Rotex RO 150 FEQ-Plus, wants to hop around, balance issue?

[DT-PNW]

Anyone have a solution to this jumping by the Rotex? It’s like it’s out of balance? Wants to jump and bounce when in contact with the wood surface

 

[Mario Turcot]

Welcome to the FOG!

Does it jump on both modes? I recommand this video if you haven`t watch it yet.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have the RO125 and it’s a tricky beast to master. Others have recommended turning the vac to mid range and that does seem to calm the beast down. I find keeping the pad flat and not applying downward pressure helps a bunch. I find a mid range speed also helps.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Anyone have a solution to this jumping by the Rotex? It’s like it’s out of balance? Wants to jump and bounce when in contact with the wood surface

The Rotex is always out of balance, that's the nature of this type of sander. The shape gives it away.

You'll have to learn how to control the sander, get a good grip with both hands, one in the fron and one in the back, and guide the sander where you want it.

 

[rljatl]

This will help:
Front Handle

 

[rvieceli]

Unlike the random orbit sanders, the Rotex sanders really require you to pay attention to technique the whole time you are using them. You'll tend to get that bucking if you are lifting an edge of the pad or sometimes if the sanded surface is not flat yet.

The problem with watching someone that knows what they are doing in almost any avenue is that they make it look too easy.  [big grin]

If you pay close attention to the video, he widens his stance a bit and pulls his elbows in some to give better control. His left hand on the side of the front keeps the sander in control. If you notice he tends to move his whole upper body when steering the sander not just moving it around by extending his arms.

The biggest thing is just practicing on some scrap pieces and keeping the pad flat on the surface.

Ron

 

[rst]

All the Rotexs are beasts and require a learning curve, best not to start out on your mahogany Chippendale replica.

 

[zapdafish]

Make sure vacuum is on low

 

[TheSergeant]

Another user mentioned it but 100% get the "Front Handle".  It makes a huge difference. 

 

[Stephen B]

In these two videos that I made back in 2014, you will notice the RO150 is being guided, rather than 'held down'. In other words the Grit of the sanding disc and the tool are doing the work. The other thing I do is that the lower the Grit, the lower I set  the tool's power setting. And sure, very occasionally ------  [eek] [embarassed]

 

[GoingMyWay]

Sedge posted an Instagram video last year showing how to control Rotex sanders:https://www.instagram.com/p/BSt6kb8jfzE/?taken-by=festoolsedge.  Someone also commented on that video that he noticed that the sander will hop when it hits a high spot.