ROTEX or ETS

[Jesus Aleman]

I spent a few hours reading different Festool sander-related threads.  I understand the merits of each type of sander.  However, I have a specific questions of the ROTEX vs ETS variety.    I have a few tasks that I need to complete in the next 4 months.

1) Refinishing cedar deck
2) Refinishing interior doors (only 2).
3) Building and finishing a walnut bench
4) Building and finishing the top of a fireplace mantle made of walnut (it is in a corner, so essentially a small triangular top).

My current funds can only afford a ROTEX or ETS, but not both.  I'm fond of the ROTEX 150 for the largers surface and better stability.  The ETS 150/3 seems like THE finish sander.  But after reading the threads, it seems that the ROTEX 125 would give me the better capabilities for heavy duty wood removal (tasks 1 and 2) and decent finish capabilities (task 3 and 4).

So my question is directed to those who own both the ETS and ROTEX sanders. Based on the task above, what is the best compromise for a first sander.    ETS 150/3 for superb finishing albeit a longer time on the heavy wood/paint removal tasks, or go with the ROTEX 125 and sacrifice the finishing?  Is there a significant difference in the finish between the ROTEX and ETS, or is this something that I would only be able to tell if I have both?

Thanks in advance.

JGA.

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

My first and only Festool sander at this point is the ETS 150/5 which I thought gave me great bang for the buck, a machine that removes stock pretty fast with courser grits of sandpaper and can do a pretty nice fine finish with the finer grits too and the dust collection is excellent even with my old Sears vac.  I might later add a Rotex 150 for course sanding really rough stuff and for polishing...  So, I didn't really address your specific models but these are my real life results...

Best,
Todd

 

[gkeas]

I think refinishing a deck with a 6" sander, much less a 5" sounds like a BUNCH of work, but having said that:

Shameless Spam

I want to upgrade to the 6" versions, myself.

 

[RDMuller]

I have the 150/5 and Rotex 150.  The first I bought in 2002 and love.  The Rotex has been purchased within the last 2 months.  EITHER will do the tasks you have at hand.  Here are a few Pros and Cons

1.  Tremendous overlap in what you are able to do depending on the grit of the sandpaper used
2.  The balance of the 150/5 is excellent.  The Rotex is more like an angle grinder so you hang on to it with 2 hands
3.  The Rotex in rotary (actually eccentric rotary) mode can remove more material quicker
4.  The Rotex in rotary mode is an excellent polisher.  The 150/5 is not.
5.  I would hate to part with my 150/5.  If I could only have 1 sander, I would get the Rotex based upon the polishing capabilities if that were critical to me.  Otherwise, I would probably go with a 150/3 or 150/5

 

[vlahtein]

... From Fine Woodworking #202: "Models tested include the Bosch 1250DEVS, Bosch 3727DEVS, DeWalt DW443, Fein MSF 636-1, Festool ETS 150/3 EQ, Festool RO 150 FEQ, Makita BO6030, Makita  BO6040, Metabo SXE450, Ridgid R2611."

 

[festool_SWFL]

I spent a few hours reading different Festool sander-related threads.  I understand the merits of each type of sander.  However, I have a specific questions of the ROTEX vs ETS variety.    I have a few tasks that I need to complete in the next 4 months.

1) Refinishing cedar deck
2) Refinishing interior doors (only 2).
3) Building and finishing a walnut bench
4) Building and finishing the top of a fireplace mantle made of walnut (it is in a corner, so essentially a small triangular top).

My current funds can only afford a ROTEX or ETS, but not both.   I'm fond of the ROTEX 150 for the largers surface and better stability.  The ETS 150/3 seems like THE finish sander.  But after reading the threads, it seems that the ROTEX 125 would give me the better capabilities for heavy duty wood removal (tasks 1 and 2) and decent finish capabilities (task 3 and 4).

So my question is directed to those who own both the ETS and ROTEX sanders. Based on the task above, what is the best compromise for a first sander.    ETS 150/3 for superb finishing albeit a longer time on the heavy wood/paint removal tasks, or go with the ROTEX 125 and sacrifice the finishing?  Is there a significant difference in the finish between the ROTEX and ETS, or is this something that I would only be able to tell if I have both?

Thanks in advance.

JGA.

Consider the Rotex 125 with the ETS125.  That is the combination that I selected, however, I am not doing a deck.  I like the size of the 5" pad so far and I have a hard time controlling the Rotex as it is.  Cannot imagine the 6" 150.  Also this combo is not much more than the Rotex 150.

 

[Ken Milhinch]

Based purely on the tasks you have in front of you, I would go with the Rotex. It is quite capable of anything the ETS can do and it can also be used as a polisher. The 6" model is the way to go.
(I have the RO150 and the ETS 150/3 and I am delighted with both.)

 

[nickao]

For the Deck the Rotex. The ETS 150/3 will do nothing for you there.

For your other projects I fear the Rotex could destroy the work, especially if you are not used to using the Rotex. I sanded a door and went through the the veneer in less than 30 seconds before I realized what happened. And for the walnut as soft as it is and the small size of the projects you could easily get away with the ETS 150/3.

Because you have to do the all the projects I guess the Rotex, but be careful with the projects other than the deck until you are practiced with it.

 

[peter halle]

Jesus,

Many of us find ourselves in a compromise situation and approach it from different directions.  The rotex is by design the more agressive sander.  If it were me I'd take a look at the largest and most time consuming project on your list - which I assume to be your deck.  I would look at the width of the boards and take stock of what I was trying to accomplish.  For instance, if my boards were less than the width of the rotex 150 pad and the outside edges of the board were cupped upwards, would I be attempting to sand and flatten the deck or just the surface ready for a new finish.  If just for a new finish, I would look for a solution with a pad smaller than the board.  If I were flattening it - larger than the board. 

Grit selection can certainly tame down the aggressiveness to some degree at the expense of time.  I have the Rotex 150 and love it.  To me it is a great compromise and suits 95% of my situations.

Good luck.

Peter

 

[bill-e]

I have the ETS150/5, ES125 and RO125.

The RO125 can indeed remove a lot of material and  is relatively easy to handle.  The 150/5 can also remove a lot of material and is my choice for all purpose sander.  I wouldn't recommend the ES125 (although I've not tried the new ETS125) as it just doesn't handle well.  Check out my review page for a write up on all three sanders.  On the last page of the review there is a short clip which tries to show the smoothness the three sanders.

If I were doing the projects you listed I'd rent a floor sander for the deck and buy the 150/5 for the railings and the other projects.  It would be great to have a Rotex but if I could only have one it would be the 150/5

 

[Daviddubya]

If I were facing the tasks you outlined I would go to my local tool rental store and rent a large, stand-up ROS (not a belt) specifically designed for sanding floors and decks.  My 500 square foot redwood deck was sanded this summer in less than two hours using 60 grit pads.  The cost was about $75 plus a few sanding pads.  I did the places that the large sander could not reach with a 5" ROS that I had available at the time.  There is no way I would want to sand an entire deck with a 5" or 6" ROS or Rotex.

I have owned both the RO150 and the ETS150/3 6" sanders for several years.  I think the 150/3 would be a good choice for the other three tasks in your list.

 

[wnagle]

David,

If he did do the whole foor with a Rotex, at least he'd have it broken in! 

 

[Neill]

David,

If he did do the whole foor with a Rotex, at least he'd have it broken in! 

Wayne -

The sander or his back?

Neill

 

[wnagle]

Time to teach wifey to sand...lol

 

[Jesus Aleman]

Well, the deck is not very big (100 sqr ft) so it won't break me, but maybe I can break-in my wife.  She likes to wax and polish her car every 2 weeks.  Maybe she needs a rotex with her name engraved.

 

[wnagle]

Best way to buy a rotex... make it a gift to your wife...

However married guys maybe shouldn't take advice from single guys... If ya wanna stay married... just a thought... ;D

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Jesus,

I refinished  >1200 square ft of red oak parquet flooring using only a Bosch 5" RO sander, and until I was well into that project did not have available any sanding disks coarser than 60 grit.  (Then I had Klingspor custom make some disks for me in 40 grit.)  Even so, I found it well within my ability to do about 100 sq ft per evening, which is the size you stated your deck to be, at the age of 57.  Be sure to wear knee pads.  Any Rotex sander would be far faster than the RO sander I used.

I don't know how easily the currently available rental floor sander units are.  The older ones required a knowledgeable operator to avoid gouging the floor due to the rapid rate of material removal.  Even though the floor I refinished had been professionally sanded and refinished before, I am absolutely confident the job I did is of better quality in terms of levelness of the floor and absolutely no gouges or grooves due to my sanding.

If I could afford only one Festool sander, it would be a Rotex.  An RO 125 was my first Festool.  If I was starting my tools collection all over today, my second choice would be an ETS sander.  I chose the 5" size because I had a lot of vertical and overhead work to do on my house.  Now that I am making furniture, an ETS 150/3 is on my long range wish list.  Festool makes a wide range of sanding machines because there exists a wide range of applications and each type of sanding machine addresses specific needs.  For fine finishing work, I like to complete my sanding schedule using my LS 130 rather than an orbital or rotary type sander, because the resulting scratch pattern will be parallel to the grain and thus I will not see streaks of pigmented stain crosswise to the grain which can occur even if I thoroughly sand with 220 grit and a rotary or orbital machine.

Dave R.