Ras 115 Pads

[festooltim]

I melted some of the stick fix on the pad, i was wondering what the best defense from doing this again in the future.  I turned the speed down some but would like to know what others have experienced with this. 

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I melted some of the stick fix on the pad, i was wondering what the best defense from doing this again in the future.  I turned the speed down some but would like to know what others have experienced with this. 

Not much.  That is the pad I go through the most compared to all my other sanders.

You would be amazed how long you can used that pad with half the H&L melted.

 

[Bob Marino]

Tim,

I wasn't careful and melted mine big time. Keep it moving and don't apply excessive pressure.
 

Bob

 

[festooltim]

Thanks i didnt know if i was doing somthing wrong or if its just a common thing.

 

[greg mann]

The trick is to remember this sander moves at a far greater surface speed than any of the others. Since it has no orbit motion it is also easier on the hands in terms of vibration, so we can stay on the workpiece longer without getting tired. It really helps to just lift it off the surface for a few moments now and then, especially if you have a habit of applying pressure (and with this sander that is also easy to do).

All that said, I am glad to see more posting about the RAS. I love this sander. It is easy to control and very ergonomic. To do fine work takes some patience and you want to stay on focus. It certainly isn't a finish sander but it can make really short work of some projects compared to using an orbit based sander. Following behind it with a Rotex can get you into the finishing stages very quickly.

I think teaming it up with the RO90 will be extra nice, as the smaller Rotex will be able to soften curves and remove swirl marks in concave areas better than a Rotex that has a larger diameter than the RAS. Think chair seats.

 

[leakyroof]

Plus 1 on what Greg posted. The 115 e is an important part of my sander arsenal. Haven't worn out a pad enough to get a new one, but I can really see how it happens. Now I want to get a spare.....

 

[chrisrosenb]

I have gone through a couple pads in a year & a half. They still have the stick fix in the center. I keep the old pads in the box for times when I know I am going to be doing something where there is a good chance I will over heat the pad. It is easy to swap them out.

 

[builderbob]

As many others have experienced, I melted the original pad that come with my RAS. I'm starting to notice Stickfix melting on my second pad. I use the RAS for scribes and for some copes on some moldings. I spoke with somebody at JLC and I was recommended to buy the Fiberfix sanding pad for the RAS and use grinding pads. I could see the benefit since there is not any Fastfix hook & loop. I don't think that Festool has any pads with only the center hole cutout unless I am mistaken. It's worth a shot...I love using the tool but almost needing to buy a new pad every few jobs isn't overhead effective!

Bob

 

[leakyroof]

As many others have experienced, I melted the original pad that come with my RAS. I'm starting to notice Stickfix melting on my second pad. I use the RAS for scribes and for some copes on some moldings. I spoke with somebody at JLC and I was recommended to buy the Fiberfix sanding pad for the RAS and use grinding pads. I could see the benefit since there is not any Fastfix hook & loop. I don't think that Festool has any pads with only the center hole cutout unless I am mistaken. It's worth a shot...I love using the tool but almost needing to buy a new pad every few jobs isn't overhead effective!

Bob

 I looked at the Fiberfix pad after you posted about it. And also didn't find any Festool abrasives to support it. Strange, isn't it.  I'm wondering if taking a regular pad, and adding small grooves across the face of it to introduce cooling air would help. You don't have the air being drawn in like the dust-collection-thru-pad of other Festool designs, but with the 115, maybe a 1mm or 2mm groove would help keep the pad cooler. Either a cross, or an asterisk layout or possibly a gentle spiral curving from the outside of the pad back to the center, where each line meets together. If the start of the spiral is larger at the outside of the pad, and is facing tool rotation so it acts like a scoop once the pad is spinning, this would give you some air movement towards the center. Not as effective as vacuum drawn, but worth trying on a pad as a test.  What do you all think?

 

[chrisrosenb]

As many others have experienced, I melted the original pad that come with my RAS. I'm starting to notice Stickfix melting on my second pad. I use the RAS for scribes and for some copes on some moldings. I spoke with somebody at JLC and I was recommended to buy the Fiberfix sanding pad for the RAS and use grinding pads. I could see the benefit since there is not any Fastfix hook & loop. I don't think that Festool has any pads with only the center hole cutout unless I am mistaken. It's worth a shot...I love using the tool but almost needing to buy a new pad every few jobs isn't overhead effective!

Bob

The fiberfix pad allows you to use standard disc sand paper available at most hardware stores & home centers. That is my guess as to why Festool does not sell paper for that pad.

 

[leakyroof]

Chris, I can agree with the "commonly-available-at-HD" point just a bit, but look at it this way, we're already used to, and expecting, very specialized abrasives from Festool that are geared to our needs over a wide range of materials being worked on. With only a common abrasive[aluminum oxide?] available in the same type, most of the same grits, with the same paper backing, you're now stuck with that if you're only relying on a Home Depot, Contractor Supply etc to fill your Fiberfix pad and not be able to expand to what Festool offers for the Stickfix pad.  I think there's a willing market for Rubin and other Festool abrasives to be used with the Fiberfix pad, I'm also betting that if a trial offer of an abrasive kit were offered, it would fly out to certain users in a heartbeat.  Esp. if the Fiberfix pad gives longer life than the Stickfix pad for the people who've posted wiping them out after a job or two. I know, it's only a $22 pad in the end, cost of doing business, etc, but we're just kicking things around for free anyway. [Talk is cheap]  [wink]  Anyway, what do you think?

 

[chrisrosenb]

leakyroof, I have a disc sander with a fiberfix style pad that has not been used for over 20 years.
I quit using it because the the paper would not last very long. I used a lot of different brand of paper, with the same results.
The disc is held to the pad by the center retainer flange. All of the discs ended up tearing around the center retainer flange because the paper is loose on the rest of the pad.
I would not go back to that style pad & paper if someone gave me the pads & paper for free.

Even with most of the hooks melted on the fastfix pads, they still hold paper.

 

[leakyroof]

leakyroof, I have a disc sander with a fiberfix style pad that has not been used for over 20 years.
I quit using it because the the paper would not last very long. I used a lot of different brand of paper, with the same results.
The disc is held to the pad by the center retainer flange. All of the discs ended up tearing around the center retainer flange because the paper is loose on the rest of the pad.
I would not go back to that style pad & paper if someone gave me the pads & paper for free.

Even with most of the hooks melted on the fastfix pads, they still hold paper.

True, true, true.  I never have had the tearing issue that much ,but the weight/thickness of the discs I tended to use with that system are pretty stout. The only thing I've got laying around that still would require them is my old 4 1/2 Milwaukee grinder. It may stay around a bit longer for use with cup brushes and actual grinding discs [smile]  Looks like Stickfix is a winner with you.