Problem with ETS 150/5 ROS

[Cary Swoveland]

I have a problem with my ETS 150/5 sander, which I've had for several years.  One moment it was working fine, then all of a sudden it started gyrating wildly, as though something broke.  Any idea what might be the problem?

I'd like to diassemble it to inspect the parts, but I haven't got very far.  The crescent wrench shown in the picture below is cinched on the end of the armature which of course turns freely.  Suggestions?  There is a parts explosion at http://ekat.festool.com/EKAT/jsp/main.jsp?sig=8ADAD94DB3CF428CB5C8CC497C0E13F391DD15F1141DA99F93439DEEDADBA99CF658E79B02CBC3DD62589C3BCD1172AA0E0B48ED5D61A0F4BC0279902C8EA07C&doAction=catalogAssy&k_vari=492029_USA&k_ver=&image=-2&k_lfdnr=&nodeId=child
[attachimg=1] (URL corrected).

Cary

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

My first guess would be that the pad brake needs to be replaced without more information. By gyrating do you mean you hold it in the air and it wants to move and twist all around or do you mean that the pad just spins high speed? If it's the pad brake, it doesn't require disassembly. Regardless, call the service department and they can help troubleshoot it.

The pad brake is #29 on the EKat drawing and costs about $15-16 CDN.

http://festoolcanada.com/service/spare-parts-catalog/

Part #701156

 

[Cary Swoveland]

Thanks, Shane.  I'll call Festool Service tomorrow as you suggest.  To answer your question, by "gyrating", I mean your former possibility: "if I hold it in the air it wants to move and twist all around...".  If I put it on a piece of wood it behaves as though its orbit diameter has increased ten-fold.  Again, it was working fine one moment, then exhibited this wild behavior the next.

Cary

Edit: I expect I know what happened, but would not have thought of it had you not mentioned the pad brake. The problem occurred when I was sanding a cast iron table with a bit of WD40 for lubrication (first time I've done that--obviously, not a great idea).  I'm guessing the WD40 worked its way up and onto the sanding brake, resulting in the behavior I experienced.  I'll try to clean it.  That should at least confirm that's the problem.