ROTEX performance with finer grits

[Jesus Aleman]

Hi, I'm looking for feedback from people that have used the ROTEX150 or 125 for fine and ultrafine sanding (anything in between 150 and 4000 grit). 
I appreciate that there are other sanders specifically design for this task, but I want to keep the focus on the performance of the ROTEXs.

Cheers,

JGA.

 

[Neill]

Jesus -

I have used the Rotex 125 with Brilliant 120-320, Platen 500-4000 on wood and Vlies 100 and 280 on cast iron.  The brilliant and Platen left no perceptible swirl marks on the wood.  I have used them on bare wood and between coats of water based poly and sanding sealer, shellac and wax.

I have used the finer grits with my ETS 125 and have noticed no particular improvement between the Rotex and the less aggressive sander.

Hope this helps.

Neill

 

[bruegf]

I've used the Rotex 125 with grits up to the 4000 platin w/ very good results. 

Fred

 

[Dan Clermont]

Variable suction becomes key at higher grits as the grit size is smaller and you can get suction between the paper and work surface. Also may want to look an interface pad which will give a more uniform surface if your project is not truly flat.

Just my Canadian Two cents
Dan Clermont

 

[Neill]

Just my Canadian Two cents
Dan Clermont

Dan -

Always appreciated by your Southerly neighbors!



Neill

 

[Jesus Aleman]

Neill/bruegf.  Have you used the stock (soft) pad through the higher grits, or at what point do you switch to the supersoft pad and the interface pad?

 

[Neill]

Jesus -

From what I understand the supersoft / interface pad was to be used when you needed to conform to the surface, such as a bullnose or to an odd shape.  I have not used it for this purpose.  I have the LS130 that I use on rounded edges and in crevices.

So, to answer your question I have used the standard pad with my finer grits and the hard pad with the more aggressive ones.

Neill

 

[bruegf]

Jesus,

I've only used the standard pad that comes with the Rotex - haven't purchased any of the other pads yet.

Fred

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I frequently use my RO 125 to remove swirl marks from automobile finishes.  Most of the time I use a clay bar to remove any embedded dirt / girt from the paint, then go straight to a liquid carnauba based wax with a soft to medium foam pad, using the Rotex mode at low speed.  No swirl patterns result, and any that may have previously existed are gone.  I also use this sander at times between to sand between coats of lacquer, but generally prefer to do this with my ETS 125 instead.

Dave R.

 

[John Langevin]

I have used the Rotex 150 for several years with abrasives up to 4000 grit. I use the interface pad when I want a shiny surface and the hard pad when I really need a flat surface. This was done primarily on pre-catalyzed lacquer finishes with excellent reults and no visible marks of any kind. We always hear great things about 150/3 sanders but I haven't been able to justiify one yet; although the compact size and lighter weight are certainly attractive features.

 

[Jesus Aleman]

Do any of you use handplane/scraper in combination with the sanders?  Dan, I assume you do.

 

[peter halle]

Jesus,

If you let the forum know hat you are trying to accomplish I am certain that you will get advice on how to achieve it.

Peter

 

[Dan Clermont]

Do any of you use handplane/scraper in combination with the sanders?  Dan, I assume you do.

Hello Jesus

I still use hand planes and love them! Their are times when I want to just simply have a quiet saturday, working on a small project and can listen to a hockey game (we do that up here in Canada) or a football game.

Other days I am working on a deadline and need to get a project or renovation done.

To be honest, I very rarely mix smoothing planes with the Rotex or ETS. It is either one or the other. Both will leave a mirror polished surface although one sheers the fibers (handplane) and the other burnishes the fibers (sander).

Dan Clermont

 

[Ken Milhinch]

Do any of you use handplane/scraper in combination with the sanders?  Dan, I assume you do.

Handplanes ??? Scrapers ??  What are they ? ;D

 

[tbellemare]

Jesus:

You can use the Rotex to go from a really rough piece of wood to a polished peice of wood in a few minutes...

You start out with rough grit in the gear driven orbital mode, then run it with the same paper in the random orbital mode. When you get to about 100 grit, use only the random mode. All of this with the speed up high.

Go through the grits until you get to about 1000 (basically polishing) and then, slow the speed way down and use the gear driven mode.

Tom