Hello Newbie here with Rotex 90

[RossJarvis]

Hello all.

Due to a few weeks of choking on dust and erecting tents around a client's windows, I've entered the Festool World by spending serious sorts of money on a CT Midi and RO 90.  I can see an RO 150 turning up soon too.

My main problem is how to hold the tool for tasks, realising that I'm just not that good at it ???.  Sometimes I can scream along and paint flies away, plaster goes perfect, other times I have an uncontrollable beast in my hands and nothing seems to be happening.  Sometimes the abrasives last for-ever and then, usually near edges, the outside graunches up in nano seconds.  I've seen a few helpful vids and articles, but is there a "go to" place or book which actually helps you learn how to use the beasty?  By the way I am in the UK.

 

[Brice Burrell]

First, welcome to the FOG. [welcome]

You probably already seen this mentioned since you've read some on this topic-holding the RO90 at head with one hand and the other back on the hose/cord attachment seems to be the best.

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[roblg3]

WELCOME!!
Unlike most sanders, there's really no need to attempt to manhandle a festool. Holding in a slight lifting motion from the rear, to keep the sander flat, and then simply place the other hand towards the front only to steer seems to be the most effective way to operate a rotex.  I wish i could help more than that.

 

[RossJarvis]

Thank you Brice and Rob.

I've been mostly holding the thingy that way from the beginning (probably having read something from here before).  But I presume, like with hand planing and anything else, it takes a while to "learn" how to use it and build up the "knack" of how best it works .  Maybe because I'm doing different jobs i'm just getting confused by how it deals with things.  Plus, due to the different modes theres a heck of a lot more ways to skin the cat [eek].  On occasions holding the handle like a handle seems to work :

I'm also trying to get used to a delta head, a round head, up to three different kinds of pad hardness, different grits, different speeds and different suction.  There does seem quite a difference in subtle changes of pressure and subtle changes of angle which totally change the performance and seem a bit like magic to me [eek]

I've also bought Brilliant 2 as it seemed the best all-rounder to me, but I'm now wondering if Granat might be better.

 

[Michael1960]

In addition to what's been said already, I'd periodically remove the pad and clean out the accumulated dust behind this area.  This should assist in dust extraction and improve sandpaper life.

 

[mdelrossi]

Welcome.
As mentioned on other threads, experiment with lower suction.
Also there does seem to be a "break-in" period where it tends to smooth out.

If you're striping paint, granat doesn't clog as easily.

Good luck
mdr

 

[carlb40]

[welcome] Ross  [big grin]

 

[VW mick]

[welcome]

I'd go granat .and you should have a small semi circular piece of plastic in the SYS.
An edge guard that clips to the front of the ro90 that should help you from trashing your paper when you get to an edge

I've a box full of paper with torn edges I keep for hand sanding/arising ect

 

[RossJarvis]

[welcome]

and you should have a small semi circular piece of plastic in the SYS.
An edge guard that clips to the front of the ro90 that should help you from trashing your paper when you get to an edge

I've a box full of paper with torn edges I keep for hand sanding/arising ect

Having a bit of an issue whilst sanding the woodwork in a room.  On some profiles the edge protector is a bit high, I now have a lot of spare paper for all the little bits I shouldn't have used the RO 90 on [unsure].

Looks like I'll be needing a new delta pad or three too [doh].

 

[wow]

First, [welcome] to theFOG!

You've already gotten some good advise from the experts, but I'd like add that I don't think this problem is totally unique to Festool sanders. I've had other detail and Random Orbit Sanders on which I've torn up paper and pads while I got familiar with them. I've not found my RO90 to be any worse (or any better) in that regard.

If you run the RO90 in geared mode, you have a LOT more power coupled to the abrasive. In that setting it can seem a lot like riding a floor buffer! Not that I'd know...

[wink]