Wood_Junkie
Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,311
So, I did some searching and haven't see anyone else post a hands-on about this new tool. Please realize this isn't a comprehensive review, as I don't (yet) own the tool and only spent 5-10 minutes examining / using it.
Our local WW store had a suprise one-time demo of it today. There's an interesting story about how it was able to be there, but it's not my story to tell. Anyway, I informed my wife that this was a non-debatable trip (for me) to the store, and I showed up early!
As some have speculated, this seems like a really handy tool, and is likely on many people's wish list.
I would agree wholeheartedly. This is a really sweet sander that is just so"right-sized".
I think Festool has really hit the tool sweet-spot home-run with this sander that will appeal (except for price...) to homeowner handy folk and casual hobbyists, in addition to the pro's and serious hobbyists. It is just the right size to do a bunch of around-the-home tasks, refinishing, get into smaller areas. It is easy to control, even one handed in Rotex mode. The delta shaped attachment, of course, brings the ability to get into corners, very tight quarters, etc. As soon as I picked it up three projects on my home came to mind that this would be *ideal* for, in lieu of the RO125, LS130, and FEIN MM that I will be using for each task.
So, no pictures, it didn't happen, right? Here ya go, cynics.
Here's an overview shot of the sander, the Systainer 1 and a few of it's accessories.
It seems so tiny compared it its bigger brothers.
[attachthumb=#]
A few key specs:
The pad is 3.5" in diameter.
The length of the body, from pad edge to end of the dust port is ~12"
It is about 4.5" tall (this I'm estimating... I forgot to measure).
It comes with the 18g power cord Plug-it
I would put the weight at around 4 lbs.
It has an included edge protector. Its just so small and cute! It attaches just like the edge protector on the RO125 FEQ. Clip on, pop off.
>> One thing to know is that the delta pad has some curves and corners that extend outside the protector's range. So, the edge protector must be removed in order to put on the delta pad, and vice versa.
[attachthumb=#]
So, what's so special about it? Well, I didn't have a ton of time to pore over it. But did get to spend a few minutes sanding some white oak.
The controls are simple: On/off switch, speed control (very small and tucked away under the main handle), and the rotating mode switch. The power switch is much better, IMO, then the RO125 switch. The 125's is sort of jiggly.. you have to push it whilst pressing sort of down.. I dunno. The RO 90's switch is a very simple forward back. It is in the center of the head - ideal for either hand use.
In Rotex mode it is very nice to handle. Obviously you aren't sanding as much area as with a RO125 or RO150, so the RO90 is immensely easier to control one-handed. The weight and balance of the body is very much towards the dust port end (vs. the RO150 which will stand on it's own pad). But at such a light weight there's little effort required to keep it properly oriented.
In ROS mode it works very nicely, again given my limited time with it. Dust collection in both Rotex and ROS mode was outstanding. I didn't see a single speck fly free in those 5 minutes. Here it is, in my hand, vroooming
[attachthumb=#]
I forgot to take a picture of the sander with the delta pad attached. But you can see it in the first picture in this post.
It attaches by simply rotating it 45 degrees and then it click-locks in place. There is a spring loaded green button which disengages the lock and you rotate it off. Fast and easy. It is very secure and with no play when attached to the sander.
The triangular pad is the same size as the DX 93 pad. However, I couldn't see any mechanism by which you would loosen and rotate the hook and loop pad to utilize all three corners. Perhaps it is possible, but it sure looked like a fixed rivet holding the thing together (versus an Allen screw/bolt as on most of the sanders). You can see this in the first picture, right at the bottom. It's the big shiny rivet-like button. Anyway, no pad rotation seems like a negative.
There is a safety pressure-switch, on the underside of the head, which is only engaged by the delta pad. When this switch is engaged, you cannot move the mode out of pure-orbital mode. Good to prevent accidentally spinning your pointy pad at high speed!
One last random thing: The manual is of much higher quality (physically) than any manual I've received with any Festools so far. It was like a little bound book. You can see it right at the bottom of the first picture. The contents were still deplorably spartan... Pure technical specs, warnings, etc. About 3 pages total in English. [wink]
This has jumped to the top of my must-have list. I had thought about getting a DX93 to replace my MM (which works just fine, but that orange! [scared] ), but couldn't justify a cost to replace a basically identical and quality tool. The RO90 brings such value-added functionality to a single tool.
I could easily see this being an ideal sander for rails and stiles, siding, smaller furniture, etc. And also for the corner detailed tasks: stairs, siding joints, framing corners, and on and on.
Price in USD is unknown.... Release date is unknown.
But time to start saving my pennies and nickels! This is a must have!
Our local WW store had a suprise one-time demo of it today. There's an interesting story about how it was able to be there, but it's not my story to tell. Anyway, I informed my wife that this was a non-debatable trip (for me) to the store, and I showed up early!
As some have speculated, this seems like a really handy tool, and is likely on many people's wish list.
I would agree wholeheartedly. This is a really sweet sander that is just so"right-sized".
I think Festool has really hit the tool sweet-spot home-run with this sander that will appeal (except for price...) to homeowner handy folk and casual hobbyists, in addition to the pro's and serious hobbyists. It is just the right size to do a bunch of around-the-home tasks, refinishing, get into smaller areas. It is easy to control, even one handed in Rotex mode. The delta shaped attachment, of course, brings the ability to get into corners, very tight quarters, etc. As soon as I picked it up three projects on my home came to mind that this would be *ideal* for, in lieu of the RO125, LS130, and FEIN MM that I will be using for each task.
So, no pictures, it didn't happen, right? Here ya go, cynics.
Here's an overview shot of the sander, the Systainer 1 and a few of it's accessories.
It seems so tiny compared it its bigger brothers.
[attachthumb=#]
A few key specs:
The pad is 3.5" in diameter.
The length of the body, from pad edge to end of the dust port is ~12"
It is about 4.5" tall (this I'm estimating... I forgot to measure).
It comes with the 18g power cord Plug-it
I would put the weight at around 4 lbs.
It has an included edge protector. Its just so small and cute! It attaches just like the edge protector on the RO125 FEQ. Clip on, pop off.
>> One thing to know is that the delta pad has some curves and corners that extend outside the protector's range. So, the edge protector must be removed in order to put on the delta pad, and vice versa.
[attachthumb=#]
So, what's so special about it? Well, I didn't have a ton of time to pore over it. But did get to spend a few minutes sanding some white oak.
The controls are simple: On/off switch, speed control (very small and tucked away under the main handle), and the rotating mode switch. The power switch is much better, IMO, then the RO125 switch. The 125's is sort of jiggly.. you have to push it whilst pressing sort of down.. I dunno. The RO 90's switch is a very simple forward back. It is in the center of the head - ideal for either hand use.
In Rotex mode it is very nice to handle. Obviously you aren't sanding as much area as with a RO125 or RO150, so the RO90 is immensely easier to control one-handed. The weight and balance of the body is very much towards the dust port end (vs. the RO150 which will stand on it's own pad). But at such a light weight there's little effort required to keep it properly oriented.
In ROS mode it works very nicely, again given my limited time with it. Dust collection in both Rotex and ROS mode was outstanding. I didn't see a single speck fly free in those 5 minutes. Here it is, in my hand, vroooming
[attachthumb=#]
I forgot to take a picture of the sander with the delta pad attached. But you can see it in the first picture in this post.
It attaches by simply rotating it 45 degrees and then it click-locks in place. There is a spring loaded green button which disengages the lock and you rotate it off. Fast and easy. It is very secure and with no play when attached to the sander.
The triangular pad is the same size as the DX 93 pad. However, I couldn't see any mechanism by which you would loosen and rotate the hook and loop pad to utilize all three corners. Perhaps it is possible, but it sure looked like a fixed rivet holding the thing together (versus an Allen screw/bolt as on most of the sanders). You can see this in the first picture, right at the bottom. It's the big shiny rivet-like button. Anyway, no pad rotation seems like a negative.
There is a safety pressure-switch, on the underside of the head, which is only engaged by the delta pad. When this switch is engaged, you cannot move the mode out of pure-orbital mode. Good to prevent accidentally spinning your pointy pad at high speed!
One last random thing: The manual is of much higher quality (physically) than any manual I've received with any Festools so far. It was like a little bound book. You can see it right at the bottom of the first picture. The contents were still deplorably spartan... Pure technical specs, warnings, etc. About 3 pages total in English. [wink]
This has jumped to the top of my must-have list. I had thought about getting a DX93 to replace my MM (which works just fine, but that orange! [scared] ), but couldn't justify a cost to replace a basically identical and quality tool. The RO90 brings such value-added functionality to a single tool.
I could easily see this being an ideal sander for rails and stiles, siding, smaller furniture, etc. And also for the corner detailed tasks: stairs, siding joints, framing corners, and on and on.
Price in USD is unknown.... Release date is unknown.
But time to start saving my pennies and nickels! This is a must have!
