Full sanding setup..I need an adult.

[AlexThePalex]

Are the newer versions of the RTS and the DTS interchangeably anymore. I thought [member=5277]Alex[/member] in Europe had covered this at one point here on FOG.... I could wrong...

Pads for the older DS 400/ RS 400 sanders were interchangeable.

Then it became more difficult with the next gen DTS 400 / RTS 400, but still doable if you really want, though there are  few hoops to jump through.

Looking at Ekat, nothing has changed for the newest REQ models, so still doable, but not easy.

I'd advice against it, even with my old DS400 it became a problem after a while because the aluminium base that accepts the screws that hold the pad is too soft and the screw holes stripped out. I had to tap them up from M4 to M5.

 

[serge0n]

Don't ditch the Rotex if workbenches and tables are your bread and butter. People who advised you to do so probably never had to flatten a table top (or any hardwood panel) with a handheld sander. Sure, RS2 will do it as well, but it will take forever, especially if boards were joined with a lesser machine than a Domino, a DD40 or a Lamello. Even with a Domino you can have some minor misalignment.

RO150 (flattening panels and polishing), ETS EC 150/3 (general sanding) and DTS 400 (corner and edge sanding) should cover most of your sanding needs. RTS400 is much better for sanding edges than DTS 400 as it has more holes in the pad, so much less sanding dust escapes when your are sanding narrow surfaces or edges.

 

[lwoirhaye]

I've read some stuff on the 1/2 sheet sanders recently that claimed they are quite fast. 

I had a couple of drum sanders but eventually acquired a stroke sander and a small 13" wide belt at auctions and ditched the drum sanders.  Both machines needed work but between them they are insanely efficient.  Drum sanding alway seemed like watching paint dry to me and the wide belt confirms that there's no comparison.

Drum sanders also can mess up stock.  I know some guys love them and even got discouraged at one point in trying to get my wide belt going, considered selling it at a loss and getting another drum sander.  I'm glad I persevered and figured the machine out.

 

[Coen]

Are the newer versions of the RTS and the DTS interchangeably anymore. I thought [member=5277]Alex[/member] in Europe had covered this at one point here on FOG.... I could wrong...

Pads for the older DS 400/ RS 400 sanders were interchangeable.

Then it became more difficult with the next gen DTS 400 / RTS 400, but still doable if you really want, though there are  few hoops to jump through.

Looking at Ekat, nothing has changed for the newest REQ models, so still doable, but not easy.

I'd advice against it, even with my old DS400 it became a problem after a while because the aluminium base that accepts the screws that hold the pad is too soft and the screw holes stripped out. I had to tap them up from M4 to M5.

All that time and trouble, I just bought both DTS and RTS.

But now we're talking about it; you can also turn it into an ETS 125 with changing some more parts, right?

 

[AlexThePalex]

All that time and trouble, I just bought both DTS and RTS.

I ended up doing that too.

But now we're talking about it; you can also turn it into an ETS 125 with changing some more parts, right?

Can be done, in theory. Both sanders are based on the same frame, only the bottom parts are different. Nevertheless, it is a major rebuild, it makes no sense to do that.