ls 130 or rts 400?

[duburban]

what about when you sanding your finish clear and painted cabinets? it doesn't mar if you connect with an adjacent surface? i'm seeing photos of people sanding pre finished panels and i'm curious if its as good as it looks.

i was always taught sanding drywall would wreck a RO sander... its the amazing dust collection huh?

 

[jallen03]

well...when I started out, I thought I was sure I was gonna end up with either the rts or the ls...but all these pics and comments are swaying me towards the dts   [drooling]

would you say that the dts sands against a straight edge as good or better than the ls?

 

[Scott B.]

what about when you sanding your finish clear and painted cabinets? it doesn't mar if you connect with an adjacent surface? i'm seeing photos of people sanding pre finished panels and i'm curious if its as good as it looks.

i was always taught sanding drywall would wreck a RO sander... its the amazing dust collection huh?

d

No, it doesn't mar. As Kev noted, the control is amazing. It is like a grown up mouse sander, with plenty of nut for finish sanding tasks. All of these sanders are designed for extraction, so its no problem. I sand drywall with the ets, dts and rts quite regularly - anything from misc skim/patch to even small room fresh hang/tape jobs. The extraction is crazy on the small orbitals. And they are unaffected by drywall dust, as are the extractors. I do it with 220 granat and it works really well.

 

[Scott B.]

well...when I started out, I thought I was sure I was gonna end up with either the rts or the ls...but all these pics and comments are swaying me towards the dts   [drooling]

would you say that the dts sands against a straight edge as good or better than the ls?

The dts does a straight line better than the LS because it is easier to handle, in my opinion. The LS is, for all intents and purposes, a two hand tool.

Now, not to complicate things, but the rts is maybe a touch better on pulling a critical straight line than the dts. (also shares abrasives with the LS130). I'll shut up now.  [big grin]

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[AlexThePalex]

==> The DTS is a MUCH nicer sander

not sure that one sander is nicer than another... it's more about how suited they are for a particular job...  for moldings and profiles, the 130 is a good tool... for the OP, the 400 is a better match...

Well, if you're not sure about it, that's alright. But I myself am very sure about it. Some sanders are just nicer than others. I'm not the type of guy who gives everybody in class a passing grade just because he can't stand sad faces.

What's the difference anyway between the RTS and the DTS? Nothing but the shape of the pad. So if the pad is the only deciding factor between the two, where does that work in the RTS' advantage? In the cases where you're sanding some place where the DTS doesn't fit. Where does the DTS have the advantage? In all other cases. How often does it happen that the DTS doesn't fit? Rarely. So most of the time you're better of with the bigger pad of the DTS. Not just because it's bigger but also because the triangular shape gives you a lot better access to corners, and because it's more stable so you don't have to strain your hand too much to keep it upright, like with the RTS.

The OP mentions prefering the RTS over the DTS so he can turn sandpaper to extend it's life. I can see that be usefull in some cases. Some very rare cases. I have both the RTS and the DTS, and 7 other Festool sanders. I've never found the uneven wear of sandpaper a factor of concern with any of them except for the DX93. So even in this case the RTS won't have an advantage over the DTS.  

As for the comments about drywall sanding and sanding up to the edge, I concurr with what is already said: there's is no marring the edge, and the DTS/RTS/ETS125 are excellent for drywall. I've done a lot of drywall/plaster by now with mostly the DTS and the ETS, and there's no negative effect on the sanders whatsoever.  

 

[Scott B.]

I'm diggin the new Smar-TS multi sander which allows RO90-esque swapping between the triangle (Dts), rectangle (rts) and round 90 head. And cordless, with an optimized jetstream that actually blows dust in a fleece bag that has a 27mm topside hatch with the new patented EZ Clean after each use. LED's illuminate the work surface. All powered by that tiny little CXS Li battery. Has a digital Smart display system that spits out what the tool wants for grit, speed and suction based on electronic surface interpretation (ESI), and weighs in at 2.4 lbs. Optional belt mounted cordless extractor available, called the Mini Buster. Sick.

Crap. Dreams suck sometimes.  [scared]

 

[leakyroof]

+2 for the DTS 400- I own the LS 130, and both the RTS and the DTS sanders. I resisted buying the DTS for a number of years for the same reasons you listed- unable to switch the abrasive end for end , yet another different abrasive size to stock when the LS and the RTS share the same abrasive size. Then I bought the DTS after listening to Alex post his praise for it. My RTS almost never leaves its Sys anymore, and I never put my DTS away since I use it so much. More one handed control for many uses for me since I find the larger pad is easier to keep flat, and I love the ability to work the gentle curve of the DTS's pad up to edges while getting full wear from the abrasive sheet I've got on the sander.
I tend to use Granat heavily with this little sander

 

[ScotF]

+3 on the DTS400 -- this is one of Festool's finest gems and it cannot be beat for sanding next to an edge or in a corner.  It can be quite aggressive too with the courser grits and it is extremely versatile.  The only thing I do not like about it is you can wear out the corner of the pad if you are not careful and press down too hard.  Other than that, it is a great sander.

Scot 

 

[festooldude]

+4 on a DTS 400!! Very very nice sander!!

 

[Kev]

For what's its worth - many years ago a got the Rupes equivalent of the Festool DTS400. I wasn't that impressed with the Rupes and I'd put it down to the style of sander (thinking at the time that Rupes was a market leader).

Because of prior experience I'd held off on the DTS400, but I shouldn't have, compared to the Festool, the Rupes has all the sanding finesse of a nine inch angle grinder !

 

[lawhoo]

I'm researching sanders and came across this thread.  I'm curious--and I'm sure this is just my ignorance showing--why there's little or no mention of the RO 90, especially as a more versatile alternative to the DTS 400.  I happen to have the RO 90 and think it's a wonderful option for a DIYer on projects that aren't too big.