Review of Festool: Sys STF D 150 abrasive Systainer (#487431)

[Wood_Junkie]

SYS-STF D 150

Only among friends could I admit... I made a huge mistake.  Thankfully, through judicious spending, and diligent scouring of woodworking stores, sites, and craigslist, was I able to rectify my error and bring sense back to the universe.  Making my poor Sys-STF D 150 whole again...

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I purchased this innocent looking Systainer, size three, because I really needed a Sys3 for all my turning tools and junk, and my local WW shop didn't have any Sys3's, besides this one.  Being a Festool n00b, I didn't fully realize and appreciate that this box, with accompanying plastic insert, cost more than an actual empty box.  Nor that I was aware of insulting its kharmic destiny by proceeding with my awful plan to cleft Systainer from Insert.

Here is what my mind saw, untrained Fes-Jedi that I was (not).

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I'm sure my turning tools and what-not enjoyed a happy occupation of Sys-STF D 150, but it was a pitiful role for a sandpaper storing juggernaut...  It was not until I became an acolyte of the searchtempest.com side of the shopping force, that my errors were revealed.

Lo, a whopper of a deal presented itself, and I pounced!   A RO 150E for only $90!?  (bare tool only, mind you) Which child did I need to sell and where do I send the cold hard cash!?  Smuggled from Florida to Wisconsin, my newfound friend came into my life and started sanding like a dervish.

This started me down the slippery, slippery slope of sandpaper hoarding.  And why stop with only the RO150, when Festool offers such ergonomic and convenient sanding pads.  The added luxury of using the 150mm abrasives on both the Rotex and the sanding blocks was like having bacon on your cheeseburger.

More and more boxes arrived from Festool-Crack-Dealin' "Bob 'mojo-to-go' Marino", all stuffed and crammed with 150mm sandpapers.. smooth, white, maroon, coarse.. I took in all kinds.  I had no dignity.

But where, oh friends, was all this to be kept?  Out on my bench, in an embarrassing and obvious-to-my-wife pile of boxes?!!  As the towering edifice of cardboard shame grew, I knew it would eventually topple...

My thoughts turned to the Sys-STF D 150.. and the sad, sorry life I had imposed.
Luckily, nothing with a Festool logo or label gets thrown out.. and I found that abrasive insert, under a pile of broken dreams and forgotten projects.

Like a Rotex-on-6 I tore through things, emptying turning tools, dumping out mandrels and CA glue.  "Into the Systainer I cast thee", I cried, and the Sys-STF D 150 was reunitied with its soulmate, the abrasive insert.  Lovingly, I transplanted colonies of 150mm sandpaper into their new abode.  Almost 400 sheets of Festool sanding citizens call the Sys STF D 150 home now.

Like the chapters of life, I created bookmarks to denote the transitions through the grits.  24g Saphir, to mercilessly tear stuff up.  60g Rubin, to knock some sense into it.  120g Rubin, bringing calm consistency.  220 Brilliant, like a gentle hug.  And 320g Brilliant, the final kiss g'night to finish a project.

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Thinking back, it only made sense that the Sys STF D 150 is always with the Festool that made it whole again, the RO 150 E.

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[image132]

Awesome review junkie. I love the style "untrained Fes-jedi"  [big grin]

Do you mind if I ask for some advice? I am wanting to buy a fogtainer 2 and buy the abrasive insert for my RO125. Is a systainer 2 going to be big enough? I'm noticing that your 150 paper reaches to just about the top of the body of the box.

 

[ajones]

Chris you need festool 489463 sys-stf d125 sys1 for 5es 125 paper gbp 44.02 probably cheaper to buy it with the insert

 

[image132]

Chris you need festool 489463 sys-stf d125 sys1 for 5es 125 paper gbp 44.02 probably cheaper to buy it with the insert

Ah so a systainer 1 would work? It probably would but at the end of the day I am going to push my dad to buy a fogtainer anyway so I might aswell use that. To my knowledge you can buy the insert separately. Thanks Footstool

 

[ajones]

Get two fogtainers one for your ro125 and one for the scratch. [big grin]Come on dad Yes the inserts cost around 10-11 gbp

 

[Wood_Junkie]

The Systainer for storing 125mm sandpaper stores them flat and comes in a Sys1.  Which only allows for a fairly limited amount with five stacks.

Check out Brice's solution here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/sandpaper-systainer/msg101803/#msg101803

He's got them stored vertically, and arranged in two rows going from left to right.  Given the dimensions of a Systainer, that really maximizes the number of discs you can get in there.

So, personally, I would get the Fogtainer 2 and make your own insert.

 

[image132]

The Systainer for storing 125mm sandpaper stores them flat and comes in a Sys1.  Which only allows for a fairly limited amount with five stacks.

Check out Brice's solution here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/sandpaper-systainer/msg101803/#msg101803

He's got them stored vertically, and arranged in two rows going from left to right.  Given the dimensions of a Systainer, that really maximizes the number of discs you can get in there.

So, personally, I would get the Fogtainer 2 and make your own insert.

That is what I was worried about and was why I wanted to originally get a systainer 2 for it. Is there anyone on fog with the 125 abrasive insert, if so could you please post a picture so I could have a look?

Get two fogtainers one for your ro125 and one for the scratch. [big grin]Come on dad Yes the inserts cost around 10-11 gbp

Surprisingly my dad does actually visit this site. So maybe

 

[Wood_Junkie]

Here's a stock photo of the empty Sys STF D 125 from Festool Junkie's site (most other sites show the generic "mixed" photo)
http://www.festooljunkie.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/80/products_id/145/dude-get-organized/festool-systainer-sys-stf-d-125.html

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And here's a pic from Tom Belamare's site, filled with discs:
http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/11361

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[ajones]

For me I would be happy if you could get packs of 50 of each grade in the sys 1 if you cant then a home spun sys 2 has to be the way to go.

 

[image132]

Thanks a lot junkie, that helped a lot.

For me I would be happy if you could get packs of 50 of each grade in the sys 1 if you cant then a home spun sys 2 has to be the way to go.

Can you really not get a 50 stack in one of those?!!

The Festool designer who made this needs to be shot. I can't believe they only allow 5 different sheets in there, wow.

P.S Sorry Junkie for hijacking your review thread :/ I still think it was cool.

 

[ajones]

Thanks a lot junkie, that helped a lot.

For me I would be happy if you could get packs of 50 of each grade in the sys 1 if you cant then a home spun sys 2 has to be the way to go.

Can you really not get a 50 stack in one of those?!!

The Festool designer who made this needs to be shot. I can't believe they only allow 5 different sheets in there, wow.

Chris I do not know how many sheets each partion will hold but for me it would need to take a pack at a time the case has 5 partitions so five grades which I think would be fine.

we dont go round shooting people over here (the oh I thought it was a impalla does not wash)well not over a few sheets of scratch anyway [big grin] [big grin]

 

[image132]

Thanks a lot junkie, that helped a lot.

For me I would be happy if you could get packs of 50 of each grade in the sys 1 if you cant then a home spun sys 2 has to be the way to go.

Can you really not get a 50 stack in one of those?!!

The Festool designer who made this needs to be shot. I can't believe they only allow 5 different sheets in there, wow.

Chris I do not know how many sheets each partion will hold but for me it would need to take a pack at a time the case has 5 partitions so five grades which I think would be fine.

we dont go round shooting people over here (the oh I thought it was a impalla does not wash)well not over a few sheets of scratch anyway [big grin] [big grin]

Sorry what I meant by "sheets" was grades. But looking at the 150 style (Junkies review right here in this thread) of sorting, it could potentially hold all the grades (assuming you want to put on sheet of each in) and yet still allow easy access. In the 125 style if you did the same it would require you to dig throught the upper levels to get to what you need. Understand what I am getting at? One would think they would have just done the same with the 125 as the 150.

According to Tom Belamare's site you can get 50 in one of the partitions or are those abbrasives just included in package and do not actually go in the systainer?

 

[tbellemare]

Chris:

I'm guessing you looked at the assortment.

It does come with 50 each of 5 different abrasives, all in their own stack and yes, if you wanted fewer of each and more variety, you would have to remove some to get to the others. I don't know why it was done this way, it seems more useful to have the abrasives on edge like in the Sys for the 150mm sheets.

When there are vertical stacks like in the 125mm Sys, it depends on the grit and paper style as to how many sheets will fit in each silo. Some sheets are thicker than others.

Tom

 

[image132]

Chris:

I'm guessing you looked at the assortment.

It does come with 50 each of 5 different abrasives, all in their own stack and yes, if you wanted fewer of each and more variety, you would have to remove some to get to the others. I don't know why it was done this way, it seems more useful to have the abrasives on edge like in the Sys for the 150mm sheets.

When there are vertical stacks like in the 125mm Sys, it depends on the grit and paper style as to how many sheets will fit in each silo. Some sheets are thicker than others.

Tom

Tom is it in a systainer 1 or 2?

The only 50 pack that I have bought so far is of Rubin P120 because that was the only grit my dealer had in stock at the time. Since then I've been buying 5 packs to find out which I would use often and which I wouldn't.

 

[tbellemare]

Sys 1

Tom

 

[image132]

Sys 1

Tom

Thanks a lot Tom. You've helped a lot.

 

[fesfrank]

Hey guys I have the Abrasives 5" promo in the sys 1 and I think its great.  It came with the p80 rubin 50x, p120 rubin 50x, p180 rubin 50x, p220 Br2 50x, p320 Br2 50x, and the abrasives assortment pack.  I believe it cost $165.00, so it was a deal for me, and there was only one left at the store, they told me it was a promotion so this was the last one.  Depending on the grit you can put anywhere from 60 to 80 pads in each storage pod.  Yes you would have to pick them up to get to others but come on if thatas the worst of your problems I think your doing pretty well for yourself....

 

[image132]

Hey guys I have the Abrasives 5" promo in the sys 1 and I think its great.  It came with the p80 rubin 50x, p120 rubin 50x, p180 rubin 50x, p220 Br2 50x, p320 Br2 50x, and the abrasives assortment pack.  I believe it cost $165.00, so it was a deal for me, and there was only one left at the store, they told me it was a promotion so this was the last one.  Depending on the grit you can put anywhere from 60 to 80 pads in each storage pod.  Yes you would have to pick them up to get to others but come on if thatas the worst of your problems I think your doing pretty well for yourself....

Thanks Frank your first hand experience helped a lot. Like FestoolFootstool said as long as each silo can hold a box of 50 I'm happy so I think I will go with it.

 

[tbellemare]

Thanks a lot Tom. You've helped a lot.

You're welcome, Chris

they told me it was a promotion so this was the last one

It was a promotion and I only have one left. I don't know why it's still around? All of the 150's and the other 125's sold quite a while ago in a fairly short time span.

Tom

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I don't mess with the inserts, I don't like how it stores the paper.

I use a sys 3 to store my 125 paper, in full boxes.

I use a sys 2 to store my DX93 and RAS paper.