had been recalled and perhaps superseded by the Deros.

When I decided a current project had enough sanding to warrant replacing my (old) top-heavy ETS 150, I thought I'd consider the Ceros because aside from being more like the old pneumatic DA's, I had remembered reading or seeing a video (YouTube) where the 5" & 6" pads were interchangeable.

When I went looking for the Ceros at (the usual) online retailers and found only the Deros I assumed it too would accommodate either size pad.

I guess the whole pad swap thing isn't THAT important, but it doesn't seem like it should be that difficult either...

 

[Holmz]

anyone have any hands-on experience changing between the 125 & 150 pad on the North American version of the Deros?

Like others here, I'm on the fence between the ETS EC and the Deros.  I didn't even realize the Ceros had been recalled and perhaps superseded by the Deros.

When I decided a current project had enough sanding to warrant replacing my (old) top-heavy ETS 150, I thought I'd consider the Ceros because aside from being more like the old pneumatic DA's, I had remembered reading or seeing a video (YouTube) where the 5" & 6" pads were interchangeable.

When I went looking for the Ceros at (the usual) online retailers and found only the Deros I assumed it too would accommodate either size pad.

I guess the whole pad swap thing isn't THAT important, but it doesn't seem like it should be that difficult either...

I think it is only the 5650 model which has both and that is a 230v unit... You either need the transformer or a 220-US to 230v •-Eu plug.
It was easy for me as Au has 230v and the Mirka was cheaper imported than the other option.
In the US it makes sense to consider the ETS EC dies to pricing and voltage... Or of you really like 'the paddle'.

 

[bobfog]

I too was considering the Mirka Deros, the 125mm and 150mm pads are compatible and interchangable with any Deros sander according to the UK technical support team, no underhand trying con your customers into buying two sanders malarkey, saying the sander will be out of balance, etc. The Deros 5650 comes bundled with both pads in a Systainer at a reasonable price of about £370.

But as I wanted the 2.5 not 5mm orbit version, there was no bundled set so I would have had to buy the sander itself in cardboard box,the Systainer and the 125mm pad and it worked out at about £480 all in. So I went for the ETS EC 125 and a 150mm pad for £410.