used my brand new rotex 150 with a ctl extractor to sand coated wooden floorboards today and within 3 minutes the sanding disc was already clogged. I was using the granat 40 grit discs as advised from dealer. What am i doing wrong as its redicolouls to be gping through expensive discs this quickly. I am very dissapointed in the rotex 150 peformance
rotex 150
- Thread starter slimm
- Start date
Hi,
What is the coating on the floor boards?
Also I find that in removing most types of finish or paint ............. speed 4 and keep the sander moving to different areas to help avoid having heat melt the finish/paint. Especially in Rotex aggressive mode. Which will clog the abrasive very quickly.
Seth
What is the coating on the floor boards?
Also I find that in removing most types of finish or paint ............. speed 4 and keep the sander moving to different areas to help avoid having heat melt the finish/paint. Especially in Rotex aggressive mode. Which will clog the abrasive very quickly.
Seth
Birdhunter
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I don't think you are doing anything wrong. My experience is that almost any type of finish clogs sand paper very quickly.
Sorry to hear of your frustration. The Rotex isn't a miracle worker. The secret as Seth pointed out is learning the sweet spot between abrading the finish off and melting it on to the pads. That only comes with experience.
Try what Seth suggested and then fine tune it.
Peter
Try what Seth suggested and then fine tune it.
Peter
AlexThePalex
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The Rotex is not to blame for this, with any sander the paper would clog. Because it is the coating of the floor boards that makes this happen.
nickao
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He can fine tune all he wants, the fact is the Granat paper(and all others) used with floor finishes clogs fast at first. Technique might save 1 in 5 or 10 sheets. So though great technique is very helpful, the bullet needs to be bitten for sandpaper cost or get a small 18" floor sander. The Rotex with Granat paper clogs fast when sanding polyurethane or the like, it's simply the nature of the beast.
I do this nearly every day. When I sand a preexisting floor finish I start lower, using 36 grit, even 24 grit.
And I know I will burn through up to 1 sheet per sq foot at first, If I get away sanding a 72" inlay and use 3 sheets of 24 or 36 grit I did great. If I spend 20.00 it is still worth it. Show me a faster way and I'll do it. As soon as the top hard of finish is sanded off and a 50 grit can be used the Rotex shines.
As a worst case scenario I figure that sanding a 72" inlay that has 3 coats of poly will cost me as much as 20.00 in sandpaper if I don't use my floor sander and only use my Rotex. If you can't live with that you need a floor sander.
I do use a RAS 180 that is a monster of a sander that is not available in the USA. Its dust collection is not very good and the paper is even more costly than the Rotex 150, but it cuts down the sanding time to 20% and does not clog up nearly as much. I believe its because of its power, so it blast through finish before there is a large heat build up. The RAS 180 cuts down sanding time to 20% NOT by 20%. It's a huge time saver, but if you dont know what you are doing you will dish your floor with that RAS 180 in a heart beat.
This clogging of the sandpaper on floor finishes is NOT the Rotex 150 machine itself, it's the floor finish and sandpaper.
The only reason I posted is because I want to very clear my opinion that the Festool Rotex 150 is a fantastic sander, for me the best I have ever used and I have used everything I could get my hands on to date. But sanding floor finish using the Rotex 150 and Granat definitely creates a situation where it clogs sandpaper very quickly. It's just a fact in my shop.
I do this nearly every day. When I sand a preexisting floor finish I start lower, using 36 grit, even 24 grit.
And I know I will burn through up to 1 sheet per sq foot at first, If I get away sanding a 72" inlay and use 3 sheets of 24 or 36 grit I did great. If I spend 20.00 it is still worth it. Show me a faster way and I'll do it. As soon as the top hard of finish is sanded off and a 50 grit can be used the Rotex shines.
As a worst case scenario I figure that sanding a 72" inlay that has 3 coats of poly will cost me as much as 20.00 in sandpaper if I don't use my floor sander and only use my Rotex. If you can't live with that you need a floor sander.
I do use a RAS 180 that is a monster of a sander that is not available in the USA. Its dust collection is not very good and the paper is even more costly than the Rotex 150, but it cuts down the sanding time to 20% and does not clog up nearly as much. I believe its because of its power, so it blast through finish before there is a large heat build up. The RAS 180 cuts down sanding time to 20% NOT by 20%. It's a huge time saver, but if you dont know what you are doing you will dish your floor with that RAS 180 in a heart beat.
This clogging of the sandpaper on floor finishes is NOT the Rotex 150 machine itself, it's the floor finish and sandpaper.
The only reason I posted is because I want to very clear my opinion that the Festool Rotex 150 is a fantastic sander, for me the best I have ever used and I have used everything I could get my hands on to date. But sanding floor finish using the Rotex 150 and Granat definitely creates a situation where it clogs sandpaper very quickly. It's just a fact in my shop.
PA floor guy
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If it's an aluminum oxide finish. Try using 80 grit first to soften the top coat. It's completely unrealistic to think a ro150 will do what a flooring edger will do. I suggest you look for a Clarke super 7
nickao
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Exactly and even a floor edger has its issues depending on finish and paper used.
I hesitate to ever suggest a floor edger to anyone that doesn't do a lot of floors though. I am sure you have seen the swirl marks, dips, divots and other damage done with a floor edger by someone that doesn't know what they are doing. A floor edger isn't nearly as forgiving as a Rotex or other orbital sander, IMHO.
As a floor person I know you can tell a homeowner job from a good pro's work very quickly and it is usually 12" from the wall and in where it's apparent. So for most woodworker's that don't do floors a smaller orbital sander is the safer option. It just takes a heck of a lot longer and more sandpaper will be used. I think it's a good trade off because once the floor is damaged using an edger it isn't easily repaired, once the wood is gone its gone.
I hesitate to ever suggest a floor edger to anyone that doesn't do a lot of floors though. I am sure you have seen the swirl marks, dips, divots and other damage done with a floor edger by someone that doesn't know what they are doing. A floor edger isn't nearly as forgiving as a Rotex or other orbital sander, IMHO.
As a floor person I know you can tell a homeowner job from a good pro's work very quickly and it is usually 12" from the wall and in where it's apparent. So for most woodworker's that don't do floors a smaller orbital sander is the safer option. It just takes a heck of a lot longer and more sandpaper will be used. I think it's a good trade off because once the floor is damaged using an edger it isn't easily repaired, once the wood is gone its gone.
leakyroof
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You might, see if your supplier can give you a couple of discs to try from their open stock. Also, PA Floor Guys' words about starting with that 80 grit first, then a different grit are words to heed since he works Floors for a living, and has a lot of sanders too.......... [poke] [poke] [poke]slimm said:
as far as im concerned this post should be re-named. after reading the helpfull advice this problem had been solved. I am impressed with the rotex 150
I do however blame a certain individual who blatentally receives free festool tools (despite claiming otherwise) in return for his promotional videos that gave me unreasonable expectations.
I do however blame a certain individual who blatentally receives free festool tools (despite claiming otherwise) in return for his promotional videos that gave me unreasonable expectations.
nickao
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I must clarify I use Saphir in my shop almost exclusivity. The Saphir still gums, but not nearly as bad. I use it to clear finishes off flooring all the time. So the suggestion to get out of the Granat paper was a good one.
So the the first thing you should do is switch to the Saphir paper. If you are using unfinished wood the Saphir most likely will never gum up no matter what the wood.
So the the first thing you should do is switch to the Saphir paper. If you are using unfinished wood the Saphir most likely will never gum up no matter what the wood.
kevin clifford
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I actually got the RO150 to do the floors in my house. Spent about 15 minutes with a rented edge sander and that machine was not suited for a novice! Used a rented belt sander for the bulk of the floor with a ridgid shop vac strapped to it and then edged everything with the rotex and the RO90 in the corners. Started with 60 grit and worked to 150. The pads gummed up fairly quickly, but I figured it was going to happen and it was par for the course. Starting with a more aggressive grit paper helps though.
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