Next Generation HSK

[Scott B.]

I don't know about you guys, but one of the real beauties of my Festool gear on the finish side of things is the ability to work in the just about complete absence of dust. This profoundly affects how wood takes finish, and contributes to the rich depth that I want to see in my work.

However, there are times when certain sanding details just have to be done by hand. The original HSK set is great, but I always found it to be a bit of an oxymoron that after all of the clean power sanding, if I did a little final tweaking with a block just prior to finish application, I would be seeing what seemed to be significant surface dust.

Not so much anymore with the extractable HSK set.

 

[peter halle]

Scott,

I have one of the HSK extractable blocks that I received as a gift from a member who travelled to Europe and found he didn't use it.  I hope that the extractable blocks become available here in the NA.  They work great just like you said!

Peter

 

[Scott B.]

What a great gift! I received my Syslite the same way...a friend brought it from afar.

 

[chris mann]

you can get those in the states now, just not labeled festool
http://www.mirka.com/en/TOOLS/For-hand-sanding/

-chris

 

[Scott B.]

you can get those in the states now, just not labeled festool
http://www.mirka.com/en/TOOLS/For-hand-sanding/

-chris

That would feel weird.

 

[Scott B.]

Just putting it out there...the extractable HSK came through for me today on an early morning strategic strike to sand and reskim two rooms worth of drywall patches on a job we will start monday.

Got me to the mountain and on my snowboard 45 minutes quicker by eliminating a big cleanup of drywall dust. Thats about 3 runs. This is value.

Here was my original post on the HSK, now updated: http://topcoatreview.com/2011/11/festool-hand-sanding/

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[Saskataper]

A couple questions. It's hard to tell from the pic but is the edge of the block beveled? So you can get tight into the angle without scratching or gouging the opposite side. Do the customizable pads from the LS sander fit the block? If so that would be awesome as you could use a 90° for cleaning up the apex where my Planex won't get to and also have some cut to fit the different corners and trims I use like these.

I do have the mirka blocks but the abranet is terrible for linear sanding (leaves lines) and the hose isn't anti static so I am constantly getting shocked

 

[Scott B.]

A couple questions. It's hard to tell from the pic but is the edge of the block beveled? So you can get tight into the angle without scratching or gouging the opposite side. Do the customizable pads from the LS sander fit the block? If so that would be awesome as you could use a 90° for cleaning up the apex where my Planex won't get to and also have some cut to fit the different corners and trims I use like these.

I do have the mirka blocks but the abranet is terrible for linear sanding (leaves lines) and the hose isn't anti static so I am constantly getting shocked

Hey Saskataper

Just saw this post...to your questions:

1. The edge of the block housing itself is low profile, and tapered, and the pad attached is cushy allowing a tight pass into corners. Mind you, this is by hand, so you have more control than on a pole with a traditional style rectangular shaped pole sanding attachment (and it doesnt flip and gouge)

2. I do not think the LS130 profiles could work on this platform.

3. For the deep profiles you showed, if you have a RO90, you might experiment with stacking interface pads to contour into the profiles. Or, the Granat soft roll.

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[Saskataper]

Looks good. I want one for my jobs that require dustless sanding, I can't see it being practical on bigger jobs as it wouldn't be fast enough or cut a nice enough angle for me.
These are the sponges I use for my angles, light checking, and detail sanding. They are made by Trim-Tex and are the best sponges you can buy I suggest you get your hands on some, they make a couple other profiles as well.