Festool sander ets125/3 with a numatic wet and dry hoover ?

[Staircasereno]

Hi buying the Festool ets 125/3 sander after much investigation, deliberation. We primarily want to refinish an oak staircase and newel posts etc which has osmo polyx clear on it..it has wear and tear to some parts after 20 years use. We already have a numatic wet dry industrial vacuum w570 and want to know realistically if this is an option for dust extraction. Concerned about suction dragging the sander and creating patchy results as well as mess !

 

[Vondawg]

So it sounds like the vac doesn’t have variable speed ? You can slow it down or vent it (at the hose) a variable speed router control can do this as well I used one for years on a Fien vac with just an on/off switch…still have it and runs great, this was before my Festool ones…I also see a RTS or DTS 400 in your future for all the corners you’re going to run into
Welcome to the FOG !…..here’s an example… Rockler had one for @$60 but I had a $30 one work just fine

 

[Staircasereno]

Thanks so much for the reply. We have looked ( spent way too long deliberating !!!! ) at the RTS and DTS too ! Decided that we could buy a cheaper mouse type sander to help with the corners however if we can make the Numatic hoover work for the dust extraction we may decide on the DTS too ! The numatic doesn’t have variable speed and we had thought about those external switches.
Thanks for the links !!

 

[luvmytoolz]

You could also buy the Bosch hose if it will fit the vac (same fitting as Festool hose), it has an adjustable breather slot at the nozzle end to reduce suction.

 

[leakyroof]

The beauty of the current DTS 400 sander is the edge guard type angling of the pads. This helps prevent scuffing of adjacent surfaces that might have a delicate finish on them , and you don't want to increase your work load if you don't have to. I actually held off buying the DTS sander for some years, until Alex, a poster here on SAMBA convinced me to try one out. I now own two of them.... Excellent sander for lighter duty paint work, film finish work etc.
For stair work, esp if you return to an Oil Finish, the RO 90 is a great tool, since you can rough sand with the Rotex mode, finish Sand with the Orbital Mode, Corner Sand with the Triangle head, and then Buff with the Sander in Rotex mode if you are buffing an Oil Finish out.

 

[Staircasereno]

Leakyroof thanks. We aren’t dealing with any painted wood just aged osmo polyx oil and/or a polyeurathane type finish elsewhere. The Osmo surface will be refinished (once sanded !) in Osmo polyx again.
Would you still prefer the 90 ? Rather than the ets125/3 and a separate sander to help with the corners.
I think the 90mm size might be a limiting factor although as it can take the triangle heads this might balance things up.
I think we will try and use the numatic wet and dry hoover with one of the Bosch hoses to help with reducing suction and see how we go with that in the 1st instance.
I’m wobbling now on the ets125/3

 

[Staircasereno]

We are not working with any spindles. Just plain/ square edge newels, treads, risers , a qtr turn and handrail with curved edges.

 

[leakyroof]

Leakyroof thanks. We aren’t dealing with any painted wood just aged osmo polyx oil and/or a polyeurathane type finish elsewhere. The Osmo surface will be refinished (once sanded !) in Osmo polyx again.
Would you still prefer the 90 ? Rather than the ets125/3 and a separate sander to help with the corners.
I think the 90mm size might be a limiting factor although as it can take the triangle heads this might balance things up.
I think we will try and use the numatic wet and dry hoover with one of the Bosch hoses to help with reducing suction and see how we go with that in the 1st instance.
I’m wobbling now on the ets125/3

Well, it depends on how aggressive your sanding needs to be for the existing Oil or other finish on these stairs- I have stripped old Non-Painted finishes with my ETS EC 125/3 sander, off of doors pretty easily- stain, old Varnish, and Possibly old Shellac. So, using that sander, and something for the Corners to finish up the tight spots, you'd be set. The beauty of the Rotex Sanders for Oil Finishes, is their ability to really buff the oil finish out, more so IMO than a Random Orbital Mode Sander. If you don't need the buffing ability of a Rotex Sander, and want the 5" pad size for faster coverage over the smaller RO90, looks like you're again set with the ETS EC 125 sander, and whatever you buy as your Corner Sander- DTS 400 , or other.