how do you feel about the ro 90 paper systainer

[Alan m]

hi there.
i just bought a ro 90 [big grin] [big grin]
i will soon build up a colection of papers in various types and grits.
do those of you with the ro 90 have the paper systainer. if so how do you find it. is it a good way to store the papers.
have any of you built your own insert. .

i was thinking of useing a sys2 and putting in a ply frame and using plastic (cut up election poster)  to create movable dividers. the papers would be stored up on edge. i did this for my ro 150 papers and it works good.
im not sure how this will work for the delta papers.

is the standard insert any good

 

[Kev]

I think it's a good storage option for loose pads, but it's a bit limited for complete storage. I've got the Festool inserts for 150mm and 90mm and then I've got boxes of sanding paper and accessories for sanding in another systainer.

What I'd really like is for the Festool abrasives to come in a plastic box that you keep ... one that's some how compatible with the systainer format. When the contents are use up, you've got a container for other things .. c'mon Festool !!!

Anyway, I think the "systainer" disease is an offshoot of the Festool bug. Nothing looks properly put away if it's not in a systainer - an acquired OCD  [sad]

 

[fritter63]

Just got mine, it's fine I think. A little tough to get the DX 93 sheets in between the round pads (as opposed to on top of a stack of them).

The real problem is that unless the pads are stacked perfectly, you have put them in one at a time. Friction is a little to much to shift them around....

 

[ccarrolladams]

Hi Alan,

I bought one of the first RO 90 DX delivered in Los Angeles. At that time there was a deal on an abrasive assortment in the Systainer with insert. I considered that a good deal because I was not so sure which types of abrasives and grits would be useful for the RO 90 in my shop.

Fairly soon it became clear all six of the cabinet makers working for me found the RO 90 DX very useful. As the supply chain filled with RO 90 DX and its accessories, I bought 6 more of them, so each of us can use one at the same time. That does not actually happen, so at least one of the RO 90 is left fitted with the delta pad.

Hardly ever are any of us sanding in the same part of my shop, which is large enough we do not want to walk to "Supply Central" when we change grit. Consequently I bought 6 of the empty Abrasive Systainer with Insert for the RO 90 DX, cat 497 687. Each of us has our name on a dedicated abrasive Systainer. When each of us notices our supply running low, we re-fill from Supply Central. None of us works exactly the same way and we all tend to specialize in particular tasks. Consequently none of us stock the same assortment.

The advantage to the Festool RO 90 insert is that any hole will work for round or delta material. Some of us hardly ever use delta abrasives. Personally I still like to use the Deltex DX 93 for delta sanding. I have been using one for years and since I do not need coarse paper, I find it easier to control the finish with the less powerful sander. On the other hand the rest of my staff prefer the RO 90 DX in delta mode, because it is more powerful. They also tend to use coarser grit material more often that me.

Probably many FOG members will prefer to build their own inserts. Generally I only spend the time building custom inserts when I do not care for the kind made in a factory. Personally I prefer storing abrasive flat and not on edge. Also I do not need a vast assortment of choices.

Of course each of us will have to decide what is best for us.

 

[NoBreyner]

I got my Ro90 Granat abrasives and systainer from Tom at toolhome.  He sells broken up packs of abrasives in both round and deltex papers along with a systainer for one price.  10 each of 40,60 and 80 grits and 20 each of 100 - 400 grits.  That's what I went with when I needed paper.  When I bought my Ro90 at Woodcraft the gentleman doing the demo for the sander gave me five each of all grits of granat deltex papers so I didn't need them with the order, so I managed to save some money by having them removed from the order.  I also ordered 5 of each of the four platin 2 abrasives from the same company  I didn't really want to pay for fifteen per box x 4.

In the pick below it has eight compartments and I had to stack three grits on top of each other to take up four compartments.  Each of the platin grits is taking up the other four compartments.  In the Platin 500 grit (center bottom) I took one disk of each grit and put the stack in order there so I wouldn't spend too much time digging for each of the grits.  The compartments are kinda tight and you'd need to remove paper from the top to reach the lower grits below you can't just remove all from one compartment; there's no finger room.  As it is there's enough room for some of the triangular abrasives, but I keep those in the ro90's systainer.  I'd hate to think on how I'd fit in extra grits if I got low and just took the plunge on 100 of just one grit.

 

[Kev]

I got my Ro90 Granat abrasives and systainer from Tom at toolhome.  He sells broken up packs of abrasives in both round and deltex papers along with a systainer for one price.  10 each of 40,60 and 80 grits and 20 each of 100 - 400 grits.  That's what I went with when I needed paper.  When I bought my Ro90 at Woodcraft the gentleman doing the demo for the sander gave me five each of all grits of granat deltex papers so I didn't need them with the order, so I managed to save some money by having them removed from the order.  I also ordered 5 of each of the four platin 2 abrasives from the same company  I didn't really want to pay for fifteen per box x 4.

In the pick below it has eight compartments and I had to stack three grits on top of each other to take up four compartments.  Each of the platin grits is taking up the other four compartments.  In the Platin 500 grit (center bottom) I took one disk of each grit and put the stack in order there so I wouldn't spend too much time digging for each of the grits.  The compartments are kinda tight and you'd need to remove paper from the top to reach the lower grits below you can't just remove all from one compartment; there's no finger room.  As it is there's enough room for some of the triangular abrasives, but I keep those in the ro90's systainer.  I'd hate to think on how I'd fit in extra grits if I got low and just took the plunge on 100 of just one grit.

I agree on the accessibility issue - all these systainer inserts are good, but they're not great. A better (to my thinking) approach would be to have vertical storage with moveable dividers. Some people don't like storing sandpaper on the edge, but if you store it in a way that doesn't let it curl ...

... you know - I never even thought about this sort of thing as a problem to deal with until I got hung up on Festool !

 

[jtwood]

I have the systainer for the RO90, and like NoBreyner, I find the configuration a little difficult to use.  You do have to stack multiple grits in the same "hole" assuming you are using it to go through the progression for finishing wood for furniture, like I do.  They are tight together, and if you don't stack them neatly, it is difficult to fit them into the appropriate hole.
I don't need the systainer to take the paper to a job site.  I build furniture in my garage workshop.  It was the first Festool sander I bought, and have added 3 more since, all without the systainers for their respective paper supplies.  I will just use the boxes they come in in drawers.  Personally, I don't find the price is justified for the way I use them.

 

[NoBreyner]

If I were to do it again I'd build a box for it and add movable dividers leaving the grits on edge and label each edge with what grit is in each slot.  Sorry, I was belatedly inspired by that idea in Kev's post.  It would save so much space, be easier to get what you need and just plain more efficient.  That's what I'd do.  I'm saving up for the TS 55 and MFT/3 combo plate and would be $50+ closer if I just made my own storage.

Another thought:  Considering how small the round disks are you can make two levels without making the box too large and still stack the paper on edge.

 

[Alan m]

i think i will go for my first plan and make one. i did this for the ro150 and it works great. i think i will put it in a systainer thow as having to make a box ruins the storage system for site use.

another thought was to get 3 of those domino xl trays and make dividers for them.