ETS EC 125/3 and 10m sleeved hose - 3 1/2 months on

[ajcoholic]

I purchased the ETS EC 125 back in early November, and with pretty much daily use since then in the shop between myself and my two employees - we've given it a good workout.

It took me several weeks to get really used to the sander, but I really have grown to like it.  It is a good general purpose sander - more powerful and aggressive than the older ETS's we use but much easier to run than the Rotex.

At first I found the sander a bit "fat" to hold, but have gotten used to it.  We run a few Mirka's as well and the new ETS is wider.  But it feels good now - just took a few weeks of use to get accustomed to it.  PRetty sure Ill get another for the shop in the near future.  Its a nice sander.

Another thing I have really appreciated is the 10 Meter sleeved hose - we use three Festool vacs, one is set up near a 48" by 96" work table, and with the hose, it allows use of tools all around the table.  Works well with sanders, the 1400 router, Domino and 55 tracksaw.  I did make a plywood support to ease the curve of the weight of the hose hanging off of the boom arm, and an aluminum hook from 1/4" 6061, to hang the hose on when not in use.

The hose seems expensive, but really allows ease of use in my case and not having to move the vac, or your work, saves a lot of time.

 

[ajcoholic]

You might notice a bit of black cloth tape on the end of the hose sleeve.  The zipper kept opening near the sander, and since the running part of the zipper is at the other end - it was easier just to put some hockey take on the end and take care of it permanently.

 

[SoonerFan]

Thanks for the input.  I have been considering a new ETS and the new hose.  Feedback from other users is great to have when making decisions on more green kool aid.

Great setup you have BTW.

 

[ajcoholic]

I have to add, I am not a Festool junkie.  I buy what I think will be good tools for my business, that we will use and will save time and make us $$.  If something doesnt work, I have no issue saying so.

To date, my favourite sander is the Mirka Ceros (out of many, many sanders including half dozen Festool).  But I think I like the new ETS even better, mainly due to the pad not running wild, the switch, and the better dust collection.  The Mirka is still a bit less bulky, but again you get used to it after a few weeks of use.

Im tempted to try an ETS 150, but I do like the 5" size for general sanding.  Everything we do gets put through a wide belt sander, so the hand sanders are just a last step before finishing.  Not doing much really rough sanding, and theres still the RO's for that.

 

[Cheese]

Feedback from other users is great to have when making decisions on more green kool aid.

I purchased both the ETS EC 125 and the tapered 22mm-27mm sleeved hose when they were recently released. Very nice...I already own the RO 125 and the ETS 125 and so I figured the ETS EC would be a natural addition. As much as I've enjoyed using the ETS 125 for the last 5 years, the ETS EC is another notch or two above that sander. It's smoother, it's lower profile, lighter (I think) and is really my go-to sander of choice. If I was making a first time purchase, I'd forget about the ETS and just purchase the ETS EC. It's more than worth the extra $$$

The tapered hose is also more flexible than the standard 27mm unit, especially in restricted areas...think small bathrooms or closets. It works extremely well with the ETS EC, there's a reason they were both brought to market at the same time.  [dead horse]

 

[grbmds]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I never considered having both the ETS125 and ETS EC 125; just, at some point, trying to sell the ETS125 and buying the EC. I realize that the EC has a slightly larger orbit, but I have always found the ETS125 a little top heavy and a little prone to tipping one way or the other, thus being periodically sucked tight for brief periods even with the CT turned down to its lowest setting. I would think that, the EC would be a better choice period just because of its low profile and more power from its motor. I would agree that, if someone were going to buy a 125 finish random orbit sander, the EC would be the best choice (even not owing one). I have an ETS 150/5 that is much smoother than the 125 and does a fantastic job. I just usually try to use the ETS125 for the last 1 or 2 grits to get a slightly better finish.

 

[Cheese]

[member=19734]grbmds[/member]

Ya, my post was originally in response to SoonerFan's query/reply. Don't get me wrong, the ETS is a great sander and was the first Festool sander I purchased. It's just that the ETS EC is just that much nicer to use, especially with the new hose.

I think Festool did miss an opportunity however, in not allowing the EC sander to be fitted with both the 125 and 150 pad. Same thing with the DTS/RTS series.  Money left on the table.  [dead horse]