RO 90 to augment my ETS 150/5?

[Alphonse]

I recently bought my first Festool sander, an ETS 150/5.  It works very well and I am happy with it.  It does not work the best on edges and curved surfaces, so I am considering augmenting it with a RO 90.

I am primarily a woodworker making mostly new pieces.  I do an occasional repair but prefer to focus on new items.

Input would be appreciated.

 

[semenza]

    The RO90 is actually a great sander to compliment most of the Festool sanders ...... handy, and very versatile due to the aggressive / fine modes and the delta pad.

    However I don't like it that much for edges. The shape, small pad size and off center weight distribution make it much harder to keep flat on  a narrow edge. My go to sander for edges actually is the ETS150/5 /3 with the hard pad. I do almost all of my sanding before assembly. For sanding edges I clamp  (or otherwise hold) the piece flat on a bench. Holding the ETS150 in one hand, with my other hand on top of the work piece, standing so that you will draw the sander towards you. This allows sanding with the pad vertically against the edge so that you are looking down on the edge of the sanding pad as the sander is moved along the edge. In this position it is easy to see that the pad is flat on the edge. And the large size of the ETS150 makes it easy to see any tilt that you may be introducing. The vertical position also helps prevent pressing too hard and flexing the pad (even though it should be the hard pad) around the edge.

    I'll try to get a picture to post later.

Seth

 

[Alphonse]

    . . . . . My go to sander for edges actually is the ETS150/5 /3 with the hard pad. I do almost all of my sanding before assembly. For sanding edges I clamp  (or otherwise hold) the piece flat on a bench. Holding the ETS150 in one hand, with my other hand on top of the work piece, standing so that you will draw the sander towards you. This allows sanding with the pad vertically against the edge so that you are looking down on the edge of the sanding pad as the sander is moved along the edge. In this position it is easy to see that the pad is flat on the edge. And the large size of the ETS150 makes it easy to see any tilt that you may be introducing. The vertical position also helps prevent pressing too hard and flexing the pad (even though it should be the hard pad) around the edge.

    I'll try to get a picture to post later.

Seth

Seth, thanks a million for the informative reply.  I have shredded some of my paper using the ETS150/5 by sanding edges and wrecking into a profile change in the piece I was sanding.  This is the nature of a disc sander combined with poor technique (spelled "in a hurry").  So I generally have found the 150 a bit unfriendly on edges and was planning to use the RO90 with the delta pad.  What I take from your post is to clamp it down and use proper technique thus avoiding wrecks.  Whattayathink?

 

[semenza]

    . . . . . My go to sander for edges actually is the ETS150/5 /3 with the hard pad. I do almost all of my sanding before assembly. For sanding edges I clamp  (or otherwise hold) the piece flat on a bench. Holding the ETS150 in one hand, with my other hand on top of the work piece, standing so that you will draw the sander towards you. This allows sanding with the pad vertically against the edge so that you are looking down on the edge of the sanding pad as the sander is moved along the edge. In this position it is easy to see that the pad is flat on the edge. And the large size of the ETS150 makes it easy to see any tilt that you may be introducing. The vertical position also helps prevent pressing too hard and flexing the pad (even though it should be the hard pad) around the edge.

    I'll try to get a picture to post later.

Seth

Seth, thanks a million for the informative reply.  I have shredded some of my paper using the ETS150/5 by sanding edges and wrecking into a profile change in the piece I was sanding.  This is the nature of a disc sander combined with poor technique (spelled "in a hurry").  So I generally have found the 150 a bit unfriendly on edges and was planning to use the RO90 with the delta pad.  What I take from your post is to clamp it down and use proper technique thus avoiding wrecks.  Whattayathink?

Ha, Ha, yes.  [big grin]

  There are lots of different techniques that are proper. That one works for me. Depends on the situation too. And what sanders are in the stable. I don't have the RTS400 which is another that is often recommended for edge sanding. I do have the LS130 which is great for profiles, but I still prefer the ETS150 for flat edges.  I will still try to get a picture posted. No one around right now to help take a good pic. It is more than a two handed job to show it well.
 
    Here is a thread on the technique.

Seth

 

[bkharman]

I am with you Seth... I use my ETS 150/3 on 18mm ply and other 3/4" material edges all the time.  I like my 90, but the 150 is my go to machine.  It balances so well and always produces great edges as well as large platforms.

My only complaint is when i am going through grits it takes about 3 seconds longer to get the 150mm papers off and on.  [wink]

I think I can live with that!

cheers.  Bryan.

 

[jnug]

Ah yes the comment about focusing on new work reminds me of the issue of doing repairs or renovating vs always working on new material in the "how many sanders does it take to screw in a light bulb discussion".

Maybe in fact that is where many of the Rotex fans come from....I would think a Rotex does a better job at the initial cut needed to remove the surface finish, paint or what have you before you even get to wood if you are renovating or repairing a piece. An ETS of some sort likely does not do that job at all well.

Is this discussion of edges actually one of trying to make a small change in the edge profile using a sander and how difficult that can be or is it more a discussion of having an edge profile there and not having the sander modify it in some way? I would think a finish sander used at the point where you are finish sanding would not change the edge profile that much unless one really made a mistake.

I do like clamping completely for sanding even if I am going to end up with a free hand I like to use that free hand for just about anything other than actually holding the workpiece if possible.