First sander purchase
- Thread starter Frederick
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greenMonster
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There's a sale going on?There's a sale going on?
greenMonster
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- Aug 28, 2011
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*10% sale off sanders and accessories
Dang....and I only had my first koolaid weeks ago :/
Sorry to hijack. I'll be interested to hear the responses
Dang....and I only had my first koolaid weeks ago :/
Sorry to hijack. I'll be interested to hear the responses
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- Jan 22, 2007
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Guys, just a recommendation... If you want suggestions or feedback, share more information about what type of sanding you typically do. That will determine the best sander for you.
If you want a general purpose sander, check out the ETS 150. If you want an extremely versatile sander that can just about do it all, check out a Rotex.
Remember, the 30-day money back guarantee is available. So, if you're not quite convinced of which sander is best for you then get one and try it out. If you don't like it, return it for a refund.
Shane
If you want a general purpose sander, check out the ETS 150. If you want an extremely versatile sander that can just about do it all, check out a Rotex.
Remember, the 30-day money back guarantee is available. So, if you're not quite convinced of which sander is best for you then get one and try it out. If you don't like it, return it for a refund.
Shane
Brice Burrell
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greenMonster said:
Wow, I must be slipping, I had no idea there was a sale. [blink] The more I think about it, I suppose it's Shane that is slipping, he should have let us know there is a sale going on.
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Brice Burrell said:
Ahem...
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-sales-dealer-area/fall-2011-sander-promotion-us-canada-only
Schedule that eye appointment yet? [poke] [doh]
Sale starts October 1st.
Ken Nagrod
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Funny how someone else had posted or slipped up and posted about a sander sale last week on here. I don't remember the particular post or the member, but I thought it odd at the time.
Funny how no one seemed to give a recommendation on this original question, so I will go out on a limb on this. I think that you could not do better than a RO90 sander. It is the small Rotex that can do rotary sanding for rapid material removal, random orbit for finish type sanding and delta pad sanding for corner and detail work. In humble opinion this is definitely Festool's most bang for the buck sander hands or pad down. I bought one and I LOVE it!!! After that perhaps a ETS 150/3 for finish sanding of larger projects. Then consider a RS 2 E for flattening large areas such as tabletops. Festool sanders are excellent and I am sure you will enjoy using them.
Here is some pictures of my Festool Family of sanders.
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The RO90 triple mode sander.
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The RO125 Rotex dual mode sander.
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The ETS 150/3 Random Orbit sander.
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The RS 2 E Orbital sander.
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If you have not guessed by now I will tell that I like Festool sanders. Hope this helps.
Here is some pictures of my Festool Family of sanders.
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The RO90 triple mode sander.
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The RO125 Rotex dual mode sander.
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The ETS 150/3 Random Orbit sander.
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The RS 2 E Orbital sander.
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If you have not guessed by now I will tell that I like Festool sanders. Hope this helps.
Sam Murdoch
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- Apr 13, 2008
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- 162
As you characterize yourself as a beginning woodworker I would advise to stay away from the RO125 or RO150. This particular style of sander can do all kinds of work but it is definitely not a tool that I would want to use to introduce someone to sanding [scared]. Others may disagree but as I haver written before, the ROs have required the longest learning curve of any small shop tool I can think of (well, maybe excluding routers) - and I have been at this love of learning /woodworking thing for over 30 years! Sanding is most often reserved for the near end process of a project. You've invested soooo many hours striving for perfection and then you ease your RO onto a panel or door that you are so proud of and commence to try to make it even better with some light sanding ***************** there goes the RO and there goes your hopes to be ready for varnish by noon [blink]. OK, I am being dramatic but the RO can be a beast even as it can be your best tool for any given project. I really love mine - really!
Having said all that Frederick I would steer you to an ETS 150/3 - easy to handle right out of the box, nice balance, variable speed for a range of sanding requirements and pretty hard to hurt your project with it. The one BUT is that the 6" pad can be too big for some work. I have read great happiness on the FOG with the RO90- many recent threads if you take the time to look. Otherwise Shane's advice to sample a few sanders using the 30 day warranty as a research tool is great advice. You can't ask for more than that from any seller. Gotta love Festool.
Having said all that Frederick I would steer you to an ETS 150/3 - easy to handle right out of the box, nice balance, variable speed for a range of sanding requirements and pretty hard to hurt your project with it. The one BUT is that the 6" pad can be too big for some work. I have read great happiness on the FOG with the RO90- many recent threads if you take the time to look. Otherwise Shane's advice to sample a few sanders using the 30 day warranty as a research tool is great advice. You can't ask for more than that from any seller. Gotta love Festool.
Sam Murdoch said:
I disagree ;D
The Rotex should be fine as a first sander as long as the instructions are read and followed (in other words, make sure it is in the correct mode and that you are using the correct abrasive for the application).
If you ignore the instructions, or try to do finish sanding with Saphir, all bets are off.
Always practice on scrap wood when getting a feel for something new.
nickao
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I am not sure if you are disagreeing that it does not have a high learning curve or shouldn't be the first sander, these are mutually exclusive in my opinion.
The Rotex can be your first sander, that does not change the fact that it definitely has the highest learning curve of any sander out there. I think at least 25% of the people that use the Rotex hate it and never give it a chance because of its needed break in and squirrelly(not a word) nature.
I rarely and I mean almost never use the Rotex in anything but Rotex mode. I pull out the ETS 150 for the last few sanding passes if I must get that type of fine finish.
The Rotex can be your first sander, that does not change the fact that it definitely has the highest learning curve of any sander out there. I think at least 25% of the people that use the Rotex hate it and never give it a chance because of its needed break in and squirrelly(not a word) nature.
I rarely and I mean almost never use the Rotex in anything but Rotex mode. I pull out the ETS 150 for the last few sanding passes if I must get that type of fine finish.
MrToolJunkie
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I think to get the most out of sanding that you really need to have a couple of sanders in your arsenal -- a Rotex and 150 or 125 series is a great combination that can fit a lot of different sanding needs. I agree that there is a learning curve with the Rotex, but do not let that scare you away -- it is not a steep learning curve and you will quickly learn how to control it and get a great finish. It is hard to beat the versatility that this sander offers. The random orbit finish sanders are tough to beat too for an ultra-smooth finish, especially on open field work like door panels and drawer fronts, etc... I think that these two types of sanders would get your well on your way. Of course, buying in the 5 inch series or 6 inch series allows you to use the same papers for each. If you are like me, you will start with one or two of these and then end up with a collection. They all have a purpose and there is some overlap. It is a great time to get invested in the sanders and take advantage of the savings with consumables and accessories.
One thing I will mention -- if you decide to try one and see if it works, hold off on buying any accessories or consumables that you will not use since you cannot return them as part of the 30 day policy (if they are opened/used). In other words, dropping hundreds of dollars on various grits of sandpaper for a sander that does not fit your style of work or that is comfortable to you can be an expensive mistake. I would suggest investing in small packs of paper to use in the trial period and once you have decided buy the other goodies. There is plenty of time in the promotional period to try it out this way and not risk spending extra money.
Scot
One thing I will mention -- if you decide to try one and see if it works, hold off on buying any accessories or consumables that you will not use since you cannot return them as part of the 30 day policy (if they are opened/used). In other words, dropping hundreds of dollars on various grits of sandpaper for a sander that does not fit your style of work or that is comfortable to you can be an expensive mistake. I would suggest investing in small packs of paper to use in the trial period and once you have decided buy the other goodies. There is plenty of time in the promotional period to try it out this way and not risk spending extra money.
Scot
Frederick,
At one time (for a couple of years) the ETS150/5 was my only sander. Though it is a pretty straight forward finish sander it is surprisingly versatile. Especially if you add the hard sanding pad and have a wide selection of grits. I purchased it over the ETS150 /3 because I felt it would be more general purpose due to the larger stroke. I used it for material removal , stripping, edge sanding, finish sanding , between cooats of finish, and even scribing. It would be an excellent way to go if you don't want to get into the cost range, learning curve or grip style of the Rotex series.
BTW you will get more right answers to your question than you can count.
Festool sanders......... bet you can't buy just one [big grin]
Seth
At one time (for a couple of years) the ETS150/5 was my only sander. Though it is a pretty straight forward finish sander it is surprisingly versatile. Especially if you add the hard sanding pad and have a wide selection of grits. I purchased it over the ETS150 /3 because I felt it would be more general purpose due to the larger stroke. I used it for material removal , stripping, edge sanding, finish sanding , between cooats of finish, and even scribing. It would be an excellent way to go if you don't want to get into the cost range, learning curve or grip style of the Rotex series.
BTW you will get more right answers to your question than you can count.
Festool sanders......... bet you can't buy just one [big grin]
Seth
