First time Festool owner, need help with ETS 125 REQ!

[nickgdowski]

I just received in the mail today my new Festool ETS 125 REQ 5" sander. I was super excited to upgrade to a nice sander after using my Dewalt ROS for so long. I've used Festool in the past during my time studying woodworking in college, so I had high hopes that this budget Festool sander would live up to its prestige.

Somewhat to my disappointment when I started using it, the sander felt like it was underpowered and/or did not function properly. Compared side by side to my Dewalt, it seems slower and left a noticeable circular pattern if I remained in one place for too long. Granted I understand this is a 'finish sander' and is not meant to be extremely aggressive, but I would expect that for the price there would be a noticeable quality improvement upon first use compared to a $60 dollar sander.

I found this forum while trying to troubleshoot my problems and came upon a post that mentions a "break in" period, but the post was from 2014 and I am wondering if that is still the case with the current 2023 models? I currently have it running clamped to my workbench in the hopes that it wears in and increases the overall performance.

My second, and perhaps main concern is how to use 3M Xtract Cubitron, Net disc paper on the Festool. The 3M is listed as a net-backed, hook and loop pad but it doesn't seem to want to stick to the ETS 125. In fact, when I tried sanding with an 80-grit pad the tool wouldn't rotate properly and basically did not function, versus when I used the included 120-grit pad from Festool, the tool spun normally and at least functioned.

Is there some sort of replacement pad or additional pad I can use that would allow my tool to accept the 3M sandpaper?

Any help or clarification on this topic would be greatly appreciated, I just would like to understand how to use this tool properly and get the most out of it, or perhaps better understand its limits and capabilities.

Thank you!

 

[peter halle]

Hi Nick.  Welcome to the FOG.  Regarding a break in period, that isn't spoken to anymore.  Festool now says that it isn't necessary.  About using net sanding disks, I can't speak to the 3M ones, but when using Festool net sanding disks there is an interface that helps to prevent damage to your main pad.  That part number for your sander is 203324.  You didn't mention using dust collection.  If using it the suction should be turned down as low as possible.  If you are using a regular shop vac that doesn't have variable suction then that might be part of your less than positive experience.  Too high suction will pull the sander down onto the workpiece and slow down the sanding pad.

Others will surely pipe in with their own advice.

Peter

 

[SilviaS7]

Hi Nick, I have the ETS EC 125, so basically the shorter, brushless version of the same sander.  First, make sure you're using dust collection, even if it's a cheap shop vac, because it's required for this type of sander.  Second, make sure you are letting the sander do the work.  As in, don't hold down or push the sander down into the surface.  This sander can definitely sand aggressively with the right grit of paper to do so.  A few questions:  what grit sandpaper are you using?  What are you starting with, what grits are you using in steps up to your final grit?  And are you sanding wood?  I know that seems like a dumb question but you didn't specify what material you are sanding, so I want to make sure to assist with all the right info. 

Lastly, there is a relatively cheap interface pad you can get from Festool that will help protect the built-in pad on your sander (this guy,https://www.festoolusa.com/accessory/203344---pp-stf-d125-2 for $15.00).  I don't know if this will work with the 3M sandpaper you mentioned, but it is a requirement if you use the Festool net abrasives, so perhaps this will help with the 3M?  If nothing else, since it's stated to be required by Festool for sanding with the Festool net abrasives, I would put it in my sander if I were you (I don't use the net abrasives, just regular old Rubin and Granat for me).  I use the protector pad on my ETS EC 125 (and my fiance's which is the same model) because it's much cheaper/easier to replace than the whole bottom part of the sander.

I'm not an expert, just a hobbyist woodworker and aspiring DIYer, but I have sanded lots of lumber, a decent square footage of floor (yes the ETS EC is better than the stuff I can rent that's supposed to be for sanding floors, long story I'll bore folks with another day), and I don't know how many linear feet of trim, 24 wooden doors, and a set of stairs, twice.  So in the five or so years I've had my sander, I've put it through its paces.  I hope this helps, and please feel free to keep asking more questions, FOG is a cool place with pretty chill people.  [laughing]

 

[luvmytoolz]

As the others have pointed out you absolutely must use the 3mm interface pad when using net sanding discs. I use the Festool Granat net and the 3M Cubitron II net on my ETC EC 150/5. Both brands have no issue attaching and holding to the pad and the interface pad so I'm not sure why yours is having trouble holding, that's very strange. Especially as the interface pads have the same holes layout as the sander pad, so essentially there's no difference so far as the sanding discs are concerned.

I apply just enough pressure to guide the sander and use a Midi extractor with the suction set to full, and have no swirl marks unless using below 180 grit.

 

[Steve1]

.... the sander felt like it was underpowered

Something is wrong here.
A RO sander needs very little power to operate.  Most likely you are pushing down WAY too hard.
I don't push down at all, I just balance the weight.
As previously mentioned, you should be using a dust collection.  On my setup, the vacuum force is more than enough downward force  (I should actually be turning down the vacuum speed to get less downforce).

 

[Crazyraceguy]

As the others have pointed out you absolutely must use the 3mm interface pad when using net sanding discs. I use the Festool Granat net and the 3M Cubitron II net on my ETC EC 150/5. Both brands have no issue attaching and holding to the pad and the interface pad so I'm not sure why yours is having trouble holding, that's very strange. Especially as the interface pads have the same holes layout as the sander pad, so essentially there's no difference so far as the sanding discs are concerned.

I apply just enough pressure to guide the sander and use a Midi extractor with the suction set to full, and have no swirl marks unless using below 180 grit.

The difference is in the "hook & loop" part of the pad. The Festool pad (part of the sander) has a much finer hook pattern than the typical "velcro" type. The interface pad "adapts" these. It has the Festool loops to attach to the sander and the bigger hooks to work with other papers, like the net types, on the other side.

 

[nickgdowski]

Hi Nick.  Welcome to the FOG.  Regarding a break in period, that isn't spoken to anymore.  Festool now says that it isn't necessary.  About using net sanding disks, I can't speak to the 3M ones, but when using Festool net sanding disks there is an interface that helps to prevent damage to your main pad.  That part number for your sander is 203324.  You didn't mention using dust collection.  If using it the suction should be turned down as low as possible.  If you are using a regular shop vac that doesn't have variable suction then that might be part of your less than positive experience.  Too high suction will pull the sander down onto the workpiece and slow down the sanding pad.

Others will surely pipe in with their own advice.

Peter

Hey Peter, thank you for taking the time to help me out. I took your advice and ordered the interface pad which I think will solve the issue of the sandpaper not attaching properly. Also, in regard to dust collection, I did not have any suction hooked up during my initial tests. My Dewalt shop vac has too much suction, and like you said sucks the sander down too much and inhibits its ability to rotate.

After some more playing around, I now have a better understanding of how to use the sander. Perhaps trying to sand rough end-grain walnut cutting boards first may have skewed my perceptions a bit at first. I see now that the sander has power, just not rough fast material removal power.

Would you say dust extraction is necessary when using Festool sanders? It comes with an included dust bag, but it seems like proper extraction is key to not getting swirl marks, even more so than with my other ROS.

 

[nickgdowski]

As the others have pointed out you absolutely must use the 3mm interface pad when using net sanding discs. I use the Festool Granat net and the 3M Cubitron II net on my ETC EC 150/5. Both brands have no issue attaching and holding to the pad and the interface pad so I'm not sure why yours is having trouble holding, that's very strange. Especially as the interface pads have the same holes layout as the sander pad, so essentially there's no difference so far as the sanding discs are concerned.

I apply just enough pressure to guide the sander and use a Midi extractor with the suction set to full, and have no swirl marks unless using below 180 grit.

The difference is in the "hook & loop" part of the pad. The Festool pad (part of the sander) has a much finer hook pattern than the typical "velcro" type. The interface pad "adapts" these. It has the Festool loops to attach to the sander and the bigger hooks to work with other papers, like the net types, on the other side.

Ah okay. I ended up ordering that interface pad yesterday night after reading more about the tool, and based on what you guys are saying.
Thanks for the help.

 

[nickgdowski]

.... the sander felt like it was underpowered

Something is wrong here.
A RO sander needs very little power to operate.  Most likely you are pushing down WAY too hard.
I don't push down at all, I just balance the weight.
As previously mentioned, you should be using a dust collection.  On my setup, the vacuum force is more than enough downward force  (I should actually be turning down the vacuum speed to get less downforce).

Based on what you are saying I think you are right. I probably was pushing down too hard in my initial testing. I have since learned to have a finer touch when using the tool and am already getting better results.
I currently only have a Dewalt shop vac, which seems to have too much suction for the sander. Would you say that having a dedicated dust collector is necessary for achieving the best results? How much of a performance decreease am I going to see by just using the included dust bag for example.
Would you have any vacuum recommendations?

 

[rvieceli]

[member=79705]nickgdowski[/member] A hack that a lot of folks have used to reduce the suction is to stick a Y or a T adapter in your shop vac. Put the hose on one of the y sections, then duct tape the other section closed. What you then do is to poke enough holes in the tape to give you the amount of suction reduction you need.

Ron

 

[nickgdowski]

Hi Nick, I have the ETS EC 125, so basically the shorter, brushless version of the same sander.  First, make sure you're using dust collection, even if it's a cheap shop vac, because it's required for this type of sander.  Second, make sure you are letting the sander do the work.  As in, don't hold down or push the sander down into the surface.  This sander can definitely sand aggressively with the right grit of paper to do so.  A few questions:  what grit sandpaper are you using?  What are you starting with, what grits are you using in steps up to your final grit?  And are you sanding wood?  I know that seems like a dumb question but you didn't specify what material you are sanding, so I want to make sure to assist with all the right info. 

Lastly, there is a relatively cheap interface pad you can get from Festool that will help protect the built-in pad on your sander (this guy,https://www.festoolusa.com/accessory/203344---pp-stf-d125-2 for $15.00).  I don't know if this will work with the 3M sandpaper you mentioned, but it is a requirement if you use the Festool net abrasives, so perhaps this will help with the 3M?  If nothing else, since it's stated to be required by Festool for sanding with the Festool net abrasives, I would put it in my sander if I were you (I don't use the net abrasives, just regular old Rubin and Granat for me).  I use the protector pad on my ETS EC 125 (and my fiance's which is the same model) because it's much cheaper/easier to replace than the whole bottom part of the sander.

I'm not an expert, just a hobbyist woodworker and aspiring DIYer, but I have sanded lots of lumber, a decent square footage of floor (yes the ETS EC is better than the stuff I can rent that's supposed to be for sanding floors, long story I'll bore folks with another day), and I don't know how many linear feet of trim, 24 wooden doors, and a set of stairs, twice.  So in the five or so years I've had my sander, I've put it through its paces.  I hope this helps, and please feel free to keep asking more questions, FOG is a cool place with pretty chill people.  [laughing]

Hey, first off thank you for the helpful reply. I appreciate the time taken to point me in the right direction here. I currently only have a Dewalt shop vac, which I think has too much suction cause is sucks the sander down to the wood pretty good and probably inhibits its ability to rotate properly. You say dust collection is required for this type of sander...why is that exactly? It comes with a bag, but is the likelihood of scratch marks that much more without dust collection?

In my first use, I was trying the 80-grit version of the 3M Xtract Cubitron II paper. But it was sort of sliding side to side I think because of not having the interface pad that you and others have mentioned. I have since ordered it in the hopes it helps with that part...Festool does say that the pad is required when using their net-backed papers. Additionally, I was first testing the tool on an end-grain walnut cutting board and I think I had unrealistic expectations on how it was going to perform. I have since tried it on some smaller delicate boxes and it had no problem sanding those surfaces.

Ultimately, I had to understand that just because it has the Festool name on it, doesn't mean it was going to perform pure magic. I see now that it is a tool for specific tasks and is not meant for rougher work. I do have a Bosch 3107 DVS which is a much more heavy-duty sander that probably should be used for the grittier sanding jobs.

 

[rmhinden]

[member=79705]nickgdowski[/member]

One thing to add from the other comments.  The ETS 125 REQ is as you said a finish sander and has a 2mm stroke.  Very nice for fine finishes, but probably not the best sander for removing a lot of material with 80grit paper.

By comparison, the ETS EC 125/3 EQ has a 3mm stroke and ETS EC 150 modelss come in 3mm and 5mm stroke models.  These are better at removing material.

My first Festool sander was the ETS 125 REQ, I later got a RO 90 and the ETS EC 125/3 EQ.    I use the ETS EC 125/3 most.

Bob

 

[mrboult]

The post about the sander needing dust correction is incorrect.

It is true for the ETS EC sanders, but not the ETS 125 the OP has. The difference being, unlike most sanders, the ETS EC sanders do not have and internal ‘fan’ above the pad to eject the dust out of the dust port. This gives the sanders a low profile but means DC is required.

The ETS sanders have an internal fan and therefore come with a dust bag. And are fine to use as such.

But personally i would adapt the shop vac to be able to use with lower suction, with a simple method like the one mentioned above. Sanding with DC is miles better.

 

[SilviaS7]

My apologies all, I thought the regular ETS sanders also required dust collection due to no fan internally, I was wrong. 

Another option if you can't get the suction to lower on the DeWalt shop vac, is to get a tiny one, like a 2.5 gallon, because the suction is a lot less on those.  It's what I used for a long time before I ever got an actual Festool CT for dust extraction.

 

[afish]

One thing I didnt see mentioned is if you have already been sanding without an interface pad you may have damaged tje pad already to the point you will need to replace it as well. it doesnt take much to damage the hooks on the pad. so if your interfacevpad isnt sticking to the sanding pad good thats what happened.

Also Any vac will work but as others mentioned you need to have some type of gate valve to adjust how much suction is diverted to the tool. some after market hoses have a valve built in. Im a fan of thesethey have a valve built in and the quick clic system works great if you have different sized dust ports on your tools.

 

[Cheese]

One thing I didnt see mentioned is if you have already been sanding without an interface pad you may have damaged tje pad already to the point you will need to replace it as well. it doesnt take much to damage the hooks on the pad. so if your interfacevpad isnt sticking to the sanding pad good thats what happened.

Also Any vac will work but as others mentioned you need to have some type of gate valve to adjust how much suction is diverted to the tool. some after market hoses have a valve built in. Im a fan of thesethey have a valve built in and the quick clic system works great if you have different sized dust ports on your tools.

+1  Especially if you've been using 80 grit, the damage may already be done.

+1  You can use a bag but you risk a greater chance for swirls. I'd recommend a vac and the less suction the better, especially on the little ETS 125 sander, it's a finish sander so it does not remove much material in a single pass.

Make sure that when switching grits, you vacuum both the sanded surface and the sander pad to remove the previous chunks.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I disagree with Cheese about using a bag, assuming he is referring to the paper dust bag that came with the sander. If your powered dust extraction setup is too powerful you’re better off using the dust bag to reduce stiction and swirl marks.

The rule of thumb for adjusting suction is that it should be easy to lift the sander off the surface while the suction is on. Should not be much harder to lift than when using the bag.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

As mrB said, the ETS does not require dust extraction because of the on-board fan and collection bag, but I think you will find that it is better to have it.
I'm sure that there are people who "have done it for years", but the small 2mm orbit does not really lend itself to heavy stock removal and 80 grit paper. If you need do that a lot, it may become a disappointment to you.
Leveling/blending is much more the job for an RO (Rotex). It can do both roughing and finishing because of the dual modes, but it's a little cumbersome as a finish sander. It can do it just fine, but it takes more input from the user. (two hands, which generally means clamping your work down in some way) It's also a far more expensive machine.

 

[Toolpig]

I just received in the mail today my new Festool ETS 125 REQ 5" sander. I was super excited to upgrade to a nice sander after using my Dewalt ROS for so long. I've used Festool in the past during my time studying woodworking in college, so I had high hopes that this budget Festool sander would live up to its prestige.

Somewhat to my disappointment when I started using it, the sander felt like it was underpowered and/or did not function properly. Compared side by side to my Dewalt, it seems slower and left a noticeable circular pattern if I remained in one place for too long. Granted I understand this is a 'finish sander' and is not meant to be extremely aggressive, but I would expect that for the price there would be a noticeable quality improvement upon first use compared to a $60 dollar sander.

I found this forum while trying to troubleshoot my problems and came upon a post that mentions a "break in" period, but the post was from 2014 and I am wondering if that is still the case with the current 2023 models? I currently have it running clamped to my workbench in the hopes that it wears in and increases the overall performance.

My second, and perhaps main concern is how to use 3M Xtract Cubitron, Net disc paper on the Festool. The 3M is listed as a net-backed, hook and loop pad but it doesn't seem to want to stick to the ETS 125. In fact, when I tried sanding with an 80-grit pad the tool wouldn't rotate properly and basically did not function, versus when I used the included 120-grit pad from Festool, the tool spun normally and at least functioned.

Is there some sort of replacement pad or additional pad I can use that would allow my tool to accept the 3M sandpaper?

Any help or clarification on this topic would be greatly appreciated, I just would like to understand how to use this tool properly and get the most out of it, or perhaps better understand its limits and capabilities.

Thank you!

It is the worst sander Festool makes (I’ve had two of them). Return it and get the “EC” version instead.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cheese]

I disagree with Cheese about using a bag, assuming he is referring to the paper dust bag that came with the sander. If your powered dust extraction setup is too powerful you’re better off using the dust bag to reduce stiction and swirl marks.

The rule of thumb for adjusting suction is that it should be easy to lift the sander off the surface while the suction is on. Should not be much harder to lift than when using the bag.

I actually agree with you Michael if there are only 2 options. Either using a dust bag or using a shop vac on max that's pulling the sander "into" the surface. If those are the only options, I'd use the bag every time.

However, afish offered up these which I thought was a nice option and there's probably a size available that fits Nick's vacuum.

[attachimg=1]
https://www.centecsystems.com/standard-quick-click-adapters/