New Festool ETS-EC 150/5

[Steven Owen]

There’s only one thing I regret after buying the new ETS-EC-150.  I regret having bought the regular ETS 125.  The ETS-EC just smokes it across the board.  The ETS 125 feels rather gutless by comparison.  I used the new EC-150 to smooth out the rough sides of a couple of fir plywood boards.  It was night and day when compared to the the ETS 125.

It lighter, more powerful, faster and more agile.  It’s a different creature all together.  I thinking about selling the 125 to get the ETS/EC 150/3 instead.

I bought the 2017 model on sale.  I didn’t feel the new Jetstream 2 pad was worth dropping an extra $120 dollars.

So far so good.  It is heavier than the Mirka sander.  I decided I didn’t want deal with a paddle on a sander.  The extra 1/2 pound on the Festool brushless is forgivable with a switch instead of a paddle. 

 

[Alanbach]

Congratulations! Apparently you did not mind the lower profile! I have seen some here on the FOG complain that the low profile of the EC’s is hard to adjust to (especially for flat work) after using the ETS. If you have any issues with tipping over with the EC with lower grits just wrap the vacuum hose around your arm and walla, the angle is changed and all is good in the world. So if I were you I would try your new sander in different scenarios like vertical sanding, low grit, high grit, etc. compared to the ETS. If the EC is still your clear winner then put that baby up for sale. The prices that I have seen FOG members get lately for Festools on EBay are downright amazing. What I have seen was selling for 75-80% of current new prices including sandpaper, accessories, etc. as long as everything was complete and in great condition.

 

[GoingMyWay]

I was under the impression that most people prefer the EC for vertical work as it's lighter and has a lower profile. That was one of the reasons why I got the ETS EC 150/5 to augment the ETS 150/3 that I already had.  I haven't used it yet, but I was planning on using it to sand some drywall patches.

 

[Alanbach]

You are correct. I thought one thing and wrote another. I just modified it. Some people that had always used the ETS had trouble adjusting to the EC’s for flat work because they are more tippy when used with a vacuum hose. I love my EC and have gotten used to it’s balance issues. It was me

 

[Steven Owen]

You are correct. I thought one thing and wrote another. I just modified it. Some people that had always used the ETS had trouble adjusting to the EC’s for flat work because they are more tippy when used with a vacuum hose. I love my EC and have gotten used to it’s balance issues. It was me

The ETS 125 is a light duty sander.  It would be hard to compare to the more robust ETS-150 or ETS-EC’s. 

I want to see how the ETS 125 handles sanding between coats of varnish.  The 2 mm stroke might make the ETS 125 a better fit than the ETS-EC for lightly sanding varnish top coats.

I don’t find the ETS 125 is really useful under 150 grit.  It just doesn’t have the guts for speedy 120 grit sanding.

 

[leakyroof]

There’s only one thing I regret after buying the new ETS-EC-150.  I regret having bought the regular ETS 125.  The ETS-EC just smokes it across the board.  The ETS 125 feels rather gutless by comparison.  I used the new EC-150 to smooth out the rough sides of a couple of fir plywood boards.  It was night and day when compared to the the ETS 125.

It lighter, more powerful, faster and more agile.  It’s a different creature all together.  I thinking about selling the 125 to get the ETS/EC 150/3 instead.

I bought the 2017 model on sale.  I didn’t feel the new Jetstream 2 pad was worth dropping an extra $120 dollars.

So far so good.  It is heavier than the Mirka sander.  I decided I didn’t want deal with a paddle on a sander.  The extra 1/2 pound on the Festool brushless is forgivable with a switch instead of a paddle.

  Don't sell the smaller 125, instead, use it for sanding clear finishes and other finishes between coats- Very low orbit, so it's much easier to prevent sanding through a coat than with the more aggressive EC sanders.... [thumbs up]  My Pro 5 Sander is my Go-To sander for this type of work with high grit Granat or Mesh Abrasive installed on the sander.

 

[nclemmons]

I have the EC 150/3.  Previously had the tall ETS version.  The upgrade is really amazing to me in comfort, performance, and handling.

 

[Steven Owen]

There’s only one thing I regret after buying the new ETS-EC-150.  I regret having bought the regular ETS 125.  The ETS-EC just smokes it across the board.  The ETS 125 feels rather gutless by comparison.  I used the new EC-150 to smooth out the rough sides of a couple of fir plywood boards.  It was night and day when compared to the the ETS 125.

It lighter, more powerful, faster and more agile.  It’s a different creature all together.  I thinking about selling the 125 to get the ETS/EC 150/3 instead.

I bought the 2017 model on sale.  I didn’t feel the new Jetstream 2 pad was worth dropping an extra $120 dollars.

So far so good.  It is heavier than the Mirka sander.  I decided I didn’t want deal with a paddle on a sander.  The extra 1/2 pound on the Festool brushless is forgivable with a switch instead of a paddle.

  Don't sell the smaller 125, instead, use it for sanding clear finishes and other finishes between coats- Very low orbit, so it's much easier to prevent sanding through a coat than with the more aggressive EC sanders.... [thumbs up]  My Pro 5 Sander is my Go-To sander for this type of work with high grit Granat or Mesh Abrasive installed on the sander.

I’m leaning on keeping the ETS 125 for fixing finishes.  I have two cedar Kamado Joe BBQ tables that need to be touched up and refinished.  It’ll be a perfect test for the ETS 125 to sand between coats of Marine varnish with 320 or 400 grit. 

I eventually have to get a new Delta to replace a Black and Decker Mouse.  It’s a little anoying Festool decided not to make a corded brushless sander in the 400 series deltas.  I don’t see the point of going cordless with a delta. 

The AC Adpator kit is insanely expensive at $170 CAD.  At that price you might as well stick with the older ETS 400.  Strangely the ETS 400 is much lighter than it’s newer cordless companion.

 

[McNally Family]

There’s only one thing I regret after buying the new ETS-EC-150.  I regret having bought the regular ETS 125.  The ETS-EC just smokes it across the board.  The ETS 125 feels rather gutless by comparison.  I used the new EC-150 to smooth out the rough sides of a couple of fir plywood boards.  It was night and day when compared to the the ETS 125.

It lighter, more powerful, faster and more agile.  It’s a different creature all together.  I thinking about selling the 125 to get the ETS/EC 150/3 instead.

I bought the 2017 model on sale.  I didn’t feel the new Jetstream 2 pad was worth dropping an extra $120 dollars.

So far so good.  It is heavier than the Mirka sander.  I decided I didn’t want deal with a paddle on a sander.  The extra 1/2 pound on the Festool brushless is forgivable with a switch instead of a paddle.

  Don't sell the smaller 125, instead, use it for sanding clear finishes and other finishes between coats- Very low orbit, so it's much easier to prevent sanding through a coat than with the more aggressive EC sanders.... [thumbs up]  My Pro 5 Sander is my Go-To sander for this type of work with high grit Granat or Mesh Abrasive installed on the sander.

I’m leaning on keeping the ETS 125 for fixing finishes.  I have two cedar Kamado Joe BBQ tables that need to be touched up and refinished.  It’ll be a perfect test for the ETS 125 to sand between coats of Marine varnish with 320 or 400 grit. 

I eventually have to get a new Delta to replace a Black and Decker Mouse.  It’s a little anoying Festool decided not to make a corded brushless sander in the 400 series deltas.  I don’t see the point of going cordless with a delta. 

The AC Adpator kit is insanely expensive at $170 CAD.  At that price you might as well stick with the older ETS 400.  Strangely the ETS 400 is much lighter than it’s newer cordless companion.

What is an ETS 400? 

If brush-less is a high priority for you, then cordless is the way to go.  Charge your batteries and your off to the races.  Between two batteries, you will have one hour non-stop sanding time.  Assuming you charge as you sand, you will never run out of juice.

 

[Alanbach]

I am assuming that you are talking about a DTS400? I have one that I bought for a specific project and although it is not brushless I was very impressed with its power. With its 2mm stroke and Delta shape I don’t expect it to remove big amounts of material with low grits. It is definitely a finish sander! Having said that I was surprised by how much power it had and how good a job it did moving over a flat surface. I have a an ETS EC 125 and the DTS moved over the prepared surface at the perimeter and into the corners just as effectively as the EC did the main field.

 

[Steven Owen]

I am assuming that you are talking about a DTS400? I have one that I bought for a specific project and although it is not brushless I was very impressed with its power. With its 2mm stroke and Delta shape I don’t expect it to remove big amounts of material with low grits. It is definitely a finish sander! Having said that I was surprised by how much power it had and how good a job it did moving over a flat surface. I have a an ETS EC 125 and the DTS moved over the prepared surface at the perimeter and into the corners just as effectively as the EC did the main field.

Sorry, I did mean to say DTS 400.  It’s a pretty critical sander for refinishing on finished projects. I have one for the older B&D Mouse sanders from back in the day when they B&D built better sanders.  It’s material removal is good but the dust extraction is utterly awful.

I like the bumper on the DTS 400.  I’m forced to use painters tape with the old B&D mouse to keep it from messing up an opposing edge in tight spaces. It’s in need of a Festool upgrade.

 

[Alanbach]

That is what I bought mine for. I had to refinish a large double barn style door. Lots of angled cross beams, stiles, rails and all of the captured edge sanding you could ask for. I did not use the edge protector because I needed to get right to the edges. I did a little damage to the pad but no damage to the edges surfaces that I had to sand up to. As with most of the Festool sanders that I have encountered it is really great as long as you use it for what it is good at.