nickao
Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2008
- Messages
- 4,617
RAS 180 Verse RO 150
I broke down after many years of waiting for the RAS 180 to come to the USA, it didn't, so I just purchased it from Italy for 680.00 US, plus 85.00 shipping. I can't complain about that price. It seems to me if they ever did sell it in the US that would be on the very low end of the pricing for sure.
The RAS 180 is labeled with specs of 230/240 V 50/60HZ, 1500 watts, the cord plug rated at 230V 16 amp. This is perfect for the US. It's a double insulated tool. It works perfectly with the 220/240 in my shop using an EU Schuko to USA NEMA 6-20P plug adapter. I may just cut off the Schuko end and add a NEMA -6 plug end. I run the tool on a 20 amp circuit that measures about 236 V.
Comments:
Power: This is no joke the RAS 180 simply obliterated the Rotex in my short testing. The RAS 1500 watt rating appears to be real verse the Rotex 150's 720 watts. I am so glad I ordered . The RAS 180 makes the Rotex 150 look like a toy, literally. I tested the sanders on some uneven Wenge work, the Rotex took me 5 minutes with 36 grit. The RAS 180 took me 85 seconds with 120 grit, I am sure once I know the sander that would go down to about 45 seconds. I was afraid to destroy the work so I stopped many times. I have not received the lower grit papers I ordered for the 180. Once I get the comparable papers I will video some real tests. I can't get the sander to stop even with my full body weight on it, there is just no way to stall the machine. I know, let the sander do the work, but if a job called for getting down pressure on the tool this can handle it.
Dust Control: The RAS 180 does not appear to be as good as the Rotex for dust collection, BUT I think this may be more a function of me getting use to moving the brush around as I sand as opposed to the machine. The RAS 180 of course doesn't have through the paper dust collection, it's like the RAS 115, just larger. After I get the proper papers and use this sander more I'll update my assessment of the dust collection again.
If Festool does bring this beast to the USA I would love to see a redesign adding through the paper dust collection. Or maybe I really want a 180 size Rotex, but for now this 180 will be my go to for really tough sanding situations. Even with me not knowing the sander I caught 90% of the dust.
Build Quality: It's a Festool, everything is beefy and fits perfectly. It's made of plastic, but thank heavens it is. In all metal this might just be to just much to handle weight wise. As it is now no one is using this over their head. The button used to hold the mahine in the on position just feels cheap to me. Time will tell if this is just my feeling or if it is really cheap. The power cord is EXTREMELY thin. Much thinner than on my Rotex. At 220V and 1500 watts the RAS 180 in the 220V version only pulls 6 to 7 amps, so though this thin cord is safe I would like to see a thicker cord(even if the wiring stayed the same within) simply because I am tough on cords in my shop. The 110V version(is there one?) would definitely not use this cord. This tool does NOT use a plug it end, it's a permanently fixed power cord.
Usability: This tool is a dream to use. It doesn't pull me around like a Rotex and is surprisingly well balanced. I thought I would be fighting it, trying to keep it from tipping and gauging work like many other sanders of this type, but the disc glides over the surface flat and parallel to the work. It's so smooth I have to constantly stop because I fear burning through the material. There is no bite of the edge of the sander catching the material and this sander never hops or jumps around like on an RO sander tends to do.. For its size I don't see any tool of this type handling any better. I can even take my hand off the side handle and use the sander with one hand one the back handle, one hand on top of the disc area, I have been using it like that often. There is no fear of the sander ripping out of my hands. Even at this great size and power the RAS 180 is easy to handle, it's much simpler to use than any Rotex in rotary mode for sure.
I have only used this two days, once I master the tool Ill post a video.
I broke down after many years of waiting for the RAS 180 to come to the USA, it didn't, so I just purchased it from Italy for 680.00 US, plus 85.00 shipping. I can't complain about that price. It seems to me if they ever did sell it in the US that would be on the very low end of the pricing for sure.
The RAS 180 is labeled with specs of 230/240 V 50/60HZ, 1500 watts, the cord plug rated at 230V 16 amp. This is perfect for the US. It's a double insulated tool. It works perfectly with the 220/240 in my shop using an EU Schuko to USA NEMA 6-20P plug adapter. I may just cut off the Schuko end and add a NEMA -6 plug end. I run the tool on a 20 amp circuit that measures about 236 V.
Comments:
Power: This is no joke the RAS 180 simply obliterated the Rotex in my short testing. The RAS 1500 watt rating appears to be real verse the Rotex 150's 720 watts. I am so glad I ordered . The RAS 180 makes the Rotex 150 look like a toy, literally. I tested the sanders on some uneven Wenge work, the Rotex took me 5 minutes with 36 grit. The RAS 180 took me 85 seconds with 120 grit, I am sure once I know the sander that would go down to about 45 seconds. I was afraid to destroy the work so I stopped many times. I have not received the lower grit papers I ordered for the 180. Once I get the comparable papers I will video some real tests. I can't get the sander to stop even with my full body weight on it, there is just no way to stall the machine. I know, let the sander do the work, but if a job called for getting down pressure on the tool this can handle it.
Dust Control: The RAS 180 does not appear to be as good as the Rotex for dust collection, BUT I think this may be more a function of me getting use to moving the brush around as I sand as opposed to the machine. The RAS 180 of course doesn't have through the paper dust collection, it's like the RAS 115, just larger. After I get the proper papers and use this sander more I'll update my assessment of the dust collection again.
If Festool does bring this beast to the USA I would love to see a redesign adding through the paper dust collection. Or maybe I really want a 180 size Rotex, but for now this 180 will be my go to for really tough sanding situations. Even with me not knowing the sander I caught 90% of the dust.
Build Quality: It's a Festool, everything is beefy and fits perfectly. It's made of plastic, but thank heavens it is. In all metal this might just be to just much to handle weight wise. As it is now no one is using this over their head. The button used to hold the mahine in the on position just feels cheap to me. Time will tell if this is just my feeling or if it is really cheap. The power cord is EXTREMELY thin. Much thinner than on my Rotex. At 220V and 1500 watts the RAS 180 in the 220V version only pulls 6 to 7 amps, so though this thin cord is safe I would like to see a thicker cord(even if the wiring stayed the same within) simply because I am tough on cords in my shop. The 110V version(is there one?) would definitely not use this cord. This tool does NOT use a plug it end, it's a permanently fixed power cord.
Usability: This tool is a dream to use. It doesn't pull me around like a Rotex and is surprisingly well balanced. I thought I would be fighting it, trying to keep it from tipping and gauging work like many other sanders of this type, but the disc glides over the surface flat and parallel to the work. It's so smooth I have to constantly stop because I fear burning through the material. There is no bite of the edge of the sander catching the material and this sander never hops or jumps around like on an RO sander tends to do.. For its size I don't see any tool of this type handling any better. I can even take my hand off the side handle and use the sander with one hand one the back handle, one hand on top of the disc area, I have been using it like that often. There is no fear of the sander ripping out of my hands. Even at this great size and power the RAS 180 is easy to handle, it's much simpler to use than any Rotex in rotary mode for sure.
I have only used this two days, once I master the tool Ill post a video.
