Festool Sanders - Any good without extraction?

[Lewis.]

As above.  I'm new to FT and would like a sander but obviously can't afford the extraction gear all in one go (plus I don't have the room).  Are the FT sanders any good without extraction?  Reason I ask is i've read reviews to say they clog up easily without the extraction which removes the benefit of buying an expensive sander!

Was thinking RTS / DTS 400.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Lewis, our sanders are going to be no more prone to clogging without dust extraction than any other. With the RTS/DTS you have the option of using a dust bag that connects to the dust port. The motor has a fan that actually extracts dust into the bag.

Shane

 

[Lewis.]

Hi Shane,

Thanks for your reply.  Ok, so the performance of the RTS or DTS wouldn't suffer hugely as a result of not running the extraction system? I am through with buying rubbish tools so want to invest in decent stuff hence looking at the FT options.  Would love the RD90 ideally but it's out of my range in terms of budget currently. :

 

[Holzhacker]

I have several festool sanders. The DTS400 is the only one I use regularly without DC. The machine and paper have never clogged; whether sanding, wood, drywall or plaster. By no means is the bag great but it does work and provide collection. The D or R 400 are good alternative sanders for smaller, occasional work. Hope that helps.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

I always use the "gentler" Festool sanders with dust collection, but it should work alright.  I think that not using DC would probably shorten the life of the abrasive.
FYI, you don’t have to use a Festool CT to use the sanders.  You can use a run-of-the-mill shop vac with a step-down adapter for the hose and a pigtail adapter to attach to the tool.  Even a simple compact vacuum like the Home Depot’s $20 “Bucket Head” would suffice.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202017218&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202017218&ci_kw={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202017218&ci_gpa=pla&locStoreNum=4909

Anyway, sidebar on sanders…  I had the opportunity to use the RAS this weekend, to strip my daughters' outdoor playhouse (to prep for restaining).
Since my sisters was helping I gave her the the RO90 with the vac to do the interior, and I used the RAS without any DC to do all the outside
No problem eating up the material.  It threw dust everywhere, but the machine didn’t seem bothered by it.  I wore a good quality dust mask, or it might’ve been bad news.

Later, I used the RAS to sand the floor, and I had the vac attached for that work.  I was *stunned* by how good the dust collection was with the movable sweep.  My sister was shocked also (especially as we’d been used to the dust cloud for much of the day).  Time to get a “Y” adapter for the CT.

I bought the RAS during the recon sale, and it was sort of an impulse buy given the price and everyone saying these are terrific.  Well, it earned its keep yesterday and I’m buying another box of sandpaper!  (I used only THREE sheets of 80g sanding the entirety of this playhouse, over the course of 3 hours).

 

[Dan Clark]

I always use the "gentler" Festool sanders with dust collection, but it should work alright.  I think that not using DC would probably shorten the life of the abrasive.
FYI, you don’t have to use a Festool CT to use the sanders.  You can use a run-of-the-mill shop vac with a step-down adapter for the hose and a pigtail adapter to attach to the tool.  Even a simple compact vacuum like the Home Depot’s $20 “Bucket Head” would suffice.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202017218&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202017218&ci_kw={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202017218&ci_gpa=pla&locStoreNum=4909

Anyway, sidebar on sanders…  I had the opportunity to use the RAS this weekend, to strip my daughters' outdoor playhouse (to prep for restaining).
Since my sisters was helping I gave her the the RO90 with the vac to do the interior, and I used the RAS without any DC to do all the outside
No problem eating up the material.  It threw dust everywhere, but the machine didn’t seem bothered by it.  I wore a good quality dust mask, or it might’ve been bad news.

Later, I used the RAS to sand the floor, and I had the vac attached for that work.  I was *stunned* by how good the dust collection was with the movable sweep.  My sister was shocked also (especially as we’d been used to the dust cloud for much of the day).  Time to get a “Y” adapter for the CT.

I bought the RAS during the recon sale, and it was sort of an impulse buy given the price and everyone saying these are terrific.  Well, it earned its keep yesterday and I’m buying another box of sandpaper!   (I used only THREE sheets of 80g sanding the entirety of this playhouse, over the course of 3 hours).

WJ,

The Y adapter works well with two sanders.    This weekend, two of us used an RO90 (and sometimes LS130) and a Mirka Ceros hooked to my CT22 with a Y adapter to remove old stain from my front deck.    Two sanders were running simultaineously for several hours.  No problems and the CT22 has so much suction that it can handle two sanders easily.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[tiralie]

Was thinking RTS / DTS 400.

Hey Lewis:
I have the RTS 400 and have used it without a sander vacuum and it works flawlessly. I was actually surprised as I was expecting it to throw up a cloud of dust like my Makita did. As Shane mentioned it comes with a dust bag and it's excellent at collecting the dust. I have replaced my Makita 1/4 pad sander with the RTS 400 and there is no comparison in terms of dust collection without a vacuum.
Tim

 

[Wood_Junkie]

Good to know the little guys are effective with the dust bag.  Sometimes I've wanted to do a small job and somewhat avoided it because of the hassle of setting up.

 

[neeleman]

I recently also used my RS400/DTS400 without my CT22 but with those paper bags.
They are not Festool worth it. They constantely are torn apart with a cloud of dust as a result.

Why doesn't Festool offer a cloth dust bag like Rupes or Milwaukee does?
And then of course in nice Festool green.
I bought the Rupes for only 13 euros, that's the same amount of money for 10 paper dust bags.
The Rupes will last much longer then the paper ones.

 

[fdengel]

I have the RTS 400 and have used it without a sander

 

[tiralie]

I have the RTS 400 and have used it without a sander

Thanks for the catch! Corrected now.
Tim

 

[leakyroof]

I have the RTS 400 and have used it without a sander

    That's how good TIM is!, with or without a sander, with or without a vacuum, with or without sandpaper-just his bare hands on the wood buddy!!!!!!  [wink] [wink] [wink]

 

[tiralie]

    That's how good TIM is!, with or without a sander, with or without a vacuum, with or without sandpaper-just his bare hands on the wood buddy!!!!!!   [wink] [wink] [wink]
[/quote]

LOL, unfortunately I will have to keep my comments clarifying "bare hands" to "wood" ... ah, er to myself.
Tim

 

[ccarrolladams]

As above.  I'm new to FT and would like a sander but obviously can't afford the extraction gear all in one go (plus I don't have the room).  Are the FT sanders any good without extraction?  Reason I ask is i've read reviews to say they clog up easily without the extraction which removes the benefit of buying an expensive sander!

Was thinking RTS / DTS 400.

Certainly most Festool sanders are designed to be used with Festool adjustable dust extraction. Besides cooling the abrasives and removing dust, the vac also is part of the Festool cooling system.

In other threads there are posts about larger Festool sanders, especially the RO 150, getting too hot to hold while polishing. Obviously the polishing pad does not allow air to pass, so you do not hook up your vac while polishing.

My experience has been that the DTS 400 works quite well with a bag. I own an RTS but have never tried using it without hooking it to a CT.

 

[VictorL]

I recently also used my RS400/DTS400 without my CT22 but with those paper bags.
They are not Festool worth it. They constantely are torn apart with a cloud of dust as a result.

Why doesn't Festool offer a cloth dust bag like Rupes or Milwaukee does?
And then of course in nice Festool green.
I bought the Rupes for only 13 euros, that's the same amount of money for 10 paper dust bags.
The Rupes will last much longer then the paper ones.

This sander's design reminds me something....
Emptying dust bags is dangerous.
I met one fellow woodworker. After 40 years of work with wood, finishing and smoking he is expecting for lung transplant.
So be careful. Excellent dust collection is must and minimal wood dust contact.

VictorL

 

[leakyroof]

    That's how good TIM is!, with or without a sander, with or without a vacuum, with or without sandpaper-just his bare hands on the wood buddy!!!!!!   [wink] [wink] [wink]

LOL, unfortunately I will have to keep my comments clarifying "bare hands" to "wood" ... ah, er to myself.
Tim

[/quote]  Whoops, I had NOT looked at it that way when I WROTE it... [embarassed] [embarassed] [embarassed] I see your point