I recently acquired several festools through an estate sale

[new2thisgroup]

Hello,

I have recently acquired the following sanders:
- RO 125 FEQ Plus Sander
- ROTEX RO 150 FEQ-Plus Sander
- ETS 125 REQ-Plus Sander
- ETS 150/5 EQ-Plus Sander

I am just a hobbyist. I haven't built much yet. Based on your experience, should I keep all of them or focus on just 1 or 2?

I also have the following routers:
- F1400 EQ-Plus
- MFK 700 EQ/B-Plus
- OF 1010 REQ-F-Plus-LM

Same question about what to keep and what not to keep?

When I say I haven't built much, I also mean that as a hobby, I won't be doing this hours and hours a week. It is more like a few days a month. I like to have the tools when I need them, but don't know enough about festool to have an idea what I should keep and what I should sell. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Sparktrician]

I'd suggest that you make a decision regarding standardizing on either 125mm abrasives or 150mm abrasives.  Keeping stock of identical grits in both 125mm and 150mm gets expensive rapidly, and by your admission, you're a hobbyist.  If you choose, say, the 125mm paradigm, you could potentially sell both 150mm sanders and put the resulting funds toward an RO 90, and possibly a Festool dust extractor that will work with all the Festool goodies.  The routers you acquired are all good, so keep them.  [smile]

 

[cpw]

Hello,

I have recently acquired the following sanders:
- RO 125 FEQ Plus Sander
- ROTEX RO 150 FEQ-Plus Sander
- ETS 125 REQ-Plus Sander
- ETS 150/5 EQ-Plus Sander

I am just a hobbyist. I haven't built much yet. Based on your experience, should I keep all of them or focus on just 1 or 2?

I also have the following routers:
- F1400 EQ-Plus
- MFK 700 EQ/B-Plus
- OF 1010 REQ-F-Plus-LM

Same question about what to keep and what not to keep?

When I say I haven't built much, I also mean that as a hobby, I won't be doing this hours and hours a week. It is more like a few days a month. I like to have the tools when I need them, but don't know enough about festool to have an idea what I should keep and what I should sell. Thanks for your thoughts.

I would pick a 5 or 6" sander as a size to keep; as Sparktrician said the abrasives in all the grits are expensive and you may not be able to get them easily locally because they have a specific hole pattern.

The MFK, OF1010, and OF1400 all have slightly different capabilities.  I have all 3 (+ a 2200).  I would at least keep the 1400 because it can spin 1/4" or 1/2" bits.  If you parted with the MFK or OF1010 you wouldn't lose too much - but the MFK is really great for edge banding horizontally or small roundovers vertically.  The OF1010 is probably a bit more versatile as a plunge router (but also that overlaps with the 1400).  If you're doing LR32, the OF1010 is probably a bit better than the 1400 being lighter/shorter but both would work [I've never used a 1400 with LR32, just the 1010].

 

[Coen]

I would maybe sell the Rotex 125 and keep the others.
The ETS 125 can be upgraded with the edge sanding thing and the 125 is a lot lighter than the 150.
For the Rotex... it is said the 150 is easier to control than the 125. But it depends what you are working on. The 125 might fit somewhere the 150 won't.

On the routers; I've had the 1010 and 1400 for years and I am very happy with the addition of a MFK 700.

 

[sancho57]

Keep them all.

 

[mino]

I would maybe sell the Rotex 125 and keep the others.
The ETS 125 can be upgraded with the edge sanding thing and the 125 is a lot lighter than the 150.
For the Rotex... it is said the 150 is easier to control than the 125. But it depends what you are working on. The 125 might fit somewhere the 150 won't.

On the routers; I've had the 1010 and 1400 for years and I am very happy with the addition of a MFK 700.

Second this.

The ETS 125 is a finishing sander and with the edge guide (do get it) will be happy with a limited selection of higher-grit paper on hand. So the stocking costs are not much of a concern there.

IMO you can get by with a 80-150-240 grits in 125 Granat and everything else stick to 150 papers.

So I would look to sell on the RO 125 and the ETS 150/5, but keep the 150 pad from ETS 150. Then would get a new ETS 125/3 and use it with 150 pads. The ETS EC series are (way) more universal sanders for a hobby person. The "old" ETS 150/5 is better for sanding big flat horizontal surfaces, but worse at everything else compared to the ETS EC series.

And do get the CT MIDI or at least the CT 15. A good DE is an absolute must for sanding, but not only.

 

[squall_line]

I would maybe sell the Rotex 125 and keep the others.
The ETS 125 can be upgraded with the edge sanding thing and the 125 is a lot lighter than the 150.
For the Rotex... it is said the 150 is easier to control than the 125. But it depends what you are working on. The 125 might fit somewhere the 150 won't.

On the routers; I've had the 1010 and 1400 for years and I am very happy with the addition of a MFK 700.

Second this.

The ETS 125 is a finishing sander and with the edge guide (do get it) will be happy with a limited selection of higher-grit paper on hand. So the stocking costs are not much of a concern there.

IMO you can get by with a 80-150-240 grits in 125 Granat and everything else stick to 150 papers.

So I would look to sell on the RO 125 and the ETS 150/5, but keep the 150 pad from ETS 150. Then would get a new ETS 125/3 and use it with 150 pads. The ETS EC series are (way) more universal sanders for a hobby person. The "old" ETS 150/5 is better for sanding big flat horizontal surfaces, but worse at everything else compared to the ETS EC series.

And do get the CT MIDI or at least the CT 15. A good DE is an absolute must for sanding, but not only.

Do the ETS 150 (non-EC) pads actually fit on the ETS 125 (non-EC) sander?  I feel like there's some nomenclature that is being lost in the mix here; it doesn't sound like either of the extant sanders are EC models, just a 125 and 150 ROTEX and a 125 and 150 ETS Tall Boy.

 

[new2thisgroup]

Thank you for the feedback. This is great information.

 

[woodferret]

Those don't sound like the ECs.  As a hobbyist, I'd sell the 150 variants and stick to the 125's.  Unless you're planning on doing endless river tables ala Youtube, you'll be better suited to stuff around the house with the smaller pad.  You won't have hard pads, but you probably don't care... if/when you do, there's always one for the RO125.

I'd probably also sell the routers unless you really like doing router work.  If you're fuzzy on it, I'd say a Dewalt 611pk kit with both plunge/edge is more serviceable.  It's like a MFK700 + OF1010 in one.  Keep the OF1400 if you really want to play with 1/2 bits (eg for pattern routing).  The money you get from release those two, you can put towards buying an extractor for the sanders.  The sanders are the only things I'd tell a hobbyist to get regardless of skill.

 

[mino]

Do the ETS 150 (non-EC) pads actually fit on the ETS 125 (non-EC) sander?  I feel like there's some nomenclature that is being lost in the mix here; it doesn't sound like either of the extant sanders are EC models, just a 125 and 150 ROTEX and a 125 and 150 ETS Tall Boy.

No. But the 150 pad from /old style/ ETS 150/5, which the OP has, will fit on both ETS EC 125 and ETS EC 150 series sanders. I recommend he acquires an ETS EC 125/3 as his go-to by selling the RO 125 and ETS 150 which he is unlikely to take full advantage of as a hobby user.

The pad "families" are:

- ETS 125, ETS 125 R, ETSC 125 (no "Hard" pad available)
- ETS EC 125 (pads also with the oldie WTS 150)
- RO 125 (its own thing)
- ETS 150, ETS EC 150, WTS 150 (pads compatible also with ETS EC 125)
- RO 150 (again its own thing necessitated by the violent ROTEX mode)

...
I'd probably also sell the routers unless you really like doing router work.  If you're fuzzy on it, I'd say a Dewalt 611pk kit with both plunge/edge is more serviceable.  It's like a MFK700 + OF1010 in one.
...

Umm.

All due respect, but this is like suggesting someone sells their Porsche and F150 combo and gets a VW Golf GT with a trailer instead. A good idea if broke .. not so much otherwise.

@ OP
From ALL those tools these are the most versatile with the most value for a hobby user (in this order):
OF 1010 R(!)
RO 150
ETS 125
MF 700

You can sell the MF 700 if you are in arrears on your mortgage. Would not do so otherwise. To the contrary, would consider adding additional bases as applicable. Check some posts by CrazyRaceGuy on this forum talking about the 700 series routers (OFK 700 and MFK 700). They are a whole family with the motor being common and several bases for specific tasks that are pretty hard to do even with the OF 1010 accessories (the next best thing for edge routing).

 

[woodferret]

...
I'd probably also sell the routers unless you really like doing router work.  If you're fuzzy on it, I'd say a Dewalt 611pk kit with both plunge/edge is more serviceable.  It's like a MFK700 + OF1010 in one.
...

Umm.

All due respect, but this is like suggesting someone sells their Porsche and F150 combo and gets a VW Golf GT with a trailer instead. A good idea if broke .. not so much otherwise.

No disrespect found.  I think I took up on their insistence that they're REALLY hobbyist (like not even retired/bored hobbyist - but the busy type).  Festool has a steep upkeep cost, so in the same vein I would suggest someone buy the Golf unless they're really into cars.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

No disrespect found.  I think I took up on their insistence that they're REALLY hobbyist (like not even retired/bored hobbyist - but the busy type).  Festool has a steep upkeep cost, so in the same vein I would suggest someone buy the Golf unless they're really into cars.

I would assume that a guy who just "acquired" them, has the intent of using them? He didn't mention that it was done as an investment (as in turn-over for profit)

What drew me to comment was the "Festool has a steep upkeep cost" part. I just don't understand?
Other than consumables, what cost is there? Using the premium brands of abrasives costs a bit more up-front, but most of them work so much better (and last so much longer) that it works out.
Router bits are a similar comparison. What else is there? Name brand vs off-brand Dominos?
Anti-splinter strips for track saws? They all have that. Where is the "upkeep cost"?

As [member=61254]mino[/member] said, I'm a big fan of the MFK700, to the point of owning 2 of them. Same with the OF1010, but it's well established that I have a problem... [blink]
I use them for a living, speed matters.

 

[jeffinsgf]

....Festool has a steep upkeep cost,...

At the risk of stirring the pot, Whaaatttt?  [blink]

I do not get that statement at all. Let's exclude battery tools, since none of the OP tools are battery. I have never spent a penny on upkeep for my routers My OF-1000 is over 20 years old and gets used a minimum of once or twice a week. I can say the same thing about my track saw. My Domino isn't that old, but it has been completely and totally maintenance free. Festool sandpaper is the best bargain in woodworking because it lasts 5 or 6 times longer than anything else at only a modest cost difference.

You got some great bargains. If you think it's too much, sell the 150mm sanders and keep the rest. If you change your mind about woodworking, sell them later. They're not going to depreciate that much more.

 

[Coen]

What upkeep costs?

Huh? You can let it sit for 10 years and then sell it for the same dollar value..

 

[Crazyraceguy]

What upkeep costs?

Huh? You can let it sit for 10 years and then sell it for the same dollar value..

You can also use it for 10 years and do the same.
My DF500 has cut both mortices of a minimum of 8,000 Dominos and you would never know it to look at it.

 

[woodferret]

Consumables, but in general, accessories to get functionality adds to it too.  We're oogling at the OF1010 kit in another thread today, and while buying the same for some cheap Dewalt also adds to the cost, it's again a percentage of the Festool versions.  You do get what you pay for (I like microadjust for instance), but low-key hobbyist - again.

* As for dollar value resale, you forget inflation.  Much ado about Festool price increases (which are almost inflation indexed) but then the other end gets the 'I sold for more than I bought' which is kinda meh.

 

[Hawkeye0001]

I agree with what others have said, it makes sense to consolidate your paper sizes.

What I find odd about your list is a double provision of machines that all do the same job. It seems you're not really sure about your intended use.

If you plan to do upcycling / paint removal or work with slabs keep at least a Rotex (150 is easier to handle).
If you use mainly sheet goods you may as well skip the Rotex and keep the regular 5mm stroke random orbital sander.
If you intend to use your sander for paint prep / sanding in between coats / fine wood working get a 2mm or 3mm stroke.

If you want to keep only two out of that list I see three options:
1. keep the RO 125 and ETS 125 (has an optional edge guide if you wanna be fancy), sell the rest.
2. keep the RO 150 and trade the rest for an ETS EC 150/3 (offering you 5mm and 3mm stroke)
3. keep just the ETS 150/5 if you work with sheet goods, it's a rock solid machine that can remove stuff at a decent rate with 40 grit while doing a passable job at surface prep with 320 grit.

As far as the router goes: the OF 1400 gets you a looong way in either direction: comes with a 12mm / 0.5" collet and is powerful enough and to do tough jobs but still light enough for many smaller jobs. It pairs well with any small 700W class router (also checkout DeWalt, Makita, etc. in that range, the 1400's accessories are incompatible with the smaller routers anyway!)

The OF 1010 is lighter and great for many small jobs but lacks in power for e.g. sliding dovetails in hardwood.

The MFK 700 EQ/B is an absolute niche tool for ABS edgebanding and roundovers. If you don't do any of that it might be a good idea to swap it for the MFK 700 EQ Plus Set (or its bases). Still a unique tool without plunge capability but extremely precise and versatile. The US version can even use Porter Cable guide bushings. It'll only work well if you have a bigger router for everything else.

 

[mino]

Consumables, but in general, accessories to get functionality adds to it too.  We're oogling at the OF1010 kit in another thread today, and while buying the same for some cheap Dewalt also adds to the cost, it's again a percentage of the Festool versions.
...

OK.

But you kinda forgot the OP already HAS the newest bestest Festool router half this forum is drooling about. Suggesting he gets rid of it - losing about 20% of value in the process - only to *buy* a newer cheaper version is .. just bonkers. Easy to miss this is not a "what to buy at best cost/value for a tinker" thread .. where such could be a very valid take.
[cool]

About "expensive accessories". Ehm. This is kinda backwards. Most of those "expensive accessories" are custom-make or simply non-existent for most other makers. While the basic ones are included with the tools. Besides accessories not being "upkeep", their availability is one of the main reasons why Festool makes sense for a hobby user. The availability of manufacturer-provided accessories is a HUGE enabler for a non-Pro. /A Pro will know how to make a jig or have another dedicated tool so such is not as much of a value./

 

[luvmytoolz]

Personally I'd definitely be keeping all the routers, as you're then covered for a trimmer, a general purpose 1/4" and of course the heavier duty 1/2" range of cutters. Maybe if you're very rarely going to use the routers, I'm then guessing you're probably never going to do edging, so sell the MFK700 and make do with the 1010.

I'd happily sell the 5" sanders though and get the RO90.

 

[leakyroof]

Keep them all- try out the tools to see if one just doesn’t meet your expectations or needs. I’ve never bought the RO 125 since I like my larger RO 150 better- but that’s me.
As for quibbles about pad size and paper costs- not every job can handle a certain pad size- sometimes you want the biggest pad size to cut time on a project- walls and ceilings come to mind.
Once you’ve spent time with all the tools, you’ll be better informed about them.
The only thing to keep in mind is that the EC version sanders have more power, are much lower in height than your older versions, and different ergonomics than the older ETS sanders you’ve recently acquired .
I used the heck out of my original ETS 150/5 as my primary sander before I bought other Festool Sanders. Started with it and a CT-22 Vac back in 2004.
As noted, a variable suction Dust Extractor/ Vacuum is a must with these sanders to get their full working potential.