RS 2 Users out there - Is this right for me?

[peter halle]

I am putting together a proposal for a customer of mine who is an author and feels that his writing would be better if he had a proper man cave.  A man cave designed to emulate an old library with recessed wall panels and built up moldings.  Stained dark.  I did a coffered ceiling for him a couple years ago and he wants to continue the theme.

He is a demanding customer and does not want ripples in his flat wall panels.  The questions is do I go for the RS 2 or the LS 130?  The tool will be built into the project cost.

Any advice would be appreciated.  Also any ideas on how you use yours would be helpful.

Peter

 

[kdzito]

Peter,

I have the RS 2 and love it.  Although I don't have the LS 130, the RS 2 will definitely do the job since it has a much larger sanding surface area.  The LS 130 pad is 16.5 Square Inches while the RS 2 is 40.5 Square Inches.  The RS 2 technique is to move at a rapid pace, while I think you have to move much slower with the LS 130.

It's a wonderful sander as it shines in leaving a flat and level surface and since you are doing flat panels this is where the benefits are.   

Hands down the RS 2 will serve you right.  One tip is that the break-in period is about 10 hours as it acts real skidish at first.  Just hang it up dangling and let it run for this time to break it in.

Kurt

 

[CO_JCD]

Peter,

I am a user of the RS200 rather than a RS2 - albeit as far as I can tell from the Festool website that they are broadly similar without being exactly the same spec.  For flat surfaces the RS200 is a superb machine, much better than the LS 130 - the 130 comes into it's own for narrow stock and/or rounding corners slightly that don't merit a routed round-over.

I have the orbital RO 150 and ETS 150/3 orbit sanders as well, they are good as we know, however, for that final raw wood finish (Rubin P180) the RS 200 is my go to choice where the surface area makes it a usable option.

Hope this helps (and that the RS 200 is near enough similar to the RS 2).

John

 

[GaryLaroff]

I have both the RS 2 and LS 130.  The RS 2 is one of my most used sanders, the LS 130 is the least used even though I have about 5 of the bases.

For getting a surface flat, the RS 2 is probably the best sander in the industry.  Flat is what it does.  As stated above, move quickly but at an even pace so that you don't stand in one spot too long and make a shallow dent.

The LS 130 is skittish and must be used slowly and carefully.  It wants to buck up and down.  For contoured molding, and a lot of it, it is the sander of choice and conveniently takes the same size abrasives as the RTS 400.  But, this is not the sander you want to use for flat surfaces.

As noted above, the RS 2 motor/bearings/etc. have a break-in period which you can either force by letting it run or allow to happen gradually as you use the tool.  The break-in period by use will be gentler on your nerves if you slow the sander down to 4 or 5 for some hours, but you can always hang it up and let it run at full speed for 6 hours.

Lastly, there is my standard sanding process:  If you use Rubin, stop two grits before your last grit and switch to Brilliant-2.  So, if you are sanding up through P180, stop using Rubin at P150.  Then quickly repeat with Brilliant-2 P150 and then Brilliant-2 P180.  This general procedure has been the most efficient for me.

But yes, certainly, the RS 2 is the sander for your application.

Gary

 

[BobKovacs]

What are you using for the panels?  I'd say that's going to have far more of an impact on their flatness than which sander you choose.

 

[Theshipstore]

Peter
The Rs 2 is the one for me I use it on all my raised panel doors and on some tabletops that I have made.
It works great and I have always found the end results on my cabinet door sanding to be flat and level.
I can't see how you would be unhappy with the results.

Also FYI Tom at Tool Home has a great Systainer and Abrasive package already made up at a great deal
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-sales-dealer-area/rs-2-abrasive-assortment/

My break in period was about 8 hrs after that it is a controlable sander completely
Sal

 

[peter halle]

Thanks Guys!

Bob,

The ultimate decision on wood for the recessed panels hasn't been entirely mapped out.  He is considering both solid wood - possibly Alder - or Alder plywood if I can find it.  My first project for them was a fireplace mantle after they clipped a picture out of a magazine.  They like that so ...

Peter

 

[GaryLaroff]

For Alder plywood, please consider contacting ApplePly.  They are an American company making plywood in Eugene, Oregon with full 3/4 inch thickness, oversized panels and no voids in the plywood which, at least used to be, made of, plies of Alder.  Their website doesn't list Alder as an available face veneer, but you should consider phoning them to find out.  If possible, please try to buy an American product.

http://www.appleply.com/appleply/species/

Gary

 

[peter halle]

Gary,

Thanks for the lead!

Peter