RAS 115 vs Rotex 150 for exterior cedar stripping

[l0pht]

I have a ETS-EC 150/5 and DTS 400 and will be repainting our 1902 craftsman this summer. I'm leaning towards the RAS for stripping the 3 layers of paint over our current cedar siding and repainting but also though the Rotex 150 would be great.  Anyone have experience with both and want to offer a recommendation?

 

[Holzhacker]

Hmm...
I use my RAS mostly like a belt sander so from that perspective I'm not sure its the best option. However, with 3 layers of paint it might be a good option to get close to wood and then use an RO or the DTS to get down to final bare wood.
Whether to use an RO or not would depend. How much exposure does the cedar siding have? 3"4"5"? The amount of exposure for me would mostly likely dictate which tool to use. Not much point in using an RO150 if you've got 4" exposure on each piece.
For me, and I have all of these tools, I would probably use the RAS on any tough spots. Use the ETS 125 and DTS 400 for most of the area. Use the RO90 for any detail areas.
If this is big siding then maybe its a good excuse to buy an RO150

 

[Cheese]

Last summer I stripped a neighbor’s picnic table that had 4-5 layers of paint with the RAS. I got everything down to about the last layer and then used the ETS EC 125/150 for the final removal. That worked well but it was also a horizontal surface so that helped.

 

[rvieceli]

Depending on the condition of your siding, you may want to take a look at the Metabo paint stripper. Kind of a handheld rotary planer.
https://www.amazon.com/Metabo-LF724S-7-Inch-6-4-Amp-Stripper/dp/B009ATG28G

Ron

 

[AlexThePalex]

I own both the RAS 115 and the RO 150, and the RAS is quite a bit faster at stripping paint than the Rotex. But the RAS leaves an uneven surface that needs more sanding by a finer sander. This could be done by the ETS EC 150 and the DTS400. But the harder the wood, the longer it takes. A RO 150 would do this quicker.

So if you have both, the RAS would be the best choice for the stripping alone. But if you have to buy a new sander, the RO150 would prove to be much more versatile and be more value for your money over time. The RAS is a sander that you only use for the most difficult jobs, and lays on the shelf the rest of its life, while the Rotex is a lot more usefull for other jobs as well.

 

[Chris Cianci]

I own the RO 150, the RO 90, ETS 125 and the RAS 115.........and I’d get someone else to strip and paint it for me
I hope I added some levity to this post
Chris

 

[weekendwarrior]

For a 1902 building, you're probably also concerned about stripping off lead paint in one or more of the layers.  You'll be working outdoors on siding, but good to note the RAS dust collection is not as good as the other sanders.

 

[rst]

Cedar, even old growth is a fairly soft wood, I would not use anything more than an RO and then ETS.

 

[guthrie_m@earthlink.net]

I recommend getting a Paint shaver fromhttps://paintshaver.com/ and a festool Rotex 150 for prepping the wood afterwards.  Thats what i used for my 1919 foursquare house when i stripped it down to repaint.  Be sure to use a hepa vac and follow RRR rules. 

 

[dltflt]

If you don't own the RAS you will need to take that off your list because it is no longer available.  Just an FYI.

 

[serge0n]

I did this once on my dad's garage, it had pretty wide cedar siding with 3 layers of paint. RO 150 + DTS400 + elbow grease worked fine, but with the RAS it was faster.

If I knew something like that existed, I'd have used the Metabo paint stripping machine, so I second Ron's suggestion. Multiple layers of paint on a vertical surface are not easy to sand off, especially if you plan to be working on a ladder.