RAS 115 or RO 150 or ?

[Owego]

I have an ETS 150/5 but have a need for a more aggressive sander.  The current need is to level an oak table glue up.  In the past I've used belt sanders but due to their poor dust handling, I'm exploring the idea of a rotex tool, either the RAS 115 or RO 150.  The 150 has two advantages for me,  it's bigger and I've already got a systainer full of sandpaper.  The RAS is less money and the smaller foot print may give me more versitility.  The random orbit feature of the RO has little advantage for me as it duplicates the function of my ETS 150/5.  Maybe there are options I haven't considered.  Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Tom

 

[waho6o9]

To flatten panels and table tops I'd use the RS2.

The RO 150 would work as well but it could mess things up if you dip
an edge.

The RAS is great at paint removal on plaster and lath walls or taking rough stock
and making it ready for the other sanders.  It's kinda like a grinder at least to me.

I have and use all three any chance I get, they all rock, thanks Festool!

 

[duburban]

RO150 with some of that crazy Mirka abranet 40g. Its my favorite combo for aggressive/flat work. I use that combo on floors and flattening tops. Use some sort of interface pad to protect your backer pad, mirka sells one that fits.

I can't imagine the rs2 working quickly on any sort of hard material, am I wrong?

 

[MrToolJunkie]

RO150 or RS2E for that application. For flat surfaces the RS2E is a great sander. The RO150 is nice too, but you have to be careful. The RAS is really great for shaping and paint removal and other tasks where you would use a grinder. I would not try to level a surface with one, though.

 

[semenza]

    RO150 or RS2 depending on the exact work. But I would avoid the RAS115 for trying to flatten a table top or even removing glue lines. It would be real easy to go to deep. Plus the RAS is a rotary sander and is almost certainly going to leave marks that will look bad.

Seth

 

[anthonyz]

RO150 or RS2E for that application. For flat surfaces the RS2E is a great sander. The RO150 is nice too, but you have to be careful. The RAS is really great for shaping and paint removal and other tasks where you would use a grinder. I would not try to level a surface with one, though.

I agree, If you are looking to do mainly aggressive flat work I would move toward the RO150. The RAS115 is great for things like sculpting and shaping, or coping. You can use it like a grinder as well.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yeah, no RAS on a table! The RO150 can do that but even with that sander you have to be careful to keep it flat.

 

[Owego]

Thank you everyone. 

Tom

 

[mike_aa]

I'm a bit late in responding, but I used a RO150 to smooth out a slab top for a writing desk I made.  The slab was fairly flat but was rough sawn.  The RO150 made short work out of smoothing both sides of a top that was roughly 28 inches wide by five feet in length.  What impressed me most was that the sander was very controllable allowing me to keep the top flat.  And this was the first time I used the sander.

The first picture is the rough slab and the second shows the finished writing desk.

Mike A.
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Beautiful table - that came out really nice. Thanks for posting pics!