My first Festools in the USA

[Wim]

Yesterday I received my first Festools in the USA. I stayed for a 3-month "holiday" with my girlfriend and started to remodel a room which had a lot of water damage from a leaking roof. The first tool I would need was a TS55 and being used to a good dust-collection in Holland, I needed a CT Mini. I have those in Holland and being very satisfied with it, the step to order was not very hard to make. And it felt great to have the Festool stuff in my hands again.
I'm sanding drywall now so the CT Mini could start working right from the box. And it is doing a very good job.
I ordered through Bob Marino, because of his excellent service record. And the delivery was prompt.
In November I will be back and finish the room. Then I will start to build a workshop in the basement, as a preparation for a permanent stay in the USA. It looks like a very traditional way of woodworking. The father of my girlfriend was a metalworker (Bethlehem Steel) and had also a workshop in the basement. So my friend is very interested in my future products. Her father made some furniture that is still around in the house. So I hope to able to match him in that field.
So in effect I'm the proud owner of Festools on two continents, the USA and Europe. After I sell my stuff in Holland, I will buy more black/green tools.

 

[Ashlee52]

Welcome to America.

May your eventual move here work out as well as it has for many.

 

[Wim]

Thanks. I hope it will turn out very well. Change continents at 65, when most of your life is behind you, is quite a step.
I will show some pictures when I start to build up a workshop in the basement. I start from scratch in a bare basement with only a small light bulb as proof of some electrical power. But adding a few circuit breakers to the fuse box is quite simple. So no cooking or drying clothes when I'm woodworking in the future.

 

[Brice Burrell]

......Your note about sanding drywall got me wondering if anyone ever sanded drywall/plaster with a Festool sander for the dust collection? I personally wouldn't, but...

It's fairly common to read about guys using their Festool sanders/vac to sand drywall, seems to work well. I would imagine long term use in this application could shorten the life of the tools, I can't see occasional use hurting much. 

 

[Bob Marino]

......Your note about sanding drywall got me wondering if anyone ever sanded drywall/plaster with a Festool sander for the dust collection? I personally wouldn't, but...

It's fairly common to read about guys using their Festool sanders/vac to sand drywall, seems to work well. I would imagine long term use in this application could shorten the life of the tools, I can't see occasional use hurting much. 

Brice is right on; occasional use is OK; longterm use would require more maintenance. Having said that, I have sanded drywall with the Festool sanders and they (not surprisingly ) work very well.

Bob

 

[Wim]

I sanded the plastered screw holes and seams by hand, the old-fashioned way. But I used a dust mask to keep my inside clean and a CT Mini to make the floor clean. I never used a Festool sander, so I don't know how they feel on the job. But when I start to make my first projects like a workbench in the basement, I may buy a sander.
As an off-topic, a week ago I started to have dizzy-spells, loss of balance and other symptoms, that are normally connected with extreme drunkenness. After a visit to the doctor and a hand full of pills, I feel a slow recovery. I think I will fly home next week end, 10 days after my visa-free stay in the USA. So technically I'm an alien. I hope it will not jeopardize my next stay or getting a permanent visa.

EDIT: @Bob, if I had a Festool sander, I would not use it for something as low as drywall. Only nice pieces of wood.  ;D

 

[Dave Ronyak]

My most recent use of my Festool RO 125 and ETS 150/3 and CT-22 with Dust Deputy were to remove rust, wear patterns and friction pad materials transferred onto a pair of automotive brake disks.  Needless to say, the rate of material removal was very slow, and the [aluminum oxide] Rubin disks dulled quickly.  But it worked and saved me having to buy new rotors at a price of ~US$300.

Dave R.