Rotax 125, I give up, Now for sale

[Ed Bray]

If you are selling and depending where you are in the UK I may be interested.

 

[Stone Message]

I also never turn suction down on any of the 3 Rotex sanders. They're so powerful, suction has no hold on them. And I want suction to be at the max to catch all the dust created.

It's all in the hands, you need to have a really tight grip to subdue them or they'll take a walk with you.

I agree 100% on the suction front and, despite my arthritic wrists and hands, have no problem whatsoever controlling the RO90 and RO150. I do not believe that any tools have "their good and bad days" that is down to the user - I have some pretty awful days but my tools are always the same.

Peter

 

[Alan m]

I use my ro150 at about 30-40% extraction. I know by the feel that its not set right. what I think happens is if you jump a little the sander gets sucked down again really fast. the sander is so powerful that the paper grips the wood and kicks the sander a little causing it to lift again . then it continues getting worse as it goes
What grit are you using. try the sander on higher grits that have less bite in them . then when you have the knack down you can more aggressive
I would guess the problem is too much vac pressure

 

[ach_78]

I'm using my RO150 at full vacuum power without issue.
As long as the workpiece is properly clamped I have no problem controlling the sander, at all.

 

[Stone Message]

I also do not believe that any Rotex (or any other Festool tool) needs a run in period. Everything that I have or have tested have behaved exactly as they should right from day one. I suspect that some users need time to get used to different types of tool and so it is the user being run in and not the tool.

Peter

 

[SS Teach]

Before I got the Ro150 I borrowed a Ro 125. That's why I now have a 150, much smoother.

 

[Raptorseviltwin]

Hi Can not live with it any more my metabo 150mm is silky smooth compared to the festool. So have now sold it and will
now purchase a bosch 125mm. Thank you all for your comments [smile]

 

[Stone Message]

Pity - despite my considerable arthritis I have no difficulty whatsoever controlling Festool sanders. I am nowhere near as good at anything compared to 20 years ago so why can't young fit people manage these tools?

Peter

 

[Staniam]

I just ran my 125 for about three hours over the weekend with 100% suction. It didn't feel any different and was fine to control. Maybe it's because I'm used to it now?

 

[Raptorseviltwin]

Hi Peter
I do not see  the point of fighting with a tool that creates more work by marking the piece i am working on.
I am 6ft  17 stone and 65 so not sure what you are implying . Any tool you have to hang onto with 2 hands to stop it bouncing round the table is faulty. My metabo i can handle with 2 fingers as it glides around the table yet its only half the price. If the sander is so great why are there numerous posts about a break in period. I read one post where a guy hung his on a rope and left it running for 5 hours in each mode. This tells me there are problems with the 125 rotex.

 

[Phil Beckley]

Hi
I have sent a P.M to you regarding a visit from the local guy. The Rotex family benefit from a 'soft touch' rather than a firm hand and as some posts have indicated it is part of a learning curve.
Let me know how this goes and i can be contacted either through the forum or Festool U.K office
RG
Phil

 

[woodguy7]

I think the difference between the Rotex & the Metabo is like comparing apples to oranges.  If you tried an ETS sander then 1 handed is effortless with them.

In saying that i have had a lot of problems with my RO150.  The suction makes "NO" difference.  I have tried every speed setting & suction setting but no different.  I can be sanding 3 or 4 boards no problem then all of a sudden it just goes mental !  Its been back to Festool but they said there is nothing wrong with it.  Bolloks !  The fact that this discussion keeps coming up proves that others do have this problem.

I have been using sanders professionally for over 25 years so anyone that says I'm doing it wrong is more than welcome to drive up here & show me the error of my ways.

But as others have said, i wouldn't be without it.  When its behaving its the best sander ever.

 

[peter halle]

I don't remembers seeing that you have contacted Festool UK about getting it in for a look or servicing.  It might be worth doing that especially if you are selling it.

Peter

 

[Phil Beckley]

I think the difference between the Rotex & the Metabo is like comparing apples to oranges.  If you tried an ETS sander then 1 handed is effortless with them.

In saying that i have had a lot of problems with my RO150.  The suction makes "NO" difference.  I have tried every speed setting & suction setting but no different.  I can be sanding 3 or 4 boards no problem then all of a sudden it just goes mental !  Its been back to Festool but they said there is nothing wrong with it.  Bolloks !  The fact that this discussion keeps coming up proves that others do have this problem.

I have been using sanders professionally for over 25 years so anyone that says I'm doing it wrong is more than welcome to drive up here & show me the error of my ways.

But as others have said, i wouldn't be without it.  When its behaving its the best sander ever.

Hi
Send it in  -address for my attention and i will go over it.
rg
Phil

 

[Raptorseviltwin]

Did not see the point of contacting festool unless the quality control is not up to spec. This is not the first post i have made about the rotex 125. I don't seem to be the only one having problems. I do not expect to have a fight with a top class tool. Saying you have to get used to it is not on. I have the router,the 75mm plunge saw and ventura and they worked straight from the box and i would never part with them.

 

[overanalyze]

That sander will frustrate you. It took me a bit but now I love it. Just today I used it with a vac to "grind" a large amount of built up drywall mud before I installed some new corner bead. I had almost no dust. The old way would have been a grinder or belt sander with dust everywhere.

That said, my partner does not like it and won't use it.

 

[ifit]

Did not see the point of contacting festool unless the quality control is not up to spec. This is not the first post i have made about the rotex 125. I don't seem to be the only one having problems. I do not expect to have a fight with a top class tool. Saying you have to get used to it is not on. I have the router,the 75mm plunge saw and ventura and they worked straight from the box and i would never part with them.

It might be the problem is that you are trying to fight with it, the tendency when you can feel it getting out of control is to grip harder and press down more but the opposite is true, ease off a bit and you will find it controls its self.

 

[Stone Message]

I think that Robert may have given up on the RO125 despite the generous offer from Phil Beckley. However, for anyone else who is worried about the Rotex sanders, especially the RO125 and the RO150, then do take a look at the video that I made about the latter machine:



I then went on to make a series of 3 videos showing the construction of a garden bench made from the roughest oak that you can imagine. I did not plane any of the wood and just used the RO150 to bring it up to an excellent finish in next to no time. Despite my arthritic hands and wrists I do not have any problems controlling the Rotex. Here is the link to the first of the 3 videos:



Peter

 

[Raptorseviltwin]

Just like to say Phils offer came after i had parted with it. Would like to try the 150mm before i purchased one so if your listening Mike
your welcome to come and demonstrate one. Back to the 125 rotex i tried everything available to me ie hanging on to it and holding it very lightly. At he moment i am recovering from a carpel tunnel op so i only have one sound hand with the second hand to be done in 6 weeks so i needed a sander that could be operated one handed and the festool 125 did not fit the bill. So far i have read that you have to break it in, hold it lightly, hold it as if your hands are clued to it. Does not this tell you there is something not quite right. I just don't have the luxury to persevere as it was creating more marks than what it was removing. I was informed my metabo verses the rotex was like apples and oranges well that may be but both do the job but with the metabo i can use one handed and just let it glide over the work. My aim was to replace all my tools for festool and apart from the rotex i am very happy.

 

[DanielOB]

I have ro125. That one is with lower torque, due to smaller paper size, than ro150, and so it should and IS smoother than ro150 dispite bigger inertia of ro150..
I have no ANY problem, and think ro125 is one of the best Festool tool.
Definitely you did something wrong way.