LS 130 Linear Sander-User Opinions?

[munchcolo]

My first Festool sander is an ETS 150/3, for finish sanding.  I've been reading up on other Festool sanders, and the LS 130 looks interesting.  However, I haven't found a lot of reviews on this model.  For those of you who have it or have tried it:

1.  For what applications do you find it most useful?
2.  Do you have any "profile" pads in addition to the two pads that come with the sander?  If so, which ones do you find yourself picking up most often?
3.  How is dust collection with the CT?
4.  Given that it is a linear motion, how does it do with fine grits, i.e., does it leave significant scratch marks?
5.  Using rougher grits, say 80 or below, how is it on material removal?  (I know it's not comparable to a Rotex.)

I haven't decided to buy this next, but I am interested in learning more about it.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[greg mann]

I have used mine with profiles and it works very well but they take a little work to get right if the profile is intricate. This really is a linear sander and will not give you the same results as a random orbit. unless you know for sure that you are going to do a reasonable amount of followup sanding I would recommend it for with the grain work only. OTOH, I have also used it with the scraper attachment to remove tile flooring (not ceramic) and it makes short work of them. With the coarser grits it can be quite aggressive and dust control is up to the usual Festool standards.

 

[clintholeman]

My first Festool sander is an ETS 150/3, for finish sanding.  I've been reading up on other Festool sanders, and the LS 130 looks interesting.  However, I haven't found a lot of reviews on this model.  For those of you who have it or have tried it:

1.  For what applications do you find it most useful?
2.  Do you have any "profile" pads in addition to the two pads that come with the sander?  If so, which ones do you find yourself picking up most often?
3.  How is dust collection with the CT?
4.  Given that it is a linear motion, how does it do with fine grits, i.e., does it leave significant scratch marks?
5.  Using rougher grits, say 80 or below, how is it on material removal?  (I know it's not comparable to a Rotex.)

I haven't decided to buy this next, but I am interested in learning more about it.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I use my 130 all the time.  It is a great profile sander - I have all of the profiles and use them.  I often use it on face frame rails and stiles.

Dust collection is outstanding with mty CT 22.

Others may differ, but I have had no problems going to 400 grit and getting a nice finish. One does need to go with the grain.  A little care with pressure is important in getting a really smooth finish, IMO.  But that is true of all sanding - even with the random orbital units.

 

[bill-e]

he LS130 is a sander I've been thinking about for a long time.....just haven't made the plunge yet.

For myself I'm having a hard time justifying for the amount of use it would get though I'm sure once I had it I'd fine plenty of places to use it.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

For myself I'm having a hard time justifying for the amount of use it would get though I'm sure once I had it I'd fine plenty of places to use it.

Bill,

I was a skeptic, too, until Clint's comments and those of Per convinced me to try the LS 130.  Altough I have not used it nearly as much as my RO 125 and Deltex 93, I am very pleased with the LS 130.  One functional capability that others may not have appreciated is how you can sand one side of an inside corner right up to the joint line and not damage the other surface.  I am finding this very helpful in restoration work.  At most, I only put a strip of blue masking tape on the surface I want to protect.  And for those added edge strips that are still standing proud of the panel after using a flush cut bit (can you say cheap router bit?), the LS130 comes to the rescue for removing that slight edge with good control.

Dave R.

 

[mysterium]

I bought my LS 130 to do profile work on boats.  To that end I bought every profile Festool offered other than the custom pad to match a profile. 

Most of the time the LS 130 sits in the Systainer.....  However when I need it... and I have used it for things I never dreamed of when I bought it....  the LS 130 has allowed me to do things that only a very tender set of finger could accomplish.

Recently I completed a refinishing a 1000 sq. ft of oak planked floors.  The tongue & grove planking joins with a Vee between & at the ends...  The LS 130 saved my butt & made this fast work.  Since the 90 degree pad only contacted the vee on a small area I was able to move the sand paper on the pad as it was use up...  Thus a sheet  would have a 1/2 doz strips down it...  Same thing is true about say a concave radius pad, it that you only contact a portion of the paper at a time.  The velcro makes easy to shift the paper.  The LS 130 uses the same sand paper as the RS 400.

Dust collection varies based on the amount of contact the pad has to the surface; full contact is very good, small surface contact is poor but the relative amount of dust is small do to the minimal contact.

The LS 130 is a unique sander.  But offers the user a controlled fast stock removal that only tender hands can duplicate...

jim

 

[munchcolo]

Thanks to all who chimed in.  I went ahead and ordered one.  It won't be one I use most of the time, but it sounds like it will be very useful for certain applications.  Kind of like a pickup truck-I don't need one most of the time, but when I need one, I need one.

 

[kgregc]

I also appreciate the responses...and any further ones... I am seriously considering getting one. I have some home re-modeling projects I'm doing and was wondering if the LS130 would be a good investment. From the posts, it looks like it will.

 

[bill-e]

Jim/Dave,

I'm sure the sander works well.  It's just that I've bought 2 MFT's in the last month and a half so I gotta cool it for a short while