Please help me choose a new sander

[nickyd91]

New to the FOG and I don’t currently own any festool tools but would love to see what the hype is about. Currently in the market for a new sander and I’ve read everything I can find comparing my choices but every time I narrow it down, I see something else and then get more confused. I only do woodworking as a hobby for now but have had chances to refinish furniture for people and might start doing that soon. I don’t have the space for a jointer/planer so I mainly work with s4s wood which occasionally needs some flattening and defect removal. I currently have a ridged belt sander which I hate using, a DeWalt 1/4 sheet sander, and my most used is a cordless Ryobi 5” ROS. I would definitely like to get into premium sanders as it’s the one tool I see most beneficial to upgrade at the moment. I would really like something that I can use as an all in one from 80-220 grit and achieve a perfect finish and not take all day to get there. From my research I’ve narrowed it down to the following:

Bosch GEX34
Festool ETS EC 125/3 but adding the 150 pad
Festool ETC EC 150/5

The Bosch only has a 2mm orbit but was reviewed with more than double the removal rate of the ets ec. Not sure how that worked out. It can also take both 5” and 6” pads and at only $250 it seems too good to be true. If I go with festool I will probably get the sander with abrasives combo plus the festool hose to attach to my rigid shop vac. The festool route will be almost 3x the cost as the Bosch. Is it really worth it? Am I missing another option? My projects vary and I’ve done small cutting boards to large storage benches and even stripped old cabinets to paint. Looking for the best value most versatile sander that will get me a swirl free fine finish with the least effort.

 

[tsmi243]

Bang for the buck?  Stick with your Ryobi. 

If you want something comfortable to make sanding more fun, you're really not going to beat the ETS EC.  I have the 3 and the 5.... and the 3 just sits.  The 5 does everything for me.  But I don't really sand between finish coats, so that's something for you to decide.  Your 1/4 sheet sander is probably the right weapon for that job anyway.

Any difference in sanding rate is probably more about the paper than the machine. 

Better dust collection WILL make a difference in the surface quality- you'll get significantly fewer pigtails with the Festool.  And they say the better airflow makes the paper last longer- but for me at least, the difference wasn't noticeable. 

 

[Jim_in_PA]

The ETC EC 150/5 has become my go-to sander 99% of the time; previously, it was an older 150/3. I've personally never felt the need for the 125mm sander, but for folks who want the utility of both sizes, that ETC EC 125 that can also take a 150mm pad and media is a versatile choice. Do note that to enjoy these nice sanders the most (and that includes if you choose a different brand) connection to extraction is pretty essential. I went to the Festool sanders back in the mid-2000s as I got tired of my hands going numb after only a few minutes with several of the "mo popular brand name, but less expensive sanders" of the time. I can sand for hours now without that problem. (not that I actually enjoy sanding for hours...)

 

[woodferret]

If you do go the ETS EC route, you'll very likely need a CT extractor too, so you can dial the suction all the way down.  Otherwise, it bites in and gets jumpy.  That'd be an added expense to keep in mind, in addition to the hard pad.  As for time spent, I think I probably spend more time getting the ETS EC 150/5 out of the box than I do actually touching wood.

 

[Cheese]

If you do go the ETS EC route, you'll very likely need a CT extractor too, so you can dial the suction all the way down. 

I go along with what everyone has said, but the use of an adjustable vac/CT is critical. Otherwise, switching to a Festool sander, won't be the OMG moment you want it to be. All Festool sanders are very sensitive to the amount of suction they see.

My preference is the ETS EC with both 125 & 150 pads...I prefer the hard pads.

 

[Michael Kellough]

That Bosch sander has a 4mm orbit diameter (2mm radius). I used only Bosch sanders before slowly upgrading to Festool. Mainly the Festool sander will be smoother and less annoying to use in extended sessions.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The ETS EC was the sander that brought me into the electric sander world. I have always used pneumatic sanders and gained a preference for that low profile form-factor. Until the ETS EC came along, electrics have been much taller, which translates to awkward for me.
Specialty sanders aside, the EC is hard to beat.

 

[smorgasbord]

Coming from a Bosch 1370DEVS the ETS/EC 150/5 was a revelation. I highly recommend it and yes, you want the 5mm orbit. Hard pad is great, too

 

[Cheese]

If you don't have a vac with variable suction, a CT 25 will be coming up on Festool recon for 20% off, it may even be available today.

If you're patient and wish to wait, I'm sure a CT 15 will also show up on Festool recon for 20% off.  That would be $335 or possibly less. Free shipping in both cases.
https://www.festoolrecon.com/collections/oneanddone?page=1

 

[mkasdin]

I would save your money and get the Random Orbital Sander ETS 125 REQ-Plus
Regular price$249.00 $199.20 recon price. My first sander was a RO-150, but for 80% of the work I do I use the ETS-125. It’s inexpensive and you use the extra money for a Ct-15. The other good sander is a RO-90along with the ones recommended above. Just depends what you are doing, sand sheet goods for cabinets, or on a ladder sanding fascia for paint or repairs. So there’s no one answer except if you stick with it you’ll end up with 3-5 sanders in your arsenal within a few years. So get the least expensive now if it’s within your budget.  Remember you need to buy sandpaper that could set you back $150+ on top of the purchase. I have heard of people using 3M or Norton sandpaper instead of Festool abrasives

 

[AIPDX]

nickyd91, I have several Festool sanders - two agressive Rotex sanders, a small triangular shaped sander, and a half-sheet sander. At the time when I got them, Festool was one of the leaders in dust extraction built into every single of their tools. Working with minimal amount of dust was a blessing. The situation has changed over the years, now there are many more options of sanders and dust extractors. Sander is a very simple device, somehow in my head, it is not so much about sander performance but about eco-system, compatibility, and cost of abrasives. Those of us who have multiple dust extractors (I have four Festool vacuums) and multiple Festool tools find it logical to invest into Festool sanders and take advantage of full compatibility with vacuum hoses and power cords. If you are not vested into the Festool eco-system, and if you do not have a Festool dust extractor yet (which may cost more than the sander), it may be worthy for you to consider your plans for the future, as well as how much you plan to sand and how cost critical it is for you. I did all my projects for fun, so cost consideration was akin buying toys - cost was not the primary factor. If it is about making money for you, and you will sand a lot, your investment into Festool abrasives (which are, like, a dollar per sanding disk) may bite into your profits - unless you are doing high end profitable things. Also, consider that Festool sanders are not considered the highest end. I believe, Mirca sanders are more advanced, and there may be other very high end brands which I never heard about. 

 

[Toolpig]

New to the FOG and I don’t currently own any festool tools but would love to see what the hype is about. Currently in the market for a new sander and I’ve read everything I can find comparing my choices but every time I narrow it down, I see something else and then get more confused. I only do woodworking as a hobby for now but have had chances to refinish furniture for people and might start doing that soon. I don’t have the space for a jointer/planer so I mainly work with s4s wood which occasionally needs some flattening and defect removal. I currently have a ridged belt sander which I hate using, a DeWalt 1/4 sheet sander, and my most used is a cordless Ryobi 5” ROS. I would definitely like to get into premium sanders as it’s the one tool I see most beneficial to upgrade at the moment. I would really like something that I can use as an all in one from 80-220 grit and achieve a perfect finish and not take all day to get there. From my research I’ve narrowed it down to the following:

Bosch GEX34
Festool ETS EC 125/3 but adding the 150 pad
Festool ETC EC 150/5

The Bosch only has a 2mm orbit but was reviewed with more than double the removal rate of the ets ec. Not sure how that worked out. It can also take both 5” and 6” pads and at only $250 it seems too good to be true. If I go with festool I will probably get the sander with abrasives combo plus the festool hose to attach to my rigid shop vac. The festool route will be almost 3x the cost as the Bosch. Is it really worth it? Am I missing another option? My projects vary and I’ve done small cutting boards to large storage benches and even stripped old cabinets to paint. Looking for the best value most versatile sander that will get me a swirl free fine finish with the least effort.

I have the Bosch and it’s a wonderful sander. Dust collection is just as good as any of my Festool sanders and fits the 27mm Festool hose perfectly.

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