my ets 125 needs a big brother!!

[laanguiano]

I just got the ETS 125 on recon sale, and now I feel like I need another before the sale ends since the words sale and festool don't go together.

I'm thinking Rotex

One side is the RO125 which could share sandpaper. Handy size
Otherwise is the RO150 which would give me versatility with a 6" sander.

So my main questions are is one harder to control than the other? Is the 150 a mammoth to hold?

Should I just buy them both and sell whatever one I end up liking the least since I only have enough dough to keep one. I just don't want to miss the discount with me being extremely  indecisive.

Its hard to know without having played with one. I fondled them at woodcraft and hinted towards trying them out but wasn't going to force them to get dusty since I will have to buy elsewhere since they aren't participating in the dealer offer.

 

[semenza]

I have the RO150 , I would not say it is a mamoth to hold, but I pretty much consider it to be a two handed sander most of the time, especially in ROTEX mode. But I have used it one handed plenty of times with no real trouble.

Seth

 

[Kev]

I have the RO150 , I would not say it is a mamoth to hold, but I pretty much consider it to be a two handed sander most of the time, especially in ROTEX mode. But I have used it one handed plenty of times with no real trouble.

Seth

Exactly what Seth says!  [big grin]

 

[Timtool]

Beware that i find neither of the 3 rotex's fun to use, but sometimes nothing else can do the job. They are certainly not practical or fun for all round sanding.
That being said i returned my RO 125 because it was very hard to control and yet felt underpowered, the 150 i have now feels easier to control because the pad is larger and it has the right amount of power/pad size ratio IMO just as the RO90.

The ETS125 is gentle finish sander, the RO's are rough aggressive sanders. In my case in 80% or more of situations neither of these two get used in favor of the king of sanders, the almighty ETS150.

 

[JimB1]

Beware that i find neither of the 3 rotex's fun to use, but sometimes nothing else can do the job. They are certainly not practical or fun for all round sanding.
That being said i returned my RO 125 because it was very hard to control and yet felt underpowered, the 150 i have now feels easier to control because the pad is larger and it has the right amount of power/pad size ratio IMO just as the RO90.

The ETS125 is gentle finish sander, the RO's are rough aggressive sanders. In my case in 80% or more of situations neither of these two get used in favor of the king of sanders, the almighty ETS150.

+1
The RO150 is definitely not a fun sander to use (heavy, loud and buzzy) but it has its uses. 80-90% of the time I use my ETS150
-Jim

 

[Peter James]

I just got the ETS 125 on recon sale, and now I feel like I need another before the sale ends since the words sale and festool don't go together.

I'm thinking Rotex

One side is the RO125 which could share sandpaper. Handy size
Otherwise is the RO150 which would give me versatility with a 6" sander.

So my main questions are is one harder to control than the other? Is the 150 a mammoth to hold?

Should I just buy them both and sell whatever one I end up liking the least since I only have enough dough to keep one. I just don't want to miss the discount with me being extremely  indecisive.

Its hard to know without having played with one. I fondled them at woodcraft and hinted towards trying them out but wasn't going to force them to get dusty since I will have to buy elsewhere since they aren't participating in the dealer offer.

Positives of the RO150: The RO150 has a lot more power than the RO125. 720 watts vs 500 watts. The RO150 also covers more area since it is a 150mm pad. The RO150 also has a removable handle for better grip IF you'll be using it for polishing. Please note that by removing the bottom handle you will lose the dust collection capability which is why I say polishing only.

Positives of the RO125: The RO125 will obviously share sandpaper with your ETS125 so you're not doubling up on sandpaper. The RO125 is also half a pound lighter (4.4 pounds vs 5 pounds). It will be easier to control. In the end you should try and consider what you're looking for the Rotex to do and stay aware that you already have the ETS125.

 

[lambeater]

My first sander was the ETS 125, then from there I went to the RO150 and finally got the RO90. Use my RO150 most of the time now or the RO 90 on narrow stock. Takes very little time to get the hang of the sander sizes, so for me that is not an issue. Find I use the hard pads a lot for keeping everything flat.

thx
Lambeater

 

[wood wiz]

I've now owned both the larger Rotex sanders (125 and 150). I disliked using the RO150, it was just too large for my liking. The RO125 is small and lite enough to use one handed if necessary although it is still really a two handed sander. I think it is a great all purpose sander and use it mainly in Rotex mode for aggressive sanding. With that there have been times I have gone from Rotex mode all the way through using it as a finish sander and it performs fine throughout both functions.

I had similar thinking as you and had the ETS125 and RO125 at the same time to share sandpaper. That didn't last long as I wasn't a fan of the ETS125. I actually prefer using the RO125 in random orbit mode as a finish sander more than using the ETS125. I sold the ETS125.

I recently acquired the ETS150/3 and it is the best sander I've used in the Festool line-up. If I had to start over and purchase again the ETS150/3 would be the first sander I would purchase.

I know...I probably didn't really help much. [unsure]

 

[GregBradley]

I've now owned both the larger Rotex sanders (125 and 150). I disliked using the RO150, it was just too large for my liking. The RO125 is small and lite enough to use one if necessary although it is still really a two handed sander. I think it is a great all purpose sander and use it mainly in Rotex mode for aggressive sanding. With that there have been times I have gone from Rotex mode all the way through using it as a finish sander and it performs fine throughout both functions.

I had similar thinking as you and had the ETS125 and RO125 at the same time to share sandpaper. That didn't last long as I wasn't a fan of the ETS125. I actually prefer using the RO125 in random orbit mode as a finish sander more than using the ETS125. I sold the ETS125.

I recently acquired the ETS150/3 and it is the best sander I've used in the Festool line-up. If I had to start over and purchase again the ETS150/3 would be the first sander I would purchase.I know...I probably didn't really help much. [unsure]

Yes, The ETS150/3 or ETS150/5 are THE Festool sanders. The ETS125 is more for small work, working overhead, and other minor use. Rotax 125 or 150 is great when you need aggressive sanding but not pleasant to use in general.

 

[estesbubba]

I have the ETS 150/5 and love it. The 150/3 is supposed to leave a better finish but I don't know if my eye would be able to tell.

 

[waho6o9]

Lambeater nailed it.

When the brushes set, the sanders are a joy to use.

Yeah buddy,  [smile]