RAS Paper Selection

[egmiii]

I'm thinking of picking up a RAS to strip some of the old paint / clean up my cedar shakes before painting the house. I already have a Rotex 90 and used it for all of the window trim. Starting with Granat 40 and moving up to 80 worked fine. On the other hand, I have no idea what paper(s) would be adequate on the RAS considering it's higher speed pure rotational nature. I'd like to have some shakes left when I'm done, but would also like to get through the job quickly. Thanks for your help.

 

[EWTHeckman]

I was just about to ask a similar question. But in my case it's paint removal from old furniture. Would the same abrasives apply to both?

 

[semenza]

Hi egmiii,

Welcome to the FOG !  [smile]

I can't help with a specific grit selection for the RAS but from my experience I would think that the Cristal line will work best for stripping paint since it resists loading due  to the sparse grit distribution. I have done this with Cristal 40 - 80 gr. on the ROTEX 150.

Seth

 

[EWTHeckman]

The Festool site doesn't list Cristal as available for the RAS. Just Saphir, Rubin and Vlies.

 

[neeleman]

For the RAS 115 there is only the following paper available:
1. Rubin P24+36+50+80+100+120+150+180
2. Saphir P24+36+50+80
3. Vlies A100+180

The first is meant for bare wood, the second for stripping paint and other heavy removal.
The third is not meant for your kind of work.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Guys, it's easy because you only have two types of paper for the RAS anyway. Saphir and Rubin. Rubin is for making plain wood look good, but if you really want to remove material, get Saphir. That's all you need to know. Saphir.

No idea why they make Rubin available for the RAS, the paper is more suited for finish sanding and the RAS is the last sander you want for that.  

 

[egmiii]

Saphir sounds like the way to go. Now do I get the 24, 36, 50, or 80?

 

[tbellemare]

I have a customer that is stripping a house using a RAS and Saphir. He seems quite happy. So happy, in fact, that he has bought more Saphir...

He's been using 36 & 50.

My understanding is that he's also following up with the ETS 150 using 60 & 80 Granat.

Tom

 

[fifo28]

I am not an expert here, but I have seen posts on this forum stating that the RAS removes material VERY quickly, and using paper below 80 is just too aggressive. 

 

[Bob Marino]

I am not an expert here, but I have seen posts on this forum stating that the RAS removes material VERY quickly, and using paper below 80 is just too aggressive. 

  Absolutely a light hand is needed with the RAS or you will quickly scallop out that siding. Cedar siding is extremely soft making it more critical, but once you practice a bit - getting the feel for the RAS, it's smooth sailing. Yep, follow up with a random orbit sander before painting gor staining.

Bob

 

[AlexThePalex]

I am not an expert here, but I have seen posts on this forum stating that the RAS removes material VERY quickly, and using paper below 80 is just too aggressive.  

Certainly not. Depends on what you want to do. Most people who buy the RAS want it to be agressive. Because that's what it's meant for. And with certain paint jobs, you darn well need it to be agressive. Same for shaping wood.

On average, I'd say, start cautiously with Saphir 50 and if that doesn't work you can decide to go to a lower or higher grit, depending on what you want. For most jobs related to paint removal, 50 grit will work fine. If you want to shape wood, you can go even lower. If you think you need a higher grit for less agressive sanding, get 80, but if you think you need to go even higher, get another sander like the Rotex or the ETS 150.

 

[EWTHeckman]

Which abrasives does the RAS come with? (The site only says "8 StickFix abrasive disks".)

 

[peter halle]

I have a Ras and just happen to have some cedar shake siding (cedar valley brand) that I removed from a house just the day before yesterday.  Would an attempt at a video interest you, or will words suffice?  Couldn't do the video until Saturday.

Peter

 

[tbellemare]

Which abrasives does the RAS come with? (The site only says "8 StickFix abrasive disks".)

I just looked at a RAS in stock and it comes with:
2 each - P 36 Rubin
2 each - P 80 Rubin
2 each - P 120 Rubin
1 each - P 50 Saphir
and what I think is A 80 Vlies

Tom

 

[semenza]

OK, no Cristal available  [embarassed]

Then Saphire is the one. I have used Saphire 24 and 36 on the ROTEX 150. It is pretty aggresive on that and I think 50 would be a better choice to help avoid damage to the wood.

Seth

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Saphir is great paper and very, very durable and long lasting.

Scot

 

[Jesse Cloud]

The FestoolUSA RO90 accessories page (or at least the one I went to) is a little misleading.  Unless you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, you don't see the link for the next nine pages of sandpaper.  Rubin, Saphir, Vlies, Brilliant 2, and Granat are available.

And I agree that you would want to be very cautious using grits below 80 on weathered cedar shingles.  I have in a brief moment of inattention, carved a huge divot in walnut in a few seconds.