ETS EC 125 - How many people actually use 5 and 6 inch pads?

[squall_line]

I have read a lot about how you CAN install 6" pads onto an ETS EC 125, but I'm not sure whether or not I actually ever would if I had one.

Per the topic, I'm curious how many people who have an ETS EC 125 actually use both sized pads, and how frequently they swap?

I'm guessing that some of it also matters whether or not you have other 6" sanders and discs, Rotex or otherwise.  I'm open to hearing about both professional shop use as well as hobby use.

Thanks!

 

[Holzhacker]

I have not put a 5" pad on a 6" sander but have put 6" on an its 125 when I was out of a particular grit. Its not something I would do on a regular basis. Waste of paper. The portion of the 6" that overhangs the 5" bad doesn't actually sand the surface very well since there is no backing. The edges also tend to frazzle quickly essentially wasting the paper.
On the plus side, the overhang does work well at scuffing up outer edges where you don't necessarily want to sand hard.
All based on my sanding habits so others might feel different. I wouldn't recommend it though.

 

[afish]

I have a 125 with the 150 pad and never went back to the 125. After you get used to the 150 pad the 125 seems much slower and the 150 seems to sit flatter and more stable to me. of course that depends a lot on what you sand for me its mostly large flat panels so 150 is ideal.  if I did need to go to a 125 I would pull my edge guide off my req and use it. I dont think my 125 pad will ever go back on.

 

[Cheese]

I originally started with an early 200 watt ETS 125 sander. Purchased a Rotex 125, and then the Pro 5 LTD, I obviously went all in on the 125 mm sized papers.  [wink]

When the ETS EC 125 was first released, I realized this may be an opportunity for me to have 150 mm capacity when I needed it without breaking the bank. I've been happy with that decision as the ETS EC 125 is used quite often with the 150 mm pad. I tend not to swap out the pads too much, usually only when the task demands it. The 150 mm pad is mounted now but about 6 months ago the 125 mm pad was mounted.

I like the 125 sanders because they're smaller & lighter than their 150 siblings, obviously excepting the ETS EC series. I have no need for a 6" Rotex but do sometimes need the 6" flattening capabilities. I've also purchased the cordless ETSC 125 sander so I'm quite happy with the 125 mm paper size, it's just that every now-and-then...

 

[NiteWalkerGR]

Since I got my ETS EC 150/5 last year, I can't think of a single instance where I would have preferred a 5" disc. I'd rather not have to stock another size of discs anyway.

That said, I do see an RO 90 making its way into my shop at some point, but that's a different animal.

 

[afish]

Since I got my ETS EC 150/5 last year, I can't think of a single instance where I would have preferred a 5" disc. I'd rather not have to stock another size of discs anyway.

That said, I do see an RO 90 making its way into my shop at some point, but that's a different animal.

I thought the same thing about the rts/dts and said I would never buy the rts because i didnt wan to stock another paper. then along came the need for the LS and guess what same paper as the RTS so its really not an issue now. Still dont own the rts but another paper isnt an excuse anymore...

 

[NiteWalkerGR]

Since I got my ETS EC 150/5 last year, I can't think of a single instance where I would have preferred a 5" disc. I'd rather not have to stock another size of discs anyway.

That said, I do see an RO 90 making its way into my shop at some point, but that's a different animal.

I thought the same thing about the rts/dts and said I would never buy the rts because i didnt wan to stock another paper. then along came the need for the LS and guess what same paper as the RTS so its really not an issue now. Still dont own the rts but another paper isnt an excuse anymore...

It went similarily for me with my rts 400; I bought the HSK sanding block that uses the 80x133 paper along with the hose for sanding a few spackle patches throughout the house. I then did a job where I needed to sand the edges of some 1 1/2" work tops. My EC 150/5 was just ok at the job; I decided to try the rts 400 since I already had the paper. Ordered, arrived and it worked beautifully.
So I do agree with you to a point, but the 125 and 150 are close enough in size that for me at least, I wouldn't see a benefit to getting another sander and stocking another sandpaper size. Aside form the RO 90 though; like I said, different beast. The EC 125/150 are the same sander, just different sizes.

 

[luvmytoolz]

That said, I do see an RO 90 making its way into my shop at some point, but that's a different animal.

The RO90 is an absolutely sensational unit that is amazingly powerful and can also give a great finish. I often find it much handier and more useful than my RO150 on many projects. That's not to say the RO150 isn't a brilliant tool, it is, but the RO90 is just a superb bit of kit.

 

[mrboult]

I use both sizes on my sanders. I prefer the 150 for general use these days, but the 125 is useful for smaller restricted areas. Also i find the 125mm size more aggressive when needed. The same power going to the smaller pad means you can dig harder with 60 grit paper. . Not something i do often, but I’ve noticed the difference when i do.

On a side note i recently fitted a 125 festool pad to my ETS EC 150/5. I had to dremel out notches on the 125mm pad to fit the shaft of the 150 and it works a treat. Didn’t take long and you don’t even need to be ‘that’ accurate.

Seeing how robust the 150 pad was on the notchless shaft of the 125/3 i realised the notches aren’t all that necessary for a robust fit of pad on sander. So i modified a 125 pad and it proved to work flawlessly
Proving festool could EASILY make all these sanders use both pad sizes, they just chose and still choose not to all they would have to do is give the 125mm pad the notches.

 

[afish]

Since I got my ETS EC 150/5 last year, I can't think of a single instance where I would have preferred a 5" disc. I'd rather not have to stock another size of discs anyway.

That said, I do see an RO 90 making its way into my shop at some point, but that's a different animal.

I thought the same thing about the rts/dts and said I would never buy the rts because i didnt wan to stock another paper. then along came the need for the LS and guess what same paper as the RTS so its really not an issue now. Still dont own the rts but another paper isnt an excuse anymore...

It went similarily for me with my rts 400; I bought the HSK sanding block that uses the 80x133 paper along with the hose for sanding a few spackle patches throughout the house. I then did a job where I needed to sand the edges of some 1 1/2" work tops. My EC 150/5 was just ok at the job; I decided to try the rts 400 since I already had the paper. Ordered, arrived and it worked beautifully.
So I do agree with you to a point, but the 125 and 150 are close enough in size that for me at least, I wouldn't see a benefit to getting another sander and stocking another sandpaper size. Aside form the RO 90 though; like I said, different beast. The EC 125/150 are the same sander, just different sizes.

Different strokes I guess, I started with the 125 req as it is actually a little more compact and the angled dust port also helps keep it a smaller package overall than the EC.  I got the REQ to help sand inside drawers and it was the most compact sander I could find at the time.  However its not great for everything and the EC is waaaaay better for large items.  However, I will also say the edge guide for the REQ is great and makes the REQ a worth while purchase just for that reason alone "if" you sand a fair amount of edges.  So I have the REQ that lives in an edge guide and the EC for my main workhorse. Plus a bunch of others. To me sanders are like router bits each one has specific tasks. I still think Festool should have made the RTS/DTS as one sander and made the pads interchangeable. They can try and claim otherwise but it is only greed that made them try and make everyone buy 2 sanders instead of 1 I dont care what they say. 

 

[Michael Kellough]

Re. RTS/DRS, it would take as long to change pads as it takes to change router bits, so you’d end up wanting to buy one of each anyway.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

[member=73094]afish[/member] I totally get where you are coming from on the RTS/DTS thing, which I why I'm puzzled by the small delta pad being included with the RO90? The already had the DTS and they don't share paper. Seems odd to make that smaller delta and another size of abrasive.

On the 125 vs 150 machines. I went with the 125, for a couple of reasons. First was mostly because that is what the company generally stocks for everyone to use. That has kind of been the standard around the shop, since before I ever worked there. Back then, nearly everyone had 5" palm style pneumatic sanders.
This was long before I bought my first Festool sander, which was RO90. Obviously it needed specific paper and they did start buying that for me. So, when I stepped up to the ETS EC, I got the 125 because it fit with the accepted standard. All we had to do was switch from "no holes" to the Festool pattern. The guys who are not using dust collection don't care about the hole pattern, so the same paper works for us all.
When I decided to get a bigger RO, the 125 was an obvious choice.

In the mean time, the company bought an RO150 for the installers, for field-seams in Corian countertops, so now they are stocking some of that too. Last year, when we had a ton of Corian work happening at once, they even bought a second RO150, so the paper is around more now.
I have thought about getting a 150 pad for my EC, but it has just never been a priority. The 125 has always done what I need it to.

Then I went off the deep end and got an RTS, so even more sizes  [unsure]
Plus those big 8" geared orbital sanders with the PSA paper, maybe that's why I don't worry about the 150? I just jump to that, but less often in recent times because of the dust.

 

[squall_line]

[member=73094]afish[/member] I totally get where you are coming from on the RTS/DTS thing, which I why I'm puzzled by the small delta pad being included with the RO90? The already had the DTS and they don't share paper. Seems odd to make that smaller delta and another size of abrasive.

I believe the delta pad on the RO 90 matches the size of the older/pre-existing DX 93.  To a large extent, the RO 90 matches the ergonomics of the old DX 93, but not 100% because of the body of the RO 90 has the long dust collection chute/hand protector.

 

[afish]

Re. RTS/DRS, it would take as long to change pads as it takes to change router bits, so you’d end up wanting to buy one of each anyway.

I respectfully disagree.  they could have made the pad quick attach an easier than swapping dust hose and power even with plugit.  most people wouldnt be switching back and forth every couple minutes between pads. while im not saying that those circumstances would never happen but think it would be rare.

 

[SoonerFan]

I prefer the 125 for most jobs.  It’s just what I am comfortable with in most cases.  I did buy the 150 pad.  I use it mostly for sanding bigger flat panels given it is faster.