So I’ve got an ets ec 125/3, and a few days back I picked up the ec 150/3. After some light use I noticed for some reason it wants to pull randomly in one direction or the other and overall feels like you are pushing/fighting it across the surface. My ec 125 on the same workpiece with the same extractor and settings, and the same paper glides effortlessly, I even tried the same 150mm abrasive on the 125 since I use net- still glides/floats perfectly. I’ve used a couple different pads on the 150 with the same thing happening. Just a dud or is the ec 150 just like that?? My gut tells me it’s a faulty unit, anyway I didn’t register it yet so maybe a swap for a new/different tool altogether would be wise?
Fighting with my new ec 150/3
- Thread starter JimmyFord
- Start date
Usually if the surface you're sanding is uneven, the sander can pull. But given the 25mm difference in the width of the two sanders, it might be unlikely. It's worth eyeballing the surface anyway just in case. You might want to check out the pad on the 150. It could be defective (uneven) causing that grabbing sensation.
Jiggy Joiner
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JimmyFord said:
Just a thought, is your extraction set at the right power? What I mean is, I find my various sanders and grits need varying suction to get the best out of them.
Jiggy Joiner said:
The right power? Not sure, but I get swirl free finishes with my ec125 using the same settings. I had both the 150 and 125 and going back and fourth between the two sanders, only the 150 is acting squirrely- same power level on the extractor, same grits.
I’ve got 2 pads for the 150 and it’s happening on both. I guess I could mount the 150mm pad on the 125 and see what’s what.
Really appreciate the reply’s, thank you!!
After learning the ec125 can rock n roll with the 150 pad, I was thinking about swapping the ec150/3 for the /5 and then have all my ros bases covered, or the deros 650 I guess- but yellow doesn’t jive with my green color scheme.
I had a similar issue with the Pro5. My 150/3 would work perfectly, but not the Pro5. I sent it back to service and they gave it a clean bill of health, yet the problem persisted. After messing with every variable I could think of at the time, it turned out to be the suction setting at the vac. What worked for my 150/3 or my DTS would not work with the Pro5. I turned the suction down lower and it ran like a champ.
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Jiggy Joiner
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- Dec 25, 2018
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JimmyFord said:The right power? Not sure, but I get swirl free finishes with my ec125 using the same settings. I had both the 150 and 125 and going back and fourth between the two sanders, only the 150 is acting squirrely- same power level on the extractor, same grits.
I’ve got 2 pads for the 150 and it’s happening on both. I guess I could mount the 150mm pad on the 125 and see what’s what.
Really appreciate the reply’s, thank you!!
After learning the ec125 can rock n roll with the 150 pad, I was thinking about swapping the ec150/3 for the /5 and then have all my ros bases covered, or the deros 650 I guess- but yellow doesn’t jive with my green color scheme.
Yes, it’s definitely worth experimenting with different suction power, and when changing various grits, and even the sander speed, before returning the machine.
I have a lovely little finishing sander, which can act very odd depending on the suction, grit used and speed. So I played around with the suction, setting the power as low as I could go, whilst still maintaining good extraction. Then thinking I had got it sorted, I then changed to a finer grit, or changed speed and was greeted with a similar problem again?
So, I finally adjusted the suction again, and then made a note of the suction power, relevant to each grit and speed, until it was right. It was such a chore but, eventually I got it sorted.
Some sander types and designs are much more sensitive to suction power than others. I have an old but very powerful Makita orbital sander in my collection, it is a real beast, and as such removes a lot of material very quickly, so the extraction is set high when I use it, it’s single speed, and when I fire it up with coarse grit, it’s like trying to hold back a frisky dog!
Anyway, I hope you can tune it in.
I don't own an EC sander but do own the older ETS125 and ETS150/5 sanders. The reverse is true for me; the 150 is smoother than the 125. However, I have noticed the following -
-The 125 always operates more smoothly when the suction on my CT Vac is turned down to the lowest setting.
-The 125 always has less vibration when the piece I'm sanding is a larger piece and/or it is securely clamped down so that it rests firmly on the surface on which it is sitting.
-When I do get vibration on either of the sanders, it sometimes occurs because the vac hose drags it down. Lifting up very slightly on the hose eliminates this problem.
I also replaced the pad on my 125 and this made its operation smoother also, but since both your pads do the same thing, I think this is an unlikely cause.
-The 125 always operates more smoothly when the suction on my CT Vac is turned down to the lowest setting.
-The 125 always has less vibration when the piece I'm sanding is a larger piece and/or it is securely clamped down so that it rests firmly on the surface on which it is sitting.
-When I do get vibration on either of the sanders, it sometimes occurs because the vac hose drags it down. Lifting up very slightly on the hose eliminates this problem.
I also replaced the pad on my 125 and this made its operation smoother also, but since both your pads do the same thing, I think this is an unlikely cause.
