Opinions on having both the EC125 and EC150?

[Ster1154]

I'm in a bit of a conundrum (if you can call it that).  A few months ago I purchased the ETS EC125 since at that time I was largely sanding smaller items.  At the time it was incredibly helpful and a wonderful purchase.  No complaints at all about the tool itself.

Fast forward to now and I've been taking on far more furniture commissions.  The EC125's smaller pad led me to purchase the EC150 and I haven't really looked back. 

My questions is this:  is there a point in holding onto the EC125?  The EC150 seems to do everything I need it to but I was wondering from anyone else out there wiser than I that could offer some advice.  I'm a one-man shop so the EC125 really just gathers dust since the EC150 is my go-to now (even for the smaller items). 

Thank you!

 

[bobfog]

The ETS EC 125 can take the 150mm pad and works perfectly, see this thread from reply 26 onwards:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/ets-ec-125150/msg462390/#msg462390

If you only need one, it'd be the ETS EC 150 I'd get rid of as the 125 EC can do it all.

 

[NL-mikkla]

Sold my RO125 unused since I tend to always reach for the RO150 over and over.
For the smaller jobs I have the RO90, DTS, RTS etc.

 

[waterloomarc]

I'm struggling with the same issue. 4 or 5 months ago I bought the EC 125 to complement my regular ETS 125. At the time, same as you, I thought the size worked best for me. Then it seems immediately after that I'm covered up in larger scale projects. I finally cracked and bought the 150 on this last project. Man it sure makes things faster! I've thought about switching entirely, but I'm also tits deep in 125 sandpaper and systainers that I would hate to waste. As it is currently I'm thinking of keeping both and using the 150 at lower grits for removing milling marks and the 125's at higher grits where the sanding goes quicker anyway.

1st world problems I suppose.

 

[Ster1154]

The ETS EC 125 can take the 150mm pad and works perfectly, see this thread from reply 26 onwards:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/ets-ec-125150/msg462390/#msg462390

If you only need one, it'd be the ETS EC 150 I'd get rid of as the 125 EC can do it all.

Interesting...I think the EC150 is still within its return window.  That said, can the EC150 use 125mm pads?

 

[bkharman]

The ETS EC 125 can take the 150mm pad and works perfectly, see this thread from reply 26 onwards:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/ets-ec-125150/msg462390/#msg462390

If you only need one, it'd be the ETS EC 150 I'd get rid of as the 125 EC can do it all.

Interesting...I think the EC150 is still within its return window.  That said, can the EC150 use 125mm pads?

You can only go up in numbers... not down.

I own the EC125 and the older 150 (non EC) and love both.  I have thought about doing the pad switch that is in Bob's thread, but haven't of yet.  Over the years, I have used my 150 for a lot of things... i will do the edges of 3/4 wood with my 150 and the hard pad... works a treat!

cheers.  Bryan.

 

[bobfog]

The ETS EC 125 can take the 150mm pad and works perfectly, see this thread from reply 26 onwards:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/ets-ec-125150/msg462390/#msg462390

If you only need one, it'd be the ETS EC 150 I'd get rid of as the 125 EC can do it all.

Interesting...I think the EC150 is still within its return window.  That said, can the EC150 use 125mm pads?

As bkharman says, the 150 pads fit the 125 but not the other way around. But don't think of the sanders in terms of a 125 and a 150, they're exactly the same machine with a slightly different shaft to attach the pads to, to trick people into buying both sanders when all you really need (unless you specifically want 5mm) is the EC 125 and an extra 150mm pad.

 

[semenza]

    I have never had a 125mm sander. A long time ago I went from a 1/4 sheet sander to a PC 6". When I switched Festool I stuck with the 150mm. I do a wide variety of sanding jobs and I have yet to run into a situation where I wanted the 125mm instead of the 150mm. Or where the 125mm would have made any significant difference. Or where I found myself wishing I had a 125 at that moment. If I need a smaller sander, I find that it needs to be much smaller. Like the RO90 or delta for corners.

    When it comes to narrow surfaces I actually prefer the wider pad. I find it easier to keep flat.

    However since I have never had a 125 then maybe I would find a use for it over the 150 if I had one. In other words maybe I don't know what I am missing?

 

Seth

 

[bobfog]

    I have never had a 125mm sander. A long time ago I went from a 1/4 sheet sander to a PC 6". When I switched Festool I stuck with the 150mm. I do a wide variety of sanding jobs and I have yet to run into a situation where I wanted the 125mm instead of the 150mm. Or where the 125mm would have made any significant difference. Or where I found myself wishing I had a 125 at that moment. If I need a smaller sander, I find that it needs to be much smaller. Like the RO90 or delta for corners.

    When it comes to narrow surfaces I actually prefer the wider pad. I find it easier to keep flat.

    However since I have never had a 125 then maybe I would find a use for it over the 150 if I had one. In other words maybe I don't know what I am missing?

 

Seth

It's one of those things where if you don't have a 125 you never consider it and don't realise you're missing it. One example I recently found the 125mm pad an advantage over the 150mm was refurbishing some dining chairs where the seat base was sort of sculpted out for the buttocks and the 150mm was a little too big to follow the profile without losing the edges, but the 125mm with a 15mm interface pad was perfect. I could have used my RO90 but that would have been a little too small and added extra time to the process.

 

[Vondawg]

Talk about circling around Seth ha!  [laughing] Never thought about this but ....can you go up to 150 pad on a RO125 ?

 

[Kev]

    I have never had a 125mm sander. A long time ago I went from a 1/4 sheet sander to a PC 6". When I switched Festool I stuck with the 150mm. I do a wide variety of sanding jobs and I have yet to run into a situation where I wanted the 125mm instead of the 150mm. Or where the 125mm would have made any significant difference. Or where I found myself wishing I had a 125 at that moment. If I need a smaller sander, I find that it needs to be much smaller. Like the RO90 or delta for corners.

    When it comes to narrow surfaces I actually prefer the wider pad. I find it easier to keep flat.

    However since I have never had a 125 then maybe I would find a use for it over the 150 if I had one. In other words maybe I don't know what I am missing?

 

Seth

It's one of those things where if you don't have a 125 you never consider it and don't realise you're missing it. One example I recently found the 125mm pad an advantage over the 150mm was refurbishing some dining chairs where the seat base was sort of sculpted out for the buttocks and the 150mm was a little too big to follow the profile without losing the edges, but the 125mm with a 15mm interface pad was perfect. I could have used my RO90 but that would have been a little too small and added extra time to the process.

That's when you grab the RO 90. I'm with Seth on never going 125. I've never felt a 150 is too big and go for something entirely different for smaller or more intricate pieces.

 

[bobfog]

    I have never had a 125mm sander. A long time ago I went from a 1/4 sheet sander to a PC 6". When I switched Festool I stuck with the 150mm. I do a wide variety of sanding jobs and I have yet to run into a situation where I wanted the 125mm instead of the 150mm. Or where the 125mm would have made any significant difference. Or where I found myself wishing I had a 125 at that moment. If I need a smaller sander, I find that it needs to be much smaller. Like the RO90 or delta for corners.

    When it comes to narrow surfaces I actually prefer the wider pad. I find it easier to keep flat.

    However since I have never had a 125 then maybe I would find a use for it over the 150 if I had one. In other words maybe I don't know what I am missing?

 

Seth

It's one of those things where if you don't have a 125 you never consider it and don't realise you're missing it. One example I recently found the 125mm pad an advantage over the 150mm was refurbishing some dining chairs where the seat base was sort of sculpted out for the buttocks and the 150mm was a little too big to follow the profile without losing the edges, but the 125mm with a 15mm interface pad was perfect. I could have used my RO90 but that would have been a little too small and added extra time to the process.

That's when you grab the RO 90. I'm with Seth on never going 125. I've never felt a 150 is too big and go for something entirely different for smaller or more intricate pieces.

Yeah I could have used the RO90 (in fact I did for the delta sander) but for the seat itself the 125 was the Goldilocks zone for the majority of the work. I could have used the RO90 for the whole lot, but it would have been slower.

 

[semenza]

Talk about circling around Seth ha!  [laughing] Never thought about this but ....can you go up to 150 pad on a RO125 ?

Never thought about or checked on that. My guess is, no. I am betting that the tool free attachments are different. But, also, I think the RO125 with 150 pad would be underpowered at least in the aggressive mode. Unlike the EC series the RO series have different size motors.

Seth

 

[ear3]

I guess it's a resource question at this point.  If you have to limit your tool buying, then maybe it's worth it to sell the 125 and put that toward a more necessary tool. 

No doubt there will come a situation when you will be happy to have held on to the 125, like, say, you have a ton of overhead sanding to do.  I'm facing a similar dilemma with the MFK700.  Got it specifically for a job I did in the Spring, but ended up not really needing it.  Since I got used to doing all my edge trimming with the 1010 and edging plate, I haven't had a need to pull it out of its systainer.  I even bought the zero degree horizontal base, the edge guide, and the Festool planing bit, so that right there puts me more than halfway to a domino XL (or a couple of LN planes!).  But I know there will come a point where I'll need to trim some curved edge banding, for example, and having the MFK will be crucial.  So I'm holding on to it at the moment.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I had occasion to sand the ceiling using the 125.

With the vac on full suction the sander pretty nearly held itself to the ceiling while sanding at full speed and I only needed the lightest grip to guide it around. Supporting the cord/hose of course.

 

[leakyroof]

I had occasion to sand the ceiling using the 125.

With the vac on full suction the sander pretty nearly held itself to the ceiling while sanding at full speed and I only needed the lightest grip to guide it around. Supporting the cord/hose of course.

. Quick question, older ETS or newer one?  [popcorn] [popcorn]

 

[Cheese]

For me it's a no-brainer. Keep the ETS EC 125 and purchase the ETS EC 150 pad. Return the ETS EC 150 and with that return, purchase some additional abrasives for both the 125 & the 150. Either of the pads can be put on the ETS EC 125 with a simple hex key. They are the same motor with the same body and only employ different drive shafts so that they aren't "interchangeable".

HOWEVER...the ETS EC 125 pad will NOT fit the ETS EC 150. You better act on this before Festool also decides to turn the ETS EC 125 into another gelding.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I had occasion to sand the ceiling using the 125.

With the vac on full suction the sander pretty nearly held itself to the ceiling while sanding at full speed and I only needed the lightest grip to guide it around. Supporting the cord/hose of course.

. Quick question, older ETS or newer one?  [popcorn] [popcorn]

Way old (actually found the receipt from July 2003) ES 125 E.

 

[leakyroof]

I had occasion to sand the ceiling using the 125.

With the vac on full suction the sander pretty nearly held itself to the ceiling while sanding at full speed and I only needed the lightest grip to guide it around. Supporting the cord/hose of course.

. Quick question, older ETS or newer one?  [popcorn] [popcorn]

Way old (actually found the receipt from July 2003) ES 125 E.

  Ah, so it was the super smooth and super little orbit [2mm] model of years past.... [big grin]

 

[Ster1154]

Thanks everyone for the helpful anecdotes and informative facts!  I elected to return my EC150 and should be getting the 150mm pad in the mail this afternoon.