Review of Pro5 Limited

[butzla]

It's about as smooth as any other Festool.

Mine works much like yours, [member=26457]Cochese[/member] .  Smooth as silk and I like it much better than my ETS125.  My only complaint is that the low price devaluates my ets125, which will be up for sale.  I really like the brake on the pad and it makes me wish all my sanders had it.  It's more powerful and comfortable to sand with too.
Off topic, Cochese, whats your source for the nice braided tubing you have on your vac hose?

 

[Cochese]

It's about as smooth as any other Festool.

Mine works much like yours, [member=26457]Cochese[/member] .  Smooth as silk and I like it much better than my ETS125.  My only complaint is that the low price devaluates my ets125, which will be up for sale.  I really like the brake on the pad and it makes me wish all my sanders had it.  It's more powerful and comfortable to sand with too.
Off topic, Cochese, whats your source for the nice braided tubing you have on your vac hose?

I made it myself.

40mm, 5m length hose wrap off eBay -http://www.ebay.com/itm/32211935774...49&var=511042101153&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

50mm heat shrink 2:1 tubing -https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MJVQR7I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The only improvement I'd make is taping up the end of the PET before I heat shrunk it.

 

[pettyconstruction]

My pro 5 is smooth also,but I hung it from the rafters on a bungee for a few hours on high.
It fits I my RO125 sander system.
Charlie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Holmz]

Comparing the Pro5 to anything but the ETS 125 or any other brands 99.00 5" senders is pretty meaningless.

The others you mention, the ETS EC and the Mirka DEROS are just so far above in quality and at near three times the cost is comparing apples to oranges. The EC and Deros are far, far better than the pro5, they are simply different category tools from quality, price and even type(technology).

[censored] I am starting to realize now that the fellow cannot compare his Pro5 with the Woodcraft's Pro5 as they will NOT have a promotional Pro5... 

While it is true that it is an "Apples versus Oranges" - one can compare them independent of cost the same way that a VW can be compared to a Ferrari.
Then one puts value on going faster.

The basic sanding of just about any sander will get the job done, so it is hard to claim that the more expensive ones are a whole lot better... But when vibration, noise, dust, ergonomics and psychology are factored in - then it explains why some people just have to have their Ferrari.

But at least he would be able to know what the difference is between the apple and the orange...
[censored] Now you've got me thinking of Adam and Eve.

 

[jrb9]

My pro 5 is smooth also,but I hung it from the rafters on a bungee for a few hours on high.
It fits I my RO125 sander system.
Charlie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Was yours not smooth out of the box and hanging it helped? Mine was was very smooth in comparison to the Dewalt orbital that I had been using (to the point that I made my wife come and see the very obvious difference to justify the expense of my Festool purchases, versus a brand she had heard of).

I haven't tried anything higher up the food chain so perhaps my definition of "smooth" is different to the more experienced folks on here.

 

[Welshdog]

Here is a vid of my Pro 5.  This was with 120 grit, speed 5, low suction on the CT26, work clamped to MFT.  You can see the motion while I hold it and when I just hold the hose.  It's not real bad, but it's there.

Pro 5 movement

 

[morgspattern]

Yes, mine is really hard to control, as well. I own other festools but this is my first sander and I was expecting to be blown away and want more festool sanders. Unfortunately, I can only use the pro 5 for rough work because it chatters and bounces around so much. I almost thought it was my error but seeing your video confirms that we must have defective units.

picked up a Pro 5 ltd yesterday Nov 1st from Woodcraft of Delaware.

Began using it at work today sanding poplar jamb extension edges and 2" wide rectangular poplar door casing.  Unit is quiet and low vibration as expected from a festool sander.  I own a RO 150 and have used an ETS 150/3 a lot.  This pro 5 was very difficult to use- it bounced around the workpiece considerably. Much more than my RO 150 in fine sanding mode.  I tried various speeds and vacuum settings.  Also tried with "long life dust bag".  120 grit paper.  Ended up with gouges and uneven surfaces on poplar, almost ruined.  I have used the ETS 150 a lot and always had easy control of it, able to guide it with light finger pressure with no bouncing/eccentric movements.
Curious is there some sort of "break-in" period? doesn't mention it in the manual.  so far I am disappointed, was hoping for extreme control, especially sanding vertically.

open to suggestions, curious if others have similar experiences.

Wes

 

[Bob D.]

Reading through this thread as I have been experiencing a similar
problem with my RO125.

But this comment I don't follow the logic of.

"Your logic is near indisputable... except for the fact it was a promotion
which renders your whole logic string worthless."

If it says Festool then it ought to be Festool quality. If the Pro5 was a batch
of bad sanders then stick some other label on them and sell them as something
other than Festool for $99.

When I was an apprentice one of the journeymen I was working for when we
were trimming out a place stopped me as I was about to install a fixture.

He said: Take your pencil and write today's date on the back.

I did.

He then said: Now sign your name right next to the date.

I said: Why?

He reply was: So that anyone in the future will know who
                    installed this and what a great job you did.

But what I got out of that was they will also know if you
screwed it up so if you're going to put your name on it
then it better be as good as you can make it.