Is anyone else having problems their 125s?

[Brent Taylor]

I have both the 125 ETS and the RO, both have been in for service recently (less than a month and more than once for the RO), today I am having to send them back in again for the same issues.  Ok the sanding disk is supposed to spin around like my Makita sander does, right. And the RO in rotary mode is not supposed to hop and chatter so violently that it destroys yor work and then flies out of your hands,  right. My RO 90 doesn't do this, nor does any of the other sanders in my shop. I am not new to using sanders,  after 40 plus years of using them professionally,  but I am beginning to wonder if I made the right decision in this case,  my old dual mode Makita and R. O. never acted like this and I am glad I held onto my old RO. When I spoke with my Local dealer they said they had a bad run of ETS awhile ago,  are there also some off RO125s out there or is it just me.

 

[tjbnwi]

I run my RO 125 one handed in the Rotex mode no matter what grit paper. Have 2 ETS 125's they both work great.

Tom

 

[Shane Holland]

Brent,

Make sure you're running the sanders at full speed (6).

It can be a little harder to handle if there are a lot of undulations in the wood or sometimes on thin strips or edge sanding. It's best to keep one hand at the front of the sander, centered over the pad, and the other hand at the rear where the dust hose attaches. This will help with control, especially while you're new to the sander.

Hope that helps some.

Shane

 

[TomE]

Compared to my old RO150 (fixed cord, long use) the newer RO125 is a little jumpier but not unbearably so.
Less vac suck helps some. The little ETS 125 is real tame, almost too tame.

 

[Gary_L]

Have you tried to reduce the vacuum? Made a big difference using the ro125 for me.

 

[Cheese]

My RO 125 in the Rotex mode can become a bit unruly from time to time but most of the problem is getting used to it. Make sure it's flat on the surface and it isn't being tipped even slightly. Like Shane said, in Rotex mode keep a hand on the front and a hand on the back. The coarser grits of paper can cause it to become a little more of its own person. Turn down the suction and try not to tell it what to do because then it does have a mind of its own.

In non-Rotex mode it's pretty docile, not as much as the ETS or ETS EC, but it does work well.

Just curious [member=37891]Brent Taylor[/member], did the dealer define/explain what a "bad run of ETS" was?

 

[Brent Taylor]

Sorry for the delay, between my Doctor cutting up my hands & buying a house ( a 1930 shotgun, more on that later, but i sooo happy [laughing]) I have had my hands full. ( pun intended )  Well, my RO 125 is now a different machine that works. My ETS 125 still has the same problems, but Festool tells me that it's to spec, so because I don't feel right selling something that I feel is not right, so it sits in its box until I have time to remove the Plug-it socket & insert it into my Makita BO 5041 ( a real workhorse) , this disheartens me, but I have no more time to mess with it. What I have learned is if you are having issues with your machine & it is going in for repair more that work in you shop, take a sample of what ever is causing the problem(s) & have your dealer or rep use the tool, in my case took a sample of the cabinet door & mocked up a floor, let the dealer or rep have at it. Second, stick to your guns ( which as said above will no longer be doing with my ETS) , if the problem continues. As from the ETS issue ( bad batch), it was said in passing & take it with  a grain of salt. B

 

[grbmds]

Sorry for the delay, between my Doctor cutting up my hands & buying a house ( a 1930 shotgun, more on that later, but i sooo happy [laughing]) I have had my hands full. ( pun intended )  Well, my RO 125 is now a different machine that works. My ETS 125 still has the same problems, but Festool tells me that it's to spec, so because I don't feel right selling something that I feel is not right, so it sits in its box until I have time to remove the Plug-it socket & insert it into my Makita BO 5041 ( a real workhorse) , this disheartens me, but I have no more time to mess with it. What I have learned is if you are having issues with your machine & it is going in for repair more that work in you shop, take a sample of what ever is causing the problem(s) & have your dealer or rep use the tool, in my case took a sample of the cabinet door & mocked up a floor, let the dealer or rep have at it. Second, stick to your guns ( which as said above will no longer be doing with my ETS) , if the problem continues. As from the ETS issue ( bad batch), it was said in passing & take it with  a grain of salt. B

Have you tried a new pad on the ETS125. Even though it's to spec, the pad might be a little irregular. Also, I have noticed that the ETS125 (original version) is a little more sensitive to whether the wood you're sanding is clamped down tightly. I know others may not agree, but that has been true for me. Not saying you should do this, but I recently bought the VacSys and now, when I sand with the ETS125 there is no vibration at all and it is a smooth as my ET150. I do have a new pad on it also, but can't tell you whether the new pad or the VacSys helped the most since they both happened at about the same time.

 

[pettyconstruction]

Sorry about your problems.
My 125 was a bit jumpy, until I used one of Eroks tips on a video.
Ran it at full bore on a bungy cord,for about 8hrs. 4 on ro,4 on reg.

I now run my sander with one hand on the plug-it cord and one on the front.
I am pretty sure I can use it with one hand,but like the ballance .
Good luck on your sale.
Charlie

 

[Brent Taylor]

I have tried 3 sets of new pads and different hardness of pads, my problem is that the pad doesn't rotate 90% of the time,  the last time I got the sander back from the shop it had 400 grit on it, I'm a woodworkers and carpenter,  I don't often work with metal or plastics and I rarely use over 220 grit on any project. He damn thing can barely spin white Vlie. As I stated yto the dealer I have ran it not hooked to the vac and even just holding the cord, and most of the time it just sits and vibrates,  no orbital action,  I have a 400 and a 1/2 sheet Makita sander to do the vibration sanding.  With the dealer a hour and a half away it's more trouble than it's worth and with the repair shop using  400 grit to test it, well the lump on my forehead was just getting to big, so back to the old Makita that does what I ask of it.

 

[grbmds]

I have tried 3 sets of new pads and different hardness of pads, my problem is that the pad doesn't rotate 90% of the time,  the last time I got the sander back from the shop it had 400 grit on it, I'm a woodworkers and carpenter,  I don't often work with metal or plastics and I rarely use over 220 grit on any project. He darn thing can barely spin white Vlie. As I stated yto the dealer I have ran it not hooked to the vac and even just holding the cord, and most of the time it just sits and vibrates,  no orbital action,  I have a 400 and a 1/2 sheet Makita sander to do the vibration sanding.  With the dealer a hour and a half away it's more trouble than it's worth and with the repair shop using  400 grit to test it, well the lump on my forehead was just getting to big, so back to the old Makita that does what I ask of it.

I know you don't want to take the time, but you should keep sending it back to service until they fix it. My ETS125 was a little "jumpy" but replacing the pad took care of most of that and it did seem to just get better over time. I've always had a good response from service so, because Festool sanders are expensive, I'd probably get on the phone with Service and ask them to explain why it doesn't rotate and what being to specs means when it doesn't serve the purpose for which you bought it.

 

[Rob in Vancouver]

Sorry about your problems.
My 125 was a bit jumpy, until I used one of Eroks tips on a video.
Ran it at full bore on a bungy cord,for about 8hrs. 4 on ro,4 on reg.

I now run my sander with one hand on the plug-it cord and one on the front.
I am pretty sure I can use it with one hand,but like the ballance .
Good luck on your sale.
Charlie

Can you post link to where u saw this video?

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[copcarcollector]

Can you post link to where u saw this video?

Here is the video, however there is disagreement as to the need for this "break in" among owners as well as folks who know these tools intimately...

 

[Brent Taylor]

Did the break in when I first started having issues and did it again when they continue.  Maybe I'm expecting it to rotate like the other RO sanders ( six if you include the Festool ETS  that is in question).  Going to be buying a new truck and starting a whole house remodel next month,  so maybe off to the dealer again, probably going to have to buy something from them so they won't get pissy about sending it in again.  I have owned a lot of tools over the years and Festool the only ones that have to be broken in, does that not strike anyone else odd that a tool of this level is in need of a break in period.

 

[Stephen B]

[member=37891]Brent Taylor[/member]
Brent I certainly am not in a position to question whether your RO125 is faulty or in perfect order. However if anyone was to analyse all the Threads here on the FOG re 'braking in' Festool Sanders, particularly the Rotex models, there are two camps. One camp believes that a ROTEX needs to be 'broken in' as per Eric's video, the other that it is the user who needs to be 'broken in'. I subscribe to the later view.

And yes other 'old hands' have experienced problems when changing over to Festool Sanders. As in Star Wars, 'feel the force'; don't create it!

My experience is based on a ETS 125 and RO150, both of which some here believe should be 'broken in'. There is however some FOG evidence that it is slightly more difficult for the user to 'adapt' to a RO125 than a RO150 due to the smaller pad size.

 

[Brent Taylor]

I use a very light touch with my sanders,  as I have stated the issue is the ETS 125 that I have only rotates between 5 and 10 percent of the time,  all of the other sanders I own rotate 100 percent of the time,  no matter what grit paper I use,  whether it is hooked up to the vac or not,  or if I'm sanding hardwoods, softwoods,  metals or polishing.  The thing doesn't orbit enough to remove anything and the last time I sent it in  it returned with 400 grit and my third new hard pad. I'm a cabinet maker,  a furniture maker and a carpenter,  I rarely use over 220 grit in any of my work.  I polish with Vyle and it can barely spin the white,  that is my frustration,  l want to be able to use the system,  plug and play, period,  not swap between brands.  It's slow and it costs me time and money.

 

[Scott B.]

[member=37891]Brent Taylor[/member]
Brent I certainly am not in a position to question whether your RO125 is faulty or in perfect order. However if anyone was to analyse all the Threads here on the FOG re 'braking in' Festool Sanders, particularly the Rotex models, there are two camps. One camp believes that a ROTEX needs to be 'broken in' as per Eric's video, the other that it is the user who needs to be 'broken in'. I subscribe to the later view.

And yes other 'old hands' have experienced problems when changing over to Festool Sanders. As in Star Wars, 'feel the force'; don't create it!

My experience is based on a ETS 125 and RO150, both of which some here believe should be 'broken in'. There is however some FOG evidence that it is slightly more difficult for the user to 'adapt' to a RO125 than a RO150 due to the smaller pad size.

Yo tambien.

 

[tjbnwi]

I never broke in my RO 125 or either of the ETS 125's. Took them out of the Systainers and went to work. The first minute with the Rotex in RO mode was a little interesting, after that easy to use.

I use the ETS's for between coats sanding only, all my prep sanding is done with the Rotex in RO mode.

The ETS sander pads will not always "spin around". It is the smallest stroke of all sanders 2mm I believe. 

Every once in awhile the Rotex will get away from me, every time it has been my error.

Taylor, I hope the issues with your sanders get resolved. The dealer in no way should be angry about sending them back, it is a 3 year warranty on the product. If you contact service they can email you a shipping label so you don't have to drive 1.5 hours.

 

[TomE]

I mark the side of pads on all of my RO and DA stuff, sanders, buffers, etc with a felt tip marker.

Just a simple single vertical line that allows me to monitor the rotation of the pad, if it slows too much I let up on the pressure a bit until the mark picks up some speed.

 

[Rob in Vancouver]

I tried the breakin,  it worked for me.  I was sceptical but it really works.

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